How often do you check KETONES?

kinketo42
kinketo42 Posts: 14 Member
Blood ketones that is...I got the xtra precision (and $$$$strips)
Do you check them in am before meals or after meals? Bedtime?

Replies

  • Redztime2shine
    Redztime2shine Posts: 12 Member
    I check mine in the morning before I eat or drink anything and usually take the readings about 2 -3x a week.

    I also order my strips from here: http://www.universaldrugstore.com/ They are out of Canada, but they are cheapest ones I have found. They ship fast too.

    Red
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    I don't check at all. Keeping my carbs low means by default I'm in ketosis and producing ketones. Even if you are at 75 total carbs a day, you will eventually enter ketosis just by nature alone. As long as I'm feeling great and eating on plan, I don't worry about what my body is doing, as I know that it will get with the program and catch up eventually.
  • JessicaLCHF
    JessicaLCHF Posts: 1,265 Member
    I only check urine keytones and every day after lunch.
  • tanigrrrrr
    tanigrrrrr Posts: 137 Member
    I dont. I did get a free blood meter, but I havent got to buying the strips yet. Maybe if I begin to stall I might test to see how different foods affect me. But I dont feel like I have a reason to right now. Being too pedantic makes me crazy...
  • SteveKroll
    SteveKroll Posts: 94 Member
    Haven't checked ketones in more than six months. Just stick to the plan and save yourself a whole lot of money.
  • YukiBuns
    YukiBuns Posts: 45 Member
    I check my Ketones only when I'm a little 'bad'. Bad as in, sneaking a few nibbles of sour candy into my eating schedule because I can't resist sour candy still. I only ate 3 pieces however; which shouldn't have been enough to knock me out Ketosis. I checked the next day and I'm still in Ketosis after eating the three pieces. I won't make this a habit though, because it can eventually backfire. Just every now and then I like to have a taste of candy, like once every month? But so far, Keto has done wonders on weight loss for me paired with T25, Oolong Tea and CLA tablets. I'm somewhat close to my goal weight. Just another 15-20 lbs to go. So I need to stay strong for another 1-2 months and make it there~
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    If you like sour candy, try using sugar free jello mixed with cream cheese (do not mix with water first. Stir one box of powder into one 8 oz room temperature cream cheese. Portion it out by the TBSP or 2 TBSP portion. It will hit those sour tangs (like sour candy that has the crystals on it). It helps so much.
  • YukiBuns
    YukiBuns Posts: 45 Member
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    If you like sour candy, try using sugar free jello mixed with cream cheese (do not mix with water first. Stir one box of powder into one 8 oz room temperature cream cheese. Portion it out by the TBSP or 2 TBSP portion. It will hit those sour tangs (like sour candy that has the crystals on it). It helps so much.

    Oh thanks so much for this recipe. Next time I go to the grocery store I'll pick some up and try it out. But yeah, I'm heavily addicted to sour candy. My ultimate favorites is Sour Patch Kids Berries or Mike & Ike Zours.

  • kinketo42
    kinketo42 Posts: 14 Member
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    If you like sour candy, try using sugar free jello mixed with cream cheese (do not mix with water first. Stir one box of powder into one 8 oz room temperature cream cheese. Portion it out by the TBSP or 2 TBSP portion. It will hit those sour tangs (like sour candy that has the crystals on it). It helps so much.

    great idea KnitOrMiss! I have to try those soon....<3
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    YukiBuns wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    If you like sour candy, try using sugar free jello mixed with cream cheese (do not mix with water first. Stir one box of powder into one 8 oz room temperature cream cheese. Portion it out by the TBSP or 2 TBSP portion. It will hit those sour tangs (like sour candy that has the crystals on it). It helps so much.

    Oh thanks so much for this recipe. Next time I go to the grocery store I'll pick some up and try it out. But yeah, I'm heavily addicted to sour candy. My ultimate favorites is Sour Patch Kids Berries or Mike & Ike Zours.

    If you want it sweeter with the tang, do the jello with 1/2 the water, dissolve, the stir in 1 cup sour cream for a full 2 minutes to prevent separation. Then 1 cup heavy cream. You can use a little extra unflavored gelatin to firm it up, but the sour cream provides a yogurt like tang with way fewer carbs...
  • LittleMamaVas
    LittleMamaVas Posts: 35 Member
    edited August 2015
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    I don't check at all. Keeping my carbs low means by default I'm in ketosis and producing ketones. Even if you are at 75 total carbs a day, you will eventually enter ketosis just by nature alone. As long as I'm feeling great and eating on plan, I don't worry about what my body is doing, as I know that it will get with the program and catch up eventually.

    This is exactly my approach as well and its been working extremely well. However, I wonder if its a good idea to check at the beginning to figure out one's threshold (i.e. how many grams of carbs can I consume in a day before it throws me out of ketosis).
  • MizTenaciousT
    MizTenaciousT Posts: 69 Member
    I never checked. I just kept it at 20g/day or under for a few weeks until I felt good, then slowly adjusted, listening to my body. I now keep net carbs to 50g/day and under. I really wish MFP had an option for tracking net carbs instead of total carbs! I do the math, subtracting fiber from the total amount, but still. One less step, lol!
  • tracy0919
    tracy0919 Posts: 46 Member
    kinketo42 wrote: »
    Blood ketones that is...I got the xtra precision (and $$$$strips)
    Do you check them in am before meals or after meals? Bedtime?

    Hey! Just wanted to share: I got my recent blood tests back that show I am in ketosis! So nice.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    I don't check at all. Keeping my carbs low means by default I'm in ketosis and producing ketones. Even if you are at 75 total carbs a day, you will eventually enter ketosis just by nature alone. As long as I'm feeling great and eating on plan, I don't worry about what my body is doing, as I know that it will get with the program and catch up eventually.

    This is exactly my approach as well and its been working extremely well. However, I wonder if its a good idea to check at the beginning to figure out one's threshold (i.e. how many grams of carbs can I consume in a day before it throws me out of ketosis).

    For me, the answer is a resounding NO!!! When I did Atkins briefly back in the early 2000's, my downfall came when I knew where that threshold was and learned exactly how far I could push it. With ketosis, if you're in range, you'll keep losing weight. If you stop losing weight, drop your carbs. really it's that simple as far as ketosis, getting there and staying there.

    Adjust your carbs each week by 5-10 grams of total carbs. So if you start at 20 total grams week one, week two would be 25 total grams per day. keep going up until your weight loss stops, then drop back down one level or so.
  • 110challenge
    110challenge Posts: 195 Member
    We don't really measure much now (almost never, we can feel it), but I ordered a Ketonix a couple of weeks ago as we both want to find our 'optimal'.