newbie question
sn4k3y
Posts: 41 Member
Hi. I've only recently started LCHF (4 days ago) and of yet I have been sitting at negative on ketostix. I also purchased a very cheap breathalyzer which some people have been using to measure ketones but nothing in that either. My breath is disgusting says my partner, even after brushing/mouthwash, I urinate constantly, every muscle in my body is aching. My macros are 5c/35p/65f .. sticking to well under 20carbs per day. I have seen a few posts about ketostix but thought I would have saw something but always negative. Is this normal? Thanks
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Yes. Normal for me. It takes me a week after starting cold to get into ketosis. If you cheat at all before keto-adapted (for me around a month), you'll also have a hard time getting in ketosis solidly.1
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If you're breath is noticeably smelling differently but your breathalyzer isn't registering anything either it's not working OR the smell has nothing to do with ketones.
I suspect you haven't hit ketosis yet. In the beginning stages you waste the most ketones in urine as compared to later on.
If you haven't reached ketosis then something is keeping your insulin levels too high to achieve it.
Either sweeteners or some other hidden carbs or constant grazing perhaps? Maybe even eating fake fats like margarine or vegetable oils? Maybe high cortisol from new exercise or other sudden stressor??
How's your hunger?0 -
If you are at 5% carbs, you should be getting some positive ketostix readings any time now. If not, double check your diet like Sunny_Bunny said. Carbs are sometimes in unexpected places.
The bad breath could be from ketosis - it affects a few people that way - or it could be from your higher protein level. 35% protein is pretty high, and it isn't unusual to get bad breath from excess protein.
Protein could be slowing your ketone production too. When excessive protein is consumed (around 200g - possibly less if your calorie intake is low) it may affect whether you are in ketosis or not. Unless you are doing some very serious lifting, you probably don't need that much protein.
As KnitOrMiss said, your electrolytes are too low. You need sodium. Lots. Probably around 5000mg right now. That's about 2 tsp of salt per day. Drink afew cups of broth, use salt tablets, or add a tsp of salt to water. It should help.
You may need some potassium if you are already at muscle pain. Possibly magnesium citrate too.
Hope you feel better soon. You should feel better pretty quick after adding the sodium.
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If you are at 5% carbs, you should be getting some positive ketostix readings any time now. If not, double check your diet like Sunny_Bunny said. Carbs are sometimes in unexpected places.
The bad breath could be from ketosis - it affects a few people that way - or it could be from your higher protein level. 35% protein is pretty high, and it isn't unusual to get bad breath from excess protein.
Protein could be slowing your ketone production too. When excessive protein is consumed (around 200g - possibly less if your calorie intake is low) it may affect whether you are in ketosis or not. Unless you are doing some very serious lifting, you probably don't need that much protein.
As KnitOrMiss said, your electrolytes are too low. You need sodium. Lots. Probably around 5000mg right now. That's about 2 tsp of salt per day. Drink afew cups of broth, use salt tablets, or add a tsp of salt to water. It should help.
You may need some potassium if you are already at muscle pain. Possibly magnesium citrate too.
Hope you feel better soon. You should feel better pretty quick after adding the sodium.
Thanks for your reply .. the only sweeteners I take is Sucralose which I read is a much better one than aspartame but not sure of its friendship with ketostix. My sodium levels reach about 3500mg per day which I thought was quite a lot. My carb intake is very carefully monitored, somedays it takes me all my time to evennuit 10. As for potassium and magnesium, I us MFP for monitoring sodium. I've noticed a lot of people don't bother with sodium so I correct that myself., but my stats show 0 potassium and 0 magnesium. I have looked in all my supermarkets for vitamins and cannot find them anywhere. As I said, a newbie 0 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »If you're breath is noticeably smelling differently but your breathalyzer isn't registering anything either it's not working OR the smell has nothing to do with ketones.
I suspect you haven't hit ketosis yet. In the beginning stages you waste the most ketones in urine as compared to later on.
If you haven't reached ketosis then something is keeping your insulin levels too high to achieve it.
Either sweeteners or some other hidden carbs or constant grazing perhaps? Maybe even eating fake fats like margarine or vegetable oils? Maybe high cortisol from new exercise or other sudden stressor??
How's your hunger?
Hi, thanks for the reply. I use a slight spot of Mary when frying eggs that's all and don't use vegetable oil at all. My hunger itself isn't too bad. Compared to eating a normal diet with carbs I can go hours without anything. Sucralose is the only sweetner I take with soft drinks. How's about caffeine? First thing in the morning I drink a can of Rockstar Pure Zero, sweetner is Sucralose with 0g in everything apart from a few calories. Other than that no grazing and no smelly breath normally.
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KnitOrMiss wrote: »
Thank you. Will give it a going over0 -
Ditch the margarine for butter. Definitely avoid all fake fats. This doesn't explain the lack of ketones though.
The sucralose could be affecting things. Some people react differently to different sweeteners. Though if it is, I would wonder if you're diabetic or moderately insulin resistant/pre diabetic to be so sensitive as to be getting an insulin reaction from it. Same for the protein. In an insulin resistant person, higher levels of protein are often turned into glucose
With 1 in 3 people being insulin resistant and 90% of them being unaware, I tend to think that having any trouble achieving ketosis is a good clue that this applies. So, try to reduce protein a bit, definitely eat real food fats only, no margarine, and use as little sucralose as humanly possible. Look for erythritol or stevia and any sucralose you do use would be best if it's the liquid kind. The powdered has hidden carbs. It's labeled as zero, but it's not.0 -
As @nvmomketo mentioned, protein may be the issue. There are many people out there who will argue, but there seems to be some research to back up excess protein will be converted to glucose in your body. Most of the arguments are over how much is excessive. The low end required protein is 0.65 grams per kg of body weight. The high end seems to be about about 200 g as @nvmomketo mentioned.
Personally, I have noticed if I eat more than about 1.5 grams of protein per kg of my weight, it raises my BG even if my carbs are below 20 grams. This sucks for me because BG control is why I adopted this WOE and I would be full on carnivore if I could. YMMV3 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »Ditch the margarine for butter. Definitely avoid all fake fats. This doesn't explain the lack of ketones though.
The sucralose could be affecting things. Some people react differently to different sweeteners. Though if it is, I would wonder if you're diabetic or moderately insulin resistant/pre diabetic to be so sensitive as to be getting an insulin reaction from it. Same for the protein. In an insulin resistant person, higher levels of protein are often turned into glucose
With 1 in 3 people being insulin resistant and 90% of them being unaware, I tend to think that having any trouble achieving ketosis is a good clue that this applies. So, try to reduce protein a bit, definitely eat real food fats only, no margarine, and use as little sucralose as humanly possible. Look for erythritol or stevia and any sucralose you do use would be best if it's the liquid kind. The powdered has hidden carbs. It's labeled as zero, but it's not.
I am Type 2 Diabetic. I will take into account what your saying so thanks again.0 -
If you are at 5% carbs, you should be getting some positive ketostix readings any time now. If not, double check your diet like Sunny_Bunny said. Carbs are sometimes in unexpected places.
The bad breath could be from ketosis - it affects a few people that way - or it could be from your higher protein level. 35% protein is pretty high, and it isn't unusual to get bad breath from excess protein.
Protein could be slowing your ketone production too. When excessive protein is consumed (around 200g - possibly less if your calorie intake is low) it may affect whether you are in ketosis or not. Unless you are doing some very serious lifting, you probably don't need that much protein.
As KnitOrMiss said, your electrolytes are too low. You need sodium. Lots. Probably around 5000mg right now. That's about 2 tsp of salt per day. Drink afew cups of broth, use salt tablets, or add a tsp of salt to water. It should help.
You may need some potassium if you are already at muscle pain. Possibly magnesium citrate too.
Hope you feel better soon. You should feel better pretty quick after adding the sodium.
Hi ., thanks for your reply. Will also take into account protein issues and cut back a bit. This keto thing is so same sensitive, slightest thing will throw it off.0 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »Ditch the margarine for butter. Definitely avoid all fake fats. This doesn't explain the lack of ketones though.
The sucralose could be affecting things. Some people react differently to different sweeteners. Though if it is, I would wonder if you're diabetic or moderately insulin resistant/pre diabetic to be so sensitive as to be getting an insulin reaction from it. Same for the protein. In an insulin resistant person, higher levels of protein are often turned into glucose
With 1 in 3 people being insulin resistant and 90% of them being unaware, I tend to think that having any trouble achieving ketosis is a good clue that this applies. So, try to reduce protein a bit, definitely eat real food fats only, no margarine, and use as little sucralose as humanly possible. Look for erythritol or stevia and any sucralose you do use would be best if it's the liquid kind. The powdered has hidden carbs. It's labeled as zero, but it's not.
I am Type 2 Diabetic. I will take into account what your saying so thanks again.
Ok well, that's the answer then. You'll get there. But you have to lower insulin before it'll happen.
It will. Stick to it. 1 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »Ditch the margarine for butter. Definitely avoid all fake fats. This doesn't explain the lack of ketones though.
The sucralose could be affecting things. Some people react differently to different sweeteners. Though if it is, I would wonder if you're diabetic or moderately insulin resistant/pre diabetic to be so sensitive as to be getting an insulin reaction from it. Same for the protein. In an insulin resistant person, higher levels of protein are often turned into glucose
With 1 in 3 people being insulin resistant and 90% of them being unaware, I tend to think that having any trouble achieving ketosis is a good clue that this applies. So, try to reduce protein a bit, definitely eat real food fats only, no margarine, and use as little sucralose as humanly possible. Look for erythritol or stevia and any sucralose you do use would be best if it's the liquid kind. The powdered has hidden carbs. It's labeled as zero, but it's not.
I am Type 2 Diabetic. I will take into account what your saying so thanks again.
Hmmm interesting. Maybe that's why it takes me a week normally (I'm Type 2, too).1 -
Hi. I've only recently started LCHF (4 days ago) and of yet I have been sitting at negative on ketostix. I also purchased a very cheap breathalyzer which some people have been using to measure ketones but nothing in that either. My breath is disgusting says my partner, even after brushing/mouthwash, I urinate constantly, every muscle in my body is aching. My macros are 5c/35p/65f .. sticking to well under 20carbs per day. I have seen a few posts about ketostix but thought I would have saw something but always negative. Is this normal? Thanks
Is there an expiry date on those ketostix ?0 -
Marcelbaril wrote: »Hi. I've only recently started LCHF (4 days ago) and of yet I have been sitting at negative on ketostix. I also purchased a very cheap breathalyzer which some people have been using to measure ketones but nothing in that either. My breath is disgusting says my partner, even after brushing/mouthwash, I urinate constantly, every muscle in my body is aching. My macros are 5c/35p/65f .. sticking to well under 20carbs per day. I have seen a few posts about ketostix but thought I would have saw something but always negative. Is this normal? Thanks
Is there an expiry date on those ketostix ?
Keto sticks expire 6 months after they are opened regardless of what the bottle says.0 -
I don't measure for ketones and never have. I've just started back after losing 20 kg and maintaining the weight loss for a year. It has taken a week for me to lose the carb cravings and incessant hunger.
Give it time and don't panic. Your body will respond when it's ready. Everyone is different. Just keep eating in the macros and you will be fine. This is a marathon, not a sprint. You will get there.2 -
I think it took me about 5 days too, and I was concerned. But then it just happened and I have been in ketosis pretty much since
Agree with the others, it will happen! We are all different and some of us take longer than others. 1 -
Thanks to all for replies. Very helpful.0
