How do you know when you are in ketosis
diane79zp
Posts: 5 Member
Hi all,
I just started eating low carb, keeping my net carbs around 40 (total carbs up to 59-15% from total calories intake), to begin with and not suffer too much.
My questions are,
1) how long does it take to be in ketosis
2) how do you know when you are in ketosis.
Thanks in advance for your help
I just started eating low carb, keeping my net carbs around 40 (total carbs up to 59-15% from total calories intake), to begin with and not suffer too much.
My questions are,
1) how long does it take to be in ketosis
2) how do you know when you are in ketosis.
Thanks in advance for your help
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Replies
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When you're in Ketosis, your body is converting fat into ketones that it uses for energy. So ketones will be present in your urine. All you need to do is pee on a strip and watch it change color.
Ketone Strips @ Amazon
As far as being able to tell by just how you feel, you should have more energy, mental clarity and you'll just feel better. Personally I also have moments of hot flashes when my metabolism kicks into high gear, however thats just me, this may not be the case for you. The only REAL way to tell is by doing a lab test such as the dip mentioned above.0 -
also when you have ketones in your urine it will start to smell fruity. it took me 2 days but I started off with very low carbs.0
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kimberlyb6682 wrote: »also when you have ketones in your urine it will start to smell fruity. it took me 2 days but I started off with very low carbs.
Oh my goodness! Does it really? I never got that close. LOL0 -
My breath smells fruity and my sweaty bits smell like cat spray. Welcome to ketosis.
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SuperCarLori wrote: »My breath smells fruity and my sweaty bits smell like cat spray. Welcome to ketosis.
Sweaty Bits? LC breakfast cereal?
Here's a brief discussion about getting into ketosis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7xwfOYI2bQ 3 -
kimberlyb6682 wrote: »also when you have ketones in your urine it will start to smell fruity. it took me 2 days but I started off with very low carbs.
That's not always the case. It really is person to person. I didn't have that at all.2 -
RowdysLady wrote: »kimberlyb6682 wrote: »also when you have ketones in your urine it will start to smell fruity. it took me 2 days but I started off with very low carbs.
That's not always the case. It really is person to person. I didn't have that at all.
definitely true - when I'm switching into ketosis (like when I have overloaded on carbs for a re-feed), my urine smells like cat piss (really strong nasty smell)
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Beauty is in the Nose of the Inhaler.©2
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Best way to tell is ketone blood tests, but that is too expensive to be worthwhile in your case.
Next best method is urine strips (mentioned above), which can be bought OTC at Walgreens, CVS, local pharmacy. Look in the diabetes section or ask the pharmacist. Or just buy online as suggested above.1 -
Eating 20g total carbs takes all guesswork out of the equation.5
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Personally I also have moments of hot flashes when my metabolism kicks into high gear.
I experience this too...somedays it just feels like I am running a fever...all day...it's weird to feel that warm all day and still feel really good, not like having an illness related fever at all.1 -
SuperCarLori wrote: »My breath smells fruity and my sweaty bits smell like cat spray. Welcome to ketosis.
I wish... sweaty bits are fine. Breath that can knock over a tree and wee smelling like catpiss. I "know" when I am in ketosis.
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A garden of olfactory delights!2
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When you're in Ketosis, your body is converting fat into ketones that it uses for energy. So ketones will be present in your urine. All you need to do is pee on a strip and watch it change color.
Ketone Strips @ Amazon
As far as being able to tell by just how you feel, you should have more energy, mental clarity and you'll just feel better. Personally I also have moments of hot flashes when my metabolism kicks into high gear, however thats just me, this may not be the case for you. The only REAL way to tell is by doing a lab test such as the dip mentioned above.
I get those "hot flashes"....I thought maybe I was getting sick..!! But never do, happy Im not going crazy
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@KetoLady86 ; @idocdlw:
Glad I'm not the only one. People at work think I'm nuts when it happens because its quick. I start fanning myself and then I get this sudden burst of energy and want to get up and do stuff. It happens more often after I've eaten something, but not always.
As a matter of fact last night at work when I got there, I was freezing. Kept my hoodie on and shut the windows. And then all of a sudden, I couldn't get my hoodie off fast enough and the last thing I wanted to do was sit down. LOL1 -
Yep!!! i so get this...but how do you know its the metabolism?0
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KetoLady86 wrote: »Yep!!! i so get this...but how do you know its the metabolism?
Burst of energy, what else could it be?1 -
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Wow, so many answers, thanks everyone.
I still can't tell about me when I'm in ketosis, about energy, now and them I'm full of energy (I'm hyper) so it is hard to tell.
I'm going to buy those sticks, and take note of the changes in my body, so next time I'll know when I'm in ketosis whitout using the sticks.
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Wow, so many answers, thanks everyone.
I still can't tell about me when I'm in ketosis, about energy, now and them I'm full of energy (I'm hyper) so it is hard to tell.
I'm going to buy those sticks, and take note of the changes in my body, so next time I'll know when I'm in ketosis whitout using the sticks.
While your body may announce its adaptation to fat as its main fuel source, in a way that may implicate any of your senses, - 
it also might not (like most variations in blood pressure or glucose). 1 -
Something else to understand is that ketosis can come and go. Which explains why the energy you're feeling comes and goes.
The only way to achieve full time ketosis is to keep carbs very low consistently.
But, for weight loss it's not necessary to maintain full time ketosis. Many people just decide they prefer the way they feel that way. Like me. I have no health conditions I am using low carb to treat. But I know I feel best when I eat as few carbs as possible.2 -
Wow, so many answers, thanks everyone.
I still can't tell about me when I'm in ketosis, about energy, now and them I'm full of energy (I'm hyper) so it is hard to tell.
I'm going to buy those sticks, and take note of the changes in my body, so next time I'll know when I'm in ketosis whitout using the sticks.
While your body may announce its adaptation to fat as its main fuel source, in a way that may implicate any of your senses, - it also might not (like most variations in blood pressure or glucose).
This is true. I've been LCHF since 1 Oct, less than 20g carbs since 13 Oct (actually been plant free except for coffee and spices). It hasn't killed me, and I'm feeling quite well fueled.
I figure that's surely my sign that I'm fat adapted, despite the lack of bodily pomp and circumstance, lol. My body is just more subtle.3 -
williams969 wrote: »I figure that's surely my sign that I'm fat adapted, despite the lack of bodily pomp and circumstance, lol. My body is just more subtle.
Or perhaps you have a bum sniffer.....
A couple thoughts...
LC advocate Steven Phinney has been more or less continuously in ketosis for over 20 years; he reports that blood ketone levels vary by time of day, food, sleep, stress, exercise, etc.
Marty Kendall says your ability to maintain ketosis depends on insulin sensitivity, which depends in part on how much glucagon your body produces (in response to carbs).
So..... Keep the carbs down, and you're in good shape!1 -
Does anyone else experience extreme dryness of eyes? And itching of the inside of the top of my scalp when in ketosis? I can't determine if this was due to lack of sleep, or something else, but it seems everytime I'm in ketosis, this happens. I do make sure to drink a ton of water. I keep shaking my head when this happens and worry that it will become a tick.
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kimberlyb6682 wrote: »also when you have ketones in your urine it will start to smell fruity. it took me 2 days but I started off with very low carbs.
I think my urine smells weird, but I'm not I'd call it "fruity" do you think that still means it's ketosis?1 -
AmandaRose919 wrote: »kimberlyb6682 wrote: »also when you have ketones in your urine it will start to smell fruity. it took me 2 days but I started off with very low carbs.
I think my urine smells weird, but I'm not I'd call it "fruity" do you think that still means it's ketosis?
Hmm. One sure way to find out.... taste test!0 -
AmandaRose919 wrote: »kimberlyb6682 wrote: »also when you have ketones in your urine it will start to smell fruity. it took me 2 days but I started off with very low carbs.
I think my urine smells weird, but I'm not I'd call it "fruity" do you think that still means it's ketosis?
Hmm. One sure way to find out.... taste test!
Hippocrates supposedly said those who consume too much sugar (diabetes) have urine that tastes of honey. Anyone want to test that one out? Sorry, I'm not diabetic and can not,
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Does anyone else experience extreme dryness of eyes? And itching of the inside of the top of my scalp when in ketosis? I can't determine if this was due to lack of sleep, or something else, but it seems everytime I'm in ketosis, this happens. I do make sure to drink a ton of water. I keep shaking my head when this happens and worry that it will become a tick.
@baconslave had/has issues with dry eyes. I'm not sure where it stands right now... ???1 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »Does anyone else experience extreme dryness of eyes? And itching of the inside of the top of my scalp when in ketosis? I can't determine if this was due to lack of sleep, or something else, but it seems everytime I'm in ketosis, this happens. I do make sure to drink a ton of water. I keep shaking my head when this happens and worry that it will become a tick.
@baconslave had/has issues with dry eyes. I'm not sure where it stands right now... ???
Still very very dry.
I recommend getting Systane Ultra High Performance gel drops or something similar. This will help with the feel of the dry eye. I have to use the preservative free one because my eyes hate the preservative. If you make sure you are eating enough fat, are staying hydrated, and have your electrolytes up, then I hope the dry eye is just a temporary thing. Dry climates and dry air make it worse. You might try a humidifier...those don't really help me much. I wear swim goggles with wet gauze in them at night if that tells you how bad my eyes are. I hope yours aren't that bad. You may need to consult an opthamologist. Mine can do nothing further for me. But depending on the cause of yours, you may have some options. At the minimum, get the lubricating drops.
I never experienced the scalp itching.
I upped my carbs over 100g and that helped some. It went from apocalypse to moderately evil. I sometimes take it to 150g and it's better still, but not gone-not even close to gone. I thought I had developed Sjogren's Syndrome. My father also struggles with chronic dry eye and other sicca symptoms...and that very well may be my forever if it really is Sjogren's, but I've been supplementing with adaptogens to target possible adrenal dysfunction and it has actually been helping during the day. My eyes are still stupid at night though, which can cause recurrent corneal erosions (which is science-ese for "my eyelids stick to my eye and rip my cornea from my eyeball and it hurts really effen bad." And it keeps me from sleeping enough. But I'm in a place where if I wake up about 3 times a night to reapply ointment and drops, I don't get erosions most of the time. It used to be 6 times a night. I tried expensive MaxiTears (a megadose of omega-3s from fish oils, GLAs, and ALAs, mucin, and vitA and turmeric and it didn't help. I took MaquiBright (tear support antioxidant), and it didn't help. I'm about to drop a great deal of my supplements.
I don't know if I can blame keto since my father has problems too. He is not keto.
I do know that right now, and for the last year, my body won't tolerate ketosis for more than a brief time. It makes whatever the hell is wrong with me worse. That's my dysfunctional n=1 though.
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