I too wouldn't worry one bit about not testing for ketones unless you have a medical reason for being in ketosis. If you are eating a ketogenic diet for weight loss, know (as stated in a post above) ketosis is not the cause of weight loss. For many, many people (me included) eating a diet very low in carbs and higher in fat (thus LCHF) will suppress hunger and make it much easier to adhere to a calorie deficit for weight loss.

There are many people who eat a ketogenic diet as a lifetime WOE (think perhaps someone with epilepsy who eats keto for seizure control). They do not lose weight simply because they eat keto. The MDs/PhDs and other experts who strongly advocate and eat a ketogenic diet for perceived overall health and well being (and there are many) are not in a constant state of weight loss simply because they eat keto.

Though we are all different, I'm pretty darn average and normal metabolically. I personally ate a MTKD for 1 full year at maintenance calories (as a trial for reason other than weight management) and did not lose weight. I maintained (with my normal 5 pound weight fluctuations) as I had for the previous 18 months on the same # of calories (and level of exercise) but with keto macros versus (my preferred) higher low carb.

If you lost 10 pounds in the most recent month you are probably just in a lull while your body adjusts. You have heard it before. The initial rapid weight loss was most likely a "water whoosh" and once that occurs, weight loss generally becomes average (1-2 pounds per week) so long as you keep to your calorie deficit and don't stray to water retaining carbohydrates. Some people do lose more via extreme deficits or higher physical output or a higher starting level of obesity.

If I sound cranky, I might be. It is not regarding the subject. I live in a townhouse and the attached house next to me is vacant so the owners are apparently letting the contractors take their dear old time at renovations and I've been listening to what sounds like a damn jack hammer pounding against my otherwise very quiet residence...for a few weeks.

Not that it matters and it has nothing to do with the topic but after my post above I happened to see the neighbor's contractor outside and talked with him a bit. The noise that has been going on that sounded like a damn jack hammer... was a jack hammer. Our houses are built on slab and they're doing a total redesign which includes tearing up the concrete to reroute plumbing. SMH.

Carry on.

Thanks for the pep talk... I lost 3lbs right off the bat then fluctuated back. I'm in the middle of week three. Going to just keep plugging away.