Not going into ketosis?
samandheatherdover
Posts: 20 Member
What could be causing it? 8 days in no cheats and the ketone stick came up negative.
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Replies
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Ketone urine strips are not totally accurate as they only measure ketones you DON'T consume...a negative test doesn't mean you aren't producing/using ketones, it just means you don't have excess ketones...they are also impacted by hydration level and fluid intake, so maybe try first thing in the morning when you haven't been drinking anything for a while to see if that gives you a more accurate result.5
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I know first thing in the morning is common advice to likely get a positive test but in my experience I always got the darkest result late afternoon. Like before dinner or even before bed.3
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Just an idea, but something people can easily miss: What are you drinking every day? Are you eating anything like mints? It's easy enough to go through a bunch of mints and eat a few days worth of carbs without thought. Likewise for drinks. So many drinks are just slapperdash filled with sugar.
For me, I know I'm in ketosis hard when the keto breath kicks in.2 -
Im in your boat too,, I've been doing this for a year now and had lost 21 pounds, but was on vacation late summer and was lax in keeping my carbs low enough,, eating closer to 50 or so instead of less than 19. gained 6 pounds back in less than a week, and now cant lose it. My test strips come back negative all the time, I never get a positive results from them. I have no idea if I'm in ketosis or not, but I'm definately NOT losing any weight and keeping my net carbs around 20 a day.0
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I use ketp test strips. I tend to always test low . . . . but I'm losing weight so something is working. I usually test first thing in the morning to see if I made it overnight0
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I've been doing this for a year now and had lost 21 pounds, (...) but I'm definately NOT losing any weight and keeping my net carbs around 20 a day.
Then you are definitely doing something wrong, that is not to insult you, you probably need more fat.
When I did keto the first time I lasted only three months on keto.
With no exercise, I lost Feb=10lbs, March=12lbs, April=10lbs
It was 36 lbs in 3.5 months.
This time it's been slow, I got sick, and when I felt sick it was so hard to
not eat carbs, so I did, so I was off and on quite a bit, it's been little over a month and a half
and I lost 10lbs.
Maybe go strict 25 total carbs not net carbs? Or go higher in carbs?
I will say my friend (lost 100lbs in 8 months) she had a higher "range" than I did, for her 40-50 carbs was her sweet spot.
Hope this helps.sandhillsmom wrote: »I use ketp test strips. I tend to always test low . . . . but I'm losing weight so something is working.
What I've been told is the strips only help at the beginning, because once you're in ketosis,
you don't pee enough of the "chemical" that is measuring your ketones. So your body is actually using
whatever it is that normally would be peed out, and the strips would measure.
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Keto strips go bad easily. If you don’t tightly close the lid after each use they stop working. I went thru 3 bottles in a month. The new bottle would show that I was in Ketosis but within a few days to a week they’d show nothing. Buy a new bottle and repeat. I don’t even bother now with the strips.0
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Sometimes a fast can help get back into ketosis after a higher carb episode. I usually just manage a modified fast where I don't eat until dinner. I did a fat fast recently that worked to get me back in ketosis. Drank only a couple BP teas and had some fat bombs (very low carb ones) then for dinner had a protein shake. There are also egg fasts, beef and butter fasts or just do a carnivore day.0
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I have been using the blood ketone test strips, and admittedly I'm only new in the last 5 weeks to keto. My readings have all shown I'm in ketosis, but only testing once a week. Since the 1st week, I've not had any of the "keto flu" symptoms, so I'm guessing I'm not leaving ketosis either.
I've been mostly keeping my total carbs to 20 or less, I've not been factoring in dietary fibre. I've had days where I'll have 22-25 total carbs, but I don't punish myself over it, as it's only been a couple of days since I started that this has occurred. I guess I'm doing something right as I have lost the equivalent of 1kg a week since I started (5kg total since starting keto).
I only drink water, but I do have the occasional sugar-free flavouring in it (Twinings In'fuse).
I have read you also need to include any flavourings you use, sauces, dressings, herbs/spices into your daily carb intake too. Every little bit counts.
I also generally only have 2 meals a day, with a very low carb snack occasionally (if the rest of my carbs have been low enough for the day). Sometimes I'll eat lunch and dinner, sometimes breakfast and dinner. My snack is generally a low carb protein bar, or dark chocolate after dinner as a sweet snack.
The hardest part of my eating habits now I've found is the eating twice a day. I used to only eat once every day or so, but then it was mostly all carbs I was eating when I did eat. I'm finding I'm having to remind and force myself to eat as I just don't feel hungry.0
