Gee, 46 is awfully young for menopause. I'm 42 - in my family, menopause doesn't happen till mid-50's. Now, MENTALpause, that's a different story. That hit at age 29.. *LOL*
Don't get hung up on the ketone sticks. As I noted, the morning is often the least accurate time, because your body has been sleeping and the urine has been sitting in your bladder all nite. For the record, some lowcarbers NEVER achieve ketosis, such as those following Protein Power and Carbohydrate Addicts diet, but the weight is lost just fine.
Hmm, it would be best to choose your daily carb allotment in the form of high-fiber veggies, salads and a little lowcarb fruit (berries, melon, etc) rather than candies and snack bars. Just a suggestion. It's nice to have a treat once in a while, but 3 carbs is a LOT to waste on a candy, when you're only eating 20 carbs a day. And by the way, maltitol IS a carb, and yes it will affect ketosis and fat-burning in most people. Not everyone, mind you - some lowcarbers can indulge once in a while with no problem. But many find these "sugar-free" treats are the culprit for causing a stall. Try going for a week or two just eating whole, natural food - lean meat, veggies, salads etc, maybe an ounce of cheese or some nuts for snacks - and stay away from the desserts, treats....... even heavy cream and cheese has some carbs, so limit how much dairy food you eat too. A couple weeks won't kill you!!!! Then, see where you're at, and maybe you can incorporate a treat or two per WEEK into the plan.
The blood pressure thing is called "Postural Hypotension". Good for you to keep up the fluid intake. Another helpful thing is to add some potassium to your diet. The best food sources are leafy green vegetables, which just happen to also be low in carbs...
... Also, try using a salt-substitute such as NoSalt or HalfSalt. You can buy these at any grocery store. These contain potassium chloride, and you can sprinkle it on your food just like regular salt.
You'll do fine, take care!!
Doreen
[Edited by doreen T on 02-02-01 at 12:27]