newbiegb: Kristine is right...the darker the stick the more water you need to drink. You are either "in" or you're not. And according to DANRD, you can be burning fat even if you aren't "in". Some folks don't even use the sticks, but the sticks can be helpful when you first start this WOE. And I have found some brands of sticks to be more sensitive to ketones, oddly enough. The ones I bought at Costco aren't nearly as sensitive as the ones I got at a pharmacy. I don't know if anyone else has had this experience, though.