I was a ketostix fanatic when I first started. Although I now realize the results don't always mean a whole lot, sometimes it's just nice to see it change and feel like you have concrete proof that you're doing everything right. For me, the stix only show positive ketones at night, a couple of hours after my last food intake and about 4-5 hours after my last exercise. Some people on test positive in the morning - to each his own. If you're still intent on showing ketones on the stix, try testing at different times of the day and see what happens. And yes, "trace" is better than turning the stick purple!