I started Atkins almost a week ago, and I have not achieved even the lightest violet color on my Ketostix. I'm following the diet religiously. What could be the problem?

Background: I recently lost a great amount of weight using a standard, low-fat, high carb diet, but my weight loss came to a total and unbudging standstill a year and a half ago, despite extremely conscientious eating and 1-2 hours of strenuous exercise (advanced weightlifting, advanced step aerobics, and cycling) six days a week.

Please help! I thought this might be the answer, and I don't know where to turn. Can anyone give me some advice.

Don't Give UP!! You may have a high resistence due to being on another diet.. Sometimes those ketstix don't work!! I know I had the same experience for weeks..

I would say just keep doing what you are doing, don't get discouraged. Give your body time to adjust!!!

Be sure to eat enough fats.

Liza

Could you post your food and water intake, and also list any supplements you are taking, and what exercises you are doing etc...just your whole life story condensed...


Beth

I'm sorry if this sounds so obvious... but I use to work for a doctor... and sometimes those ketostix can be 'expired.. or out of date. Check the label.. make sure they are in date. You might just have a bad batch.

Then if they are ok... have you taken your measurements? Those are better indicators of how you are doing then anything else.

Are you doing new exercises? Did you know your body can get "use" to the same exercise routine and that you should switch it around about ever 3 weeks or it may stall the results you are looking for?

Those are just some of my suggestions... in addition to "lets just see what your consuming..." We might be able to see something that you are missing.

That's what we are here for to support each other.

Also, your pee could be washing the solution off the stix. What I do is to turn the stix around so that I'm peeing on the back of the little pad at the end, and just a flash of a second, just enough for it to get wet. Or, I pee in a cup and dip it. See if that'll work for you

You all are so great! I feel so much better already.

Okay, here's my life story:

My Ketostix are brand new, and I checked the expiration date. I'll try turning them backwards, though. Great idea.

Here's what I'm eating. (I'm a vegetarian, so it's almost exactly the same menu every day):

Breakfast: 4 eggs, 1 slice American or muenster cheese, 2-3 slices of bacon, a 20 ounce glass of lemonade made with Sweet 'n Low and no carb lemon juice

2 cups regular coffee with 4 T whole cream and Sweet 'n Low

Mid-morning Snack: l mozzarella cheese stick

Lunch: Same omelette as breakfast, l cup salad with vinegar and oil dressing and 1 ounce of bleu cheese,

2 cups decaf coffee with 4 T cream and Sweet 'n Low

Snack: Diet, no-carb jello and l mozzarella cheese stick

Supper: Same as lunch

I drink at least 5, 20 ounce glasses of water or no-carb lemonade throughout the day

Exercise:

Winter: Alternate days, six days a week total: Weightlifting and Step Aerobics

Summer: Weightlifting 3-4 days a week and cycling 15-30 miles a day, 6 days a week

I do 3-6 week rotations, alternating between heavy lifting and endurance training

I usually use Cathe Friedrich videos for strength training, and some of hers + several others for step.

Health: Diabetic (no longer taking meds; totally controlled by diet)
Thyroid: 2 grains Armour
High blood pressure/angina: Atenolol and Avapro

Supplements: Multi-vitamin, C, E, B complex, Flaxseed Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, CLA, Selenium

I am tired just reading your workout! That is incredible workout routine.

Exercise burns keytones. Maybe you are just not seeing anything due to that? There are other symptoms of being in ketosis-bad breath, smelly urine, losing weight.

BTW, I am also a vegetarian! Good to see another one.

Paleoanth

I would cut out or switch to splenda as a sweetner in your coffee and lemonade,also the aspertaine in the jello could stall you!!I would look into that more ,otherwise your menu to me looks great,also I will have no more than 4 oz of cheese a day or less.These little things are helping me this time around.It is my second time trying this and I have been strict like u too.I have also been using alot of olive oil this time and a little less of your reg dressing,if I use the dressing I measure out 2 tablespoons.I hope this helps,Good Luck your doing great so far.

A lot of people are sensitive to aspartame, so be careful about using that as a sweetner. Thankfully I'm not.

Also...you're a vegiterian, but you're eating bacon?

(which reminds me, I need to pick some bacon up...)

It worked! It worked! This morning, for the very first time ever, my stick changed color! And not just to lavender! I went straight to "moderate" in fifteen seconds. Yippee!!!! I could just dance! In fact, even though this is a strength training day, I'm so happy, I think I'll have to do step instead--just to move around a little bit more! (I'm using way too many exclamation points--sorry . . . !!!)

Thank you so much for the encouragement and for letting me know about the other signs of fat-burning. I had several of them without knowing their significance. I can see I'm going to have to drink even m-o-r-e water.

And Kelly--those before and after pictures are a real motivator for me. Wow! You look fabulous!

Paleo--Good to see another vegetarian. Lately, I've tried to eat a little meat. I crumble a few slices of bacon in my omelette and it doesn't gag me too badly, but the thought of a steak . . . ooooooh! Blech! I don't think I'll ever get that far. It's just been too long (9 years), and I sure don't miss it. In fact, now that the diet seems to be working, I may even try getting rid of the bacon. I don't want it. I don't like it. Maybe I don't need it??? After induction, it should get much easier, I think. It is a little weird right now, being a vegetarian who doesn't eat vegetables. Since I seem to be eating nothing but eggs, does that make me an "ovarian"????

Excellent! I am so glad. What did you change that worked?

Have you tried Morningstar Farms Breakfast strips? They are the veggie equivilant of bacon and I really like them. The only problem is getting enough fat-I usually put them on a salad (like you) and get the fat from the dressing.


Paleoanth

Hi Paleo,

I guess the only thing that changed was the day. Yesterday it wasn't working, but today it was. I didn't do anything differently (other than sending out an e-cry for help). Hadn't had time to try any of the suggestions.

Again, thank you all!

funny.. I just posted this in another thread.

Honestly... don't rely on those sticks! I was so pumped to try them... and after a couple of months I still only get a negative reading. In the meantime I've shed 13 lbs.

Vdub- Good for you. Glad you got some satisfaction. Keep up the motivation!!

Remember just because you can't see it, doesnt mean it isn't there.