*L* neat, i just saw the whoosh fairy WOO, anyway, i just got ketostyx today and i'm a bit confused. i want to be the dark zone, right?? *L* sorry, i just don't have a clue. OH, and i got the russel stovers PB cups and peacan clusters...i only ate 1 PB cup (since this is my second day without cheating ) so i thought hey, i deserve this!!! it won't be a daily thing, just days when i'm especially proud anyway, i'll keep you all posted how my first week of induction is going...and i just found out i LOVE pork rinds. i hated them before, and i just bought a small bag today thinking "may as well try again" and i ate half the bad already!! *L* thank god!!! i needed crunchy food.

-wussypuff

also, how often should i use the strips?? thanks a bunch all
-wussypuff

my first test and i got second from the last dark one i'm pretty sure that's good, so WOO-HOO!!!!! if it's not good, disregard this completely *L*

-wussypuff

The darker the better! but as long as it purple your burning! COGRATS AGAIN! I check every few days unless I eat out or I'm trying something I'm not sure about. Also you ketones are higher in the morning {your first *P*! HA!}
Try to check during the same time. Ketone strips are great to use allot in the beginning to learn the ins and outs of the diet and your body!
Good Luck!

From what I understand, darker is NOT better. Ketosis is ketosis, doesn't matter what shade you're either in it or you're not and that's all that matters. I think darker shades can mean you're not getting enough fluids.

When I used them I used them once a day and I think afternoon is supposed to be better.

So, any shade is good!

Wus,

Make sure you're drinking lots of water. The strips should not be dark even though it is satisfying to see them turn a deep pink or purple.

Be very, very careful of rewarding yourself with food. That is one of the reasons we got fat in the first place. It is one of the hardest habits to break, but I know you can do it.

Karen

Hope this helps...have more if needed.

INFO I'VE COLLECTED:
WHAT IS “KETOSIS”?
Ketosis, when it applies to the benign diet-induced type were talking about is really a shorting of the term Ketosis/lipolysis, which is enough of a tongue twister that you can see why it is commonly referred to only by the name “ketosis,” and why the diet that is responsible for the remarkable {to dieters} achievement is called a “ketogentic diet.”
The definition of lopolysis means “the process of dissolving fat.”
THAT’S WHAT WE WANT RIGHT?
Now, when fat is used up metabolically, it breaks down into glycerol and free fatty acids, which in turn breaks down into pairing of two-carbon compounds called “ketone bodies,” leaving a newer fatty acid, shorter in chain length by to two-carbon fragment that entered the metabolic pool to be used as fuel. Apparently this is the only metabolic pathway for fat breakdown {lipolysis}.
Therefore there is no lipolysis without ketosis, any ketosis with out lipolysis. Ketosis is a gift! It simple allows you to burn the fat stores off your body
And use them as energy! It releases ketones into you breath and urine. This is chemical proof that you are in ketoses! THAT MEANS YOU ARE IN A FAT DESOLVING STATE!!! The more ketones…the more fat your burning! SIMPLE! BDK [benign dietary ketosis}is the physiologic method of weight loss—the exact opposite of the process that got you fat in the first place.
REMEMBER: IF YOU ARE NOT IN KETOSIS, YOU’RE IN “GLUCOSIS.”
FACT
The body produce elaborates specific substance to sustain and facilitate the weight loss process to go smoothly. 1960, 3 English researchers, Dr. T.M. Chalmers, professor Alan Kekwick {Director of the Institute of clinical research and experimental medicine at London’s prestigious Middlesex Hospital} and DR G.L.S. Pawan {senior research biochemist of London’s prestigious Middlesex Hospital} isolated the most significant of these, a FAT MOBILIZING SUBSTANCE {FMS}, from the urine of animals and humans who went on the ketogentic diet containing virtually NO CARB. When they injected that urinary fraction into non-dieting animals and humans, the recipients lost weight without dieting! Subsequently, other researchers discovered other substances that have similar effect, and a class of compounds called lipid mobilizers was identified. What happens is when the absence of carbs to fuel the body, a signal is sent out to release out to release a symphony of lipid mobilizers. This is done so the process takes place smoothly and is self-sustaining. This is the same mechanism that sustains hibernating animals. This is why when you reach this point in the weight loss process, that it becomes painless and hunger-free as “eating naturally” was in the days you where gaining weight.

FACT:
Ketosis does the same as fasting does. It suppresses hunger and lowers appetites. Except a fast is dangerous and has one severe metabolic disadvantage: When fasting, the body not only burns fat for energy, it also burns protein. This means that it burns off some of the body’s lean muscle tissue, which is clearly not desirable. But on a high protein ketogenic diet virtually no lean muscle tissue is lost.

FACT:
You can lose more weight calorie for calorie on the Atkins diet than on any other diet you’ve ever tried!

FACT
Although you can eat more calories on this diet than any other…you probably won’t because your hunger and cravings will be gone.

FACT:
On a low~carb diet there are metabolic advantages that will allow you to eat as many or more calories as you were eating before staring the diet…and STILL BEGIN LOSING POUND AND INCHES!! And if you eat fewer calories, which many people do {satiates the appetite on this diet, you will lose EVEN MORE!

THE ATKINSDIET IS CALLED LOW-CARB BECAUSE IN THE FIRST TWO STAGES OF THE DIET YOU MODERATE AMOUNT OF GOOD CARBS LIKE… Veggies and salads! The first 2 weeks is very LOW-CARBS…This jump starts your system and gives you the metabolic advantage! NO OTHER DIET DOES THIS! It will also determine if you have a metabolic resistance!

FACT:
Fat satiates the appetite. Fat is the only one of the three food categories that can stabilize blood sugar. Fat stops carb cravings. And fat in the absence of carbs, accelerates the burning of stored fat.



Author Dr. Atkins

This is what I'm going by. And the back of the ketone strips read:
5/trace.....pink
10/small....med pink
40/moderate.....DRK pink
80 &160/ large med and dark purple....This is where the largest amount of ketones/fat is being burned as energy in the blood stream.

"The more ketones…the more fat your burning! SIMPLE! BDK [benign dietary ketosis}is the physiologic method of weight loss—the exact opposite of the process that got you fat in the first place."
No disrespect to anyone...but all the research that I have read all comes back to this. And if I drop to a lower shade I don't lose as much. Plus if you are not in any of the stages you are losing lean muscle with the fat. I don't want to do that. And yes the more water the better...ketones go out threw the urine and this helps to push it out.

Just my to cents...along with info I've collected.