Can you still stay in ketosis despite eating a higher than normal carb amount on one day? Example, say you normally eat 30 carbs (and you don't know your limit) daily and one day you eat 80. You test yourself that day, the next day, 36 hours later, and you are still in ketosis....

a) Does that mean you can safely consume more carbs (to maintain, not lose) weight?

b) That the carbs you consume (not all carbs are equal) do not knock you out because they may not be from sugar?

c) Does FLOUR carbs knock you out or are potato, rice, bean carbs worse?

When I totally blow it....it usually takes 2 or 3 days before the stick runs clear. I'm not sure why..I'm sure someone knows a whole lot on this topic and hopefully will be visiting this post soon!!

cin

Hi Yvonne,

It probably depends on what else you are eating and drinking.

Remember, just because the ketostix are showing positive does not necessarily mean you are burning fat.

Eating a high fat meal, being dehydrated, drinking alcohol or just plain not eating enough can put you into ketosis. (Can you tell I think the stix are a waste of time and money )

I think you are always wisest to go by whether or not you are losing weight than the colour of a piece of plastic.

Rosebud

Well, I was sick yesterday...ate carbs...aside from the sticks being purple, I have keto breath - stinky urine, etc.... granted, tomorrow I may be out of ketosis but even now - 24 hours after my last carb - I still have the symptoms.

I am just curious...

I'll let you know tomorrow if I am still in it

Rosebud, can you help me understand this? I have been in ketosis for many weeks and not lost pounds or inches. I have all the symptoms (breath, no cravings, etc.) plus I show positive on the stix. A couple of nights ago I ate more carbs than usual (I'm at 50 g/day and I ate about 75. Stix still showed trace. That particular day I ate a lot more fat than usual too--I made whipped cream and went overboard, plus had a big steak for dinner... Normally I get around 80 grams, and that day 130. (Not that I pay that much attention to fat, but I looked on fitday.com) I felt yucky. Couldn't sleep that night, and I was curious to see if the high fat would give a darker "ketosis" reading on the sticks. Sure enough, it was deep purple--almost black. It kind of confirmed my suspicion that dietary fat can enhance ketosis and it may "seem" that I'm burning lots of fat, but it's just the fat I'm eating. HELP! Should I cut back on fat? So many people say no, but I'm confused. I want to be burning my STORED fat, not the fat I eat! (That will be fine for maintanance, but I'm not there yet!) My stats are similar to yours--do you have insight on this?

Hi Kelley,

You've just proved, yet again, that the stix actually mean very little. Yes, your dietary fat was probably what turned the stix dark coloured.

No, that doesn't necessarily mean you should eat less fat.

The only way to tell what is going on is to get an idea of what you are eating, along with your Fitday stats. Pity you don't have a journal. Have you thought about starting one? I have found mine to be very helpful.

If you don't want to start a journal, that's okay. If you can list here your average day's eating and stats, mebbe I can suggest something. I'll certainly try.

Cheers.

Rosebud

I have found my stick readings are very accurate if my diet is one which is varied and in control...moderate fat intake for breakfast/lunch meal, maybe less at night...I never have red meat more than once a day and always mix in poultry and a fish of varying types...

i usually check the sticks once in the am and once at night usually around the same time. I'll tell you if for nothing else they are worth it because the sticks gave/give me a positive feeling about my progress and effort. i feel active and a part of a process that for so long I felt a victim to, not the owner of...

If you feel better, seem to be loosing weight or inches don't stress over the sticks. Have a balanced lc day each day, drink your water and you should be okay...couldn't hurt anyhow.. seems to be working for me..

BTW, I stayed in ketosis throughout the weekend. I think it also depends what type of carbs you consume. For instance, I overdid carbs Friday but my overindulgence came from veggies...I had 3 cups of veggies throughout the day. I am still in ketosis and have been throughout the weekend. Now if I would have overdid it with dairy carbs, perhaps that would have knocked me out.

Anyway, despite it all, it is TOM time and I am up 3 lbs...typical weight gain before TOM....

I to want to know what the ketostix are in fact showing. Is there fat in the piddle or what Ok not fat but ketones, thats right isnt it. But ketones are the 'ashes' from buring fat from either dietry or body fat. I though it was only LC diets that but you in Ketosis though
Now 5 days ago i switched form what i called a 'ketogenic' diet to CAD and low and behold this afternoon I had that taste in my mouth and thought "now thats weird" as Im eating far more carbs in total daily from what i consume at my reward meal (RM).
So I used one of the stix and it went as pink as it would do before, like on my strict LC.
Not sure i get that. with the carbs in my system I thought I wouldnt be in ketosis but, cos I am losing weight and burning fat am I ???