I am doing it all correctly. Trust me! I review the Atkins book every day just to be sure and I use the example menus.
BUT my ketosis sticks will not turn purple. Why? They are still negative? I am confused. Anyone else having this problem? Is it b/c I have little to loose? HELP!

Are you perhaps consuming low carb bars and shakes?

Without a journal, it is hard to help you since we do not know what you have consumed over the past few weeks.

Why not start one up today and list out what foods you consume on a daily basis. Then maybe we can help you out

Those strips are nice however there are a ton of things that affect them.

Such as:
1) daily water consumption
2) exercise
3) age of the strips
4) moisture exposure (aka being in the bathroom where you take showers)

I have had a bottle of strips since I started back in April of last year. I decided to test the other day. Mine didn't turn pink....and I know I am in ketosis due to monitoring my carb counts.

So don't fret too much overr those things. You may have just gotten a bad bottle.

Lisalaura, have a look through this thread, it should allay your fears -

Ketosis = fat loss?

Those ketostrips aren't very reliable, nor are the a good indicator of fat loss. You're probably in ketosis and just not registering - it happens to a lot of us. How much water you drink and whether or not you exercise will greatly effect your results.

If you're doing everything right and are sure that you're eating enough your slower than 'average' fat loss can most likely be attributed to being relatively close to your goal weight. Give it some time; slow losers are still losers.

Hang in there
Nat

P.S. I saw your post in another thread after reading and answering this one. Your comment there helped me to answer your question here: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...6430#post286430

Thank you for your response.

Well, yes, I do eat low carb (myoplex low carb) bar. One a day. I have in the past and lost very succefully.

I workout with a trainer weight training 3 days a week for the past year and cardio 3 days a week. (kind of like BFL exercise)

I just read that exercise may effect the "purple" b/c we release the ketones during exercise. And I drink lots of water. I read that may be another reason?

Oh well. I DO feel different just today I started to feel better. Less thick around the middle. (I took off from the gym for the month of Dec) BAD MOVE!

Anyway, I just want to fit in my pants I bought last year when I started atkins originally! HA!

thanks guys!

Lisalaura, if you're training intensely then you can handle the extra carbs from the bars (most likely) - just be aware they are there. The labels are misleading; if glycerine or sugar alcohols are listed then you know your carb count is higher than they claim.

Your lack of results with the strips is probably a function of the water and the lifting - I don't register on those strips every time either and I am still losing fat and still have the odd bout with keto breath

Nat

ha nat! That's funny b/c I sure do know I am "there" b/c of breath too. I just never ever knew, until finding this site that exercise and water could effect the strip. I never used them before? Heck, I just wasted $11. hee hee. Forget the strip and just keep going.

DO you eat low carb foods, such as cereal etc. Does this effect the weight loss you think?

I don't personally, Lisa, but others do use the LC immitations of the old high carb staples. It effects some and not others - YMMV (Your milage may vary). You'd have to try them out and see. I've never even tried a LC bar - I do use protein shakes, however.

If you're experiencing a true stall (defined as 6 weeks w/ no inches lost and no scale movement) you would look to certain foods that are known culprits - nuts, dairy, LC foods that immitate higher carb foods and eliminate them. Usually this does the trick.

Nat