I was wondering how may people have used the strips? They seem sort of expensive but sometimes I feel so doubtful about what my body is doing that I'm tempted to buy some for the piece of mind that I am doing things right and staying on track. I've tried to use Fitday.com to keep track of stuff, but it is very frustrating to me that they are not set up to calculate ECC, so I still feel in the dark on my carb count from their site.

I've sort of been hovering somewhere between induction and moving on to the next phase. I've added in some "frankenfoods" (I love that name, lol!) but avoided adding in any fruit yet, with the exception of the half a lemon I made a REAL glass of lemonade with the other day (that was was heaven). I would be willing to go back into strict induction if I discovered I needed to. (well with the exception of a shake here and there, when I PMS I crave milk and the shakes seem to stave that off.)

Also, does anyone know of a cheaper source for the strips???

I use the strips and have found them to be a great tool. If for nothing else, just the fact that I know something is happening in my body because they are almost always one shade of pink or another (so I know I'm in ketosis). The only times they go negative is if I've eaten too much chocolate with "sugar alcohols" or I drink alcohol..........either one takes me out of ketosis until it leaves the system or is burned off. This also helps me to know what I am sensitive to. The strips aren't all that expensive, if you figure it up........and, if you are careful about it, you can cut them in half, so they last twice as long. I highly recommend them, but remember, that they are only an indicator-----the color of pink they turn doesn't really matter, just the fact that they've turned.

Remember though, that if you go over 30-40 grams of carbs, you take yourself out of ketosis----so this should help to "keep you honest". I know it does me.

hi
. i bought some strips for the first time and cut them in half i cut one in three parts. i have been on induction for 10 days it took 9 days to show (trace) light pink. how many days does it take to get the dark purple. the super fat burning stage. i was told before it takes 2 weeks to go completely into ketosis. is that true?

I like the idea of the strips espeically if I have something to eat that I'm not sure about. They can get pretty annoying though and obsessive. I can normally get them for about $10 for 100 at GNC. I'm getting a body fat scale in and I think I'll just use that at my main marker.

I've never used a keto stick.. never felt the need.

Fitday does tell you how much fiber you have eaten in a day. If you look in the main screen where you add your food for the day, at the top it gives you your grams and percentages and the breakdown of different fats and your carb/fiber. From there it's just a simple subtraction sum.

My body fat scale is usualy way off. I think it just takes weight and height into consideration. It could also be because I weigh in the morning. If your not really hydrated it reads off.

Now don't I feel silly... DUH! *bangs my head against the wall*

It still doesn't take sugar alcohols into account, so I have to play with the info I put in if I eat something that has that in it... they should add a sugar alcohol field, think if I email them they will listen?? Ha ha ha... oh well, it was a thought.

Well, no, it's not true. While I'm sure it is different with everyone, if you are eating LC, it takes your body about 48 hours to go into ketosis (that's how long it takes to "burn" the glycogen out of your system). But, please be aware that you may NEVER get a dark purple color. The urine can be diluted by heavy water intake, and that totally changes what color the strip comes out. All you should care about is that it is ANY shade of pink.

Since you didn't see any change until day 9, I'd reaccess and make sure your not getting more carbs than you thought, and make sure you're using the strips correctly.

Good luck!

Atkins stated that not everyone enters Ketosis. As long as you are feeling healthier, and if the scale or tape measure goes down, don't worry about the strips. They can also be effected by what foods you have eaten and if you are dehydrated. Alcohol can also give you a dark pink, but that doesn't mean fat is coming off.

I use them as a reassurance thing in the mornings. I don't have the dragon breath or other side effects so I don't know if I am truely in ketosis, but I do know I am losing inches and that's what is important to me.