hi, I have ate the same as when I started and when I checked my urine this morning with the strips the color was the lightest shade it could be. I haven't lost in about two weeks. I have done nothing wrong, I looked in the book, and things like yeast build up,and medications could be to blame, but I'm not on any meds., and I don't eat alot of cheese or mushrooms. I drink anywhere from 70 -80 ounces of water a day, take my supplements, eat roman lettuce salads, greeen beans, broccoli, meat,as long as I don't go over 20 carbs a day, and I will eat a half of a carb soultions bar at night. Now, I have been eating these bars since day one and lost, but I was eating the Atkins Advantage, I have switched to Carb Soultions cause they are cheaper. I don't know if that has anything to do with it. I still haven't had a visit from TOM. So, something is going on with my body and not pregnancy. So does anyone have any advice for me, I would really like some.I really don't want to gain back my weight. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi, Lacey, if it shows just pink then you are in Ketosis. In some cases the darker pink the more dehydrated some people are. I know when I am in ketosis without the strips and I'm sure you can tell too. The taste and dryness of the mouth, I have energy bursts, you get use to the signs. Have you checked your measurements lately. Not just the scale moves the tape measure does also. Also do you excercise? AND have you made an appointment with your DR?? for the other issues? Theres a few tips to begin with, but no one knows your body better than you. Hope this helps.

Hi Lacey

Pink indicator does show ketones but the darker the better. Make sure they're not expired and you're testing at the same time of day each time. I'd try to get more water in each day (up to a gallon). It sounds like a lot but you can do it. I'd skip the bars for now. They will have some kind of artificial sweetener in them and that's been known to stall people. Exercise should be at the top of your list. Buns of steel/tai bo/etc.. great for home workouts. Getting a checkup from your doc doesn't hurt either.

Talk to ya later

Hi Lacey--

I don't use the strips myself, as I can easily tell when I'm in ketosis (crappy metallic taste in my mouth). My understanding is that the strips are essentially "digital"...you are either in ketosis or you are not. The degrees of color are simply a measure of how much fluid you have available to dilute your ketone output. In addition, my understanding is that the strips can only actually detect a partial set of the ketones that your body can produce, so you can test "no ketosis" and still be burning fat like mad. All in all, I wouldn't worry about how dark or light your strips are. Just keep drinking plenty of water.

My suggestion is that you try cutting out the Carb Solutions bars for a week and see if that makes a difference. Everyone is different in their response to sugar alcohols, and your body may be capable of treating some of those sweeteners as the real thing.

If you need a sweet-tasting treat for the evening (and you are past your initial 2-week Induction), take a look at the recipe section (orange bar at the top of this page) and see if there something you can make yourself to satisfy that need.

I think the picture will be clearer to you after your TOM, which can play havoc with trying to assess weight loss. In the meantime, you need to have confidence that at long as you are in ketosis and are drinking enough water, you've done your part in making it easier for your body to break down fat and eliminate it. The results will come...but they're never as soon as we want them to be!

Thanks to all for the replies. I strapped the baby boy in the stroller today and went walking got off my ass, and did it, like I used to before Atkins.I am now surfing the red sea, so hopefully after it, things will go back to the way they were. I am going to lay off the bars right now and see if that helps, but I have been craving food like crazy the whole week,like I'm starving,but we no who to blame for that. So, thanks all. Smack Daddy I haven't heard from you lately, glad you posted something. Later all Lacey

I bet you see the scale go down when TOM is over! Good luck!

I read that a few people get kicked out of ketosis every month by there TOM. Just depends upon your body I guess.

Hi, I wonder if it does have something to do with it, I did not lose the week of MR. TOM last month. I do hope I start back losing after the fact, my back feels like it is going to break into. I don't recall hurting this bad. Oh. well. Thanks for the replies. Lacey

Hey Lacey! Oh yes TOM is so pleasant isn't it? I gain about 2-3lbs in water weight, but then the week after, my weight is back down to normal... you could think of it positively though... maybe in the week of TOM, you are actually losing weight, so then the next week the scale will report you're even lighter because of the lost weight and lost water weight! I don't know, just food for thought... oh and also, I don' know if you drink diet sodas... but try to ween yourself onto sodas sweetened with splenda instead of aspertame... that may help. I myself am in introduction, and doing a VERY poor job at it ( I'm eating sugar free candy like mad) but for some reason still losing. Be sure to get some exercise in everyday that makes you sweat ( I run on my tredmill 20 min.) Good luck!

Jessica

Hi, I already drink Diet Rite, so that's not a prob. I do hope some weight startes moving, cause I'm doing everything the same as before, except I'm not getting off the couch, I'm always so tired. I'm still waiting for those energy burst.lol Later Lacey

One of the things you might want to learn to come to terms with is that your journey to your goal will NOT be a path of losing every day, every week or every month. The body has a natural tendancy to slow down, stop and hold along the way. If you keep plugging away at it, it will eventually come off.

Hang in there kiddo. The good things in life don't always come easy, but if we persevere, they are ours for the taking.

Thanks Angela, I will stay determined, I was just loving looking at the scale every week and seeing more weight come off. I really want to fit in the jeans I have had hung up for a while now. So, thank you your words makes me more determined, I lose my head sometimes, and get discouraged and get ready to give up, but I'm not going out like that, I have come to far. Since my son I don't give up as easy now, I want to do this for him also. Later Lacey