Ok, I am new at atkins. The last time I tried the aktins aproach (four years ago) I didn't lose a thing and was miserable. I've learn from reading the atkins site http://atkins.com/help/sitemap.html about ketosis resistance and I've tried some different things and started to lose (HURRAH) I have been using a ketone urine strip to see if I am in ketosis and was showing "trace" amounts.
This morning I showed negitive for Ketones. I am freaking out!!!!
Is it possible that a luncheon where I tried to eat around some ham salad and obviously sweeted dressing on some greens is what has messed me up four days later?
Please.... some one talk me away from the ledge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First...take the jar of ketone test strips, grasp firmly..... got 'em?

Now move to the nearest garbage recepticle and THROW!



The strips are nice for motivation at first, but are not a really reliable indicator of your progress. Some people who've lost a lot of weight never even register on them, and they are very "persnickety" about sometimes registering DIETARY fat being burned as well as body fat.

If you feel good and are losing, you're fine.

Hang in there!

Dear Miss Potatofree,
Thank you very much.
God Bless!
Judy

You know, I check the strips a lot just because ... well, this is weird, but I think they're fun, it's like a high-school lab experiment (OK, I'm weird) ... and I notice that I go in and out of ketosis all day long, or maybe I'm just excreting different levels of ketones at different times of the day, depending on level of hydration, whether I've worked out, time of day, etc. I still haven't figured out what the relationship is between ketosis and losing body fat: From what I understand, you can be in ketosis because your body is using the cream cheese you ate an hour ago -- but that won't get the fat off your thighs, will it? Anyway, the point is ... I don't think the strips give a complete picture of what's going on. And I wouldn't worry about them.