My keto sticks are saying only small or medium for the amount of ketones on my test strips. I am following the diet, not eating carbs except one salad a day with ranch dressing.

I am losing weight because my clothes feel loose. I refuse to weigh in until 2 weeks of induction are over. I did have a beer the other night (bud lite.. it was all they had).

how do I get the ketones higher?

Darker is usually a sign you're dehydrated, you do not want dark purple.

You're in ketosis. Your clothing is looser. Be happy. And eat more veggies. A salad a day is not Atkin's Induction. 2 salads, 2/3 cup of veggies. They are important!

Nat

I like purple, it's one of my favorite colors, but I've given up on the stix months ago. They are fun in the beginning, because it gives you a sense of losing, but they are really unreliable. Too dark can mean dehydration or that you are getting too much dietary fat. Too light may be because dilution of urine because of all the water you drink.

Just jugde by the way you feel and the way your clothes fit! The stix can cause you to be obsessive and stress may prevent you from losing fat!

Enjoy the foods and the rewards of the woe!

Carol

I knew this was the site for me... Thank you for the feedback. I have been drinking a lot of water, so I guess I am glad that it is in the middle.

I have lent my book out to someone else, I will have to get it back or get it at the library... really.. more veggies? I like that.

Good, when in doubt you can always check with the online Atkin's website - it's pretty comprehensive

www.atkinscenter.com

Nat

Isn't it supposed to be 2 CUPS of salad and 3/4 cup veggies OR 3 CUPS of salad? NOT 2 SALADS plus veggies. I would think that clarifying this would be important since depending on how you make your salads (and mine are BIG!) you may end up with WAY too many carbs if you do 2 SALADS and more veggies on top of that!

Naturally, the induction amount of 20 grams of carbohydrate is the key figure to follow.

Allyoop is right in what Atkins says approximates 20 grams.

However a "cup" is an american measurement of infinite amusement and inexactitude to us brits.

For a start it is a liquid measure......8oz. An american half pint.

Far bigger than a cup of tea.

It does have its uses for free flowing grains, flour, sugar and other dry ingredients that are proportional for recipes. But salads and vegetables?

Have you tried getting a romaine lettuce leaf into a cup (1.6carbs), or asparagus(4 spears are 2.8carbs) or string beans. And don't ask me to stick my celery(1 stalk 1.7 carbs) up my fundament when it won't fit in the pesky cup!

On the other hand It took a whole cucumber sliced to fill a cup (3.3 carbs). That didn't seem right either.It also makes a difference if you actually have managed to loosely pack a salad into your cup as to whether you put the heavier cherry tomato on the top or not. If you put it in last it pushes the lettuce down a bit and you can get another leaf in

Try as I might I cannot get larger broccoli florets (7.5 carbs)with their stalks into cups.

What exactly is a salad? I ask myself. the ingredients are all different with different carb contents. Who puts a cup of sliced red peppers( 10.9 carbs) in a salad.

So at the end of the day you have to wing it and you wont go far wrong with Nats advice of two small salads and some low carb veggies

Rustpot, I'll loan you my cups and then your broccoli will fit. Mine are size D. I think you're still stuck (pun intended) with the celery though.

Friday