I am curious about the Keytone strips.

If I eat a lot of fat during the day, say, a steak with cheese, and then I use the keytone strips, is it more likely to show up as positive because I have a lot of fat flowing through my system?

I ate a steak last night for dinner. I used the strips this morning and it showed that I was around moderate. Does this mean that I am really burning fat or could it just be residual fat from the steak?

Thanks,
-=Rick=-

The answer is Yes and NO. The strips don't differentiate between the ketones from fat you eat and fat that comes out of storage. Both are burned for energy. The good part about the fat you eat is that it does not elicit a big insulin surge. And any reaction on the stix or strips shows that you are getting your body's fuel from burning fat, not carbs. It is better to burn dietary fat than to go back to eating carbs & high insulin levels.

The truth is that those Ketostix (all brands) are really such an inexact way of measuring ketones, that the level doesn't really matter. Any reading means you are in ketosis. Remember that most ketones leave your body by way of the lungs (breathed out) or via the intestines (I am NOT going into detail about that. )

In the Atkins Center in NYC, they use a machine that measures ketones in the breath. A patient breathes all their air out into the machine and a reading is obtained. This is considered VASTLY superior to the stix. But the machine is horribly expensive and big, so we make do with the stix.

Hope this helps.

Excellent. Thanks for the reply.

Hi there....

Just wanted to make mention of the fact that the results of the ketosticks will make no difference to the effectiveness of LCing. If you are following the plan and eating "by the book", you can pretty much be assured that you will lose weight, regardless of successful or unsuccessful results from ketosticks.

Best would be to find other methods of gauging your success.

Wishing you continued success LCing.

Marlaine

Marlaine,

You always give great advice!

A couple of weeks ago I read a post you made regarding stalls... you said (if I recall) that it's normal to lose about 10% of the excess weight in the first time period (month? I forget) and then go into a stall for 1 or 2 weeks.

Well, I lost about 25 pounds and was almost always in ketosis during my first 3 weeks in Atkins induction, and then a stall with no ketones and no weight loss at all for the last 4 weeks.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
-Ron.

PS I would have PM'd you with this question, but for some reason I can't seem to PM anyone. Maybe it's because I'm so new here.
R

Ron - you will be given the PM privileges after 20 (I think) posts. Until then, you can post in other people's threads or go to the Journal forum and start a journal under the R section. Instructions are given at the top of each journal page.

You can answer to the post of Marlaine's that you liked or you can post in her journal.

I think your initial loss and then this "period of adjustment" without losing is absolutely normal and usual. I think I lost 20 pounds in 6 weeks and then stalled for 3 months. Which would you rather have? It would be nice if our bodies would inform us of their plans and when they would start losing again, but they don't. So we just have to stay LC and wait for the day. Of course, in the meantime our health improves, our eneregy and moods improve and we just feel better. So there are benefits. And you might lose fat and inches while not losing on the scales.

Hi Ron......

Nice to meet you, and welcome to the forum! And thanks so much for the kind words..

Good advice from tofi to consider starting a journal.




Yes. If you are following the plan by the book, then you are certainly in ketosis, whether it shows up on the (rather unreliable) ketosticks or not. As for the lack of weight loss...once again, this is very common and a trial to those of us who measure progress by the number on the scale. Don't give up and keep sticking to the plan because if you are doing everything right, as Atkins directs, then it's going to work once your body settles in.

It would be very useful if you were journaling and recording your daily menus because it would give the 'eagle eyes' around the forum a chance to check it out and make suggestions.

Have you done any reading in the triple digit forum? Also check out DW Rolfe's journal. Donald is one of our big losers and I think you'll find his story interesting.

You'll need to post 25 times before you get the private messaging function.

Wishing you continued LC Success!

Marlaine

I'm sorry, but that struck me as very funny.

I've aspired to many things in life.

As a young man, I aspired to greatness. While I achieved a modicum of success professionally.... well, let's just say that you must be careful what you wish for: I achieved greatness of presence.

As a teen, I aspired to be a doctor, to join in the camaraderie of the profession. Again, one must be careful what you wish for, for now I get to "hang out" with lots of doctors.

As an adult, I aspired to get a house. I got as big as a house. BCWYWF...

And now, I aspire to be a big loser. Either way, I win! So how can I be a big loser if I'm the big winner?

LOL sorry... It must be the protein.

Back to seriousness tho...
I get to see my endocrinologist/primary care physician (the same, believe it or not) in a week or two. She doesn't know yet that I've started LCing. The drugs she has me on......I can't wait to get off of them (of course I would never just stop without at least consulting with her.)

I'm on:

• Prozac (to control appetite)
  Worked somewhat
• Lopid (to lower Triglycerides)
  Worked from 500+ to 200ish
• Lipitor (to lower overall cholesterol)
  Didn't work at 10mg dose, worked very well (250s to 160s) at 20 mg dose
• Testosterone replacement
• Diovan (to lower blood pressure)
  Sorta works somewhat
• Naproxen (to relieve joint pain)
  Sorta works, pain is less
• Protonix (to relieve stomach problems caused by Naproxen)
  Works, stomach stopped hurting
• Vitamins B
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Omega3 fatty acids (to further lower triglycerides)

I was having symptoms of low blood sugars when I went to see her. She Dx'd me with Insulin Resistance and/or "Glucose Intolerance" and/or "Syndrome X"...

Atkins has CERTAINLY stopped my blood sugar swings, so I feel better, and the loss of 25 pounds didn't hurt either... so I hope she can start to reduce some of these meds. I know that Dr. Atkins is against the Lopid and I think also the statin Lipitor, so I'll see if she'll let me drop/reduce those, as well as the Prozac.

Has anyone else been on these kinds of drugs and stopped? Any idea if it is preferable to wean off of these rather than cold-turkey?

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I hope to be able to add my experiences to the knowledgebase that is here.

Ron

Ron, that is quite the list of meds, WOW. It's very possible that your doctor will decrease a few of them when you go back to see her - BP & cholesterol both tend to come down when you begin LCing (BP in particular rather swiftly) Have you been monitoring yours? Using the machines they have at drugstores would give you a good idea in the mean time. I know my BP dropped significantly w/in 4 weeks of being on Protein Power. Just a little info for you from the PP FAQ:



Also, just FYI, NSAIDS (of which Naproxen is one) can interfere with rate of loss (water retention). With any luck as you lose the weight you'll also lose the need for the joint relief

Cheers,
Nat

Actually, NSAIDS cause sodium retention ... which can indirectly lead to fluid retention. Best to limit salt intake while you're using these.

Naproxen is a great anti-inflammatory, and very effective, but I blew up like a water-logged sponge when I took it for bursitis in my hip. If you can possibly wean off it .. with your dr's supervision of course ... you might want to try ibuprofen (Motrin or similar brand ... note that Advil brand has sugar in it's formula). Ibuprofen still has some sodium-retaining property, but less than Naprosyn. As you continue to lose weight, I'm sure you'll reach a point where you no longer need these at all Note* ... If you're still having significant joint pain, your dr might consider using one of the newer COX-2 inhibitors, such as Celebrex, Vioxx or Mobicox. They're more expensive .. but fewer side effects. You can read a bit more about it here.

As for fats ... good to take the omega-3's Stop using margarine and grocery store vegetable oils if you do use those. Instead, use butter or virgin olive oil for cooking. Have raw or unprocessed nuts and nut butters, and/or avocados. These will lower your LDL ("bad") and raise the HDL ("good") and will help to lower triglycerides.

Good luck to you, and keep us posted

Doreen

Ron......
No reason to apologize. I meant it tongue in cheek anyway. I take great pleasure in being able to put a positive twist on the concept of being a loser! And I feel that I'm in good company with the rest of the losers here in the forum.

What Nat said! "WOW, that is quite the list of meds," and I can certainly understand your desire to get off of them. I wanted to lose weight mainly for my health. I want to enjoy the next 40 years...not dread them. I'm taking a BP med and I'd love to get off of it. Has been a goal of mine for a long time. So far, no dice. My BP has only improved marginally. I suspect it has something to do with my stress levels which I'm working to reduce.

Fortunately, my doc is open to me trying a "drug holiday". Did one a few months ago and I'm going to ask to try it again. Go off of the BP med for a month and see what happens.

Some meds must be weaned and some don't require it. Your doc or pharmasist will be your best reference.

Marlaine

Ok, I've been in this silly stall long enough .... I'm going to take charge!

I received an email newsletter from the forum -- nice touch! Anyway, it referred me to a story about Leptin... And today I'm going to eat so many "carbs" that my truck engine is going to be nervous!

(Ok, I don't know how many of you are car-knowledgable, but, you see, truck used to have these things called carburetors)

Anyway, I had read on the AtkinsCenter site that he recommends "shocking" the body, which I think is essentially the same idea.

So today Carb city! The only thing I wonder is, are foods like doughnuts, chinese food (carbs AND fats) allowed?

One lady wrote she did a carb day, and woke up 4 pounds lighter! lol (Maybe she just got dehydrated from all of those liquid carbs)

-Ron.

See you in 10 pounds....

Ron,

Just quickly I will say that this is most likely a BAD idea. I had my "1 carb day" 3 or 4 weeks ago. I keep trying to get back on LC but just can't seem to do it.

Most people on here tried to discourage me and I didn't listen. Get to your goal weight before getting back to your old WOE.

If you do decide to do it I would say not to get discouraged with yourself if you get back on. Sugar is addictive.

Not sure about the whole fat and carb question though.

-R

Ron .. the "experiments" with leptin and "carb ups" involve very low FAT and sufficient protein. The carbs are simple saccharides and sugar, not complex starch carbs from bread, flour, potatoes, pizza, donuts ... and no fat as in pizza, donuts, sweet 'n sour chicken balls or ice cream.

The carb ups are ALSO being done in conjunction with an intense exercise regimen .. cardio and weight-lifting. If you're interested, you might take a peek at Trainerdan's CKD 101 thread, down in the CKD/ Body Opus forum. CKD stands for Cyclical Ketogenic Diet, where the person low carbs Monday to Friday while doing heavy prescribed workouts, then the weekend is a planned "carb up".

For the record, the recommendation by Atkins to "shock the body" by doing what he calls a "reversal diet" is also intended to be LOW fat. It's a complete reversal of low-carbing.

Unfortunately, high carbs and high fat are a deadly combination. You can't have both at the same time without compromising your health

Doreen

I just wanted to make a comment about using the Ketosticks. I find that they give me a psychological boost when they turn. I guess that could go either way, though. It could discourage someone if they're not turning. Anyway, I choose to use them.