Hello. I was wondering,if I have to many carbs one day, how long will I have to wait to see if my Ketostix turns from the deep shade of purple it has been for 6 days. Does this make since??

hi 1pepper,

It sounds like you are in ketosis if your sticks are deep purple. However deep purple can mean you are not drinking enough water. Also don't rely so heavily on those stix. An occassional glance is ok (many others will say they are totally useless). If you go over on carbs for one day it will not change too much. Just get right back to the LC way of eating and you will be fine. Remeber that LC is a way of LIFE not just a diet, so don't be hard on yourself.

Good luck

1pepper, I think the thing to watch would be that you didn't get too many carbs in day after day... if you know that you got too many carbs on one day, then watch it closer the next few days, and try to keep it closer to what it should be. I think the individual should keep in mind, that everyone will not have the same results just because some one else did... I have not gone past pink on the ketostix, yet I lost 14# in a week on Induction week #1. I think the general consensus is, that if your ketostix are darker purple consistently... to up your water intake... literally *pee away those pounds!*

Though a lot of us use ketostix when beginning to LC, the best way to know that you are in ketosis is to limit carb intake. Whether you are reading "deep purple" or barely tinting the stix can be effected by the quantities of water that you are drinking. Bottom line: the point is NOT to get "deep purple" readings, but rather, to follow the plan.

I haven't tested with ketostix for at least 6 months and I continue to lose weight. Why? Because I'm following the plan.

Marlaine

Thanks for all the advice. It is hard to know exactly how many carbs I eat each day. I follow the plan exactly and I feel like I could have a few more carbs. I am losing pounds and inches steadily and I also just found out I could sub. the fiber from my veggies and that would allow me more carbs. I guess we just follow what are bodies tell us to do. Feeling great and eating GREAT!
I forgot to add that I drink around 100oz. of water daily.I am thirsty all the time and pee all the time.

1pepper I agree ... I think the diet should be renamed the *Pee-Away-the-Pounds* Diet, PAP Diet for short!~
Too bad running to the bathroom isn't considered an aerobic activity! heheh

1pepper: if you eat enough carbs to reach your CCLL on 1 day, you might not see a change or negative reading on the Ketostix for several days. But, as was stated above, if you eat too many carbs every day, you will go out of ketosis, start producing insulin and storing fat again.

I have to strongly agree with the comments above: you CAN lose very well with only a slight pink on the stix. Being deep purple is NOT necessarily a good thing but it also is NOT dangerous.

The ketostix will also change colour from the fat that you eat which is also being burned for fuel. But you don't need to worry as you cannot put fat back on if you are in ketosis. There is no insulin being produced when in ketosis (or so little that it doesn't count.)

Try to estimate your carbs pretty accurately: 2 cups of salad veggies plus 1 cup of the 'other veggies'. You will get better at it as you practise it. Some people lose better as the veggie carbs increase.

I hope this makes sense.

Wow. It so makes since. I did try to eat more veggies today because I was afraid I was not getting enough since I found out about the fiber thing. I had 1 cup of fresh spinach and 1 full cup of cooked cabbage with butter. I feel that is plenty. ByeYa!