can the menstrual cycle affect weight loss and ketosis? i've been doing atkins for three and a half weeks now. i lost 7 pounds after the first 2 weeks but during the third week (week of period) i gained 2 pounds back. could this be water retention even though i'm downing tons of water or hormone fluctuation? also, all this time i've been in ketosis with my strips turning dark purple. well the past 2 days (right after starting my period) i've suddenly been knocked out of ketosis. i've only added some macadamia nuts (one serving's worth at 4 carbs) and herbal tea. the tea is celestial seasonings and has 0 carbs, calories, etc. and no caffiene. but i had been consuming these 2 things for a week before suddenly my strips stopped turning purple. monday night they were dark purple and tuesday night they were barely pink. so what's the deal with this? i have never consumed more than 25 carbs on any day. i'm not focusing so much on my weight anymore. instead i like to have evidence that i'm in ketosis by having purple strips. so since they are barely pink all of a sudden does that mean i've suddenly stopped burning fat? i'm not going to stop because i feel better, but it is frustrating.

Okay... first of all, YES! Hormones and menses can and will affect what the scale and probably also what the ketosis testing says. Don't let water retention bum you out. It is not fat gained and will pass. Just keep drinking that water and you should be fine.

As for the ketosis strips, my best advice (though perhaps hasty) is don't use them. They are infamously unreliable and I don't trust em as far as I can throw em. Here are some things that can affect them:

-Exposed to air
-Exposed to steam
-Dietary fat
-Water intake
-Expulsion of ketones through breath, sweat as opposed to urine
-Just plain defective

That being said, pink is actually better than dark purple. Purple can mean you are dehydrated. Pink still indicates the presence of ketones, but they are diluted. That's good! Drink that water.

Are you noticing the other feelings of ketosis? Distinct breath, dimished appetite, etc. are also ways of determing the fat burning state.

Hope that helps a bit. The tea and macadamia nuts are fine additions and if you're not going above 25g of carbs a day, I assure you that you are in ketosis and will see results.

I wish you good luck. I'm sure you will do well.

well that does make me feel a lot better. it's easy to get hung up on one thing like ketone strips, weight, inches, etc. i do feel better and look better so that's what is truly important.

I just posted about this same subject a few days ago. I got responses from several women. Yes, the TOM does affect many people, myself included. Don't worry, keep going, and everything will catch back up with you!

Yes, of course it does!
BTW I've both experienced and heard of following:

10-6 days before TOM:

sudden, screaming hunger. Not for sweets, but for anything! You should eat legal foods ONLY when you feel it!
Retaining water - don't panic on the scale!

Some days before TOM:

more retaining. Drink oceans of water, no diet drinks, try to avoid salty foods. Still no panic.

After TOM - a Whoosh big time. I lost 3 pounds first time and 2 second time.

Keep going, this works!

Alina

i'm glad to hear all of this because i know i'm not alone. i just feel like a big fat cow right now. i know i weigh less than when i stared atkins, and my clothes are still loose, but i still feel huge. i love being a woman, but sometimes it can be hard. thanks for all the advice and support. this support site is the best one yet!

I've been on Atkins for three weeks now and I am currently seeing TOM for the first time. Consequently, I went up 3 1/2 lbs. while my DH has dropped another two, the dirty dog (actually I'm happy for him, sort of) Anyway, after returning home from the gym this morning after surviving my trainer's solid effort at premeditated murder, I ran in to the bathroom expecting to see that keto-stik burst into purple flames! OUT OF KETOSIS according to that demon strip. Ahhhhhhhh! Fortunately, I have read enough here to ignore all of the aforementioned signs (except possibly my trainer's hidden agenda) and attribute them to the "miracles and mysteries of my womanliness".

In other words, "Never you mind, honey".

Jones

well i'm glad i'm not the only one who got suddenly knocked out of ketosis for no good reason during that TOM. i haven't been testing for ketones for a few days. i did tonight and i'm still not in ketosis even though i've not strayed over 20 carbs and was in ketosis the previous 2 weeks. i know it's just a stupid stick that changes to a stupid purple color. but it just feels like when it turns purple that i'm getting scientific evidence that something is going on in my body. do you know what i mean? tomorrow is weigh in day but i don't want to know because i'm scared i gained weight or something. my clothes are still a little looser and i haven't gained any inches back, but i just feel bloated or something. and my TOM is now over so i better be getting some more results soon. but i'm still not going to give up!!