I have noticed that my Ketostix has been a light purple since about 2 days after beginning Induction, but hasn't gotten any darker. Is this ok or should I be eating differently to increase Ketostix. Sorry if this is a silly question, but I am new to this. Thanks.

No questions are silly, they're how we learn!
The colour of your ketostix don't matter. If they show a colour at all, you're in ketosis. In fact, if they're dark, its could just be you're not drinking enough water and your urine is concentrated.
And confusingly, you could be in ketosis and not show up on the ketostix at all - cos your body's using up the ketones as fast as you're making them.
They're fun to pee on when you're new and keen - but don't get hung up on them.
Take care, Jay

Thanks a lot. I have only seen a light purple and it has remained the same color since about 2 days after beginining Induction. Good, I must be drinking enough water.

I've only been on Atkins about 12 days, and I tried one last nite. It was dark purple. I feel I'm driking enough water (I always try to finish a gallon a day, measured by a container). I've yet to start exercising, maybe I'm not using my Ketones enough?

Also, has ne1 read the directions on the ketostix, I know they are for diabetics, but they make you sound like you should be dead if it;s high.

Hi Kevin - diabetics are in serious trouble if their ketones go high, since, associated with eating high carbs and diabetes, this can signal a dangerous state called ketoacidosis. This doesn't happen in lowcarbers, so don't worry about dark colour.
They say that you should aim to drink half your weight in pounds, in fluid ounces if that makes sense.
So you should be aiming at 140 ounces. Check me on the maths, but I think a gallon is 8 * 16oz, so that would be 128 fluid ounces - so you may need even more water!
You also make ketones from dietary fat as well as body fat, so on induction, eating plenty of fat, you could be making some from that too.
And yes, exercising will burn off some ketones.

Good luck with the journey (and all that water!), take care, Jay

Hey, Kevin -


I don't know where you live, but JayKay, being British (or at least living in the UK) measures non-metric volume differently than folks measure it in the US.

1 fluid US gallon = 128 fluid US ounces


Drink up, Boy!

Apologies, JayKay, you got the US measurements correct!

Fluid ounces were are not the only semantical obstacles that I had to overcome with my British friends.
You should have seen their faces when I once referred to my fat butt (bum) as my "fat fanny*". Good thing everyone was not only very young, but also very close friends.


Which, I might add, is a perfectly acceptable term here in the US. I've seen it used on this site - and often wonder about the amount of giggling that you Brits are doing....

US gallon = 128 fluid ounces.
US quart = 32 fluid ounces
Imperial gallon = 160 fluid ounces
Imperial quart = 40 fluid ounces

Imperial measure is used in the UK, some things in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India and the Caribbean islands that were or are British.

That's OK pcsqueen - I wasn't quite sure. Good conversion table Tofi - that helps a lot.
Its true we cause giggles with each others language. I once asked a visiting american relative if she wanted knocking up in the morning - ie, did she want me to knock on the door to get her up the next day - once she'd finished laughing she explained what it meant with you.
Then there's rubber (eraser, condom)...........

Color doesn't matter. I test myself in the mornings and I usually show light pink or negative. Then at night, after a big, fat filled dinner, ill test myself and get dark purple. It's all based on what you eat. Like I said, many times I get a negative rating. It used to be discouraging, but i've come to realize it doesn't matter.

And the thing about drinking water is true. I went out to the states 3 days ago and got lots of Diet Rite. Since I brought it back, ive been drinking tons of it and ive been solid dark purple. I really gots to start drinking more water.....

There is one more reason for the ketosticks to be dark or light. When your body is retaining water it shows dark color and when your body is releasing water it shows lighter colors.

Hey, JayKay --

Yeah, I know them all. Lived for 2 years in the UK.

Had to warn my husband not to punch any man who proposed "knocking him up" at 0730....

Mark Twain was right.

But, as some of my best friends are Brits, I'll live with the complication.

You should have witnessed the conversation that took place about cooking and involved the Yank terms "stove, grill, and broiler" and the Brit terms "cooker and grill." It's a wonder any food whatsoever was prepared!