I've been wandering around here all day trying to find answers, but I'm afraid that I'm just more confused than I was to begin with! And considering how smart and articulate you all are, that's saying something!!!

My main question is this - Does a positive ketostix result mean that I'm burning my stored fat? Can I be eating too much carbs and stalling out and still be in ketosis?

I read about how a light pink vs. a dark purple might just indicate dehydration, but is that all? Also, I've seen it stated that a positive is a positive, no matter how small. I'm so glad to know that because it makes those pale pink results happy news, too.

I have to say that I was a lot clearer on the subject before I read the posts that said that dietary fat could be causing the positive results... does that mean that what I'm seeing on the stix isn't me at all?? (I mean my fat! )

Where I'm confused, or worried, is that I've been steadily in ketosis for 6 weeks now, and I'm not losing. I've started my journal (at last!) because I'm sure that keeping track may help, but I'd feel so much better if I knew for sure what the Ketostix were telling me. Atkins's book leads one to believe that purple stix always = burning fat. Is that not true?

I really need to understand this, because it isn't just me. My 14 year old daughter is on LC, too, and she needs the positive reinforcement even more than I do. Of course, with her young metabolism, the weight is just falling off her, bless her heart! But naturally she has her slower weeks, and when the scale doesn't pat her on the back, I've been telling her that the Ketostix are telling her that the fat's disappearing down the drain (literally!). I just really need to be sure!!


Thanks!!!

Hello - I will do my best but I am sure that more experts will turn up to help.

First, the ketostix are very inaccurate. They only pick up about 20% of the actual ketones that are present in urine. More ketones leave the body in the breath and via the intestines than in the urine. So don't rely too much on them.

Ketones can come from the fat you eat as well as the what is coming out of your stored fat. But you ARE burning fat instead of putting more fat into storage.

Now as to why you are not losing pounds. If you have been on many diets previous to LCing, your diet may have been protein deficient for a long while. Now that you are eating a good supply of protein, your body is grabbing all it can to make needed repairs to all the muscles (including the heart) and organs. So you could be putting ON muscle weight while burning fat. That means that the scale may not move but you ARE succeeding. this is especially true if you have begun to exercise (even walking) along with LCing.

It has often been said that the scales are frequently NOT the best measure of how you are doing. (Neither are the Stix.) Instead, you should have taken measurements of every body part you could reach and written them down. Not just bust/waist/hips but neck, thighs, calves, wrist, biceps, upper abdomen, above bust, chest below bust - well, you get the idea. Or have a piece of clothing that is too tight (pants, dress, skirt) This is called the "Pant-o-meter". You try it on every week and see if it has gotten looser. Who cares how much you weigh if you can SEE that you are getting smaller.

Drinking the water every day - at least 2 liters or over 2 quarts, although many people drink more - is crucial. The water helps your kidneys process all the by-products of the burnt fat. If there is not enough water coming in, the liver will have to take over some of the work the kidneys should be doing. And since the liver is the chief fat-burning organ, it won't be able to dedicate itself to converting fat to energy. So drink your water.

I hope the nasty scales will start to cooperate soon. Starting a journal is a good idea. And drop around to visit other journals. Ask for people to come and check up on your menus and use fitday.com to figure out what carbs, protein and fat you are eating.

All the best.

I used ketosticks as a sort of game...am I or aren't I...

I was in the small range throughout September and lost nothing...

I was in trace or not even showing any color...and I lost

I look for other signs that I am in fat-burning mode....

1. Urine smells particularly strong
2. Bad breath and/or taste (metalic)
3. Feel "hot" when everyone around me is cold and wearing sweathers
4. loss of appetite or less of one
5. my tummy feels flatter and I feel "slimmer"

So don't rely on those sticks as a true indicator of whether you are burning fat or not...you will see when your clothes get looser and you don't feel as hungry!

Good luck

Great post, Tofi! I really enjoyed it.

Katie

Hi Hedgey,

Could be other reasons why weight loss has been stalling. Are you on any meds, or perhaps a yeast problem (my daughter had to go on the Candida Albicans modified version of Atkins - no vinegar, no mushrooms, many cheeses are off limits also). As far as ketosis is concerned, my stix barely register enough to show ketosis. My water consumption makes a clear reading difficult, but obviously it's working. Keep track of those carbs though. They can pile up without your suspecting it. I found that out when I started using the www.fitday.com journal.

Thank you so much for your responses!!! I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get back here - I think it's because I tried to start a journal, but I haven't been able to get online since last week!

I think the Pant-O-Meter might be the best guage for me. I really wish I'd measured myself when I first started, but it's not really too late, is it? I've only just started exercising over the past few days, so I'm sure that will help.

I was on medication for several years, Effexor was the most recent drug prescribed to control my depression. I stopped taking that in the beginning of September, and aside from irritibility, I seem to be holding on pretty well without it. I'm absolutely sure that cutting the carbs has made that possible. I only wish I'd gone to LC a long time ago! I've started taking St. John's wort (this past Saturday) to help with the snappishness.

I know for absolute sure that I need to get more water. I've only been getting about a quart a day, way too little!!! Same is true for my husband and especially for my daughter, but that's another thread entirely.

I'm also trying to improve our vitamins - I'd been taking a regular Centrum one-a-day type, with extra iron!, plus a super B complex. I tossed the extra iron tablets and got a multi w/o iron and some Ester-C. I'm planning to buy some Atkins vitamins today or tomorrow - Walmart has them, but only the Dieter's Advantage... maybe a good choice?

Thanks again, everybody. I'm going over to update my journal now. Wait, no, first I'm going to go down and fill my water bottle!

Hedgey

Hi Hedgey!

I took a peek at your journal, to see what kinds of foods you've been eating. IMO, it doesn't look like you're eating enough food. Adding some veggies, and eating a few more calories (I know...sounds crazy), may help. Also, the fake foods, like shakes, cause problems for a lot of people. Try eliminating the shakes, and eating more fresh veggies, and it might do the trick. Also, if you're beginning an exercise program, you may be gaining some muscle tissue, which is a good thing! Exercise is another huge factor in your weight loss.

Looks like you're doing great, and I'm really excited to see you're keeping up with your journal!

All the best,