What's up with Ketosis? The only way my sticks are going to change color is if i use crayons.

I've not had any color yet. The past three days i've dropped to a max of 15 carbs a day and still no color. I lost three pounds last week, following induction to a T.

I'm considering tossing the sticks instead of getting hung up on them. What do you guys think?

I rmember reading in Atkins book that some people never see purple or even pink on their sticks and they still lose weight.

Just curious, are your sticks fresh? Check the date on the package just to rule that out. Also, I've found that some brands are easier to turn than others. About five years ago when I first decided to give Atkins a try (and a poor try at that) I bought some that never changed. Then in October I tried Atkins again and still no change. So...I tossed out those old sticks and bought a new package called Metabostix (or something like that) at Wal-Mart. They were OK, but it only showed two shades and I was having trouble distinguishing between slight ketosis and no ketosis on those sticks. So...I bought a new package, Ketosticks, I think. It has like five different shades. I tried it and, wow...it got dark fast. (Just makes me wonder how accurate those darn things really are)

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Melissa

First, Congratulations on your 3 pound loss. That's great!

Melissa is right. Some people will be in ketosis but NOT register on the stix. Atkins does say . . . as long as you are losing weight and feeling good . . . not to worry about it. Plus, some bodys may take longer to register. I still use them . . . usually in the AM. The BEST are by Bayer called Ketostix. Make sure you buy the ones that just measure ketones. They make another one that also measures something else . . . which you don't need. They may be more $$, but I cut mine in half. I know a lot of people here do not use them. They know if they are eating right, they don't need them! But I am so anal, that as I progress with this WOE, I like having some outside confirmation that some of the foods I am adding are not railroading my efforts.

BTW, 15 carbs/day is NOT GOOD!! Minimum is 20. There is a little leeway as to when you start to increase your carbs to 25, then 30, etc. But 20 is the absolute minimum.

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Alida
5'1" ~ 59 years old
Highest weight: 165
Atkins 7/10/2004
160/126/125
RE-DO, January 2008:
167/162/135

Congrats on the three pounds--don't worry about the sticks--eat 20 or so carbs--make sure they are good carbs and let the rest take care of itself.

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Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

Well, I just have to ditto the above... I lost 50 POUNDS and never registered more than *trace* to *small* on those sticks!
I was so mad at having to throw away 2 full things of stix.

Don't rely on the stix. If you are losing weight, feeling better, and slimming down, you don't need them!
There are other ways to tell if you are in ketosis...

Also, remember, if you are drinking adequate water (which you should be!!!), this will seriously dilute your ketone/urine concentration. This is a GOOD THING.
Keep up the great work!

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Summer

I have never used the sticks for the very reason that if I do not see results, then I get discouraged. I get on my scale once a week and still often get discouraged.

I walk two miles a day and have begun lifting weights and I am still at 196. I have not really budged for two weeks. I will pile on a pound or two during the week and lose it the next. I consume what I am supposed to, focusing more on the veggie aspect rather than the meat because I LOVE my Veggies and am getting quite discouraged.
I know some of you will say " You are walking and lifting weights, you are gaining muscle."
I am not decreasing or increasing in inches, so indications of muscle mass gain are nill. I know it is possible to be in a stall....but that does not make this any less frustrating. Oy-vay! I just want to whine I guess.
On a good note, I was able to squeeze into a loose fit size 16 jeans. That made me smile.:jump:

On the other side of the coin, my stix are dark purple and I have gained 3 lbs in the past 2 weeks...so, take the results with a grain of salt!

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Renee
1/19/04
261/220/160
41 lbs off
60 lbs to goal



Race to 199 Challenge
Labor Day Challenge: Focusing on the Journey
Personal Goal: 199 by 12/31/05

Yep, what everyone esle said. I haven't bought the stix in years.

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my blog

Thanks guys - My sticks are new. i've decided not to sweat it, don't want the color thing to get to me, so i'll forgo and keep doing what i'm doing.

i'm back up to 20ish grams, EXCEPT....misbehaved today and ate a cookie:( ...and i was doing so well. i'm going to forget about it and walk extra and drink more water tomorrow......hopefully it won't hold me up to much.

Twindy, you are right! Forget about that cookie! Exercise a tad more, drink more water and get back on track without any mental gymnastics. I think you may find that as you progress, the temptations will lessen. But if you CHOOSE to indulge . . . do it, enjoy it, then get right back on track.

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Alida
5'1" ~ 59 years old
Highest weight: 165
Atkins 7/10/2004
160/126/125
RE-DO, January 2008:
167/162/135

listen to alida, twindy. she knows her stuff!

a cookie is just a cookie. it doesn't have any more real meaning than you let it have. i feel very strongly that eating has been given way too many moral implications. you're not bad because you ate a cookie. you're a person who decided you wanted a darn cookie! and if you find it causes problems for you, brings cravings or leads you to feel kind of yuck, then maybe next time you won't decide to eat it. or you will. either way, it's the choices you make day in and day out that will decide how you do. nobody was brought down by a single cookie, man.

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EatSmart Nutritional Scale Review

What everyone else said! I never used the sticks to measure whether I was in ketosis or not...I knew by the sour taste in my mouth...and the months I was truly in deep ketosis, I was always burning up (and this was during the winter months here, and it gets frigid!) I would love to just go back to induction so I could be burning up like that again but been there, done that, and now I'm spoiled by all the variety I have. So I just opt to be a little colder this upcoming winter...

Everyone's right about the cookie, too...just forget about it and move on. Don't think you're a failure because you had a cookie. Most of us have slipped up on this woe - even myself. But I just move on and don't let what I did be in the forefront of my mind.

Sheyla