AHH!! These Ketostix are driving me crazy!!!

[dbowen]

It's me again! I'm sorry! I read all of your post and I am trying to wrap my head around the logic of this ketostix thing. Here's the problem. I have spent a lifetime dieting, failing, diet pills, starving, binging, etc. So here I am ....really, really, really giving this my best possible effort, honestly; I bought the Ketostix as a motivational tool only. I don't want to weigh obsessively because it will send me over the edge and cause me to give up if I see daily fluctuations. I am only going to weigh weekly. I started Monday (today is day 4). Yesterday my Ketostix was moderate (I was really excited b/c it was only day 3).

A few minutes ago, it was trace!!! I worked out really hard last night, drank lots of water, stuck strictly to the diet, had 2 waters and a black coffee this morning and I guess my old dieting way of thinking expected darker than yesterday. Please help me "stay the course" and not get discouraged. I just want to do this right and not give up! When it read moderate yesterday I was ecstatic and motivated and on top of the world because I knew I was on the right track. Does this make sense to anybody out there??

[mission to lose]

Re: AHH!! These Ketostix are driving me crazy!!!

Good Morning DBOWEN,

Why don't you pretend there is no such thing as a Ketostix? Then you would never have to even think about it. If you are doing everything else correctly, the stick would not matter anyway.

Instead of stressing out over the STICK, put your energy into following the plan better, check out some new recipes, try a new exercise.

If the stick doesn't turn the color you want it to that means you will get discouraged and may give up? No, that does not make sense to me. It is just like the scale. People jump on it every 2 hours and go crazy because it goes up and down. That will always fluctuate as well. Concentrate on the long term, getting healthy, making this a lifetime WOE, get fit and toned. That stick has nothing to do with anything if you are following the plan. REALLY, IMHO.

Do you know how many members here have lost TONS of weight, and either never even used a Ketostix or it may never have barely turned a slight color???

Have a Great Thursday! Now go drink some water!

[pagliaccia]

Re: AHH!! These Ketostix are driving me crazy!!!

I understand the desire to use the Ketostix (I did the same thing!), but they're really not always perfect indicators of ketosis. They only measure what is in your urine, not what your body produces and then uses up in the course of the day. The better indicators are the *signs* of ketosis, like suppressed appetite, funky breath, etc. If you work out heavily or drink a lot of water (or other things), you won't show as well on the sticks. Ketostix are fun (to pee on??) but they're not the end-all be-all of Atkins. Hope this helps!

[dbowen]

Re: AHH!! These Ketostix are driving me crazy!!!

Ha! Ha! Ha! You are right, and very funny about it! I did go get some water though. And I must confess, I tinkled on another stick just for the **** of it, and this time it said small.

[chinadoll]

Re: AHH!! These Ketostix are driving me crazy!!!

Ketostix are like pregnancy tests. Either you are or you aren't. The depth of color does not matter and often you are in ketosis even without the stix showing it. If your breath stinks, your pee stinks and you are not as hungry as usual that is a much better indicator.

[mission to lose]

Re: AHH!! These Ketostix are driving me crazy!!!

Ha! Ha! Ha! You are right, and very funny about it! I did go get some water though. And I must confess, I tinkled on another stick just for the **** of it, and this time it said small.

OK, good for you!
Now enjoy your new way of eating, and come back and ask us lots of questions. WE are here for you!

[dbowen]

Re: AHH!! These Ketostix are driving me crazy!!!

Ok. Now I'm a little panicked. My breath and tee tee don't necessarily stink......I don't think? Here is a typical day's menu. Tell me your thoughts:

Breakfast-cheese omelet-----160 cal 3 carb

Lunch- 3/4 cup cubed cheddar---266 cal 1 carb

Dinner- two hamburger patties w/cheese--900 cal 2 carb

Snacks- 3 slim jims-120 cal 2 carb
10 almonds-90 cal 3 carbs
__________________________________________________ ___
Total- 1536 cal 11 carbs

[liv]

Re: AHH!! These Ketostix are driving me crazy!!!

I think you forgot to check the rules.

You need eat only what is on the allowed list and you need to eat veggies to keep you happty and healty and drink plenty of water. Count only net carbs.

Here are some threads in our FAQ that will help you.
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...induction.html (What are the Rules of Induction?)
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...induction.html (What foods can be eaten on Induction?)
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...lent-tips.html (A "MUST READ" for Newbies... 40 excellent tips!)

I never used sticks.
good luck

[atkinsgal08]

Re: AHH!! These Ketostix are driving me crazy!!!

>>My breath and tee tee don't necessarily stink......I don't think?>>

They don't need to. It doesn't affect everyone like that.

[Georgiana]

Re: AHH!! These Ketostix are driving me crazy!!!

My breath and tee tee don't necessarily stink......I don't think?

Sheesh! Stop smelling your "tee tee"!

Tell me your thoughts

Read the FAQs Liv posted.

And get the book -- Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution (2002) -- and read it.

[mission to lose]

Re: AHH!! These Ketostix are driving me crazy!!!

Ok. Now I'm a little panicked. My breath and tee tee don't necessarily stink......I don't think? Here is a typical day's menu. Tell me your thoughts:

Breakfast-cheese omelet-----160 cal 3 carb

Lunch- 3/4 cup cubed cheddar---266 cal 1 carb

Dinner- two hamburger patties w/cheese--900 cal 2 carb

Snacks- 3 slim jims-120 cal 2 carb
10 almonds-90 cal 3 carbs
__________________________________________________ ___
Total- 1536 cal 11 carbs

OH, My,

What are you using as your as a source of information to come up with your menu?

Read all the info Georgiana sent you, and the stuff I sent you on the other thread, you need to do a "little homework."

You need to get off on the right food to be successful.

[dbowen]

Re: AHH!! These Ketostix are driving me crazy!!!

Well i wasn't really. But Chinadoll said in a pp that a better indicator of ketosis (than the Ketostix) was whether my breath and tee tee stink? This is all kinda crazy, really!

[Georgiana]

Re: AHH!! These Ketostix are driving me crazy!!!

Chinadoll said in a pp that a better indicator of ketosis (than the Ketostix) was whether my breath and tee tee stink?

I know... and she's correct. I was only joking.

But as J. wrote, not everyone experiences that.

Here's an FAQ with the physical signs of ketosis:

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-low-carb-dieting-faqs/6762-what-physical-signs-being-ketosis.html

However, right now you need to focus on following the plan correctly, not on whether or not you're in ketosis.

[dbowen]

Re: AHH!! These Ketostix are driving me crazy!!!

Ok. I read the signs of ketosis and I defintiely have all of them. I kept reading about bad breath and thinking, wth?? But this morning my husband kissed me goodbye and told me my breath smelled "sweet". I defintely have the metal taste in my mouth!!

I have the book, yes the right one, DANDR. The only time I read it through was about 2 years ago. Right when I was about to start Induction, I found out I was expecting. So, 2 years later, here I am. I dusted off the old book, skimmed through it again and reread the important points (or so i thought). I guess what I am realizing here is that there is no real variation from the plan...not even minute variations.

My husband went through with Induction (we were going to do this together) when I got pregnant. He lost 35 lbs right off the bat and has kept it off and he ate slim jims, pork skins, and whipped cream (he would squirt half the can in his mouth) the whole 2 weeks. Go figure! Maybe it's because he's a man and EVERYTHING is easier for them!

[not2late]

Re: AHH!! These Ketostix are driving me crazy!!!

Ok. I read the signs of ketosis and I defintiely have all of them. I kept reading about bad breath and thinking, wth?? But this morning my husband kissed me goodbye and told me my breath smelled "sweet". I defintely have the metal taste in my mouth!!

Ketone breath is classically described as "sickly sweet", like rotting apples or rotting fruit. I think the "bad" breath many low carbers experience is due to poor mouth hygiene and perhaps the change in the foods.

I have the book, yes the right one, DANDR. The only time I read it through was about 2 years ago. Right when I was about to start Induction, I found out I was expecting. So, 2 years later, here I am. I dusted off the old book, skimmed through it again and reread the important points (or so i thought). I guess what I am realizing here is that there is no real variation from the plan...not even minute variations.

My husband went through with Induction (we were going to do this together) when I got pregnant. He lost 35 lbs right off the bat and has kept it off and he ate slim jims, pork skins, and whipped cream (he would squirt half the can in his mouth) the whole 2 weeks. Go figure! Maybe it's because he's a man and EVERYTHING is easier for them!

Lots of people do Atkins the wrong way and lose weight. But that doesn't mean doing it the wrong way is correct.

there is danger in doing Atkins incorrectly or doing a variation of Atkins---google "Kimkins" and you'll see exactly what I mean.

Atkins is nutritionally balanced---more so than eating slim jims, pork rinds and whipped cream. We all want to lose weight, but we also want to be healthy while doing it. Weight loss that compromises our general health isn't a good kind of weight loss.