3rd week in induction-ketosis is fleeting-no rhyme or reason. PLEASE HELP GUYS!!!!

[Carioca]

I joined this forum because I am a bit frustrated and am in desperate need for some clarity here. I am about to enter my 3rd week of induction and initially I was thrilled. LOVE the food options, it's all the stuff I love eating and felt that it would be a breeze to do this. I was right and by the third day my ketostix showed a burgundy color and by the 5th day I had lost 4 pounds -- I was beyond excited and started imagining how great I would look once I reached my goal (I want to lose about 55 pounds). All of a sudden, the ketostix went back to cream colored and I don't know what I did to cause this because I was really sticking to the list. To make matters worse, a few days after that I weighed myself again and found out I had regained the 4 pounds AND picked up a couple extra to boot! I was devastated!! I went back into the book re-read and then started reading your bulletin like crazy hoping to understand what is going on??? I focused in again on the diet rules and tried to be more aware of every single detail. I even started using the induction menu on Lindas low carb recipe (GREAT recipes FYI). So now I'm even more attentive and am trying to use the recipes to keep things interesting -- but every time I test my progress w the ketostix it shows either negative or only trace. Then just when I was COMPLETELY confused at why I STILL was not getting back into ketosis, it happened, I was back to burgundy and I was sooo happy!! I tested myself a few hour later after eating my "allowable foods" an it was all gone again, AGHHHHHH!!!! What is going on guys? Has this happened to anyone? I was keeping a food journal to try and figure this out on my own, but I just don't know why I have only gotten to in ketosis 3 time over that last 2 weeks. Everyone seems to have amazing success and lose weigh rapidly, I feel like I am on a hamster wheel. I'm busting my butt and getting nowhere. I love this way of eating, i am really motivated -- ANY ADVICE?? CAN ANYONE RELATE?

[PeteinVA]

Those sticks will drive you crazy! Some folks here won't even use them as their accuracy is questionable- just because you don't register doesn't mean you're not in ketosis. Also when you weigh yourself every day you will find some fluctuation, and you'll find it's actually water. Honing in on the plan is EXACTLY what you should be doing anyway to ensure your success!

As long as you're only eating foods on the induction menu, keeping your carbs under 20g , getting the appropriate amount of fat daily and drinking plenty of water, you will be in ketosis and you will lose.

It sounds like you're motivated and no doubt will be successful. Don't let the ketostix and scale rule what you're doing. Oh, have you tried www.fitday.com ? You can keep your food journal there and check your progress as far as the nutritional makeup of what you're putting in your body. For me it's invaluable.

Continued success to you!

[sarbirus]

I feel for you Carioca, I am in similar confusion.

I have been in Ketosis for about 7 weeks, been loosing week by week. But day to day I can go up and down by anything up to 4 lbs!!... But week by week I have been loosing either inches or lbs, normally both.

One week I even went up 4lbs and stayed there all week, but at the weekend when I take about 10 different measurements, I found even though I was 4lbs up, I was almost half and inch smaller in most of the measurements!

But, all the way through, after the first 4 days I have been showing on the ketostrips as being in ketosis, until about 3 days ago.. then BAM.. cream colour instead of pink to burgundy colours.

However, I am still on extended induction and still exercising and still drinking lots of water.

I know that keto strips are effected by humidity, and they often have a small package of silica gel crystals in the container to try to keep them super dry.. I am beginning to suspect my strips have "gone off" due to being opened and closed every day for the last 7 or 8 weeks.

I think I will buy some more tomorrow and see what they say.. if they also say I am not in ketosis then I am at a loss apart from the possibility that either as others have said they are not to be trusted, or.. I am indeed for some reason no longer producing an excess of ketones.. We will see

The only thing I suspect about my diet at the moment is that last week I had a portion of sliced and butter fried leaks as a side on one of my evening meals.. I did presume they were the same as all the other onion type items in the induction list.. but I do wonder if they have some hidden mega carbs in there somewhere??

[Carioca]

Thanks for the quick response gentlemen, and let me also congratulate both of you for the success you are having (I'm jealous!!).

PeteinVA-- thanks for the positive motivation and I will definately try out the fitday calculator! That sounds awesome.

Sarbirus-- thanks for the support and keep up the good work, at least your ketostix have been (for the most part) showing you the right color for that much needed psychological motivation, thus far. I would not worry about the 3 day color change too much because as you have said, it was probably due to some random food item that knocked you off for a bit. Let me know if you have trouble getting back into Ketosis.

[DarlingBri]

It's probably a daily fluctuation thing, but if you wanted to post your age, gender and a daily menu you might get more specific advice

[bellajgw]

Cari, not to worry hun!

Firstly, those stix aren't the most accurate things, so you can even end up with a batch that are defective, some that are defective, or most, etc. If you KNOW that you are following the diet don't fret over the color hun. ANY color is good.

Secondly, I find, as a daily weigher, that my weight also fluctuates and yes I do fret about it. For example, I had reached a great low and suddenly I've gained 4 pounds. But I also know that I'm retaining some water and haven't had a bm in 2 days. Yeah...I know...ick. But, thanks to daily weighing I also know that when my body holds onto water like this its because its getting ready to let go of real weight, not just water weight. So any day I could lose those 4 pounds of water weight and an additional pound or two of fat.

Keep it up and you'll see what I mean. Don't let the daily stuff get you down. Just keep focusing on the bigger picture!