My Ketone Strip read "negative"

[Back2Back]

Ok I am confused..which is not hard to do, but anyways. I got the strips. I tested last night, and again this morning, and both readings are negative. I have been on extended induction, shouldn't I have some spill into the urine?

[Back2Back]

hmmm...okay I did a bit of research and it looks like too much protien can inhibit the ketone production...thus I think this is my problem...


MORE FAT....! MORE FAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT...!!!

[sadie147]

Alot of things can affect those stix. I know from experience that they will register dark purple if you have any alcohol in your system (even from the day before) and TOM also throws them off for me. i think it's a good idea to not depend on these solely as the gauge to how you are doing on this woe...i think you should go by how you are feeling, if you are eating the right foods, etc. They are just a tool to help you, but if you are eating legal foods, and your veggies, and exercising etc, i wouldn't worry too much about them.

[RaspberryBeetle]

I can think of at least 3 times in my life that I was on some type of carb restriction diet and I followed the ketostix readings as if they were the sole indicator of my weight loss success. I always stayed in large/deep purple ketosis, but if I ate something that caused me to dip to neglible ketones, I thought I wasn't burning fat and then eventually threw in the towel at disgust with myself.

What is different now? I read Dr. Atkins book and hung on to every word. I wanted this to work and be the last time I ever have to struggle with weight again. Understanding the concept that only the 'spillover' ketones register on the ketostix, and that I am losing fat on this diet, even when the ketostix don't register was my 'light bulb'.

I started following this WOE on Sunday, Feb 25. I checked my ketones after every meal starting Wed, Feb 27. Nothing. Not even trace ketones. Even up to day 7, on Sunday, March 4, no ketones. I wouldn't weigh myself every day either because I knew my weight would fluctuate and I didn't want to burden myself with a mental struggle over whether I was actually making progress. I just 'kept my eye on the prize' and kept looking straight ahead. On day 7, with no ketones in sight, I weighed myself. I had lost 14 lbs, going from 252 to 238. Don't be discouraged, just keep going. If a mountain climber slipped during a climb, they wouldn't climb back down and start all over again. They would pick up where they were and keep climbing up the mountain until they reached the top.

[jroche5998]

Originally Posted by RaspberryBeetle

Don't be discouraged, just keep going. If a mountain climber slipped during a climb, they wouldn't climb back down and start all over again. They would pick up where they were and keep climing up the mountain until they reached the top.

Excellent way to look at things. I've never seen it put that way, but I like it.


Back to the original poster. The strips just measure spillage. If your body is using all of the fuel (ketones) produced by your fat burning then you will have no spillage. Also hydration levels affect the stips readings. Also the strips do not differentiate between stored fat burning or dietary fat burning. So technically you could eat 4 pounds of butter a day, register very dark purple on the strips and be gaining weight like no tomorrow. The strips are a tool not a be all end all.

[Back2Back]

Originally Posted by jroche5998

...........hydration levels affect the stips readings.......

Hydration how? Like "de" hydration or over? Because I am like a fish with my water intake.

At this point, after reading further on the topic, I'm not really sure why anyone would use the strips to begin with? They don't seem to be to much to rely on for ruling out anything out, or even to confirm anything due to all the influences that seem to affect them? Am I wrong in my thinking?

[RaspberryBeetle]

Yes and No. I wouldn't say ketostix have no practical use. They are simply a visual tool. The ketostix readings are either 'black or white'. Either you are spilling them, or you're not. That is all it is meant to tell you. It doesn't go any deeper than that.

I wasn't sure at first if I even wanted to use them because I didn't want to put myself in the position of beating myself up mentally and questioning everything I did/didn't do that would cause a particular reading. That is how I lost faith in myself before. I put too much weight on that one thing. When doctors use test strips to test blood sugars, or urine for protein and sugar, it only gives them a snapshot. Even they don't know what the eyes can't see, what is going on inside the body. We are not meant to draw in-depth info from ketostix, and therefore can't gauge success or failure from them.

Once I run out of ketostix, I probably won't buy anymore. Just my little thoughts on the subject.

[Lyssie]

As in, if you're a "fish" then you'll show up as a lower reading (or even negative)than someone who's drinks an average amount, and way lower than someone who's dehydrated.

As a side note: Raspberry, I <3 you. Great post.

[jroche5998]

Well when you are extremely well hydrated your urine is somewhat diluted (think clear vs yellow) so any ketones in your urine would be diluted as well. So if you are only spilling a small amount then a diluted small amoung may not even register.

Too many people put too much weight on ketostix. (Disclaimer: I do use them on occasion) But like raspberry said you either are spilling them or not. And in my example you can be in deep ketosis and be gaining weight if you are overeating lots of fats. There are so many factors that determine ketosis spillage. Some I mentioned already, like if your body is using all of the ketones created by the fat burning for fuel, or if you overeat. But also how much body fat was burned, how much dietary fat instake you had, levels of hydration, etc. When I get back from a 5 or 10 mile run, sometimes I test with the stix (which is entirely the wrong time to test, there is an FAQ about how and when to correctly test) and I test the darkest purple. What does it mean? Nothing, it means I spilled some ketones and that I am a bit on the dry side from sweating out so much fluid.

They are a tool that can be used in conjunction with everything else, they have their place, but like I said before they are not the answer to everything.

[Capemay Eagle]

I know with me, as long as my tongue has a funny taste and my breath is horrible, I am in ketosis. I check with ketosticks every few days. I usually stay in the middle, moderate color pink. I just check for my hydration..