I am wondering what the significance of ketosis is... does this mean that you have an indication that fat is being burned? Then if that is true - does it mean that you are in process of losing weight?

I realize that weight loss doesn't happen immediately, water weight, salt, etc can keep you clinging to those pounds... but if ketosis means that loss is in progress I'd feel more patient. Can any one please explain?

If you look in the index of your Atkins book, there are many references to Ketosis. That should help explain it in detail.

Very simply put, ketosis is burning your own fat reserves for energy. If you follow the Atkins plan (or any other LC plan) according to their rules, you will achieve Ketosis. When the pounds actually start to fall off depends on a variety of things, including making sure you drink at least 64 oz of water, plus 8 oz for each 25 pound extra weight you have, and making sure you are eating the good foods and not the carb laden foods, or those with sugar/hidden sugar.

Hope this helps.

Yes. and No.

Ketosis is something that Atkins has very cleverly dressed up and presented in his program. It becomes something that gives new LCers concrete "proof" of fat burning. Other plans pay little heed to ketosis (Protein Power), still others see it as something to be avoided (Schwarzbeine).

When you use those little test strips you are measuring the remains of burned ketone bodies that have spilled over into your urine. They could be from fat reserves, they could be from alcohol, they could be from the food you ate. They could be not present.

When you LC your body switches from gasoline (glucose) to deisel (ketones) for fuel. Essentially you go from burning what you eat every day to what you have stored in your fat cells over the course of X many years. The state of ketosis is evidence of this. Think of your metabolism as the furnace in your home - it runs when you need it. If your house is warm enough the heat doesnt come on, but open a window and things change. Your body doesnt produce ketones 24 hours a day 7 days a week - it will burn your fat for fuel when it needs it. You can test of ketosis and get nothing - you can test an hour later and see a positive result.

The long and short of it is, yes sometimes when you get a positive result it is because you are burning fat. The short and long of it is also that no, you can get a positive result from eating a fatty meal or drinking something alcoholic. And to make matters even more confusing you can get a negative result and actually be burniing fat - you've just used up everything and nothing has spilled into your urine.

Ketostix do a much better job of measuring stress - the stress of not peeing purple.

Nat

Thanks Nat, that is pretty much what I thought, but you have put it very clearly. When I do read Atkkins he does package it very well - yet he never comes directly out to SAY that ketosis is fat burning evidence.

I have given up alcohol but I have been eating fat (You just about have to if you LC).

Guess I'll just keep on trucking with the LC and exercise.

BTW Nat great picture. You are doing fantastic.

Cosima, you should be eating fat! Fat is your friend! (repeat 5 times) Olive oil, chicken skin, butter, flax seed oil, avocados, sardines - all of them good, good , good . It's the carbs that are evil, Cos.

Nat

Just want to add that my understanding is that strong ketosis on testing could mean you are not drinking enough water and conversely no ketosis on testing could jut mean you are drinking alot and diluting the urine so much that it isnt picked up on the ketostix. Do the experts here agree with that or is it a myth?

The dilution effect that you refer to, eebee, pretty much has to be there. The Ketostix are designed to respond to ketone concentration and are calibrated in mass per unit volume. So if you are drinking lots of water and urinating a lot, the concentration has to go down.

The instructions that came with my keto testing sticks refer to the state of ketosis resulting from your body burning its own fat for fuel. Generally speaking, my ketosis reading is trace to small, never anything beyond. I've read many times on this forum that a large/purple ketone reading has more to do with being dehydrated than burning large amounts of fat. As long as my urine is pale yellow to clear (drinking enough water), and the ketosis readings are trace to small (low enough on carbs), then I'm happy. Although - I have had the odd day with a 'negative' ketosis reading and this hasn't slowed me down either.

Rebecca

The reading will also be greatly effected by your level of activity. Think of the furnace analogy - a hot fire burns more thoroughly - less is left over. If you exercise intensely you will see less of a reading on those stix. Also take into account that when you workout you sweat and you consume a lot more water; all these will further effect your output of 'wasted' ketone bodies.

Nat

Well, in that case I wonder if the days with negative ketostix readings have been the days I've exercised. I haven't really been keeping track - just assuming it's all random!!

Well....

I was doing great. Dropped 25 pounds in maybe three weeks. Lots of ketones.

Then... Stall. No ketones. No weight loss.

Still in induction. 4 weeks now, no loss. Getting bored/discouraged with this WOE.

Halp!

Any advice/consolation appreciated.

Thanks,
Big Ron.

I was on the Dr Bernstien diet for 7 months. I lost 40lbs but 20 came back. You have to go to the clinic 3 times per week they weigh you and check your ketones each time.When I had a neg.reading they said I must have went off the diet.(true)
To many carbs will effect your results.acording to them a trace to a +3 is good and you are burning fat.

I am a little confused about the testing strips. I have read in the above post that testing darker (purple) is or could be a sign of dehydration. On the Atkins site he says testing darker means you are in a greater degree of Ketosis. Which I would think it would mean you are burning more fat not dehydrated..

http://atkinscenter.com/helpatkins/...ysis/index.html

Thanks
Tasha

I have often wondered why after taking an aerobics class for an hour, my ketostix would be really light. I thought I must've ate something wrong before taking the class. Now I've learned that I probably burned them up or released them during sweating. BTW I'm always drenched by the time class is over...

Thanks Nat for clearing that up for me You're such a plethora of LC information!!!
-E

I'm one of those long-time Atkins people who never bothers with those little pee strips...they frustrated me to no end, I hardly ever registered in the positive and I just figured that I'm not one to reach ketosis, so forget it.

That was a year ago...still dont have any in the house, and am doing just fine.

Big Ron...don't you dare give up!! Your weight loss is GREAT!! You're going through the same junk we've all been through...it's frustrating, but there's only one way out of it and that's THROUGH it.

Maybe something in your food list is not working for you any more...maybe it's time to increase your carbs now...

Are you on Atkins for 4 weeks total now, or 3 weeks then 4 weeks of no loss? And don't worry about the ketones or even the scale numbers...remember this WOE makes several changes in the body...you are under construction in many ways...stay the course, get in your water and exercise and allow for any adjustments you may have to make to your diet. It's not about colors or numbers...take your measurements...that's a better way to tell what's going on!

STAY THE COURSE...you've made good progress!!