Can't get into Ketosis.. help

[ALLBIZNISS]

I was on Atkins before I quit last year. Notwmy wife and I just started a low carb cycling plan this week. I eat 25 carbs or less per day M-F and will carb load on S & S. I also work out 4-5 times per week.

I bought some Keto test strips to monitor my progress. I tested first on Wednesday right after I worked out and ate breakfast, and it didn't turn any color. My wife on the other hand, turned bright purple.

I tested again at about 11AM. Still no color. I tested again at about 4PM and this time it turned a liught shade of purple.

I tested again this morning after working out but before breakfast, then again at 10 AM and at 1PM. This time no turn at all.

My wife on the other hand turns thr strip puple whether it is before eating, after it doesn't matter.

What may be causing my strips not to turn colors. I take a small dose of creatine (2.5 grams) in the momnring before working out. I also take 5-HTP and just a regaulr multi-vitamin with ginseng. Also I take a small dose of Atenolol for blood pressure.

Could any of these be affecting ketosis? Why would I change it sometimes and not others even with varying times?

My diet is pretty tight and I am not new to low carb, so I don't think it is my diet.

Let me know your thoughts.

[sadair]

Reading through your posting I picked out that you are carb loading at the weekend. You cant cheat like that and expect a low card diet to work. Your body has 3 ways it can get energy. Sugar, Alcohol and Stored body fat. It takes 2 days to burn up the sugar in your blood stream before your body switches to a fat burning mode on days 3 and 4.
Therefore if you carb-out on Sunday evening, it will be Tuesday evening before your body starts to make the shift, and likely to be Thursday evening before you get into Keytosis proper.
I appreciate that the game isn't to turn the strips purple but I know it really helps to motivate me.

So, the solution in my humble opinion is to stop carb loading at the weekend and stick to 20g max carbs per day for 2 weeks. By day 5 you should be so far into Ketosis that your apetite will be surpressed and you wont want to carb-out anyway. :thup:

Very best of luck

Stu

[thesedays]

Stu - as I am doing pure atkins only also, my confusion in reading this post and your response would be his wife is also carb-cylcing on the weekends and IS in ketosis ...........