From everything I've read in all the forums, I should just ignore the ketosticks, but, I can't. I feel they give me some measure of how I am going - eg. I found out that cappuccino I had last week,(first one in four weeks), threw me right out of ketosis for 3 days. I felt like they were lost days having to get back to "square one". I just have two queries please.

.....This morning my sticks were in negative. Only thing I had which was different was Atkins Blue Cheese dressing which I made myself. Had 2 tbs, now find I'm in negative. Is it possible this is the cause?

.....Other question, after Induction, is there a limit on the amount of cheese (ie 113 gms) you can have a day? Maybe with the quiche, cream cheese & blue vein dressing there was way too much cheese for the day!

Thanks a lot
Cheers...Pam

I find that when you use the ketostix can have a big effect on the reading. Many people, including myself, get the best readings in the evening or right before bed.

Try waiting until the evening to do your reading and see if you get better results.

Also keep in mind that Dr. Atkins himself said that the stips can read negitave and you could still be in ketosis. The only way to really no if you are in ketosis is if you are losing weight!

I keep trying to tell myself that, dam those little strips!

If you're doing Induction, you do realize you're not supposed to be having wine or nuts? Who asked me, right?!?

Ok then, Let's talk about Cheese (from atkinscenter.com):
You can consume three to four ounces daily of the following full-fat, firm, soft and semisoft aged cheeses*, including:
* cheddar
* cow, sheep and goat cheese
* cream cheese
* Gouda
* mozzarella
* Roquefort and other blue cheeses
* Swiss


*All cheeses have some carbohydrate content. The quantity you eat should be governed by that knowledge. The rule of thumb is to count 1 ounce of cheese as equivalent to 1 gram of carbohydrate. Note that cottage cheese, farmer’s cheese and other fresh cheeses are not permitted during Induction. No "diet" cheese, cheese spreads or whey cheeses are permitted. Individuals with known yeast symptoms, dairy allergy or cheese intolerance must avoid cheese. Imitation cheese products are not allowed, except for soy or rice cheese—but check the carbohydrate content.

Aspartame...
We discourage the use of aspartame (marketed as NutraSweet® and Equal®) because of clinical observations that it slows weight loss in certain individuals. The FDA has approved the herb stevia for use only as a supplement, not as a sweetener. (Jinx note: meaning - we can't "officially" recommend you use it due to liabilty as a diet center, although it is a safe herb that has been used for ages)

Coffee...
Avoid coffee, tea and soft drinks that contain caffeine. Excessive caffeine has been shown to cause low blood sugar, which can make you crave sugar.

And how about veggies...
During the Induction phase, you'll eat three cups of certain vegetables each day, primarily salad greens and other raw salad ingredients. (See list of salad greens in Acceptable Foods). You can also have up to one cup of vegetables that are slightly higher-carb (but still permissible) all-stars...

...These two categories of vegetables are an important and tasty part of Atkins from Induction on. They're also the first foods you will increase when you gradually add carbs as your weight-loss progresses. Rather than spend, say, five extra carbs on a quarter of an apple, you could have eight stalks of asparagus. Which do you think would make you feel fuller? Which would do more for your overall health? So go ahead and enjoy the rich diversity of vegetables. And tell those naysayer friends of yours that this is one eating program that doesn't make you choose between a healthy body and a shapely physique. With Atkins, you can have both!

Don't forget the supplements...
At a minimum, take a good daily multivitamin with minerals, including potassium, magnesium and calcium, but without iron.

I was looking up this stuff for myself and figured we just can't see it enough.

Toodles!, Jinx

Thanks for the responses. No, Ms. Jinx, am not still on induction. Starting Week 6 tomorrow.
Cheers...Pam