Hi all!

I haven't been able to post much lately, but I was around during the summer for a while. My problem is, as I mentioned in the subject, I can't get out of ketosis for any reasonable length of time (such as more than a few hours). It takes 5 or 6 fruits to get me out in the first place (HUNDREDS of other carbs won't do it, no matter how long I go off the diet, even if I go low-fat--it's truly unbelievable) and then I'm back in within a matter of hours. What is wrong with me?!?

I've read that ketosis is not good for a baby, so I'm becoming v. concerned about being able to stay out while pregnant.

Any suggestions? I haven't been to a doctor about it yet, since the TTC is not for a while (soon, but not just yet). Has anyone else experienced this before? I swear, it seems to be getting worse.

Any advice would be v. much appreciated. Thanks!

What exactly are you eating? Are you having way too few claories and exercising too much? Are you having any alcohol which can convert to keotenes?

Hi LadyBelle,

Thanks for your reply! I realize this is a weird question.

I usually eat low carb (20-40g carbs a day), when I'm being good. I did CKD during the summer and carbed up about 30 hours a week, which got me out of ketosis at first, but toward the end I was staying in ketosis almost the whole carb-up, which is when I started to get concerned.

As for calories, I usually keep them to about 1500-1700 per day (but I only keep track when I'm LCing--it's probably higher when I'm not), and I haven't exercised very much at all the last 3 months (bad, bad, bad). Not more than 2 hours a week, if that. Also had trouble keeping to LC during that period of time, but stayed in ketosis.

Oh, and I drink occasionally. A couple times a month, lately, but usually less often. (I also tend to eat carbs when I drink.)

I'm at a complete loss as to what is going on. And a little scared that I've ruined my body for normal carb metabolism. I think I may also contact the Atkins people and see if they have any advice, because I'm coming up with nothing, and I don't think this is the sort of thing that happens very often (if ever).

Anyway, thanks again! And if you (or anyone else, for that matter) come up with any other ideas, please feel free to add them. There may be something I'm overlooking.

If you're keeping your carbs down to 40 a day--well, that's still not many carbs compared to what the average American eats. I notice that your beginning weight was 117. Of course, I don't know your height, build, etc., but your body fat is well within the healthy range for women (17-24%), so that indicates to me that you probably weren't too overweight to begin with, when (I assume) you were eating many more carbs. Chances are that you are not very metabolically resistant. In the lifetime maintenance chapter of Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, he suggests 60-90 grams of carbs daily for someone with low resistance, and over 90 grams of carbs daily for a regular exerciser.

Maybe you should try something like upping your carb count by about 10 per day, a week at a time, until you are not turning the keto sticks purple and you have stopped losing weight.

Hi FrecklFluf,

I should have been more clear on that point. Sorry about that. My problem is not being in ketosis when I'm eating LC (that's normal and fine with me). It's when I eat upwards of 400-500g of carb a day and still find myself in ketosis within hours, or at the latest by the next morning.

So you're right, I'm nowhere NEAR metabolically resistant to ketosis, but I don't lose weight very easily either (I consider that a function of my size--it wouldn't make sense for me to drop 3lbs a week, would it? ).

I used to think that they were just leftover ketones coming out, but even after a week of high carb, moderate fat, not really enough protein, I'm still testing pink in the mornings. Trace pink, but still pink. I want to be able to have some degree of control over whether I'm in or out of ketosis, and I don't seem to be able to do that.

My body fat would be in the reasonable range if it were dense, firm fat. It isn't. I have very loose, squishy fat, and I have trouble fitting my clothes if my weight increases more than 3 or 4 pounds. (My 117lb. frame (fine boned) was a size 6, to give you some idea. I'm usually a 2 or 4. Right now, I'm fitting size 4 at 115lbs., courtesy of a heavy workout schedule over the summer.) The thing is, I'm not willing to buy a size up, because I'll just "outgrow" that too, you know what I mean? Not willing to start down that slippery path; It's too easy not to notice when it goes too far.

I am going to take your advice, though, and eat less restrictively. It would be more balanced anyway. Thanks for reminding me. You know, the funny thing is, last week I had about 70-80g of carbs for a couple days and I dropped 2 lbs. almost overnight. It was weird. It's back now (thanks to a "reward" weekend), but maybe adding carbs is exactly what I need to reduce some of this fat.

I've always kept more or less near induction because I tend to justify cheats too easily, and I have a social circle which does not support LC at all. Oh, and aside from the occasional headache, ketosis feels really good (fortunately).

Gosh, sorry to be so long-winded.

Hey, by the way, I really wouldn't worry too much about being in ketosis while TTC or even while pregnant, for that matter.

There is a very good article that might reassure you that benign dietary ketosis is NOT harmful to a developing fetus. It can be found on the yahoo group "pregnant atkids" website.

Hope this helps!

Many thanks, Natkins!

I've been subscribed to the group for just over a week now, and I've learned a whole lot. It has been very reassuring about ketosis in pregnancy. I highly recommend the group to anyone concerned with low carb and pregnancy.

Ok, remember, that since you're carrying, that your body is more revved up. You're buring carbs much more faster now. You may have to talk to a dietician about the best way to up your carb intake. Also, talk to you doctor about the keytosis and worries about it harming the baby.

This article might help.

LIFEMATTERS - Pregnancy and Exercise... Metabolism During pregnancy your body uses carbohydrates more quickly. Exercise also increases the metabolism of carbohydrates. ...
http://lifematters.com/medicalinfo.html

By the way, what does TTC mean?

The other thing to consider here is how reliable are the test strips you are using? (just a thought)