I was in the dark purple (one shy from the last one) this is a good thing yes???

Being in ketosis does indicate you are burning fat...however some people don't ever "show" on ketostix and still do well. Remember it is only one measure of ketosis, and there are other indicators. If you are an avid exerciser you may not register either since you may be burning off all your excess ketones.

As for the color...it does not matter how "dark" the stick is...just the fact that you are registering a color is what is important. Sometime the dark color can indicate you are dehydrated and need to drink more water. Those that drink lots of water may notice their sticks only turn the lightest pink!

I think you are also supposed to test the same time...and I think Dr. A suggests one hour after eating, in the evening?

Good luck...sounds like you are on your way!

Froufy

As usual, Froufy is dead on. Try not to get hung up on ketone testing - it's related to hopping on the scale several times a day.

You are doing well after just a few days. It was a good idea not to wait until Oct 3 because you are now well ahead of the game.

littlefreedom - You are doing so good.

We started on the same day. I am too chicken to check with the stick. I am afraid if I see no color I will get discouraged. And I am not wanting to weigh myself until Monday. I figured most lost this week would be water, so I will weigh Monday.

My husband was after me to weigh last night, but I am not weighing after a full day of eating and drinking

THe Keto stick is what keeps me on track too. I like seeing any color at all on that stick, it keeps me motivated to keep eating right!

ANy color at all is ketosis, not just the dark purple! At the beginning I would test everytime I went to the bathroom! I found that at different times of the day it would be a different shade. Now I just do it once every couple of days usually in the afternoon or evening. Just to keep me honest!

So you are doing great if the stick is turning colors!

Ok I got brave and I tested on Friday night, It looked pink but it was so close to the not in ketosis color that I was not sure, but I decided that I was in ketosis (it looked pink).

I decided to re-test with my first pee of the day on Saturday morning, and it was DARK pink. I was so excited. It just showed me that I have been doing the diet correctly and that all my hard work has started to pay off.

Early Sunday evening I decided to get on that scale and I was 175 (better than I thought it would be). Then Last night I was 173-174 and then this morning 172. YIPPEE!!! I am 1 pound from my pre-pregnancy weight. Once I hit 170 I will try to lose the weight I have gained over the past 5 years, 20lbs. But I am focused on 170 for now. Then 160 by Oct 31. Then 150 by Nov 30. And then from there another 15lbs, but at a slow loss, perhaps by Feb 1.

I think those little sticks are such a good motivator.

i keep reading dark purple can mean that one needs to drink more water, but have not been able to find this in atkins' books or from the atkins' site. for me, the lightening color indicates that i am going out of ketosis. when doing as i should, mine always registers darkest purple. back in the spring, when my doc told me try it for two weeks to lower cholesterol, i was in darkest purple when i first used them on 4th or 5th day and stayed there, until i cheated on 12th day. it was then half way down in the color range on the 13th day. after cheating on the 13th day, it was in the "not in ketosis" color block on the 14th day. so, for me, it is a good indicator of how i am doing. knowing this, i also realize that each one of us are different. the strips may not work the same way for all who use them. by the way, i drink about a gallon or little more a day, but never less than a half gallon. as water is my favorite drink and has been for years, i rarely have a problem with getting a gallon down. if anyone can tell me where they have read that drinking water effects the testing strips, i would love to know. i would like to know just for myself. i am not writing this or asking about this to be a smart alleck (not sure how that is actually spelled), but would truly like to know for my own knowledge. i like to know as much as i can about whatever i am involved in. i have read in several of atkins things about how it does not matter where you register on the scale and that some may not register at all, even if they are in ketosis. i guess, because i have always registered in the darkest purple block, that i view this as my base. so, whenever mine lightens, it tells me that i'm having more carbs than i need. again, this is just my experience and my take on it. i don't mean to step on any toes. i just like to know as many facts as possible. thanks for listening to the long reply. thanks in advance for any help in this!

I find testing at different times of day is important to see how you personally react to the strips.

I notice in the mornings I am always in ketosis and quite dark (which I also understood to be a sign of dehydration and the need for more water, but I too don't know where I saw this!).

In the evenings however, a couple of hours after eating, is for me the most accurate time to test. At this time, I will note a variation in color....usually light to medium pink, trace to medium ketosis.

When I have overdone it a bit, I notice it is almost beige or negative so I have to get back on track. If I test the next morning, (after registering negative the night before) I am usually back to dark purple...and I don't think much "happened" while I slept! (except maybe a visit from the ketosis fairy?).

For this reason I do not test in the morning anymore!

Froufy

ok, i finally found a written source that refers to a correlation between dark purple and dehydration. it says that one needs to drink 64 oz plus 8 oz for each 25 lbs that needs to be lost. this confuses me, as my strips always register dark purple yet i drink right a gallon, if not a little more, each day. anyway, the article is found on countcarbs.com. look under 'tips and advice' for "looking for purple--a guide to ketosis testing". i thought i'd let y'all know i found it, since i had asked for help finding it.

Just thought I'd mention a tip that I use......try cutting the ketostix down the length of the strip. When I do this, I get twice as many strips to test and it doesn't affect the reliability of the results. Nothing else changes , still hold it in the same place while in urine stream.

I just started checking for ketosis. I've been testing in the morning since that's what it said on the box. I'm losing weight, I track my carbs and know I'm O.K. on that score. I just like to have one more indicator of success to keep me on track. So far, it's been a medium pink whenever I've tested. Seems O.K. to me! I guess we really all are different.

Jen

Where can you purchase the ketosis sticks? I'm like Jen -- I think it would be great to have one more indicator that I'm doing things right. Thanks!

Take care,
Jina

Hi Jina. You can buy the ketostix at any pharmacy (ask at the desk), costco, gnc store or any other vitamin supplement store. You can shop online for them as well. They come in bottles of 50 or 100 sticks. Basically it is a plastic stick with a test paper pad at the end which you place through your urine stream. On the side of the bottle gives you 6 colour coded samples of what the stick could turn from a lt pink to a dark purple. good luck!!

Thanks for the info, angel-eyes! I'm curious to check them out.

Take care,
Jina

Wow, it's great to hear that not everyone is dark purple! I am deathly afraid of ketosticks as it's just one more thing for me to obsess over. But Star Princess is every so proud of them, so I thought I'd try them out. I would warn those not using them, but planning on it to take the results io stride. I don't test well. Normally barely pink to a nice shade of dark pink, depending on what time of day I use it. Very frustrating to those who associate dark purple with maximum weight loss. But I'm losing weight. I'm losing inches. I've decided that I just don't test well on those strips. And I'm ok with that. Although, this morning, I was purple for the first time EVER!!! YAHOO! LOL