Help keto failed

[ABQConvict]

Originally Posted by Upstateman92

I bought my first ketone test strips and it came back zero/negative . How is this possible ?

If you are efficiently burning ketones for fuel, they won't be showing up in your urine. At least not in any great amount, especially if you are physically active.

If your net carb intake is under 20 (maybe even under 50-100 depending on your metabloism) you will be in ketosis. The more used to ketosis your body gets, the more efficient it becomes at burnig ketones ---> less ketones show up on your keto strip.

If you are judging success vs. failure by the color on a urine soaked stick rather than your body composition, you are doing it wrong.

And finally, the number one rule: if you are trying to lose weight on a ketogenic diet, macro ratios are meaningless for weightloss if you are not in a caloric deficit.

tl;dr during the initial 48 hours to a week of not eating carbs, keto sticks can be useful to see when you enter ketosis or to judge your carb intake threshold. Once your body starts to adapt to readily burning ketones, the strips will no longer show any major ketones.

[stepka]

OP, you didn't say what time of the day you tested. I read that ketones are at a low in the morning when you first get up, and blood sugar is at a high, even though you've been fasting all night. Try to test in the afternoon and see what you get.

[ChicagoMeO]

Originally Posted by Upstateman92

I've been on keto for about a month now . I did a transitional week fine tuning my meals and macros and now have been in it 3 weeks now or at least I thought .

I bought my first ketone test strips and it came back zero/negative . How is this possible ?

I keep my fat to protein about 80% to 20% I've kept my carbs below 30

I have gone out to eat a few times but made correct choices: steaks with veggies and butter

I do my bulletproof cofee every day , plenty of olive oils and coconut oil, cheeses , mayo throughout the day

I know I have to be in it , I've lost about 5-10 pounds I look leaner I feel amazing and have more energy and don't crave carbs my workouts are normal .

What has gone wrong ? I feel like I've wasted my time

You are eating too many calories in the form of butter and oils. THAT wlll screw up your diet.


Don't listen to those who make you think you can use all that butter and oil .. if you overeat too many calories, you wont lose weight, even though you are on a keto diet.


You are eating too much fat in the form of cheese and mayo..Mayo has so many calories in one teaspoon.. in fact the mayo might be the big culprit.


You just cannot eat that much oil and butter and mayo (too many calories). it will derail your keto diet.

[stepka]

Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO

You are eating too many calories in the form of butter and oils. THAT wlll screw up your diet.


Don't listen to those who make you think you can use all that butter and oil .. if you overeat too many calories, you wont lose weight, even though you are on a keto diet.


You are eating too much fat in the form of cheese and mayo..Mayo has so many calories in one teaspoon.. in fact the mayo might be the big culprit.


You just cannot eat that much oil and butter and mayo (too many calories). it will derail your keto diet.

I have read several books on keto diets and according to them, this is not so. Fats are metabolically inert. Too much protein could toss you out of ketosis but not too much fat and the OP says he's losing weight.

[gguerra]

Originally Posted by stepka

I have read several books on keto diets and according to them, this is not so. Fats are metabolically inert. Too much protein could toss you out of ketosis but not too much fat and the OP says he's losing weight.

It's all in the context. Fats are metabolically inert in the absence of carbs. There is a limit to it though so it's important not to over do it. Fats with carbs are the worst thing and will lead to weight gain. So a salad with olive oil dressing is just fine, a pizza with loads of fat (from cheese) and loads of carbs (from the crust) is a terrible combination. It all has to do with blood sugar and hormones and more specifically insulin. Don't get me wrong, I love pizza but is not diet food under any circumstances.