eat clean, get lean: signs that you're in ketosis

so, now that i've been following my ketogenic diet, obviously, if i eat a slice of cake i'm gonna throw everything off. but, did you know eating fruit, even if just one banana will make all your hard work go down the drain. by the way, a banana has about 30 carbs...total carbs i'm allowed in ONE day.

remember, ketones = burning fat!!!

is your body making ketones?

when the body starts making ketones, it's eliminated from the body through urine. the best way to determine if you're in ketosis is to use ketone strips. ketone strips measure the amount of ketones in the urine.

the brand i've been using is ketostix.

even though i don't usually show items i've urinated on, for the sake of being thorough, here's what the strip looks like when ketones are present.

the strip will remain beige (far left) if no ketones are present.

it's best to use a test strip first thing in the morning. if the ketone strip tests negative, it doesn't mean you're not burning fat. keep in mind, if you've been doing one of the following, you may have not have enough ketones to activate the strip:

excessive exercise

not consumed enough fat

consumed more water

if you never get a positive reading, it may be time to reevaluate your weight, body fat, and your food intake in order to adjust your diet.

you can look for these common symptoms, too!

early stage symptoms: fatigue, headache, thirst, dry mouth, metallic taste in the mouth, weakness, dizziness, cold hands and feet, frequent urination, and excessive sweat

ongoing stage symptoms: a "buzzed" feeling, increased energy, normalized urination frequency, better sleep, clear thinking

what i experienced:

after a week on a ketogenic diet, i felt very tired, thirsty, and had a bit of a headache. once i noticed these symptoms, i had an appropriate snack and made sure i was drinking plenty of water through the day. these symptoms went away in a about two day.

after a week and half, i felt super energized and clear headed. it was like i had two cups of coffee and was ready to read Dostoevsky. i also began to sweat more than usualy. switching to another antiperspirant to care of that.

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