So we’re trying keto again. My last attempt seemed unfocused and lacking in effort. (This may not have been entirely true, but it was disheartening.
I attempted to measure ketone levels with pee strips. According to the strips, I never entered ketosis.
This time I decided to attempt ketosis a little differently.
- Wife is doing it too. Although we’re on different plans for different needs, we are attempting it together, so that helps.
- We’re measuring with a blood monitor. I may gain empathy for diabetics at the very least.
- I started with a long fast.
So far my attempt is a bit more successful, although it seems to be related to my measuring stick and the way I attempted to enter ketosis.
From a religious perspective, I have a decent amount of practice at fasting. We fast from all food and water monthly for 24 hours. (Usually this amounts to about 18-20 in reality.
To jump-start my ketosis, I started with a 36 hour fast–no preparation, just jumped in. I’m currently near the end of it, I measured at 42 hours, and I’ve passed the 43 hour mark currently. I’ve consumed lemon water with salt pretty much exclusively for the last two days. I will be eating soon. Wife is making herself dinner, so I’m smelling things.
I’m not sure I’ll do it without preparation in the future.
The fasting combined with the blood monitor seems to have helped. On the pee strips, I didn’t register any blood ketones. After 42 hours, I measured 3.1 mmol/L, which is definitely in the range I want to be. I think I’d like to stay in the 1-3 mmol/L range, but I’ll have to play around with it a bit.
We’ll see how my state changes when I start eating again.
So to recap:
Blood measurements after 42 hours fasting:
- Ketone level: 3.1 mmol/L
- Blood glucose: 3.8 mmol/L
- Hematocrit: 50%
- Hemoglobin: 17 g/dL
(I know mmol/L isn’t the normal blood glucose measurement, but it is a pain to change the units on the monitor when I change tests.)