1. Here is the book that started Low Carbers looking at Blood Ketones - The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance by Jeff Volek and Stephen Phinney.
2. Dr. Robert Atkins, the originator of the Fat Fast would certainly endorse my good friends at CarbSmart - Dana Carpender, Amy Dungan, and Andrew Dimino - Here is the $4.99 book -- LINK TO BOOK Has a LOT of good information about the Fat Fast and measuring Blood Ketones. The recipes are fantastic!
3. My dear friend Jimmy Moore, always blunt and always honest - he has shown us the way. Here is a link to JIMMY'S BLOG Having started this phase of my diet it is very understandable why Jimmy was hesitant to post his food logs. It is very strange to most people to eat a diet of 85-90% fat - butter, coconut oil, mct oil, avocados, etc. I'm just thankful he made the public aware of this adjustment to our low carb lifestyle.
Recently I strenuously dieted for 2 weeks and dropped 4 pounds of what I had gained over Christmas. Yay me! THEN for Valentines I baked 2 dozen sugar-free, low carb cookies and ate 1 dozen. Gained all 4 back in ONE day (and NOT temporary gain. It stayed for 4 days, until I started the Fat Fast).
So I ordered the meter. I chose the Precision Max - Amazon Link to Meter
AND I ordered the pricey Blood Ketone Test Strips - Link to Amazon - Blood Ketone Test Strips
I searched high and low for the best prices on Blood Ketone strips (NOT the same as Blood Glucose strips). They can run anywhere from $2 to $5 PER STRIP.
I searched high and low for the best prices on Blood Ketone strips (NOT the same as Blood Glucose strips). They can run anywhere from $2 to $5 PER STRIP.
I bought one box of 10. I figured that at least gives me 10 days to monitor my eating and see what tweaks might be needed. For example, following Jimmy Moore's lead when he discovered that he was eating TOO much protein (not optimal for being "keto adapted").
I have NEVER professed to being a perfect "low carber". I have my moments just like regular folks with food addictions. However, I am closer than I have EVER been to reaching my goal. EVER! So, the day before I tested my blood ketones I had a Girl Scout cookie - yep, just one - but sugar none the less. (In case you didn't know it, I am a SEVERE sugar addict - even so far as having my own bakery for 3 years.)
I test in the mornings when I first get up, before I have my Bulletproof Coffee.
Day 1 - 0.1
Day 2 - 0.3
Day 3 - 0.6
(According to the book, optimal levels are 1.0 to 3.0 - expecting 1.0 in a day or two)
Ooooooooo.... this is exciting. Even better than the stupid scale! hahaha AND yes, 3 pounds gone in 3 days.
So WHY do this?
High Blood Ketones (caused from a "High Fat / Moderate Protein / VERY low carb" diet) can put you in a state of being "keto adapted". I am not scientific in thought, and always prefer the "Cliff Notes"! lol. ONE thing I DO know about being "keto adapted" is that a person is NOT hungry, NOT craving, AND losing weight. :D There ya go - the Cliff Notes, or "Ketones for Dummies".
