Question:
What is ketosis and how do you know if you're in it?

I've seen people write that they are solidly in ketosis. What is it and how do they know?    — jan M. (posted on August 1, 2002)

July 31, 2002
Eating the normal high protein low carb diet puts most of us in ketosis right after surgery. There are urine test strips but the indicatorrs are bad breath, REALLY bad! water tastes YUK! If it happens to you be happy! Ketosis is a NORMAL body process that burns fat! It means your loosing great! Test strips come from any pharmacy.
   — bob-haller

August 1, 2002
i am so glad to see somebody finally asked this question...why is it a good thing to be in?
   — candymom64

August 1, 2002
It's when certain keytones (sp?) in your body are produced and are measurable in the urine...these keytones are produced when the body uses it's own fat for an energy source istead of what you ate that day. The only thing is, if you drink a LOT of water, it is possible to dilute the urine so much that you MAY be in ketosis, but it won't show up on the ketostix (these little pee strips you get at your local pharmacy to measure keytones). I have been losing weight the last two weeks but have NOT shown keytones in my urine, so I asked my surgeon about it. Keytones are generally monitored in diabetic patients because for them, too many keytones in the urine is BAD. Even when you're actively losing weight you should be in the middle range on the color scale...too dark and your kidneys and liver are overworked from burning the fat and that can lead to organ failure over LONG (and I mean long) periods of time. I looked it up on the internet, I feel like I could write a paper now. lol Like previously mentioned, ketosis can sometimes (but NOT always) be indicated by smelly breath or urine...AKA garlic breath or death breath.
   — Paula Prichard

August 2, 2002
The best explanation of ketosis I have read was in Dr Atkins Diet Revolution book. He is a believer that when you are in ketosis you will be shedding weight like crazy.
   — Jeff N.

August 2, 2002

   — Jennifer A.

August 3, 2002
Paula Ross, thank you! Although many wls patients feel the need to keep themselves in ketosis to speed weightloss, it can be harmful to some of your organs. My ketostix were showing me to be in only moderate ketosis, but my hospital urinalysis revealed 4+ heavy ketosis, elevated liver values and some stressed out kidneys. The weightloss is great, but I think I'd like to protect my liver and kidneys too!
   — NicoleG