Keto update - measuring ketones

I was not interested in pricking my finger a couple of times a day when I first started this keto thing. After all, it was only supposed to last six weeks and then I'd go back to eating my normal way. But it is interesting to learn about how your body works and reacts to changes and I soon began to "geek out" on the science of keto. That's why I eventually bought a blood tester that works for both glucose and ketones.

As mentioned in prior keto posts, the body transitions from burning glucose to burning fat when on the keto program. Many people are familiar with testing for glucose that people with diabetese do often. People on keto are interested in glucose levels too and some can monitor themselves well enough with just that. Yet everyone is different and I soon began to realize that my body seems to be much quicker at adjusting between ketosis and glucogenesis than most people.

Glucose
Typically glucose is low first thing in the morning and one of the reasons they want you to fast overnight before going for a morning blood test.  Ideally your glucose should be under 100, typically in the 80s. When you eat a meal, it will go up over 100 before coming back down a couple of hours later. The higher over 100 you get and how fast you can go down, if at all, is what tells doctors how your body is using insulin and whether you have a problem processing sugars.


Ketones
For the typical person ketones probably won't even register because they have sugars being consumed and coursing through them all the time. They are using sugars for energy. But if you have eliminated carbs/sugars, then your body will start generating ketones to burn fat. Therefore, as ketones rise, glucose should be declining. People on keto are looking for ketone readings to be 1.5 to 3 or so.

In the morning you might have 85 glucose and .3 ketones. If you are eating a low carb/high fat diet and intermittent fasting, you could see your levels go to maybe 77 glucose/2.2 ketones, as an example.

What I was finding was that my glucose didn't seem to be too affected with rise in ketones. I would see my glucose remain pretty steady even though my ketones would continue to rise. I've gone over 4 (ketone measure) on one particlar day, but my sugars hover in the 80s. That's when I decided to just measure ketones instead of both.

Exercise
Exercise helps you to burn through energy stores and, if you've had carbs/sugars, your body will use those first for energy. Once they are exhausted your body will turn to fat. That's why exercise is important if/when you cheat.

Cheating
First a reminder that I'm doing Lazy Keto and most strict keto people won't like what I have to say in this next section. And, in fact, people should not expect these results for themselves and I would be doing a great disservice if I lead anybody to think they can do what I'm doing. My body apparently has a high and effective metabolism. That's ME.

As a food writer I get a lot of opportunities for food events and restaurant openings. I recently spent four days of gluttony at Pebble Beach Food & Wine and am now truly testing my body's reaction to four days of cheating instead of just a cheat meal or a single cheat day. 

I can have a cheat meal like I did at Easter and be back into ketosis within 24 hours. Many people with insulin issues find that if they cheat, it can take them several days, a week, or even more to return to ketosis. That's why they don't talk about cheating.

I ate a pretty healthy, non-carby meal on Easter except for eating two crescent rolls, a slice of a decadent cake, and another slice of an exceptional ice cream cake. Those through me out of ketosis so that the next morning I did not even register anything on the ketone meter.  The next morning I went to the gym and I did not eat until about 2pm. By then I was back up to 2 on the meter.

What I have found is that if I cheat, then exercise, I can get back into fat burning mode within 24 hours.

Pebble Beach, though? Four days of gluttony? I gained four pounds from the water that carbs hold. Not surprising I did not register ketones on Monday. Even after going to the gym. I fasted 20 hours before only consuming a Bulletproof Cocoa to up my fat intake. (250 calories, but only 4 g of carbs due to sugar-fee stevia) 

I found I did struggle during the week going through a bit of keto flu again as my body flushed the glucose and returned to ketones. I was registering low ketone levels though, so my body does react quickly.

I'm back down to the pre Pebble Beach weight and registering ketones in the 2+ level. 

Blood testing is not a requirement to figure out if you are in ketosis. You can tell just by physical signs. You don't get hungry, you eat less, your urine and breath can stink, you have increased energy and mental clarity. But if you geek out like I have, then you might want to get a meter. It helps you to learn about YOUR body and how it will react to different situations.

Next up on keto update - fasting.