Ketones up and down

Why do blood ketones go up and down so much? I thought they’d be steady having achieved ketosis.  For example, between 20 May to 31 May, readings were :

0.6 on 20 May 

0.4

0.2

0.6

0.2

1.2

0.7 on 31 May

I walk same every day, meet macros fairly evenly each day .  What does it mean? Do I need to change something?  I’ve lost 7.2 kgs since 8 March to 31 May  

thanks  

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    • dsbuck22
    • Senior & Retired
    • dsbuck22
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    I assume you are using a blood monitor to measure your ketones.   When are you sampling?   I test daily first thing in the morning  before eating or drinking anything and get similar shotguns reading between .3 - .9.   Readings first thing in the morning usually trend low as there is a morning lag effect.  If your schedule will allow try testing an hour later (and delay breakfast) and you should see higher readings.   Timing of ketone sampling is everything.  You’ll test differently after eating a meal, differently depending on what was consumed and differently depending upon time passed since eating.   In the same day I may test .5 prior to breakfast and test 1.4 prior to dinner after “fasting” 5 hours since lunch.   My understanding is that reading should be taken at least 4 hours after consuming food/beverage (other than water).  

    I have been tracking my ketones for several months and see no linear pattern to my ketones but I do see a linear slope to my weight loss.  I interpret my ketone sampling as confirmation that I’m in Ketosis, especially after trying a new dish or night out.   

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    • Charlie
    • Charlie.8
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    dsbuck22 dsbuck22 

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    • Charlie
    • Charlie.8
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Thank you, great advice. You confirmed what I was thinking. Yes, I have linear slope down too for weight. But ketones no rhyme or reason. I had read in answer to “is there a best time to check ketones”,  the reply “no best time”. So I had been trying all different times of day. I’ll stick to one. After night fast but not too early, before lunch. I don’t eat breakfast. See if I can read the pattern. Thank you again. 

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    • TK
    • orchid_sky
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Mine is the exact same way.  Yesterday am I was 1.7 and today .6 and on it goes.  I eat 20 net carbs or less and am constantly moving.  I test in the morning and sometimes in the evening. (the little test strips get costly).  I do find my glucose is about the same.  When I get a doctors blood test I always test very low on glucose so sometimes I test higher then I like now.  Still usually under 100.

    How does one get into optimal ketosis?  I am not sure what else I can cut out and really do not thing any more calorie burn and movement is needed since I am already super active.

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    • Charlie
    • Charlie.8
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    yes that is same as me.  Now my weight loss is stalling too. Ketones read .2 this morning so that’s not positive.  i’m not doing anything different to weeks when loss was good. i can’t work out yet what affects it. 

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