So.... am I in Ketosis?

Am I in ketosis?

One of the questions people who are new to the LCHF (keto/ketogenic/low carb) diet frequently ask me is:how do I know if I’m in ketosis?

Everyone’s different and while some may experience all of the symptoms of ketosis, some might only feel a couple of them or none at all. There are basic signs and symptoms that indicate that you’re in ketosis, but please note that I’m differentiating between the signs of keto flu (covered in the post I’m linking to) that many experience in the first days of a ketogenic diet, and the feeling of being in ketosis when the flu has subsided:

So, am I in ketosis?

• Dry mouth (eat more salt and drink more water to alleviate this).
• Metallic taste in your mouth or a strange taste in the back of your throat, some describe it as fruity or a little sweet.
• A kind of “buzzing” feeling that’s hard to describe, almost euphoric at times.
• Different kind of urine smell, stronger too!
• “Ketosis breath” – It can range from being a little sweet to being almost like you’ve had a drink of alcohol.
• Less appetite. You can go for hours without eating and don’t feel very hungry.
• Increased energy. If you don’t experience it try to eat more fat, drink more water and watch your electrolytes.
• A ketone strip you pee on shows a positive result. There are also blood ketone metersthat give a more specific result. (Pro-tip: If you get the pee strips, cut them in half  ) But do note that even with a positive pee strip it’s not 100% certain that you’re in ketosis and that a very dark positive result may only indicate that you’re dehydrated.