So, my strips have been consistently purple every test. Yaaay, small victories.
By the way, here is a great book on the subject that was prescribed reading to me by a Doctor who is also an atlete following the Keto diet:
The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance
I read this book earlier this year and I just went over my highlights:
"In addition to reducing your dietary carbs, an important factor for getting into nutritional ketosis is to not over-consume protein."
"What we do know is that the [Iditarod sled] dogs perform and recover better on a diet that is high in fat, moderate in protein and low in carbohydrate content"
"Rather than consume large portions of meats or other protein foods, focus on small to moderate protein portions and combine them with generous portions of good sources of fat (e.g., sauces, butter, olive oil)."
"Therefore a key to successful keto-adaptation is figuring out ways to specifically increase your fat intake without over-consuming carbohydrate and protein."
On my first try with Keto, I was eating low carb, moderate fat, and HIGH protein, thinking, "I lift therefore I eat lots of protein". This is why I couldn't maintain ketosis.
So, the book listed above is a good, quick, easy read that simply explains a lot of why keto should work for most athletes.
If you really want to nerd out on the subject, there is Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UZNSC2/ref=r_soa_w_d I read this one back in 2012.
It's 640 pages of research on the matter. Basically, it's the book that should settle most doubts (and arguments) on the subject. He makes a point, then explains why in scientific terms and with proof. He also notes social norms around health and food and shows how they came to be and how some are right and some are wrong. For example, concepts like "ALL fat is bad", "Carbo-loading", USDA Food pyramids, "The brain NEEDS carbs to function" etc...
Here is what he has to say about carbs for the brain:
Also, carbohydrates in these diets can be restricted, but the standard thinking is that they have to remain sufficiently high so that the brain and central nervous system derive all their necessary fuel from this dietary source of glucose. Nutritionists will often insist that 130 grams a day of carbohydrates are the minimal safe amount in a human diet.
...
Though glucose is a primary fuel for the brain, it is not, however, the only fuel, and dietary carbohydrates are not the only source of that glucose. If the diet includes less than 130 grams of carbohydrates, the liver increases its synthesis of molecules called ketone bodies, and these supply the necessary fuel for the brain and central nervous system. If the diet includes no carbohydrates at all, ketone bodies supply three-quarters of the energy to the brain. The rest comes from glucose synthesized from the amino acids in protein, either from the diet or from the breakdown of muscle, and from a compound called glycerol that is released when triglycerides in the fat tissue are broken down into their component fatty acids. In these cases, the body is technically in a state called ketosis, and the diet is often referred to as a ketogenic diet.
Basically, this is the book that a doctor or nutritionist might read in order to not only "What" and "Why" but also the "How" of high fat, low carb diets.