We want to make sure you are as confident as possible going into the Virta program. We get asked a lot of common questions as our Members navigate through their health journey.
Here are some answers we hope provide you clarity.
Is fasting required?
Fasting is NOT required as part of the Virta Treatment. We encourage eating to satiety. The treatment does not include calorie counting or caloric restriction. Virta strongly discourages any fasting lasting >24 hrs. Our Health Coaches will support YOU if you want to implement time restricted feeding or partial day fasting into your daily routine.
Can I use my own glucometer or CGM?
Yes. The meter is only one small component of the starter kit. The meter we provide also allows you to use both ketone and glucose test strips, which can be more convenient. However, you’re welcome to use the meter that works best for you will need to measure your blood glucose, ketones, and weight on a daily basis through our Virta app.
What is the estimated time it takes new members to go through the introductory videos?
There are 4 hours in total of just the videos. Assignments that take some thought like filling out self reflections can make overall estimated time at average pace for people to be around 1-3 days
Why can’t I just use urine strips to measure ketones?
In the first 4-6 weeks of carbohydrate restriction, when you are adapting to ketosis, your body will naturally start to spill ketones in the urine. However over time, your body starts to recognize ketones as a valuable energy source and urine ketone excretion drops off. This makes urine ketone testing an undependable way of monitoring dietary response as after adaptation. Your urine may indicate you are not in ketosis, when in fact you are just excreting less ketones. Instead of spilling them in your urine, you are using them as a valuable energy source. But the levels in your blood don’t have this issue of excess excretion during adaptation, and are the gold-standard for testing, so we use those instead to ensure accuracy
What if I am currently enrolled in another program to treat my diabetes or provide health/nutrition coaching, like Livongo, Omada, or Naturally Slim?
As a practicing medical clinic, Virta provides medical care and dietary advice that may directly conflict with the recommendations provided by Livongo, Omada, or Naturally Slim. This can create real safety issues, especially if you are on medications that lower your blood sugar or blood pressure. As such, we require that you pause or discontinue your participation in these programs before starting your treatment with Virta
Feel free to reach out to our Support team for more help by clicking HERE or chat with a Member Support specialist by clicking the chat bubble in the bottom right hand corner!