Looking Cut on Creatine?

Apologies if this has been posted before:

I’ve just ordered some creatine; i’m looking to increase lean muscle mass and am aware it might help. I read a fair bit about it before the order so am aware of the increased water retention and potential cramps etc however my training buddy seems to think i will lose definition while taking it.

In his words “you feel more explosive but it really is not a good buy for definitionâ?¦it is a case of mass or definition.”

Is that true or complete bullcrap? can you still look cut when taking it?

If true is it worth cycling intake like half the year on half off or something similar?

Do you compete in bodybuilding?

No, purely recreational weight lifting.

Yes it bloats you because of the water retention. You will lose definition because of the instant 5 or so pounds of water weight you will gain. Once you go off of it though all the of retention goes away. Really I took creatine for a while and it wasnt worth the money.

I wouldn’t worry about it then.

[quote]talmid91 wrote:
Yes it bloats you because of the water retention. You will lose definition because of the instant 5 or so pounds of water weight you will gain. Once you go off of it though all the of retention goes away. Really I took creatine for a while and it wasnt worth the money.[/quote]

Actually it’s one of the most cost efficient supplments you can get…what does the German creatine that Biotest sell last for? 2 or 3 months for a 13 dollar tub :slight_smile:

Even if it doesn’t work well for a particular individual… it’s so cheap, you can take it or not…

Plus, talmid91, you coulda been a non-responder. I’ve heard that happening sometimes.

Why keep spreading the myth? Creatine holds water in your muscles. Your skin and fat have very little capability to store creatine, so you don’t have to worry about water storage in the skin, unless you’re 2% ready to step on stage.

[quote]talmid91 wrote:
Yes it bloats you because of the water retention. You will lose definition because of the instant 5 or so pounds of water weight you will gain. Once you go off of it though all the of retention goes away. Really I took creatine for a while and it wasnt worth the money.[/quote]

Ah, i thought the water retention was in the muscle only. Is the retention in the skin tissue aswell?

[quote]tw0scoops2 wrote:
I wouldn’t worry about it then.[/quote]

I’m not entering bodybuilding comps but I’m still after the appearance of lean muscle/low body fat; hence the concern.

lol. curious as to what the OP looks like currently.

kanew, what’s your current height/weight

if anything, i really enjoy creatine. haven’t been able to keep up with it with any consistancy, but i do know it def helps improves my lifts. and i swell up like a g’damn water balloon. hahaha.

Creatine IMO is a very effective non hormonal supplement - it increases strength and size well.

As for ruining definition - it will have no significant negative effect on definition unless you are under 5% bodyfat and even then i am not sure you’d notice it.

The water retention is for the most part intramuscular not subcutaneous.

When i say is is very effective, this is compared to the many supps that simply do VERY LITTLE. It is effective, but not drastic in it’s efficiacy.

You should probably just take it, and I don’t know why your partner would doubt your consumption of it. Really it’s effects are somewhat subtle, some play it out to be more than it is I think. But more water in your muscles is part of how/why it works, so just take it and let it do it’s job :wink:

[quote]HolyMacaroni wrote:
lol. curious as to what the OP looks like currently.

kanew, what’s your current height/weight
[/quote]

Havent got a photo i’m afraid.

Tempting to lie to avoid being called a pencil neck but that’d be pointless.
Currently 5’9 and and around 150lbs (don’t laugh!)

However, I was fighting at 61kg (134lbs) at the end of last year. Saw some (vile) photos of myself and decided I wanted to pack on some size. Since then been eating/working out plenty, but wanted to retain the appearance of low bf. That’s why i’m asking this question, might seem a bit stupid for me to worry about bloated look at 150lbs, but I can’t help it.

You’ll be fine on the creatine, you won’t look bloated. What creatine did you order? I personally have found that Micronized German Creatine works the best for me. Coming from another brand, which was just expensive.

[quote]kanew wrote:
HolyMacaroni wrote:
lol. curious as to what the OP looks like currently.

kanew, what’s your current height/weight

Havent got a photo i’m afraid.

Tempting to lie to avoid being called a pencil neck but that’d be pointless.
Currently 5’9 and and around 150lbs (don’t laugh!)

However, I was fighting at 61kg (134lbs) at the end of last year. Saw some (vile) photos of myself and decided I wanted to pack on some size. Since then been eating/working out plenty, but wanted to retain the appearance of low bf. That’s why i’m asking this question, might seem a bit stupid for me to worry about bloated look at 150lbs, but I can’t help it.

[/quote]

You need to start eating big and concentrating on lifting big weight.

Period. Don’t worry about supplements just yet. Just make sure your diet is in check.

No one is laughing about your weight…we all start start out like that.

[quote]tw0scoops2 wrote:

You need to start eating big and concentrating on lifting big weight.

Period. Don’t worry about supplements just yet. Just make sure your diet is in check.

No one is laughing about your weight…we all start start out like that.[/quote]

exactly.

OP, just focus on getting your calories and workouts in. once you’ve gained a significant amount of muscle then you can worry about making you you can walk around big and lean.

[quote]tw0scoops2 wrote:
kanew wrote:
HolyMacaroni wrote:
lol. curious as to what the OP looks like currently.

kanew, what’s your current height/weight

Havent got a photo i’m afraid.

Tempting to lie to avoid being called a pencil neck but that’d be pointless.
Currently 5’9 and and around 150lbs (don’t laugh!)

However, I was fighting at 61kg (134lbs) at the end of last year. Saw some (vile) photos of myself and decided I wanted to pack on some size. Since then been eating/working out plenty, but wanted to retain the appearance of low bf. That’s why i’m asking this question, might seem a bit stupid for me to worry about bloated look at 150lbs, but I can’t help it.

You need to start eating big and concentrating on lifting big weight.

Period. Don’t worry about supplements just yet. Just make sure your diet is in check.

No one is laughing about your weight…we all start start out like that.[/quote]

Fair enough comment. I am already focused on the lifting/eating big though. Off topic but I’ve been doing loads of squats/dead lifts. Up to 145kg on back squat, 120kg front squat, and 120kg deadlifts - i don’t bench as it batters my shoulders. I’m eating every 3 hours at least and around 3500cal most days (perhaps not enough?). Trying to follow all the advice on this site really; Hard not to look at supplements when using this site though to be honest, and they just seemed like next step in the process.