I have searched a bit, but haven’t found a satisfying answer
Hi all,
I apologize if this actually beats a dead horse.
I’m coming back from a 3 month layoff during which I lost 25 pounds, mostly in the upper body. I wanted to give running one more serious chance before I committed myself to weightlifting/bbing, and I have fully decided to commit to the latter.
So, I’m now 5’10, 155 and bulking. I’m just starting back (it’s been about a week), and I’m working my ass off. There are certain things that I want to do differently from my past bulking experience, though–one of which is to try taking creatine. I have a reasonably extensive athletic background and profile, but the past few months I had been dieting to get back my old “runner’s body.” If you want to see my diet and exercise at this point, you can check the training log I maintain here.
So here’s the question: I’m now on a pretty low carb, very high protein and high fat diet, which is a transition from a diet that was higher in carbs and pretty low in protein. Should I wait on the creatine for a couple of weeks?
I was thinking that I should for two reasons: a) make sure my body is fully acclimated to lifting without it; b) because perhaps the increased protein intake is already a lot for my body to handle, and the creatine might be better added when my body has made adjustments to its current circumstances.
On the other hand, I feel as if I’ve read from some sources that creatine is most effective right at this window that I’m now in–right when starting back.
Of course, I know this is all marginal. My progress will ultimately be determined by what goes on in the weight room and the kitchen.
I’ve never heard of problems stemming from using creatine too early. Your body absorbs it almost effortlessly because it’s already broken down for you.
The only reason to wait would be to see the change with/without. Since you are just starting lifting, you will be making good progress either way. If you do wait, you can have a better feeling for what improvement it does give you - less variables to contend with. Some respond more than others.
[quote]pcdude wrote:
The only reason to wait would be to see the change with/without. Since you are just starting lifting, you will be making good progress either way. If you do wait, you can have a better feeling for what improvement it does give you - less variables to contend with. Some respond more than others.[/quote]
I really didn’t notice the difference until I stopped taking it for a little while. After a few weeks, my 5RM became my 4RM (instead of progressing as I had until then). Started taking it again and two weeks later hit the same weight for six.
As I said before, I’ve been physically active for many years, but I’ve never touched any sort of supplement like this. I’m currently lifting every day–do you recommend that I start out by taking it every other day (i.e. ease into it), or do you suggest just loading on it. Sorry if that’s overthinking it–I guess I have just heard so much about the stuff over the years, so I just wanted to get some opinions.
Also, I’ve seen some folks say creatine is better to take postworkout, while from others I see preworkout. What do you guys think?
I’ve read some research that says pre- or post-workout is the best time, but I’m not sure it matters that much.
Take 5g twice a day for a week, as a loading phase. After that, take 3g per day. Any more than that, and you’re just wasting the stuff. I buy a 1kg tub once a year.
[quote]Rocky2 wrote:
You do realize that your body already has creatine in it and uses it? Supplementing with it is simply increasing the stores already in the body.[/quote]
Yes, I realize that. Thanks for pointing it out, though. Ha, I started looking into creatine in like the 7th grade, so I’m pretty aware of what it is and such. The unfortunate thing is that at that point it was demonized in the media, and it just always carried a stigma around the football team and such (e.g. “That guy’s taking creatine!”). Ha, I’m 23 now, but those stigmas are still mentally attached, I suppose.
Silly, I know, but I think that now that I’ve bought some and whatnot, I just wanted to make sure to ask at least on here to get some opinions about starting it so early in starting my training again post-layoff.
I think I’m going to try taking it preworkout. Thing is, I wake up at 3:20am, run for half an hour (casually, not intensely), then eat breakfast (huge) and lift from 5:45am-7am. As such, the creatine might be a nice between activity supplement. I run easy and lift balls out, so maybe it’ll give me an additional boost preworkout.