Creatine Question

[Dice]

I want to take creatine to get the most out of my weight lifting but am concerned about the retained water weight in the muscles. I dont want to get heavier and i'm a distance runner so I really dont need the extra weight on my body.

My boy told me of pills that when taking with creatine help absorb the excess water out. Does anyone know the name of those pills or supplements or a good alternative to creatine.

Serious answers are appreciated thanks

[Sugarj]

Maybe its just me, but I wouldn't feel that creatine is a particularly useful suppliment for a distance runner. I'm a distance runner myself who lifts weights and honestly I wouldn't feel at all relaxed taking creatine as well as a suppliment that offsets the water retaining, if there is such a thing.

If you are wanting to put on a little weight, slowly so as not to blunt your running then I would just keep to fairly high reps of medium weights, 12 reps plus. A good mixed diet should be fine for as long as you are eating at least 1 gram of protein for each KG of your body weight. Of course protein shakes will help with this without the need for creatine.

[Sugarj]

Actually on re reading I'm a little intregued (probably spelt wrong!) as to why you are wanting to get so much out of your weight training if you dont want to put on any weight. If you are wanting to tone up but keep the same weight, you'll surely want to lose body fat and replace with toned muscle, thus gaining something like the Bruce Lee effect/physique. For this physique, a higher protein diet and less carbs in your diet will help. But the lack of carbs will undoubtably affect your running.

But if you are a distance runner it is unlikely you will have much body fat in the first place and any weight training that doesn't involve tones of reps will surely add weight and/or muscle density or muscle mass (depending on the number of reps you do and the exercises in question). I do not quite understand why you feel the need to take any suppliments.

What is it that you want from your training?

[Dice]

Actually on re reading I'm a little intregued (probably spelt wrong!) as to why you are wanting to get so much out of your weight training if you dont want to put on any weight. If you are wanting to tone up but keep the same weight, you'll surely want to lose body fat and replace with toned muscle, thus gaining something like the Bruce Lee effect/physique. For this physique, a higher protein diet and less carbs in your diet will help. But the lack of carbs will undoubtably affect your running.

But if you are a distance runner it is unlikely you will have much body fat in the first place and any weight training that doesn't involve tones of reps will surely add weight and/or muscle density or muscle mass (depending on the number of reps you do and the exercises in question). I do not quite understand why you feel the need to take any suppliments.

What is it that you want from your training?

I am actually trying to lose weight. I'm only 5'5 and weighted 186 but got down to 177 in about two weeks time. I have a lot of fat but im used to workin out and take my time with it. I always had the ability to run a few miles even at my fattest.

I'm trying (and its working) to slim down but the best way to work out is to do cardio and strength training. Now my bread and butter is cardio but I want the most out of my workouts period so I also want to pay attention to my lifting.

I guess I want to slim down and have some muscles (not really lookin to get huge) but the weight training isnt just for appearence. I train in weights the real reason anyone should train in weights and thats to getter stronger, not to look huge.

Thats my I wants to use the creatine for the weight training NOT for the running.

Every doctor will tell you lifting weights then doing cardio maximizes a workout and while I got the cardio down packed by running a minimun of two miles in the park mostly every day, I just want to get my weight training up there as well.

Thanks for the help tho

[BrooklynBomber]

When used right you wont have any water retention, and get a quality product too, water retention is a myth from back in the day when people were getting cheap german creatine which was wacked with a bunch of other amino acids which when were mixed could have resulted in some water retention for SOME people. If you area distance runner you should not be worried about water retention at all. The only thing I would recommed is to increase your fluid uptake by 30%-40%.

[Del Coqui]

I believe laxis (diuretic) will do the trick for ya, if not try a natural diuretic.

[Sugarj]

Ah! I have a more clear picture now. You are quite right in that you should do a weights workout before running/cardio, the other way around really takes it out of your lifting capacity.

Do you have a target weight seeing as you are trying to lose weight?

Its always a fuzzy thing wanting to lose weight/fat and gain strength/muscle at the same time. Fitness ****zines make a fortune from persons in your boat, as do the suppliments market. In basic terms it boils down to the difficulty a person has being in calorie deficit whilst they are losing weight, through cardio exercise and contolled diets, therefore having the trouble absorbing sufficient protein to increase strength/muscle at the same time.

My honest advice would be to forget the weights for now and hit the running over increasing distances so as to get down to your target weight whilst keeping a daily eye on your weight and maintaining a good mixed diet. Perhaps aim to lose half a stone a month.

When you hit your target weight, then start weight training with fairly light weights and high reps so as to slowly build your strength......but keep up with the running so as to maintain your new weight.

Something tells me you are not keen on abandoning your current weight training though!!!

If this is the case and you want to try losing weight at the same time as increasing strength, my advice on the weights front would be to not do any less than 12 reps to failure on any body part.....ideally more. Any less than this, under normal circumstances would facilitate the building of muscle mass, not something you'll easily achieve whilst losing weight through running.

Best of luck and let me know how you get on.

[THEBIZ]

Creatine was developed for endurance athletes somehow that fact gets lost because of its use among bodybuilders. The water retention thing can be greatly reduced by simply drinking more water. Your body only holds extra water when it isn't receiving enough. While using this supplement you need more water for sure. A good indicator you aren't drinking enough while using it is mind blowing cramps. Dont let people scare you it is a safe supplement.

[Sugarj]

Hi again Dice, You really dont want to be taking any diuretics during cardio training/running. You will urinate water that your body needs to keep you hydrated! The advice on these forums!!!!!! I dont know....

Honestly, you dont need any suppliments to achieve what you want. A good balanced diet and some hard work is all you need. As the Nike slogan says 'Just do it'.

A distance runner who wants to lose weight should not be taking creatine and diruretics!

[Del Coqui]

My boy told me of pills that when taking with creatine help absorb the excess water out. Does anyone know the name of those pills or supplements or a good alternative to creatine.

Hi again Dice, You really dont want to be taking any diuretics during cardio training/running. You will urinate water that your body needs to keep you hydrated! The advice on these forums!!!!!! I dont know....

Honestly, you dont need any suppliments to achieve what you want. A good balanced diet and some hard work is all you need. As the Nike slogan says 'Just do it'.

A distance runner who wants to lose weight should not be taking creatine and diruretics!

Just answering the man's question.... I do agree with you thou, doesn't make sense running and taking diuretics.