Creatine monohydrate supplementation allows you to train harder in the gym. By giving a boost to your short-term power, you can squeeze out an extra repetition or two on that last heavy set, or recover quicker in-between exercises. While creatine does not cause you to burn any additional fat, it does allow you to maintain slightly higher energy levels when cutting calories, according to a 2003 study by E.S. Rawson in the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research." Consult a health care practitioner before using any dietary supplement.
Step 1
Supplement with 5 g of creatine monohydrate per day. While it is possible to load creatine by taking multiple doses per day, this can also cause you to bloat and possibly cramp. Take this with your post-workout shake or meal.
Step 2
Avoid using any creatine blend that contains sugar. Some supplements have extra sugar to trigger an insulin response and hopefully boost your ability to absorb creatine. 75 g of fast-acting sugar is not something you wish when trying to lose body fat, unless you plan on burning off the additional 300 calories.
Step 3
Perform an extra set or two in the gym of one compound exercise, such as squats or deadlifts for your lower body, and presses or rows for your upper body. If you have extra recovery ability, take advantage of it to burn a few extra calories in the gym.
Step 4
Perform at least one bout of interval training per week. Intervals where you pedal at a sprint pace followed by recovery periods and more sprinting burn fats. Creatine supplementation has been shown to improve performance in short-term sprint power and recovery, according to 1998 study in the "International Journal of Sports Medicine."
Tips and Warnings
- Use only creatine monohydrate. There is no research currently showing that any other form of creatine is effective as a dietary supplement.
- If you experience any stomach distress, discontinue your use of creatine.
Things You'll Need
- Creatine monohydrate
- Water
References
- "International Journal of Sports Medicine"; Effect of Creatine Loading on Endurance Capacity and Sprint Power in Cyclists; F. Vandebuerie, et al.; October 1998
- "PDR for Nutritional Supplements"; Sheldon Hendler Ph.D. M.D., et al.; 2008
- "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research"; Effects of Creatine Supplementation and Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Weightlifting Performance; E.S Rawson, et al.; November 2003
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