Hey, we all want to shed some pounds and get back to the body that we had when we were younger and didn’t appreciate it but it takes discipline, planning, and dedication to make that happen. All too often people shed 10 or 15 pounds and then seem to stop losing weight. There is definitely a reason this happens and it should not be seen as failure or an excuse to give up on your weight loss goals.
Here are 7 absolutely killer ways to maximize your fat burning routine and help ensure success with your weight loss goals.
1) Anaerobic Exercise
If you think you can just run laps or pedal that fat away, think again. Muscle tissue is what burns the most calories in our bodies and you need to life weights in order to create bigger muscles that will burn more calories.
Now although aerobic exercises such as cycling or swimming are also necessary, the fact remains that building bigger muscles is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. This is because you are creating a more efficient calorie burning machine by lifting weights which will ensure you success with your weight loss goals.
2) Warm-up and Cool Down
Warming up before exercising and taking the time to cool down afterwards with some light exercises are not generally seen as essential to a fat burning program. However, the reason why a lot of people tend to give up on their weight loss goals is because they failed to see the progress they hoped for when they began. An injury, even one that only lasts for a few days, can set your weight loss goals back by weeks and lead to a loss of stimulation. You need to plan an extra twenty minutes into your weight lifting routine for these two essential activities or you risk injury and derailing your weight loss plan.
3) Diet, Diet, Diet
This should not be a killer way to maximize your weight loss goals but it is. The reason for this is because people tend to think of losing weight in two ways: diet, or exercise. Hey, these two go hand in hand and you are never going to maximize your fat burning routine in the gym unless you take care of your body outside of the gym. Stop thinking of meals in terms of three: instead, think 5 meals with smaller portions.
The FDA recently developed a new food pyramid with this very idea in mind and you should check it out before starting your fat burning program because it can save you a lot of time and energy if you get the diet part figured out before even stepping into the gym.
4) Plan Workouts
The body is the most complex machine on the planet and you can’t just hope to step into a gym and jump on a machine or some weights and think that you are going to see the results you want without knowing how they affect your body. The ideal exercise routine is done only 3 or 4 times per week and only for 30-45 minutes at a time. You cannot work your body more than this because it will actually cause your muscles to break down which means you will be burning fewer calories, and therefore, not maximizing your fat burning routine in the gym.
If you have any doubts about what kind of routine is ideal for your goals, don’t be afraid to consult an physical trainer to help you set up a program that is best suited for you.
5) Nutritional Supplements
If you really want to maximize your fat burning routine in the gym, then you need to consider using nutritional supplements. Now I am not talking about those crazy supplements that promise to burn fat for you while you sit and watch tv! I am talking about essential fatty acids, amino acids, whey protein….things that will truly maximize your workouts that you can’t always expect to get in the foods you eat every day. Again, consult a physical trainer if you want to know which supplements are best for your weight loss goals.
6) Set Weekly Goals
I know that this just seems terribly obvious but the truth is that most people are not thrilled with the idea of working out so it is easy for them to skip a session or indulge in some pizza and think that they will make up for it next time. Listen, next time never comes and when you stop seeing the scales go down, the motivation just seems to stop. By setting weekly goals, you can track your progress and make it that much more likely that you will adhere to the goals when you see things are not going as expected.
7) No More Late Night Snacks
This one may not seem to make sense, but I assure you that it will help maximize your fat burning exercises. The reason is your metabolism. When you eat right before you go to bed, it throws your body off and you probably notice that you awaken and don’t feel hungry. Then, you skip breakfast entirely or only snack on a bagel or something on you way into work. The result: the body goes into conservation mode.
This means that it slows down your metabolism and that means you are burning less calories throughout the day. Plus, it increases the likelihood of snacking and basically just sets the scene for a bad cycle. Eating five smaller portioned meals per day also has to do with your metabolism as it has been found that metabolism remains highest when there is a consistent supply of food in the body. You might not believe that late night snacking affects the way your body burns fat when working out, but it does.
Now some of the things listed above are obvious while some just seem silly. And yet, taken together and consistently adhered to, these 7 little ideas will maximize your fat burning in the gym and get you to that body you can see in your mind but not the mirror far quicker than if you just go about things in a disorganized and inconsistent manner.
Your quest to loss some weight if you are interested, will not see the light until you identify why you are fat in the first instance and then work to avoid all the identified reasons. Though in the beginning, a lot of fat people do not want to accept that they are fat and usually pick a quarrel if anyone makes an observation, there comes a time when they can no longer hide from it.
The thing is, when you finally agree that you are fat, do you just say ‘okay, I know am fat and there is nothing I can do about it’. Then put up with it? Or do you take up the challenge and start doing something about it?
So why are you fat?
Usually I get replies like; “I eat at wrong times of the day, at the wrong quantities. I have 3 kids; I run a business that takes away all the time I could have exercised. Between the business and my three kids’ daily activities at school that I volunteer at, as well as every other extra curricular activity, I really don't find the time to make sure I eat right.
I must be sure my children eat well though. While they're eating, I'm cleaning, or getting ready, or cleaning up spilt milk, etc. I miss meals, when it is time for me to eat; I eat it really big because I am really very hungry by then. I know what I am doing is wrong but what do I do?”
Others tell me stories like; “I don't drink enough fluids, when I do, its usually coffee, but I gag on water, I've tried checking this myself, and I am almost succeeding, I'm down to a coke every other day, and that is about 4 bottles a week, instead of everyday, though I still have my coffee. But now I'm up to two bottles of water a day....however, either way, still not enough fluids at all right?”
Yes enough fluid is alright but not when the fluid is coffee and coke. A bottle of coke is said to contain about 8 cubes of sugar and coffee doesn’t just contain caffeine that affects your nerves when you grow older but increases your cholesterol level. I have told people, it doesn’t matter whether it is decaff.
Another excuse people give themselves. “I was too busy working and wasn’t eating enough then I became anemic. I wouldn't be if I was eating properly. If I really wanted to eat well I could probably have worked out a schedule to make sure I eat the right things at the right times. Now the doctor wants me to eat more but I am now fat trying to do what the doctor said. I have tried to cut out the soda, and focus more on water, and I do some light walking as I was not supposed to get involved in very strenuous physical activities as at then. How do I loss weight without becoming anemic again?”
Whatever is your excuse or ‘reason’ you need to start knowing that excuses will only worsen your health status. So knock if off! You will not get better with excuses. Take the responsibility for your own health. Stop blaming the doctor, your kids or your job. It is all about you being a little bit more vigilant and determined to save your own life.
With all these excuses, you will begin to eat emotionally, stuffing a lot of chocolate, binging at any opportunity. Seeking solace in food is the worst thing you can do for your mode. Exercises will put you in a better frame of mind. for more visit: www.consistenceonline.com
Summer time is over now, so the need to “fit in a bikini” is also over for many of us. But, that doesn’t mean that it is time to ignore your body. Being fat is more than being unsightly or not fitting into your clothes. Being fat means that you are unhealthy. You are making your heart work harder than it should, and your bones and joints are carrying too much weight. If you want to live a longer and happier life, then fast healthy weight loss should be your first goal, regardless of the season.
The keys to weight loss are simple. You need to consume fewer calories than you are expending. Most of us consume a few too many calories every day, and over the course of a year, that adds up to extra pounds. If you eat 100 excess calories every day, you will gain a pound by the end of the month, and 12 pounds by the end of the year. That little nibble of a cookie can really add up to poundage over time.
Fast healthy weight loss is easy if you know what you are doing. First of all, try and avoid unnecessary food items. If you don’t have to have butter on your toast or your potato, skip it. If you can go with a sugar substitute in your coffee, do that, too. By making little changes in your diet like these, you will avoid that long-term slide into obesity.
Of course, you never want to lose weight too fast. Fast weight gain is often the result of water loss, or even muscle loss which can be very dangerous. You have to get the proper nutrition during any kind of diet in order for your body to continue functioning in a health manner, but fast healthy weight loss is still possible.
Hard gainers have it rough in the sport of bodybuilding. We find it terribly difficult to pack on the pounds like our mesomorphic friends. But building muscle, even for the hard gainer, is easy if you know how.
Think of your bodybuilding lifestyle as a barstool: It's got three legs. If one leg is missing or is longer or shorter than the other two, you've got problems. The same goes for muscle-building.
The three components of your regimen are your weight training routines, your meal plans (including proper supplementation), and your relaxation and recovery programs.
Shortchange any one of these three parts and you're in for little to zero gains. You may even lose weight if you're not careful.
In brief, I'll lay out the conceptual framework for the three prongs.
Exercise You need to train infrequently, at most 3 times per week, with each body part getting no more than 2 workouts per week. This is how I do it: Legs and arms on day A, torso on day B. Each day is separated by at least one day and you alternate day A and day B. Something like this: Monday -- day A, Wednesday -- day B, Friday -- day A, then the following week you do Monday -- day B, Wednesday -- day A, Friday -- day B.
Continue alternating like this for up to 8 weeks. Let your body be your guide.
This may sound like an easy exercise plan. It's not!
It's designed to work hand-in-hand with your Rest and Recovery portion of the program. You see, most hard gainers follow conventional advice as espoused by professional bodybuilders, who are genetically gifted, may be taking steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs, and whose sole job is to bodybuild.
Most of us aren't like professional bodybuilders in any way, shape, or form.
Reducing the workout frequency will give you the rest and recovery time necessary to explode your muscle growth. However, you must lift using High Intensity Training (HIT) techniques. Go heavy, do 6-10 reps for the upper body and 10-15 reps for your legs, with as much weight as possible (the last two reps should be killers). Use cheating, forced reps, and negatives to add even more intensity. Use super sets and pre-exhaust techniques to further up the ante.
Nutrition You have to consume more calories than you expend. Follow a high protein, moderate to low carb diet. Don't worry about fat. Eat plenty of eggs (4-8 a day, I'm not kidding), dairy, and beef. Chicken and fish are also great sources of protein.
In fact, if you just concentrate on getting 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight, using the food sources above, you'll be on the right track.
Supplement with high-quality protein powders, growth-hormone-inducing amino acids like arginine and ornithine, and dessicated liver tablets. Also ensure you're laying a sound nutritional foundation by ingesting a mega-pak or two per day of a vitamin/mineral supplement (you can buy them in 30-packs at GNC).
Eat frequently, up to eight times per day: Three "squares" with snacks in between. On workout days, take in 20-30 grams of protein before and after your weight training.
Rest and Relaxation Get 8-10 hours of sleep every night and use a set schedule for going to sleep and waking up. Nothing is more important than this for this prong of your training program.
If you can do it, take naps after your workouts. You grow when you sleep. A 30-minute nap is better than nothing. On your off-days, try to do something that's relaxing, like reading, surfing the internet, or fishing. Something that sets your mind at ease. Many hard gainers who have success have found that meditation is helpful. Yoga works, too. It's NOT easy, but in a very strange way, it's grueling and relaxing at the same time.
There you have it. Three equal but different prongs for building muscle and gaining weight. Best of luck to you!
Don't forget to check out Muscle-Build.com and Hard Gainer's Manifesto for more helpful tips and training techniques for building muscle, gaining weight, and packing on the mass.
Of all the myths that surface from time to time, the protein myth seems to be the most deep rooted and pervasive. It just won't go away. The problem is, exactly who, or which group, is perpetuating the "myth" cant be easily identified.
You see, the conservative nutritional/medical community thinks it is the bodybuilders who perpetuate the myth that athletes need more protein and we of the bodybuilding community think it is them (the mainstream nutritional community) that is perpetuating the myth that athletes don't need additional protein! Who is right?
If you tell the average nutritionist you are on a high protein diet because you are an athlete they will often reply, "oh you don't want to do that, you don't need it and it will lead to kidney disease" without a single decent study to back up their claim!
You see they too are susceptible to the skulking myth specter that spreads lies and confusion. In this article I want to address once and for all (hopefully) the protein myth as it applies to what the average person is told when they tell their doctor or some anemic "all you need are the RDAs" spouting nutritionist that he or she is following a high protein diet.
Myth #1 "High protein diets are bad for your kidneys”
For starters, the negative health claims of the high protein diet on kidney function is based on information gathered from people who have preexisting kidney problems, which has little to no relevance to healthy athletes. You see one of the jobs of the kidneys is the excretion of urea (generally a non toxic compound) that is formed from ammonia (a very toxic compound) which comes from the protein in our diets.
People with serious kidney problems have trouble excreting the urea placing more stress on the kidneys and so the logic goes that a high protein diet must be hard on the kidneys for healthy athletes also. Now for the medical and scientific facts.
There is not a single scientific study published in a reputable peer - reviewed journal using healthy adults with normal kidney function that has shown any kidney dysfunction what so ever from a high protein diet. Not one of the studies done with healthy athletes that examined this issue, or other research I have read, has shown any kidney abnormalities at all. For example, a recent study that examined the renal (kidney) function of athletes who follow a high protein diet–that is protein intake well above the US RDA– found no negative effects of a higher protein intake on the kidney function of these athletes.
The study called “Do Regular High Protein Diets Have Potential Health Risks on Kidney Function in Athletes? (International Journal of Sport Nutrition, 10 {1}) examined the kidney function of bodybuilders and other well-trained athletes following a high and medium protein diet.
The athletes underwent a 7-day nutrition record analysis as well as blood sample and urine collection to determine if their high-medium protein intakes affected their kidney function. The study found the athletes had renal clearances of creatinine, urea, albumin, and glomular filtration rates that were within the normal range.
The authors concluded “there were no correlations between protein intake and creatinine clearance, albumin excretion rate, and calcium excretion rate.” Furthermore, animals studies done using high protein diets also fail to show any kidney dysfunction in healthy animals.
One study that looked at the effects of a high protein diet on older dogs (“Effects of aging and dietary protein intake on uninephrectomized geriatric dogs.” Am J Vet Res 1994 Sep;55(9):1282-90) found not only did a high protein diet have no ill effects on the dogs kidneys, the dogs getting the higher protein intakes lived longer! Now don't forget, in the real world, where millions of athletes have been following high protein diets for decades, there has never been a case of kidney failure in a healthy athlete that was determined to have been caused solely by a high protein diet.
If the high protein diet was indeed putting undo stress on our kidneys, we would have seen many cases of kidney abnormalities, but we don't nor will we. From a personal perspective as a trainer for many top athletes from various sports, I have known bodybuilders eating considerably more than the RDA recommends (above 600 grams a day) who showed no kidney dysfunction or kidney problems and I personally read the blood tests! Bottom line? Higher than RDA intakes of protein will have absolutely no ill effects on the kidney function of a healthy athlete, period.
So far, the data continues to support what we in the sports nutrition/bodybuilding field have been saying for decades, higher than RDA intakes of protein are perfectly healthy for athletes and their kidneys. Now of course too much of anything can be harmful and I suppose it's possible a healthy person could eat enough protein over a long enough period of time to effect kidney function, but it is very unlikely and has yet to be shown in the scientific literature in healthy athletes or “regular” people for that matter.
Myth #2 “High protein diets cause Osteoporosis”
So what about the osteoporosis claim? That's a bit more complicated but the conclusion is the same. In fact, recent data not only totally debunks this myth, but shows it may be the other way around!
The pathology of osteoporosis involves a combination of many risk factors and physiological variables such as macro nutrient intakes (carbs, proteins, fats), micro nutrient intakes (vitamins, minerals, etc), hormonal profiles, lack of exercise, gender, family history, and a few others.
The theory is that high protein intakes raise the acidity of the blood and the body must use minerals from bone stores to "buffer" the blood and bring the blood acidity down, thus depleting one's bones of minerals. Though some early studies appeared to show higher protein intakes caused an excretion of calcium, which would ultimately lead to bone loss, recent studies have debunked that assertion and do not support the claim that higher than RDA intakes of protein will lead to bone loss (“Excess dietary protein may not adversely affect bone.” J Nutr 1998 Jun;128(6):1054-7).
Even if there was a clear link between a high protein diet and osteoporosis in all populations (and there is not) athletes have few of the above risk factors as they tend to get plenty of exercise, calories, minerals, vitamins, and have positive hormonal profiles.
Fact of the matter is, studies have shown athletes to have denser bones than sedentary people, there are millions of athletes who follow high protein diets without any signs of premature bone loss, and we don't have ex athletes who are now older with higher rates of osteoporosis. What about regular people? One prominent researcher did an exhaustive review of the literature called “Optimal Intakes of Protein in the Human Diet” (Millward DJ .Proc Nutr Soc 1999 May;58(2):403-13) and came to some interesting conclusions on the issue. The study outlined an extensive body of recent data showing that high protein diets may in fact be beneficial for reducing blood pressure and stroke mortality. On the matter of bone loss, the review paper concludes “For bone health the established views of risk of high protein intakes are not supported by newly-emerging data, with benefit indicated in the elderly.”
Interestingly, a large body of research is now showing that the elderly may in fact require higher intakes of protein that is currently being recommended (“Increased protein requirements in elderly people: new data and retrospective reassessments.Am J Clin Nutr 1994 Oct;60(4):501-9).
Of course some will tell you that eating meat will increase bone loss, but a recent study 572 women and 388 men between the ages of 55 and 92 years, actually found animal protein consumption was associated with an increase in bone density over vegetable proteins! (Am J Epidemiol 2002;155:636-644.). So how long will it take for the conservative medical/nutritional community to give up on this myth that higher than RDA intakes or protein will make your bones turn into saw dust? I have no idea but clearly it’s untrue.
Myth #3 "All proteins are created equal"
How many times have you heard or read this ridiculous statement? Here has been such a plethora of research over the years showing different proteins can have different biological effects, I think even the most conservative people are letting go of this myth.
For example, whey protein has been shown to improve immunity to a variety of challenges and intense exercise has been shown to compromise certain parts of the immune response that whey may combat, and we know proteins such as soy, casein, etc. have many of their own unique effects.
So, this may be one myth that is finally put to rest with 99.9% of the myth perpetrators, but I am sure there is one die hard out there some place.
Myth #4 "Athletes don't need extra protein"
Interestingly, there has not been much new research of note on this topic since I wrote the first version of this article in 1995. Now the average reader person is probably thinking "who in the world still believes that ridiculous statement?" The answer is a great deal of people, even well educated medical professionals and scientists who should know better, still believe this to be true.
Don't forget, the high carb, low fat, low protein diet recommendations are alive and well with the average nutritionist, doctor, and of course the "don't confuse us with the facts" media following close behind.
For the past half century or so scientists using crude methods and poor study design with sedentary people have held firm to the belief that bodybuilders, strength athletes of various types, runners, and other highly active people did not require any more protein than Mr. Potato Head.....err, I mean the average couch potato.
For those of you who may need a brush up, one review paper on the subject by one of the top researchers in the field (Dr. Peter Lemon) states "...These data suggest that the RDA for those engaged in regular endurance exercise should be about 1.2-1.4 grams of protein/kilogram of body mass (150%-175% of the current RDA) and 1.7 - 1.8 grams of protein/kilogram of body mass per day (212%-225% of the current RDA) for strength exercisers” (“Is increased dietary protein necessary or beneficial for individuals with a physically active life style?” Nutr. Rev. 54:S169-175, 1996).
Another group of researchers in the field of protein metabolism have came to similar conclusions repeatedly (“Evaluation of protein requirements for trained strength athletes.” J. Applied. Phys. 73(5): 1986-1995, 1992.) They found that strength training athletes eating approximately the RDA/RNI for protein showed a decreased whole body protein synthesis (losing muscle jack!) on a protein intake of 0.86 grams per kilogram of bodyweight.
They came to an almost identical conclusion as that of Dr. Lemon in recommending at least 1.76g per kilogram of bodyweight per day for strength training athletes for staying in positive nitrogen balance/increases in whole body protein synthesis.
They concluded "In summary, protein requirements for athletes performing strength training are greater than sedentary individuals and are above the current Canadian and US recommended daily protein intake requirements for young healthy males."
This same group found in later research that endurance athletes also need far more protein than the RDA/RNI and that men catabolize (break down) more protein than women during endurance exercise. Although there has been some well thought out criticisms of the above conclusions for a variety of reasons, and the exact amount of protein each person needs depends on many factors (i.e. intensity and duration of exercise, age, whether the person is a beginner or experienced athlete, etc.), that people engaged in regular exercise require greater than the RDA in protein to get optimal effects, is without question in my view.
Conclusion
Now my intention of presenting the above quotes from the current research is not necessarily to convince the average athlete that they need more protein than Joe shmoe couch potato, because they already know they do, but rather to bring to the readers attention some of the figures presented by the current research since I wrote the first version of this article.
How does this information relate to the eating habits of the average athlete and the advice that has been found in the lay bodybuilding literature years before this research ever existed?
With some variation, the most common advice on protein intakes that could be-and can be- found in the bodybuilding magazines by the various writers, coaches, bodybuilders, etc., is one gram of protein per pound of body weight per day.
So for a 200 pound guy that would be 200 grams of protein per day. Although a tad higher than the research we have to go on at this time, it’s still an easy to follow time tested formula that clearly has no negative heath ramifications. Over the years the above myths have been floating around for so long they have just been accepted as true, even though there is little to no research to prove it and a whole bunch of research that disproves it!
I hope this article has been helpful in clearing up some of the confusion for people over the myths surrounding protein and athletes.
If protein supplements are number one, creatine is an extremely close second when it comes to supplements for bodybuilders. Proven safe and effective, creatine is a derivative of amino acids and is hands down the most effective supplement used by strength athletes and bodybuilders to boost gains in strength and muscle mass. Creatine citrate, creatine phosphate and creatine malate are just some of the formulations available today.
The proper use of creatine supplements may help a bodybuilder to add five or ten pounds of pure muscle in no time. Hundreds of studies have been published on the safety and effectiveness of creatine. Most of these studies were done on creatine monohydrate, which was the first and most basic formulation of creatine to hit the market. Creatine monohydrate was found to be safe and effective in most of these studies.
How does creatine work?
Creatine has two important functions for bodybuilders. First,creatine increases the size, or volume of muscle cells, which is the amount of water each cell can hold. This slight expansion of each cell causes the entire muscle to expand which triggers even further muscle growth. The second important function of creatine is that it provides muscle cells with immediate energy in the form of ATP (Adenosine triphosphate), which is absolutely essential to perform bodybuilding exercises. Having extra ATP within the muscle cells will allow you to perform more repetitions than you normally could, which translates into greater muscle growth.
Unfortunately, creatine is only effective for about 70% of athletes and bodybuilders. Those who do not respond to creatine may already produce enough creatine phosphate in their muscles that supplementing with creatine does not make much difference.
Different types of Creatine Formulations.
Creatine Monohydrate.
Creatine monohydrate was the first creatine supplement available and is still the least expensive form of creatine. Most people respond well to this basic creatine powder, although some people experience bloating, diarrhea or cramps. This is usually caused by forms of creatine that have not been ground into a fine enough powder. Almost all brands of creatine monohydrate on the shelves today is micronized creatine, which is an easily mixed fine powder. If you decide to stick with creatine monohydrate, be sure that it is the micronized version. This is the type of creatine that I use and it works great for me, and it is cheap!
Creatine Anhydrous.
Creatine anhydrous is simply creatine with the water molecule removed. This makes the creatine powder slightly more pure, but this is a minor advantage. There is little difference between creatine anhydrous and creatine monohydrate.
Creatine Citrate.
Creatine citrate came out shortly after creatine monohydrate gained popularity. The creatine citrate product is created by binding creatine molecules and citric acid molecules. Citric acid is used for energy production, and the theory is that when taken with creatine, the combination would provide more muscle energy than creatine taken by itself. Although this sounds good, it has never been proven through research. Creatine citrate, when compared serving for serving, supplies, about 40% less creatine than the monohydrate form, but it may dissolve more easily in water.
Creatine Phosphate
Creatine phosphate also popped up soon after creatine monohydrate first hit the supplement market. The creatine phosphate version is made up of a phosphate molecule and a creatine molcule bound together. The bonding of these two molecules normally takes place inside the muscle cell and is something that must take place an order for creatine to be effective at all. Creatine phosphate was very popular when it first came out. However, most bodybuilders found out that it was somewhat less effective than creatine monohydrate.
Creatine Malate
Creatine malate is one of the newest forms of creatine. It is created by binding creatine and malic acid. Malic acid as well as citric acid, is an intermediate component of the Krebs cycle, which is the metabolic pathway that creates aerobic energy inside the muscle. This means that malic acid is important for energy creation which is believed to make creatine malate more potent than creatine monohydrate. Creatine malate also dissolves easily in water and creates less stomach discomfort. Unfortunately, research on creatine malate is rare at this time, so its benefits are still in question.
Creatine Ester.
Creatine Ester is one of the more recent formulations of creatine, and is technically known as creatine ester ethyl hydrochloride. Developed by scientists at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, this version of creatine is basically an alcohol mixed with acid. The theory behind this formulation is that it will allow the creatine to permeate cell membranes more easily in the intestines and muscle cells. This should allow the creatine to be absorbed and taken into muscle cells much more quickly than the other forms of creatine.
Effervescent Creatine.
This creatine formulation has been around almost as long as monohydrate and when mixed with water, creaqtes a fizz. The formulation is usually a creatine citrate or creatine monohydrate mix together with bicarbonate and citric acid, which causes the effervescent effect to separate the carrier from the creatine. The creatine left over can dissolve more easily in water, and is prevented from being destroyed by stomach acid and may be better absorbed in the intestinal tract. Some studies have confirmed that this type of creatine does indeed remain stable in water much longer than creatine monohydrate does. This would be a good formulation of creatine to use if you plan on mixing it several hours before you drink it.
Magnesium Creatine.
This is a form of creatine that is bound to a magnesium molecule. This protects the creatine from stomach acid and allows it to be absorbed more easily. Magnesium must be present in order for creatine phosphate to be converted into ATP, which is what creates energy in the muscle. At least one study has shown that this form of creatine causes the muscle to take in more fluid and creates greater strength than taking creatine and magnesium separately. If you're looking two use this type of creatine, you're better off buying the actual combination, rather than just adding magnesium as a separate supplement.
With all the different types of creatine available today, and with very little research showing one being better than another, I personally would recommend sticking with creatine monohydrate in the micronized form, unless you are experiencing some gastric distress. If this is the case, try some of the other versions to see if they work better for you.
The dosage we recommend is 3-5 grams before and immediately after your workout session, along with 40 or 50 grams whey protein and 60-100 grams simple carbohydrates.
