Will Creatine Really Help You Lose Weight?
Maybe you’ve heard about creatine and weight loss and wondered if it can really help you drop those extra pounds. You probably won’t find many articles addressing this, because the answer to this question is trickier than it first appears. I will explain how you can quickly lower your body fat percentage with creatine, but you won’t be losing weight. So if your goal is fat loss or lowering your body fat percentage you will like this article. This article is not going to be very helpful if you are just looking to lose weight.
How Creatine Works
I will explain how creatine works without getting too technical. Since I don’t want you to start tuning out, I’ll avoid using too many of those annoying scientific terms. So here it is in its most basic form. Creatine provides more fluid in each cell of the muscles, which, in turn makes the muscles larger. The scientific term for this is sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. Users of creatine can expect 5-10 pounds of muscle growth within 4-6 weeks of taking creatine on a daily basis.
So How Can You Lower Your Body Fat Percentage With Creatine?
Well your body fat percentage is a function of how much fat you have compared to your total body mass. So you can either lose body fat -OR- increase your lean body mass to lower your body fat percentage. So you can drop 1-2% body fat percentage right before a vacation or special event if done properly.
The Proper Way to Use Creatine to Improve Your Look on Vacation
I would recommend holding off on using creatine until 3-4 weeks before a vacation or special event. Many users take creatine in the colder months to build muscle; however this method does not work well. Instead, in the months leading up to your vacation, you should drop your weight with a diet, but still try to keep your same muscle mass. Get as lean as possible using nothing but a good diet and workout. Save creatine as your magic bullet, when you simply can’t get any leaner. When you’re 3 – 4 weeks away from the big affair, start taking 5 grams of creatine twice a day. Keep eating the right foods. You’ll be able to add about 5 – 15 pounds of muscle to your frame, so any remaining body fat will be nearly undetectable.
This Creatine Strategy Also Ensures “Shrink Wrapped” Skin
Creatine not only increases the muscle mass, but also keeps the skin around your abs nice and tight. You see, loose skin blurs muscle definition especially around your abs. If you use creatine just prior to your special occasion, you will see that skin tighten up and fill in any voids. Basically, what this means is that creatine does not actually cause weight loss, but it does make you look like you have.
