When weight training, it is important to have a strict diet. You may be slim and trying to gain weight and muscle, or you may be chubby and want to reduce fat and gain more muscle.

Although creatine is a great supplement to help you build your muscle, without a good diet it is simply not as effective. To maximise your muscle endurance and size while taking creatine a high protein diet is highly recommended.

Some high protein foods are;

• chicken
• turkey
• lean meats and beef
• fish
• egg whites

So how much much protein should there be in a high protein diet?

Experts say, anywhere from 0.5 grams to 2 grams per pound of bodyweight. So basically, if you are 160lbs, eat roughly 160 grams of protein each and every day, whether you have trained that day or not.

How am I supposed to each that much protein a day!?

You may eat high protein foods all day, but it is difficult to stick with it when your on the move and at work, but an easier way is to take protein supplements. They are mostly powder based just like creatine, and can be mixed with fruit juice. The average protein supplement provides over 20 grams in each serving, and even up to 30 grams.

My first impression of Creatine wasn’t very good, it tasted horrible, and didn’t see quick effects, but now i am starting to think it is a good supplement. Dispite it’s horrible taste, it has boosted my energy while working out, and my usual bike 40 minute bike ride every day or two, seems like it can be doubled quite easily which is amazing seeing as i have only taken it for less than one week!

I will be pushing myself physically to try and get the most out of the supplement so hope all goes well..

I’m back into the routine of taking creatine, i am still on the ‘loading phase’ due to missing three days out because of the family issues. At this time i am seeing no significant change in my workout routine, although i am feeling like i have loads more energy when i goto the gym, and bike rides. I’ll see how it goes as weeks pass by..

A common question asked when taking creatine is: What do I mix it with? Is it ok to mix creatine with other supplements? Should you take it with water, with food, or with juices? Can you take it with protein? Throughout the following article I will outline some of the common and productive ways to take creatine.

Water is the most abundant natural resource on the planet. Water is also tasteless. If you are taking creatine monohydrate, odds are it is tasteless as well. So wouldn’t it be logical to take creatine with a class of water this way you don’t have to deal with the awful taste in your mouth? Well, that is not necessarily the case.

Research has shown that grape juice contains simple sugars that cause insulin to be released into the body. Insulin production is necessary to help transport to creatine into the muscle fibers. Just because creatine works well with grape juice, do not assume it works with all juices. Creatine mixed with citrus juices, such as orange juice, can be rendered useless because it will be converted to createinine which the body can not use.

Another option is to take creatine with Gatorade or other sports drinks. Sports drinks are loaded with electrolytes and help replace everything the body loses during an intense workout. If you plan on mixing creatine with Gatorade, it is recommended that you do it in the Gatorade powder form, not the pre bottled stuff. Gatorade powder has dextrose in it which helps replenish electrolytes.

What you mix your creatine in also depends on the flavor you buy. Supplement drinks can taste awful depending on the flavors and liquids you mix. You do not want to mix chocolate flavored creatine with grape juice. And you do not want to mix citrus flavored creatine with Gatorade. If you buy flavored creatine it would be best to mix it with water to help retain the flavor.

As far as mixing creatine with protein, there seem to be some conflicting reports. Some experts encourage it, while others oppose. The experts who approve the mix say the protein helps with creatine absorption. The people who oppose say that creatine and protein use the same transport and that they will compete with each other once in the body. The best way to figure it out is to try it yourself to see what works best. Start off with taking creatine before your workout, and protein after your work out.

Ok, well unfortunatley i haven’t been able to take Creatine for the last three days, as i’ve been in hospital 24/7 with my family, but i will be getting back on it tomorrow morning. I’ve still been eating high protein food when possible, and nurishment drinks, but the hospital food/shop doesn’t get much better than that! So hopefully this doesn’t ruin the routine i had going, and i’ll be able to jump back on it.