Diet for power lifting...

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
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Link : This is my work out program (Modified in the way suggested by the people in the thread.

I just got ahead in most of my work for Engineering, RA, and Small Group Leader - so now seems like a good time for me to start my workout program.

I know, given that I am doing a power lifting program, I should be focusing on proteins - but given that I am on a college campus, my food choices are somewhat limited (Even with the #1 dining in the country).

Link : This is where all the nutrition facts for the various places I can eat are located. West End is the primary place I will be eating - unfortunately, as you can see, everything on there has about 10 million calories.

I am using FitDay to track my diet; however, I gotta get some ideas on what to eat on a college campus. I can't eat a Garden Salad with some chicken/tuna every meal.

Thanks Guys,
-Kevin
 

dealmaster00

Golden Member
Apr 16, 2007
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I am in a similar position as you - engineering student with the same AT avatar who recently started a powerlifting program. However my campus food sucks (probably top 10 worst in the country) so I have to find other sources to get food (these other sources tend to be less expensive too). I try to eat 5-6 times a day - complex carb, lean source of protein, a serving of fat (about 15-20g) and fruit or vegetable in every meal. I stay away from processed foods. For breakfast I usually have an apple, handful of peanuts, 12 oz milk, 1/2 cup oats and 1/2 to 1 scoop whey. There is a subway/quiznos that is a 7 minute walk from my dorm so every day I walk there and get a large chicken sub w/double meat, that will last me for 2 meals (including milk, peanuts, fruit/vegetable). Other two meals usually consist of tuna or chicken salad sandwich (and again milk/peanuts/fruit/vegetable as necessary) . I don't really like cooking that much since it's easier and takes less time to make sandwiches (and I don't really care about how good my food tastes, I care about getting enough food), but if you like to cook then you will have a whole lot more options on your plate. You can make a lot of good dishes with skinless chicken breast (my favorite bulk food).

I go to the grocery store every week and stock up on fruits/veggies/milk/lunchmeat/cheese. I got about 80 cans of canned chicken/tuna/salmon from Costco, that's lasted me half a semester. Peanuts are one of my main sources of fat, got a bunch of 2 lb jars from Costco (they are delicious too). For snacks I eat beef jerky, protein bars, and/or wheat bread with jam and peanut butter (get the all natural stuff). I think that covers just about everything I eat - hope it gives you some good ideas!

Other good foods that I didn't mention - pasta for carbs, steak/turkey for protein.
 

crt1530

Diamond Member
Apr 15, 2001
3,194
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That's not a powerlifting program. That is a shitty bodybuilding program.
 

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
11,679
0
81
Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
Originally posted by: crt1530
That's not a powerlifting program. That is a shitty bodybuilding program.

That's exactly what is it.

From my original post:

This is my work out program (Modified in the way suggested by the people in the thread.

Just because I didn't update the initial post, doesn't mean I didn't update my schedule. Instead of critiquing my power lifting program, could you focus on the question at hand?

-Kevin
 
Mar 22, 2002
10,483
32
81
Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
Originally posted by: crt1530
That's not a powerlifting program. That is a shitty bodybuilding program.

That's exactly what is it.

From my original post:

This is my work out program (Modified in the way suggested by the people in the thread.

Just because I didn't update the initial post, doesn't mean I didn't update my schedule. Instead of critiquing my power lifting program, could you focus on the question at hand?

-Kevin

Well, that's what we're saying. It's not a powerlifting program, so we're saying that you should stop calling it that unless you wanna get made fun of :p

And haven't you read some of the threads. Here is a comprehensive list of things that are good for you and that you can eat:

Protein

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
Tuna (water packed)
Fish (salmon, seabass, halibut, sushi, mahi mahi, Orange roughi, tilapia, Sardines)
Shrimp
Extra Lean Ground Beef or Ground Round (92-96%)
Venison
Buffalo
Ostrich
Protein Powder (Whey, Casein, Soy, Egg)
Eggs
Low or Non-Fat Cottage cheese, Ricotta
Low fat or Non fat Yogurt
Ribeye Steaks or Roast
Top Round Steaks or Roast (stew meat, London broil, Stir fry)
Top Sirloin (Sirloin Top Butt)
Beef Tenderloin (filet mignon)
Top Loin (NY Strip Steak)
Flank Steak (Stir Fry, Fajitas)
Eye of Round (Cube meat, Stew meat, Bottom Round)
Ground Turkey, Turkey Breast slices or cutlets (*no deli or sandwich meats)

Complex Carbs (nothing enriched, bleached or processed if possible)

Oatmeal (Old fashioned, Quick oats, Irish steal cut)
Sweet Potatoes, Yams
Beans (Black eyed, Pinto, Red, Kidney, Black)
Oat Bran Cereal, Grape nuts, Rye cereal, Multi grain hot cereal
Farin (Cream of wheat)
Whole Wheat frozen Bagels, Pitas
Whole wheat or Spinach Pasta, Whey Pasta
Rice (Brown, white, jasmin, basmiti, arborio, wild)
Potatoes (red, white, baking)

Fibrous Carbs

Green Leafy lettuce (red, green, romaine)
Broccoli
Asparagus
String Beans
Spinach
Bell Pepers (Green or Red)
Brussels Sprouts
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Celery
Cucumber
Carrots
Eggplant
Onions
Pumpkin
Garlic
Tomatoes
Zucchini

Fruit (If acceptable on diet)
bananas, oranges, apples, grapefruit, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, lemons or limes

Healthy Fats

Natural Style Peanut Butter
Olive oil, Safflower oil
Flaxseed oil
Fish Oil
Nuts (peanuts, almonds, walnuts)

Dairy

Eggs
Low of Non-Fat cottage cheese, Ricotta
Low or non-fat milk
Low fat or non-fat yogurt

Condiments & Spices

Diet Soda
Crystal light
Fat free mayonaise
Reduced sodium Soy Sauce
Reduced sodium Teriyaki Sauce
balsamic Vinegar
Salsa, Jalepenos
Hot peppers and Hot sauce, Cayanne pepper
Chili powder and Chili paste
Mrs. Dash
Steak Sauce
Sugar free Maple Syrup
Mustard
Extracts (vanilla, almond, etc)
Low sodium beef or chicken Broth
Plain or reduced sodium tomatoe sauce or paste

Is that better? Using the search function usually helps out. I dunno if you tried, but I found this fairly easily.
 

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
11,679
0
81
Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
Originally posted by: crt1530
That's not a powerlifting program. That is a shitty bodybuilding program.

That's exactly what is it.

I know what to eat that is healthy or beneficial to muscle growth. I didn't need a list of foods that are high in protein and stuff.

I merely asked for an example of meal plan that one of you guys would eat for a day. Yes, I could plan something out for a day; however, given my limited amount of food available through the university, I was wondering if anyone had any meal selection suggestions - I'm not sure why you are coming in here and berating me over semantics.

-Kevin
 
Mar 22, 2002
10,483
32
81
Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
Originally posted by: crt1530
That's not a powerlifting program. That is a shitty bodybuilding program.

That's exactly what is it.

I know what to eat that is healthy or beneficial to muscle growth. I didn't need a list of foods that are high in protein and stuff.

I merely asked for an example of meal plan that one of you guys would eat for a day. Yes, I could plan something out for a day; however, given my limited amount of food available through the university, I was wondering if anyone had any meal selection suggestions - I'm not sure why you are coming in here and berating me over semantics.

-Kevin

Well, I'm saying that if I were a powerlifter and someone was speaking of a bodybuilding routine as a "powerlifter's routine," I wouldn't be very happy. It's just a correction.

Example for breakfast:

Sausage, 3 eggs, oatmeal, 2 cups of whole milk.

Example for lunch (and snacks in between):

Cheese stick, banana, 0.5 cup peanuts, apple, tuna sandwich, maybe a protein shake (1 scoop whey, 12 oz milk)

Ex for dinner:

0.5 pound ground turkey, tomato sauce, spaghetti (however much seems right for me), 2 cups whole milk.

Depending on your goals (cutting, bulking, maintaining), you can add or detract from that. Does that help at all?
 

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
11,679
0
81
Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
Originally posted by: crt1530
That's not a powerlifting program. That is a shitty bodybuilding program.

That's exactly what is it.

I know what to eat that is healthy or beneficial to muscle growth. I didn't need a list of foods that are high in protein and stuff.

I merely asked for an example of meal plan that one of you guys would eat for a day. Yes, I could plan something out for a day; however, given my limited amount of food available through the university, I was wondering if anyone had any meal selection suggestions - I'm not sure why you are coming in here and berating me over semantics.

-Kevin

Well, I'm saying that if I were a powerlifter and someone was speaking of a bodybuilding routine as a "powerlifter's routine," I wouldn't be very happy. It's just a correction.

Example for breakfast:

Sausage, 3 eggs, oatmeal, 2 cups of whole milk.

Example for lunch (and snacks in between):

Cheese stick, banana, 0.5 cup peanuts, apple, tuna sandwich, maybe a protein shake (1 scoop whey, 12 oz milk)

Ex for dinner:

0.5 pound ground turkey, tomato sauce, spaghetti (however much seems right for me), 2 cups whole milk.

Depending on your goals (cutting, bulking, maintaining), you can add or detract from that. Does that help at all?

That is excellent. If you think that is a body builder's routine - what should I change. I am already pretty experienced in lifting; however, before, my sports required lean muscle. Now I want to add more muscle mass.

I don't have much weight to lose (Wouldn't be a good idea to cut weight and try to gain muscle at the same time anyway) so it should be straight lifting, creatine, and protein for me.

-Kevin
 

Special K

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2000
7,098
0
76
Originally posted by: Gamingphreek


That is excellent. If you think that is a body builder's routine - what should I change. I am already pretty experienced in lifting; however, before, my sports required lean muscle. Now I want to add more muscle mass.



-Kevin

What is the difference between "lean muscle" and "muscle mass"? :confused:

Muscle is muscle, unless you mean you don't care as much about additional fat gain this time.

 

KoolDrew

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
10,226
7
81
That is excellent. If you think that is a body builder's routine - what should I change. I am already pretty experienced in lifting; however, before, my sports required lean muscle. Now I want to add more muscle mass.

I don't have much weight to lose (Wouldn't be a good idea to cut weight and try to gain muscle at the same time anyway) so it should be straight lifting, creatine, and protein for me.

-Kevin

How much do you squat, bench, and deadlift? What type of routines have you had success with in the past? What exactly are your goals?

As for diet, eat whatever you want just make sure to track calories and get enough protein for the day.
 

brikis98

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2005
7,253
8
0
Originally posted by: KoolDrew
As for diet, eat whatever you want just make sure to track calories and get enough protein for the day.

I think that's typically the best approach. It sounds like you're already using fitday.com to track your diet, so you're halfway there. As ballpark figures, if your goal is to add muscle mass, you'll want to eat a diet that with a 250-500 calorie surplus and ~1g of protein per pound of bodyweight each day. As long as you meet these two goals, the exact food you eat to get there doesn't matter too much. Of course, some foods are a better "bang for the buck" in terms of nutrition and how full they make you feel - here is a great illustration of that. If you feel that you're missing out on key vitamins or nutrients, taking a multi-vitamin and fish oil can fill in the gaps.

As for an example diet, here's is a typical day for me:

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean protein (with milk), a banana, 1 glass of milk, multi-vitamin, fish oil

Lunch
Catered at work, so it varies a lot, but usually some kind of veggies (e.g. a salad or veggie stir fry) and some kind of meat (chicken, beef, fish, etc). Since it's catered food, this is usually where I get most of my day's fat.

Snack (~2 hours before a workout)
Varies quite a bit, but often cottage cheese + honey + berries. Sometimes a little more of whatever I had for lunch, with more emphasis on carbs (such as some pasta). Sometimes a glass of milk + mixed nuts.

Snack (~30 minutes after a workout)
Some kind of fruit (orange, berries, apple, grapes, etc) and a portein shake (2 scoops of whey + 2 glasses of milk).

Dinner
Lots of lean meats (primarily chicken & turkey) or fish (salmon & tuna). Sometimes veggies on the side, sometimes pasta (tortellini or ravioli), sometimes starch (usually sweet potatoes). Occasionally, I'll have left-overs from work, so it'll be whatever I had for lunch again. If I'm out of meat or too lazy to cook, I'll have a lot of cottage cheese with preserves and berries, as well as apple slices with peanut butter.
 

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
11,679
0
81
Originally posted by: Special K
Originally posted by: Gamingphreek


That is excellent. If you think that is a body builder's routine - what should I change. I am already pretty experienced in lifting; however, before, my sports required lean muscle. Now I want to add more muscle mass.



-Kevin

What is the difference between "lean muscle" and "muscle mass"? :confused:

Muscle is muscle, unless you mean you don't care as much about additional fat gain this time.

For instance, when I was pitching in Baseball, I didn't want a lot of bulk - so I did low weight high rep sets. Now that I am not pitching competitively anymore, I want to go for more bulk.

How much do you squat, bench, and deadlift? What type of routines have you had success with in the past? What exactly are your goals?

As for diet, eat whatever you want just make sure to track calories and get enough protein for the day.

I honestly don't remember my squat (Lots of useless Discrete Math has recently taken its place in my memory). I never was a fan of deadlift. When I lifted on a schedule last, I was maxing out ~210 (1 rep). I could probably rep 170 with good success/gains right now.

As for success in the past, I really liked, and had success with, Curls, Squats, Dips, and Rows. I don't know how much it actually helped within the whole scheme of ab exercises, but I, for some reason, really liked working Obliques.

Outside of that, sure, I benched, but I saw that as the exercise that people go into a gym and do to merely show off or compare with. I felt that I could achieve that in other ways (With dumb bells or something).

As for exercises that I didn't feel like the did as much in particular, Seated(/Elevated) leg press, Lat Pull-Downs, etc.. I generally try to stay away from the machines as much as possible and do compound lifts on my own.

-Kevin
 

Special K

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2000
7,098
0
76
Originally posted by: Gamingphreek

For instance, when I was pitching in Baseball, I didn't want a lot of bulk - so I did low weight high rep sets. Now that I am not pitching competitively anymore, I want to go for more bulk.
-Kevin


High reps do not build a different type of muscle than low reps, and they certainly don't get you "ripped" or god forbid, "toned".
 

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
11,679
0
81
Originally posted by: Special K
Originally posted by: Gamingphreek

For instance, when I was pitching in Baseball, I didn't want a lot of bulk - so I did low weight high rep sets. Now that I am not pitching competitively anymore, I want to go for more bulk.
-Kevin


High reps do not build a different type of muscle than low reps, and they certainly don't get you "ripped" or god forbid, "toned".

No I knew they didn't build a different type of muscle.

The higher reps focus on muscle tone rather than bulking.

-Kevin
 

KoolDrew

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
10,226
7
81
I honestly don't remember my squat (Lots of useless Discrete Math has recently taken its place in my memory). I never was a fan of deadlift. When I lifted on a schedule last, I was maxing out ~210 (1 rep). I could probably rep 170 with good success/gains right now.

The point of a powerlifting routine is to get your 1rm higher in the squat, bench, and deadlift. From the sounds of it, that's not your goal and you're looking for muscle mass. Often times muscle mass is a side effect of strength and vice versa, however, a true powerlifting routine would limit max effort movements to a 1rm or perhaps up to a 3rm.

From the sounds of it, you'd benefit most from a simple 5x5 routine, similar to StrongLifts 5x5. Concentrate on getting stronger every workout and eat a calorie surplus and you should see some decent gains.
 

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
11,679
0
81
Originally posted by: KoolDrew
I honestly don't remember my squat (Lots of useless Discrete Math has recently taken its place in my memory). I never was a fan of deadlift. When I lifted on a schedule last, I was maxing out ~210 (1 rep). I could probably rep 170 with good success/gains right now.

The point of a powerlifting routine is to get your 1rm higher in the squat, bench, and deadlift. From the sounds of it, that's not your goal and you're looking for muscle mass. Often times muscle mass is a side effect of strength and vice versa, however, a true powerlifting routine would limit max effort movements to a 1rm or perhaps up to a 3rm.

From the sounds of it, you'd benefit most from a simple 5x5 routine, similar to StrongLifts 5x5. Concentrate on getting stronger every workout and eat a calorie surplus and you should see some decent gains.

I'll have to look up that 5x5 - though I feel like you might have mentioned it in the thread I linked to previously. At any rate, I am sure that is what I am looking for. I have done so many different sports that my different work sets have really, obviously, become horribly convoluted.

During that diet, I wont be taking extra protein; however, I am taking a Multi-Vitamin in the morning, and creatine after the workout (This week im going to take around 10-12 grams for the loading period and then the following weeks go down to the recommended 5g). Everything there sound good?

-Kevin
 

Special K

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2000
7,098
0
76
Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Originally posted by: Special K
Originally posted by: Gamingphreek

For instance, when I was pitching in Baseball, I didn't want a lot of bulk - so I did low weight high rep sets. Now that I am not pitching competitively anymore, I want to go for more bulk.
-Kevin


High reps do not build a different type of muscle than low reps, and they certainly don't get you "ripped" or god forbid, "toned".

No I knew they didn't build a different type of muscle.

The higher reps focus on muscle tone rather than bulking.

-Kevin

Did you read my post? I bolded the relevant point. High reps do not increase muscle definition. That is accomplished through diet.

Some of these fitness myths just won't die.
 

KoolDrew

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
10,226
7
81
During that diet, I wont be taking extra protein; however, I am taking a Multi-Vitamin in the morning, and creatine after the workout (This week im going to take around 10-12 grams for the loading period and then the following weeks go down to the recommended 5g). Everything there sound good?

What do you mean by not taking in "extra protein?" By means of supplementation? If so, it's definitely not required to use supplements; however, it is highly recommended to get at LEAST 1g per pound of lean body mass a day, at a mininum. Usually I recommend people getting even more, around 1g per pound of actual bodyweight (including fat mass), but for really lean individuals the difference between the two won't be huge and for fat individuals, the difference may be so large that protein will need to be scaled back a bit. It doesn't really matter much how you get your protein, just make sure to get it. Supplementation just makes it easier and is usually cheaper than most other protein sources.

As for the creatine - doing it that way is fine. Loading will simply mean your creatine stores will be filled faster. The end result is still going to be the same. I usually just stick to 5g every day without any loading, unless for some reason I needed or wanted my creatine stores filled quickly.
 

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
11,679
0
81
Originally posted by: KoolDrew
During that diet, I wont be taking extra protein; however, I am taking a Multi-Vitamin in the morning, and creatine after the workout (This week im going to take around 10-12 grams for the loading period and then the following weeks go down to the recommended 5g). Everything there sound good?

What do you mean by not taking in "extra protein?" By means of supplementation? If so, it's definitely not required to use supplements; however, it is highly recommended to get at LEAST 1g per pound of lean body mass a day, at a mininum. Usually I recommend people getting even more, around 1g per pound of actual bodyweight (including fat mass), but for really lean individuals the difference between the two won't be huge and for fat individuals, the difference may be so large that protein will need to be scaled back a bit. It doesn't really matter much how you get your protein, just make sure to get it. Supplementation just makes it easier and is usually cheaper than most other protein sources.

As for the creatine - doing it that way is fine. Loading will simply mean your creatine stores will be filled faster. The end result is still going to be the same. I usually just stick to 5g every day without any loading, unless for some reason I needed or wanted my creatine stores filled quickly.

So in your mind there is no need for me to load my creatine stores in the first week? I've heard arguments both for and against loading but if you think 5g a day is best I'll stick with that.

Special K - By tone I mean higher reps generally exert more energy and burn more fat than high resistance low reps. Therefore, in the sense that tone is low body fat per a given amount of muscle - Higher reps burn fat faster than lower reps.

-Kevin
 

Special K

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2000
7,098
0
76
Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Originally posted by: KoolDrew
During that diet, I wont be taking extra protein; however, I am taking a Multi-Vitamin in the morning, and creatine after the workout (This week im going to take around 10-12 grams for the loading period and then the following weeks go down to the recommended 5g). Everything there sound good?

What do you mean by not taking in "extra protein?" By means of supplementation? If so, it's definitely not required to use supplements; however, it is highly recommended to get at LEAST 1g per pound of lean body mass a day, at a mininum. Usually I recommend people getting even more, around 1g per pound of actual bodyweight (including fat mass), but for really lean individuals the difference between the two won't be huge and for fat individuals, the difference may be so large that protein will need to be scaled back a bit. It doesn't really matter much how you get your protein, just make sure to get it. Supplementation just makes it easier and is usually cheaper than most other protein sources.

As for the creatine - doing it that way is fine. Loading will simply mean your creatine stores will be filled faster. The end result is still going to be the same. I usually just stick to 5g every day without any loading, unless for some reason I needed or wanted my creatine stores filled quickly.

So in your mind there is no need for me to load my creatine stores in the first week? I've heard arguments both for and against loading but if you think 5g a day is best I'll stick with that.

Special K - By tone I mean higher reps generally exert more energy and burn more fat than high resistance low reps. Therefore, in the sense that tone is low body fat per a given amount of muscle - Higher reps burn fat faster than lower reps.

-Kevin

Yes I agree that lighter weight with higher reps will probably elevate your heart rate more than heavier weights with lower reps. If I were trying to lose fat, I would focus more on diet and cardio rather than weights. Most people advocate lifting heavy while trying to lose fat. This helps persuade your body to use fat for fuel rather than muscle.

Regarding creatine and loading - I agree with KoolDrew that a loading phase is not necessary. If you take creatine indefinitely, then your body will eventually reach steady-state concentrations even if you just take the standard 5g per day. It will obviously take longer, but that extra time will be negligible compared to the entire time you are taking the creatine.

Also, I should add that I did follow the loading phase when I started taking creatine, and it gave me terrible stomach aches. As soon as I dropped down to the standard 5g/day, the stomach aches disappeared.
 

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
11,679
0
81
Originally posted by: Special K
Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Originally posted by: KoolDrew
During that diet, I wont be taking extra protein; however, I am taking a Multi-Vitamin in the morning, and creatine after the workout (This week im going to take around 10-12 grams for the loading period and then the following weeks go down to the recommended 5g). Everything there sound good?

What do you mean by not taking in "extra protein?" By means of supplementation? If so, it's definitely not required to use supplements; however, it is highly recommended to get at LEAST 1g per pound of lean body mass a day, at a mininum. Usually I recommend people getting even more, around 1g per pound of actual bodyweight (including fat mass), but for really lean individuals the difference between the two won't be huge and for fat individuals, the difference may be so large that protein will need to be scaled back a bit. It doesn't really matter much how you get your protein, just make sure to get it. Supplementation just makes it easier and is usually cheaper than most other protein sources.

As for the creatine - doing it that way is fine. Loading will simply mean your creatine stores will be filled faster. The end result is still going to be the same. I usually just stick to 5g every day without any loading, unless for some reason I needed or wanted my creatine stores filled quickly.

So in your mind there is no need for me to load my creatine stores in the first week? I've heard arguments both for and against loading but if you think 5g a day is best I'll stick with that.

Special K - By tone I mean higher reps generally exert more energy and burn more fat than high resistance low reps. Therefore, in the sense that tone is low body fat per a given amount of muscle - Higher reps burn fat faster than lower reps.

-Kevin

Yes I agree that lighter weight with higher reps will probably elevate your heart rate more than heavier weights with lower reps. If I were trying to lose fat, I would focus more on diet and cardio rather than weights. Most people advocate lifting heavy while trying to lose fat. This helps persuade your body to use fat for fuel rather than muscle.

Regarding creatine and loading - I agree with KoolDrew that a loading phase is not necessary. If you take creatine indefinitely, then your body will eventually reach steady-state concentrations even if you just take the standard 5g per day. It will obviously take longer, but that extra time will be negligible compared to the entire time you are taking the creatine.

Also, I should add that I did follow the loading phase when I started taking creatine, and it gave me terrible stomach aches. As soon as I dropped down to the standard 5g/day, the stomach aches disappeared.

Hmm that is interesting about the creatine - I'll definitely opt out of the loading stage. ;)

That being said, I know creatine necessitates a much larger water intake. I know water intake is somewhat different for each person - but is there a rule of thumb for how much water I should be drinking a day when I use creatine? I was thinking 100oz a day, but I honestly do not know.

Thanks,
-Kevin
 

Special K

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2000
7,098
0
76
Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Originally posted by: Special K
Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Originally posted by: KoolDrew
During that diet, I wont be taking extra protein; however, I am taking a Multi-Vitamin in the morning, and creatine after the workout (This week im going to take around 10-12 grams for the loading period and then the following weeks go down to the recommended 5g). Everything there sound good?

What do you mean by not taking in "extra protein?" By means of supplementation? If so, it's definitely not required to use supplements; however, it is highly recommended to get at LEAST 1g per pound of lean body mass a day, at a mininum. Usually I recommend people getting even more, around 1g per pound of actual bodyweight (including fat mass), but for really lean individuals the difference between the two won't be huge and for fat individuals, the difference may be so large that protein will need to be scaled back a bit. It doesn't really matter much how you get your protein, just make sure to get it. Supplementation just makes it easier and is usually cheaper than most other protein sources.

As for the creatine - doing it that way is fine. Loading will simply mean your creatine stores will be filled faster. The end result is still going to be the same. I usually just stick to 5g every day without any loading, unless for some reason I needed or wanted my creatine stores filled quickly.

So in your mind there is no need for me to load my creatine stores in the first week? I've heard arguments both for and against loading but if you think 5g a day is best I'll stick with that.

Special K - By tone I mean higher reps generally exert more energy and burn more fat than high resistance low reps. Therefore, in the sense that tone is low body fat per a given amount of muscle - Higher reps burn fat faster than lower reps.

-Kevin

Yes I agree that lighter weight with higher reps will probably elevate your heart rate more than heavier weights with lower reps. If I were trying to lose fat, I would focus more on diet and cardio rather than weights. Most people advocate lifting heavy while trying to lose fat. This helps persuade your body to use fat for fuel rather than muscle.

Regarding creatine and loading - I agree with KoolDrew that a loading phase is not necessary. If you take creatine indefinitely, then your body will eventually reach steady-state concentrations even if you just take the standard 5g per day. It will obviously take longer, but that extra time will be negligible compared to the entire time you are taking the creatine.

Also, I should add that I did follow the loading phase when I started taking creatine, and it gave me terrible stomach aches. As soon as I dropped down to the standard 5g/day, the stomach aches disappeared.

Hmm that is interesting about the creatine - I'll definitely opt out of the loading stage. ;)

That being said, I know creatine necessitates a much larger water intake. I know water intake is somewhat different for each person - but is there a rule of thumb for how much water I should be drinking a day when I use creatine? I was thinking 100oz a day, but I honestly do not know.

Thanks,
-Kevin

Here is the creatine I use:

link

It says to drink 8 to 10 8-oz glasses of water daily for best results. All of the creatine monohydrate products are pretty much the same, so that advice probably applies no matter which brand you buy.

Really though, you should aim for at least a gallon of water per day even if you aren't taking creatine.