Creatine Monohydrate: What It Is and Why You Should Consider Taking It
When it comes to supplements that deliver real results in performance, strength, and overall fitness, creatine monohydrate stands at the top of the list. Whether you're new to the gym or a seasoned athlete, you've likely heard of creatine. But what exactly is it, and should you be considering it as part of your routine?
Let’s dive into why this supplement is highly recommended and how it could be the missing piece in your training.
What is Creatine Monohydrate?
Creatine is a natural substance found in muscle cells, playing a key role in producing energy during high-intensity exercise. Creatine monohydrate is the most researched and widely used form of creatine supplementation. It's naturally occurring in foods like meat and fish, but the amount you'd need to consume to match the benefits of a supplement would be quite high.
By supplementing with creatine monohydrate, you're ensuring that your body has an optimal supply of this energy-boosting compound to enhance your workouts and recovery.
The Benefits of Creatine Monohydrate
- Increased Strength and Power. If you're looking to lift heavier, run faster, or just improve overall athletic performance, creatine can help. By increasing the availability of ATP (your body’s energy currency), creatine provides that extra push during intense exercise, leading to strength gains and better performance in both anaerobic and aerobic activities.
- Improved Muscle Mass. Creatine helps with muscle volumization—meaning your muscles retain water, making them appear fuller and more defined. But beyond the aesthetics, it also supports muscle growth by increasing workload capacity, helping you push through those extra reps that lead to gains.
- Better Recovery. One of the underrated benefits of creatine is its role in muscle recovery. Creatine helps reduce muscle cell damage and inflammation following intense exercise, allowing you to bounce back quicker from hard training sessions.
- Enhanced Brain Function. Creatine isn’t just for the body; it can also benefit the brain. Studies have shown it can improve cognitive function, particularly in tasks requiring short-term memory and quick thinking. This can be a great bonus, especially if you're a busy professional trying to juggle work, family, and fitness.
- Convenient and Safe. Unlike some supplements that come with long lists of side effects, creatine monohydrate is one of the safest and most studied supplements available. It's easy to use—just mix it into water or your favorite drink—and you’re good to go. It’s also very affordable, making it a great value for what it delivers.
How to Take Creatine Monohydrate
Unlike some supplements that require complex dosing strategies, there’s no need to “load” creatine by taking a high amount at first.
You can start with the recommended daily dose of 3-5 grams per day from the beginning. Taking this amount consistently will raise your creatine stores in your muscles over time, and you’ll start seeing the benefits without the need for a loading phase.
You can take creatine at any time of the day, although many people find it easiest to take post-workout or mixed into a shake.
Who Should Consider Taking Creatine?
- Strength and power athletes: If you're into weightlifting, sprinting, or any high-intensity activity, creatine can help you improve performance and get stronger.
- Endurance athletes: Creatine isn't just for power; it can also enhance recovery, helping endurance athletes push harder in training and recover faster between sessions.
- Busy professionals or parents: Creatine supports both mental and physical energy, helping you stay sharp and focused through your workouts—and your hectic day-to-day life.
- Anyone looking to improve body composition: If you're aiming to lose fat while building muscle, creatine helps preserve muscle mass during periods of caloric deficit.
Final Thoughts
Creatine monohydrate is a solid addition to your supplement routine, especially if your goals include building strength, improving recovery, or boosting overall performance. It’s backed by science, affordable, and safe for long-term use.
In the accompanying video, I’ll walk you through my personal recommendation on when and how to take creatine, and how it’s worked for both myself and my clients. As always, it’s important to listen to your body and consider consulting with a healthcare provider before adding any supplement to your routine.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or want help dialing in your nutrition and supplement strategy!
Fitter, Faster, Stronger.
1% Better.
Luke
Your Coach for Health & Performance
Why January diets work. Just not for you.
It’s a busy time of the year for companies who have a diet to sell, something new and shiny promising you the body of your dreams, that if you follow their diet and plan you are guaranteed to shed that weight.
It’s a competitive market and they are out there right now appearing all over your web browsers, sponsored links on popular websites vying for your attention, money and insecurities with click bait headlines.
And it’s a lengthy list of diets, plans, and clubs ranging from juicing, still popular, to Keto and intermittent fasting which seems in vogue right now to the classic pyramid schemes like Herbalife.
And let’s be real intermittent fasting is a fancy word for skipping breakfast, not to say it doesn’t have its benefits but let’s just call it what it is.
It’s an industry worth billions of pounds and these companies are all out for a share of that pie.
And they know you have probably gained some weight after Christmas due to the abundance of food and guilt you are probably feeling and are at your most vulnerable.
January diets work, no doubt about it, they are all really effective at creating a calorie deficit. You go from eating food, to drinking juices, cutting out all the carbs or salads only you will lose weight.
The question, can you maintain it long-term?
If you can’t, you will unequivocally regain the weight you lose.
So before you part with your money and jump on the band wagon of another January diet it’s important to know that the single most effective diet for weight loss across the board.
Doesn’t exist.
None of them are more superior to the other and there’s tonnes of research now to support this.
What matters is sticking to it long-term, which means the most effective diet is in those who are most adherent.
So, if you are someone who has struggled losing weight, bounced from diet to diet or keep regaining any weight you lose where should you start.
You already have a diet of food and drink you regularly consume, these are your nutritional habits and behaviours, start here.
Rather than succumbing to another January diet, spend less money and more time understanding the diet you have and what you can do to improve that.
Rarely is anything drastic required to create a negative calorie deficit, its often-implementing small lifestyle changes over time that you can sustain.
It means you can still live your best life and lose weight.
For more hints and tips follow @lukegouldencoach.
Motivation is complete BS.
Motivation is complete BS.
Think about it for a second, when you need it the most.
Where is it?
It’s nowhere to be found.
Its something we all struggle with, me included 🖐
How often does this happen?
It’s the night before and with good intention.
You set your alarm for first thing.
It goes off.
You hesitate and consider your options.
It’s cold and dark outside.
Warm and comfortable in your bed.
You hit snooze. There is always after work right?
Fast forward 10 hours, you’ve had a long day at work and your boss has pissed you off
It’s not happening. You put it off.
These cycles are hard to break.
It’s exactly why motivation is BS.
It can’t be relied upon when you need it the most.
So, what’s the hack?
You probably already know.
It’s taking action.
It’s doing the thing you keep putting off.
So set the alarm.
Or put something in your diary for tomorrow.
Don’t even give yourself a chance to consider your options.
And go do it.
You are more than capable.
In fact, you have no idea what you are capable of.
One decision could completely change your trajectory.
And then guess what will show up when you start taking action?
Im not even going to say it.
So please stop waiting around for motivation to start because it’s not coming for you.
Instead, get after it and instead embrace the idea that it’s complete BS.
And see what happens 💪
‘I feel younger, so much more energy and generally happier all round’.
Could not be prouder of the results Mike achieved in just 8 weeks.
A coach’s dream and showed nothing but total commitment to the process.
How you felt before and why you wanted to make a change?
Before staring I felt stiff, old, sluggish and fat. I wanted to revert back to being healthy and not feel so tired all the time.
What you were struggling with before?
I was stuck in a cycle of eating relatively healthy through the week but then binging on everything at the weekend…Thursday- Sunday!I was a too comfy and really lacking in motivation to make a change.
What has worked well since? Or contributed to your success?
A big part of my life is going for dinner and drinks.
Luke taught me to prepare for this by putting work in prior which has been a big help, it allows me to enjoy going out and not having to deal with it afterwards by doing additional exercise. Game changer for sure.
Simply walking and getting my steps in has massively changed the way I feel.
To be honest I used to laugh at people counting steps and I resisted Luke’s request at the start. I believed the calories burned were trivial but it’s not only burning additional calories, it’s getting moving and getting fresh air. I feel less stiff and old because of this and again has been a massive game changer.
Understanding how much calories are in everything allows me now to make more realistic choices, I don’t just say yes to everything put in front of me now!
And how do you feel now / main difference?
I feel younger, so much more energy and generally happier all round.
The Aftermath Of An Unsustainable Diet. My Experience With Restrictive Dieting & Rebound.
This is my totally honest and open account of my experience with restrictive dieting, and not just the diet itself but the rebound from weeks and weeks of restriction.
Why am I sharing my experience?
The diet industry is a multibillion-pound industry with notably a very low success rate, and it’s not just because of weight-loss, because so many of us can actually lose weight, but because those who do manage to achieve weight loss gain it all back.
Weight regain or diet rebound statistics don’t leave for good reading, and not only do 60-70% people regain the weight back many people go on to gain more weight than when they started.
With obesity on the rise who helping these people who are actively trying to make a positive change to their health?
Why are these statistics not changing? Why is the diet industry failing people?
According to the British Nutrition Foundation 25% of men and 20% of women in the UK are considered obese, and a further 42% and 32% respectively were overweight according to BMI measurements.
The diet industry is a money-making monster, and it’s seems common knowledge that diets in general have a very low success rate.
Which means the big winners here are the companies taking a slice of the billions spent by unsuspecting people simply trying to change their body because they aren’t happy with it.
Toxic companies selling quick fix fad diets endorsed by B list Love Island celebrities that do nothing other than harm to both our wallets and our mental and physical health.
I massively underestimated the fall out from a restrictive diet and what I thought would turn in to one day of eating what I wanted soon turned into an entire week and then rolled into two weeks before I managed to curb what felt like uncontrollable binging.
It was a few days after I had finished my transformation, I had a lightbulb moment and realised what was happening.
So this is why the diet industry is worth absolutely billions?
I’m getting a small taste of it and if I’m not careful il be another person contributing to the statistics.
Being a personal trainer and coach, I take pride in supporting people, there is nothing that fulfils me more than supporting people to a healthier more confident place.
And this experience albeit leaving me in tatters mentally, has completely opened my eyes to the struggles millions of us have each year.
It has been an invaluable learning experience for me and has done nothing other than reinforce my belief that food restriction of any form simply doesn’t work and can have a hugely detrimental impact on your mental health, how you feel about yourself and your confidence.
Restrictive dieting is damaging on so many levels, there is not long term
What is the solution?
Well, it’s not in the quick fix section in Holland & Barratt or last year’s Love Island Instagram page.
It requires a degree of knowledge, education, self-love, self-belief, discipline, and dedication to change.
Long term sustainability is key which means if you can’t wait for your diet to be over you are in trouble?
First, we must recognise that losing weight is really difficult, your body will aggressively defend its energy reserves at the first sign of weight loss.
This doesn’t mean it’s impossible just a little harder, especially since you can get a McDonalds delivered to your door without moving nothing other than a finger.
My Journey Of Overcoming Limiting Beliefs & Confidence
It’s been almost 6 months since I scribbled down my vision for 2021.
Committing to changing my body was right at the top!
Being totally honest, and putting myself out there, I needed to make a change.
With the opening and closing of gyms, in and out of lockdown, I found bad habits easy to come by.
Excuses easy to find, training at home sucked, the old midweek glass or two of wine had crept in, and although I felt motivated with my business, I didn’t feel empowered with my body.
Life was too comfortable.
Something needed to change.
How can I lead my clients from the front if I can’t even take my own advice?
So off the back of a lazy, chocolate-filled Christmas, I was ready to make a change and a drastic one.
The time was right to set this challenge.
What wasn’t supporting me?
Alcohol 🍻
That was the first thing to go and I haven’t drunk any since.
That decision really was the catalyst.
Like so many of my clients I speak to for the first time, you just gotta wait for that lightbulb moment where you stand up and say.
‘I am done with looking and feeling like this’
So I gave myself a big metaphorical slap around the face 🤦♂️
Deep down I had always wanted to take myself through my own transformation but massively doubted myself.
I had hidden behind a story of ‘it’s not for me’.
When in truth I just didn’t think I had it in me.
I knew going through the process would as a coach be a rite of passage.
Also being a client and having a coach would provide such a valuable perspective.
Having @stan_didi in my corner kicking my ass was essential 💪
Aside from the professional growth much of this challenge was driven simply by a lack of confidence in myself.
So yeah, I get what it’s like to not feel great, and I hear you when you say dieting or changing your body is hard.
It totally is. Really f’ing hard.
I have been in exactly the same place and experienced the same struggles.
My hope is that other people will see this and get inspired, think yeah I wanna a little bit of that in my life.
There is nothing more powerful than proving yourself wrong.
It was hell of a 4-week ride towards the end.
I started at 90kg just after Christmas and finished at 77.6kg on the day of the shoot.
Anyone fancy joining me next time?
Back To The Gym Basics: Tips On Pushing Too Hard & Coping With Muscle Soreness.
This is all totally subjective and dependent on the person.
And that’s exactly what I say to my clients.
Assess how you subjectively feel and listen to your body.
Am I pushing too hard? Do I need to pull back?
Struggling with muscle soreness after the first few sessions back?
Be mindful of when you need to ease off and channel your energy into the basics.
Get good quality sleep.
The foundation of life.
A non-negotiable for me and essential for your recovery and ability to repair and build muscle.
Sleep also directly influences my motivation, mood, and energy when it comes to training so it’s something I don’t compromise on.
Active Recovery.
Keep on top of your steps and don’t be completely sedentary.
I would recommend some stretching or yoga in between sessions.
You’re built to move so don’t underestimate its power on your body.
Get a good amount of protein in your diet and stay hydrated.
I’m open to argument but if you want to move in a direction that is healthy, happy and feels good I would focus on the above regardless of whether you go to the gym or not.
Tips On Pushing To Hard.
Generally speaking, there are exercises in the gym that can be pushed harder than others.
I would ease into the bigger compound lifts, don’t dive headfirst into putting a heavy bar on your back (squats) or picking up a weight from the floor (deadlifts)
The risk of injury is likely to be higher with these exercises and the last thing anyone wants is an injury after so long out of the gym.
Now is a great time to focus on what you can feel, control the weight you’re lifting, create a stable body and contract through the muscles you’re trying to challenge.
Personally, it feels so great being back in the gym, lifting weights, building muscle, and feeling awesome.
It’s empowering.
Always listen to your body and get good at knowing when to ease off.
Thanks for reading & have a great day.
Luke
Why Knowing Your Values Can Help Keep You Motivated With Your Health and Fitness.
Are values becoming more and more popular?
Or is it because I am spending so much more time understanding them or at least figuring out what mine are.
It’s so true that when something becomes relevant in your life you see it everywhere when before you wouldn’t have even noticed it.
Anyway, today’s article is all about VALUES!
And how knowing them can inspire and motivate us with our health, fitness and training.
If you struggle with motivation or consistency, then continue reading and hopefully this will help.
So, what are values? And do you know what your values are?
We all have them whether you recognise them or not, they are individual to us and they kinda really define how we live our life.
I have been on a personal development journey over the past 12 months and have worked so much on figuring out what mine are.
I have found purpose; drive and I guess somewhat of a reference point when maybe I struggle with my own motivation or consistency.
I hope if you read this, you will go on your own journey to discovering what you value in life and that it supports you like it has me.
Or at the very least give yourself even more reasons to train when you lack a little motivation.
And if you are anything like me life does seem to get in the way sometimes.
If I was to ask you right now what your values are would you know?
Is your career the biggest priority in your life?
Maybe you have just had some children and it’s your family?
It could be playing sport or even computer games?
Personal development, education or learning?
Holidays or travel?
Your health and fitness?
Reading or watching the tv?
It could be anything.
The best way to figure out what they might be is to ask yourself a few questions.
What do I spend the most time thinking and talking about?
Where do you invest much of your time and energy?
What do I have around me?
There are no rules with this, nothing is definite or set in stone.
And it might take some time to figure of what your values are.
And YES, they change.
In my early 20s I valued Rugby, Partying, More Rugby, More Partying, and having a job to allow me to do more of all of that.
Now that has completely changed and I value growing my business, my education, my own personal development and supporting people on a journey to a more confident them.
I have done lots of work on this, but I am very clear that this is what I value in my life.
And what I do each and every day and think about reinforces this.
So go through the above practise and start to get a clearer picture on what it is you value.
Okay, so what do our values have to do with our health, fitness and training?
Well, if we start to link the two, we can actually find more incredible and inspiring reasons to keep on track with all three.
I have no idea what your values are in your life right?
But I am pretty confident that regardless of what they are, I bet you keeping on top of your health and fitness will support you, your life and what you value?
Am I wrong?
Even if partying is one of your highest values right now.
I am confident in saying that if you put time aside to stay fit and healthy you would be able to party harder and longer through the night than if you didn’t.
I’m open to debate but I’m pretty confident you would.
Let’s use some other examples.
What if your career right now is one of your highest values and most important to you?
Or your family?
Or both?
Answer this.
How does training support you and your career? Are you a more confident person when you training? Does it help manage stress, improve sleep, energy, focus, concentration, productivity?
If your family is at the top of your values. How does training support you being a kick ass parent and/or partner? Does training enhance your mood and energy?
With my job I find that those who are more successful, more adherent and more consistent with their health, fitness and training are those who get how important it is but also how much it positively impacts their life and as a result really value time spent doing it.
Take time to go through the process yourself.
Know your values and how exercise can support them.
It might help keep you motivated and easier to put the trainers on when a little rain is predicted.
Thank you for reading, and if you have any questions please reach out.
Luke
How To Stop Giving A Sh** What People Think.
First, is that even the right question to ask?
I have been trying so long to find the answer.
I’m starting to think maybe I have been asking the wrong question.
‘Do you know what it’s like to be in your own head and nothing else matters? Do you know what it feels like to give a shit so much about what everybody thinks, yet not care at all. When you can get to that place amazing sh** happens. You know why? Because you stop being scared’ @garyvee
Is that the secret?
To care and not care at all.
Confidence.
My achilles heal.
Or as some of my friends will say ‘my left knee’.
Even this blog.
There is a miniature Luke in my brain whispering in my ear some bs about how this and every message I post will be received.
Another example. Speaking on Instagram stories. So trivial. Yet it has terrified me.
You know that face you make when you slam a tequila or sambuca shot?
That’s my face when I hear back the sound of my own voice.
As well as fear of failure. Fear of judgement. Fear of what people might think.
How do we get better at developing a ‘giving a sh** but caring less’ attitude?
To deeply care and not care at all.Is this the way to go about it?
I definitely think searching inward rather than outward has helped me.
Trying to figure out what it is I am actually scared of.
Don’t let what you create in your own head hold you back.
Don’t be afraid to eventually try.
I am confident the older version of us will thank us.