Fitness/Health/Exercise Stuff with Evan

Did you or your wife observe any muscle water retention after initiating creatine supplementation?

And, did you initiate with creatine 'loading' approach or utilize the 3-5 gram daily maintenance dosage?
Neither Wife or I have had any water retention issues.

Wife never front loaded, just began taking as a daily supplement.

I started taking Creatine when struggling to come back from a Covid bout, so I front loaded for two weeks which really helped me 'get off the floor' and back into a fitness program, and now I take around 3 to 4 grams a day. When I had a recent annual physical my blood work showed creatine levels at just above middle range. My doc says he commonly sees low to very low creatine levels among his older patients.
 
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Neither Wife or I have had any water retention issues.

Wife never front loaded, just began taking as a daily supplement.

I started taking Creatine when struggling to come back from a Covid bout, so I front loaded for two weeks which really helped me 'get off the floor' and back into a fitness program, and now I take around 3 to 4 grams a day. When I had a recent annual physical my blood work showed creatine levels at just above middle range. My doc says he commonly see's low to very low creatine levels during such physicals with his older patients.
I've watched many years of my routine bloodwork creatine levels slowly decline; I'm going to give creatine a shot. I try to be very active in terms of exercise and (other than being 74) don't have any health issues.

Hopefully it will help with my anaerobic zone training, which I tend to neglect.

Looking at my diet I think I get plenty of protein.
 
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I've watched many years of my routine bloodwork creatine levels slowly decline; I'm going to give creatine a shot. I try to be very active in terms of exercise and (other than being 74) don't have any health issues.

Hopefully it will help with my anaerobic zone training, which I tend to neglect.

Looking at my diet I think I get plenty of protein.
Creatine should be mandatory for everybody in my opinion.
 
Regarding anaerobic zone training; I've found cycling road or trail routes with many 'blippy' steep but relatively short climbs make it much easier to inherently incorporate intervals of high intensity effort....got to get up that hill to be rewarded by a downhill. Much more user friendly than doing so on my rower or stationary bike. Very easy to elevate HR to a sufficient level on my non-electric fatbike in that environment.

Thought about Zwift (mainly for the foul weather season) but I tend to ramp up hiking or snowshoeing during those periods.
 
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Creatine should be mandatory for everybody in my opinion.

I dont' know how much is too much but people with kidney issues should not. One thing as we age we just don't have a big gas tank anymore. It is best to tell your MD all the things you do or think about doing so we don't hurt ourselves trying to improve our health and fitness. As we age we collect medical issues that can really impact how we do things. When I was 20 something and got a wading staff for a birthday I never saw the value until 3 decades later. If I was an old arthritic taking nsaids metabolized in the kidneys I'd think twice about a supplement 100% metabolized in the kidney.
 
Hookers and blow...

Get a workout, along with appetite suppression.

🙂
 
Turned 80 last August. I have been a life long runner, basketball and softball player and a weight lifter in the winter.. After a very hot summer and a very cold and snowy winter I am trying to get back into running shape while I am down south for my snowbird vacation. SLOWLY building up my running by walking and running on the beach, walking three minutes and running one minute. Have built up to three minutes of running then walking two for 3.5 miles. Did 4.5 miles earlier this week. Hopefully when I get back home next week I can do some running with my son and grandson.
Have an appt with my cardiologist Tuesday to go over results from a stress test I had a month ago.
walk / ran 7 miles on my last week on the beach. Cardiologist said I can run but just can't lift over 70 lbs.
 
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Motivated by a buddy I decided I needed to make a change at the beginning of the year. I started running with the Couch to 5k program and have kept going since. I didn't go on a crazy diet, just cut my portions, been more aware of what I'm eating, stopped binge snacking, and cut my midweek beer intake. I'm not fast but today I did my longest run ever, 4.5 miles, and also hit down 30lbs since the beginning of January. Feels pretty good, I couldn't jog for a minute straight without feeling out of breath when I started.
 
Motivated by a buddy I decided I needed to make a change at the beginning of the year. I started running with the Couch to 5k program and have kept going since. I didn't go on a crazy diet, just cut my portions, been more aware of what I'm eating, stopped binge snacking, and cut my midweek beer intake. I'm not fast but today I did my longest run ever, 4.5 miles, and also hit down 30lbs since the beginning of January. Feels pretty good, I couldn't jog for a minute straight without feeling out of breath when I started.
That is bad ass
 
Motivated by a buddy I decided I needed to make a change at the beginning of the year. I started running with the Couch to 5k program and have kept going since. I didn't go on a crazy diet, just cut my portions, been more aware of what I'm eating, stopped binge snacking, and cut my midweek beer intake. I'm not fast but today I did my longest run ever, 4.5 miles, and also hit down 30lbs since the beginning of January. Feels pretty good, I couldn't jog for a minute straight without feeling out of breath when I started.
That's inspiring!
 
Motivated by a buddy I decided I needed to make a change at the beginning of the year. I started running with the Couch to 5k program and have kept going since. I didn't go on a crazy diet, just cut my portions, been more aware of what I'm eating, stopped binge snacking, and cut my midweek beer intake. I'm not fast but today I did my longest run ever, 4.5 miles, and also hit down 30lbs since the beginning of January. Feels pretty good, I couldn't jog for a minute straight without feeling out of breath when I started.

Good for you man! Incremental progress strung together over time…it’s amazing.
 
Motivated by a buddy I decided I needed to make a change at the beginning of the year. I started running with the Couch to 5k program and have kept going since. I didn't go on a crazy diet, just cut my portions, been more aware of what I'm eating, stopped binge snacking, and cut my midweek beer intake. I'm not fast but today I did my longest run ever, 4.5 miles, and also hit down 30lbs since the beginning of January. Feels pretty good, I couldn't jog for a minute straight without feeling out of breath when I started.
Well done. This is impressive and motivating.

Motivated by a gallbladder that was "filled with stones", I lost 20+ lbs by dieting. Like you, it has been nothing too crazy. I have just decided to make vegetables the main portion of what is on my dish. I have also reduced (almost illiminated) my refined carbohydrate intake (white flour, potatoes, sugar). It's not that hard and it has made cooking delicous meals a new type of challenge. As a result of reducing carb's my saturated fat intake has dropped as well. Fiber intake has skyrocketted.

The excercise portion is something that I have not been able to get going like you have. That is super impressive.

Did you find that he excercise portion of your lifestyle change aided in the reduction in mid- week beer? I mean if you excercising, you aren't sedentary and having a beer. I am a fairly new empty nester and that post-work timeframe is the period of time I need to change to be more healthy physiclly and mentally.
 
Yes sir. After my team relays I have coming up in May and June, the rest of the year is all half marathons unless I throw any 10k/5k in at the last minute for funsies.
Actual question.

I detest working out. I have run, lifted weights etc. I find it very hard to do. I just don't do it. What I do love to do is play basketball. However, cramps/ tight muscles have kept me from playing for almost 10 years. I cramp and will pull a muscle. My big fear is pulling a big muscle (hammy) or blowing an achilles.

I also sweat a lot, like a lot more than an average person. So I think much of the problem may deal with that but I have no idea as to whether there are supplements that I could take that would help as well or things that I should or should not be ewating or drinking. I have never been a flexible person.

What can I do to solve this? I think that I would be willing to do a stretching routine or a specialized workout etc. if I thought it would get me playing hoops again. I miss playing and I miss the cooperative team aspect of playing as well as the competition. I could see this as motivating me to improve.

Any thoughts for a 51 year old who can still bounce it?
 
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