I have been lifting (without supplements) off and on since high school, but I haven't consistently lifted since I was a sophomore in college. Now that I've graduated, I noticed I was out of shape and wanted to do something about it.

I started lifting and doing muay thai kickboxing as my cardio, but since I now had more time, my new workouts are more intense and much longer than any I had done before. After one week of lifting I realized I couldn't get through the workouts with any conceivable energy, and my muscles were exhausted for about a week. So I decided to try creatine and protein as supplements.

I bought creatine monohydrate and 100% whey protein. I loaded up as recommended by my brother, a college football player. During the first week, I did not notice any difference. I was still tired and couldn't complete the workout with any energy.

But during the second week, I noticed a dramatic increase in my energy levels. I soared through my workouts with ease and at the end I still could have done more. My brother noticed the difference between the first and second week and asked me to max out on bench on the third week. He added 20 more pounds than anything I had previously done in my life and to my surprise I lifted it with ease.

After 5 weeks of taking creatine I have added 40 pounds on my bench and I am doing more weight in every exercise I am doing. It's a significant increase. Not only that, but I have lost 8 pounds and all my old pants now sag. My friends are noticing a big difference in my physique and even playfully make fun of me by poking me in the pecs and calling me Arnold. The person I was about 6 weeks ago looks very different from the person I now.

Now, I will say, I felt the difference in my energy levels and recuperation speed but I am still hesitant in saying creatine was responsible for the strength and overall physical improvement.

The best contributor to my new physical success I would say is a complete workout (lifting and cardio) taken with the proper supplements (I have always been a healthy eater). My new workouts are no joke as I run in the morning, go to work, lift for about an hour or an hour and a half after work, rest, and then do the thai cardio routine for about an hour. On Saturday, I add a sprint and agility routine.

The bottom line is I would recommend creatine as a supplement, but don't expect amazing results unless you have a complete and amazing workout.