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Dear Henry,

Thanks very much for your interest in Destination Fitness.  In order for Dr. Dixon to answer your question we need a little more information.  What are you doing in your workouts?  What do you mean by "results?"  Are you trying to become a great runner, lift weights or lose weight and get healthier?

GLD

Dear Dr. Dixon,

Thank you so much for replying.

My work out consists of lifting weights 3 days and 1 or 2 days of (but not one after the other) so its basically like this: one day I do chest, shoulders and lower back; the next day I do upper back (lats and deltoids) and lower abs, and the last day I do legs, abs, and obliques. Then I take a day off, and after it I start the routine all over again.  Since my job consists of carrying heavy loads also, sometimes I take a day off, say between day 2 and 3. Maybe I'm taking to many days off? As a stated before I take two soy protein shakes a day since I'm 6'3 and weigh between 185 and 190 lbs.  And I've been working out for like 5 or 6 months now.

By results I mean "getting some muscle" and hence helping me loose some fat.  Will taking creatine help? I hope I'll hear from you again so you can help me out. Thanks

Henry

Dear Henry,

I think you are replacing your fat with muscle in a steady, excellent way.  Perhaps you could choose to replace two strength programs weekly with aerobic programs, leaving you two strength days.  Your heart and lungs need to be functioning at perfection to support your muscle gains.  You are correct in allowing your muscles 48 hours of recovery.  How are you measuring your results? In increasing weight managed; in repetitions; in circumferential measurements; or in body weight measurement?  If you eat a well rounded diet your body is simply excreting in stool and urine all that excess protein from the soy shakes.  Don't do creatine, it is dangerous to your liver and especially kidneys.  I think you will find on closer inspection that you are doing a splendid  job of improving your health. Congratulations. George Dixon, MD