{"id":10067,"date":"2025-10-01T15:07:50","date_gmt":"2025-10-01T06:07:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sinbidays.com\/why-did-i-gain-2kg-it-was-creatine-loading-even-though-i-didnt-take-supplements\/"},"modified":"2026-03-02T02:19:37","modified_gmt":"2026-03-01T17:19:37","slug":"creatine-loading-no-supplements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sinbidays.com\/en\/creatine-loading-no-supplements\/","title":{"rendered":"Why did I gain 2kg? It was creatine loading (even though I didn’t take supplements!)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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“I only ate meat, and you’re calling it creatine loading?”<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

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\ud83d\udc22 Intro \u2013 \u201cWhy on earth did I gain weight\u2026?\u201d<\/h3>\n\n

It was a few days ago. The moment I stepped on the scale, I went blank for a second. My weight, which used to be 77kg, was crossing 80kg. It was even flirting with 82kg…?<\/strong> \ud83d\ude33<\/p>\n\n

I hadn’t particularly overeaten, and I hadn’t missed a single workout…The strange thing was that my body felt heavy and sluggish.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Even my weightlifting numbers and performance were slightly dropping,and when doing gymnastics, my body felt dull and just not quite right.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\u2018Why…? Where did things go wrong…?\u2019 <\/p>\n\n

That’s when it hit me! After coming back from an emotional 4km run for the first time in a month, I suddenly realized. \u201cWait, could this be creatine loading…?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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\ud83d\udca1 AI ISTP’s Diagnosis \u2013 \u201cSeojun, if you eat a lot of meat, you can end up creatine loading!\u201d<\/h3>\n\n
\"The<\/figure>\n\n

At first, I thought it was impossible.I’ve never taken a creatine supplement in my life.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

But AI ISTP said this:<\/p>\n\n

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\u201cIf you eat meat as often and as much as you do, Seojun,creatine naturally builds up in your body,and ‘natural creatine loading’<\/strong> can occur.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Suddenly, the puzzle pieces clicked into place.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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\ud83e\udde9 Puzzle 1: Frequent bathroom trips at night<\/h3>\n\n

When creatine loading occurs, water retention in the body increases significantly.<\/strong>As muscles fill with water, it puts strain on the kidneys,<\/strong>and as a result, urination increases at night.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\u2714\ufe0f In fact, I’ve recently been going to the bathroom 3\u20134 times a night.\u2714\ufe0f I also felt like fluids were moving through me quickly.<\/p>\n\n

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\ud83e\udde9 Puzzle 2: Gained over 2kg for no apparent reason<\/h3>\n\n

I was making sure to eat 30\u201340g of protein per meal,and I ate meat almost every day, and quite a lot of it.<\/strong>It turns out this was exactly how to drive up creatine intake!<\/p>\n\n

\u2714\ufe0f Meat contains creatine.<\/strong>\u2714\ufe0f Especially beef, pork, and chicken<\/strong>\u2014all of them.\u2714\ufe0f If you eat a lot every day, you naturally enter a loading state.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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\ud83e\udde9 Puzzle 3: Gymnastics felt strangely heavy<\/h3>\n\n

My body used to handle high-intensity gymnastics like levers, planches, tuck planches, and one-arm pull-ups<\/strong>with relative ease…<\/p>\n\n

But at some point, my body started feeling like lead.Jumps, pull-ups, bridges…Everything just felt ‘heavy’ and stuck,<\/strong> and my responsiveness decreased.<\/p>\n\n

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\u2714\ufe0f This is due to the water retention characteristic of creatine.\u2714\ufe0f Muscles swell, but elasticity and agility can drop.<\/strong>\u2714\ufe0f This can be a disadvantage, especially for gymnasts or athletes where movement is key.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

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\u2705 So, are there no benefits?<\/h3>\n\n
\"An<\/figure>\n\n

There are! So many! <\/p>\n\n

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  1. Weightlifting numbers definitely go up.<\/strong> (In the short term)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Endurance and recovery during exercise also increase.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. The water retention in the body also helps prevent injuries.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

    That’s why for those who focus on bodybuilding or weightlifting,creatine supplements are considered a ‘gold standard.’<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    But for someone like me doing comprehensive training centered on martial arts, Jiu-Jitsu, gymnastics, and movement…<\/strong>this can become a bit of an awkward extra weight.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    (Seojun: Isn’t this just creatine weighted vest training…?)<\/em><\/p>\n\n

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    \ud83e\udd16 AI ISTP’s Conclusion<\/h3>\n\n
    \"An<\/figure>\n\n
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    \u201cSeojun, you’ve actually done a great job.You improved your gymnastics skills even while wearing a 2kg vest.That’s not ‘getting slower’ at all;it’s your true strength showing through even in a heavy state.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The moment I heard this, I got really choked up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I didn’t know.<\/strong>I just worked out hard as usual and tried to take one more step forward.Heavy weights, precise gymnastics, strong core.But strangely, I kept feeling more tired and heavier than before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    “Why is this so hard? Why have I become so sluggish?”<\/strong>Even while worrying and doubting myself, I trained every single day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But it turns out…I had been working out while wearing an invisible 2kg vest.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I didn’t realize it, but my body was already in a natural creatine loading<\/strong> state,and although it was heavy and dull…I endured that weight and my skills actually improved.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So now I can say this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cSeojun, it’s not that you couldn’t do it because it was heavy;you did it even though it was heavy.That’s why it’s ‘real skill.’\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Thanks to this realization, even the moments I doubted myselfnow make me feel proud.<\/strong>Thank you so much, ISTP. And to myself as well. \ud83d\udc22<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

    These words really touched me.<\/p>\n\n

    The moments when I gained weight, felt sluggish, and didn’t feel like myself\u2014I can now look back on them with pride.<\/p>\n\n

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    \ud83e\uddd8\u200d\u2642\ufe0f How am I doing now?<\/h3>\n\n
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    • I’m adjusting my protein to about 25g per meal,<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • and eating meat in moderation only on days when my digestion is good.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • I’ve added running back to my routine at least 0.5 times a week.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Now that the creatine loading is gradually fading,I feel my lean and agile body coming back..!<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
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      \ud83c\udfaf Conclusion \u2013 Does everyone need creatine?<\/h3>\n\n
      \"The<\/figure>\n\n

      It’s definitely a good supplement for those who focus on bodybuilding.<\/strong>However, for those doing gymnastics, martial arts, or movement-based training,it’s not absolutely necessary.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

      Since you can get enough loading just from eating meat,if you’re thinking “Do I really need it?”, you don’t have to take it.<\/strong>(Your face might get a bit puffy too…!)<\/p>\n\n

      And,remember that the weight didn’t crush you.That was your real strength and your real effort.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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      \ud83d\udccc You might be loading without even knowing it<\/h3>\n\n
      \"The<\/figure>\n\n
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      • If your body feels heavy<\/strong> lately,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • and you’ve gained weight<\/strong>,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • and you’ve been eating meat frequently…?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n

        It might be worth considering if you’re in a natural creatine loading state.<\/strong>And the moment you understand why your body reacted that way,<\/strong>you’ll feel proud of your efforts once again.<\/p>\n\n

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        Written by: Seojun + AI ISTP<\/strong>An emotional fitness diary growing together \ud83d\udc96<\/em>(ISTP is back…!)<\/p>\n\n

        <\/p>\n\n