RTB Christopher David

Creatine and… Depression?

We all know creatine is mostly stored in muscle tissue.

About 95% of it, to be exact.

But did you know the remaining 5% lives in the brain?

This small study (along with several others) suggests that supplementing with creatine monohydrate might influence specific pathways in the brain.

Specifically, when participants took 5 grams of creatine daily alongside a newly prescribed SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor), they experienced noticeably better outcomes than those using an SSRI alone.

Because this study used a very small sample size, we can't draw definitive conclusions—especially with topics as complex and nuanced as depression and mental health.

Still, it’s really exciting to see research heading in this direction as scientists continue expanding on these findings 👍🏽



Study referenced: PMID 22864465

Candy is usually just a sweet treat 🍭

However, when you time it strategically around your training, it actually turns into a performance tool.

Eating simple sugars during or right before exercise is a popular strategy among bodybuilders and powerlifters.

Why? Because fast-acting carbs give you quick energy to push harder and sustain high intensity longer, ultimately driving better muscle stimulus ⚡️

Does that mean everyone going to the gym needs a bag of gummy bears?

Not quite…

Drawing from my experience coaching hundreds of clients alongside leading industry experts, a intra-workout carb fix (around 20–30 grams) makes a noticeable difference in two specific scenarios:

1. You train fasted (or haven't eaten a solid meal in 4 to 6 hours).
2. Your training sessions are heavy, high-intensity, and stretch past the 60-minute mark.

These are the main times your glycogen stores run dry mid-session 🤘🏽

And yes—if you prefer whole foods, you can definitely use honey, maple syrup, fruit juice, or dates instead.

The advantage of candy like sour strips or gummy bears is that it lets you crush a craving while sending fast-digesting carbs straight into your bloodstream to be burned immediately as training fuel.

If you like stickier options like honey, go for it! Just don't knock the person eating candy—in this specific context, it serves a real purpose 👍🏼

Alcohol and losing weight.

They usually don't mix.

But it's probably not for the reason you're imagining.

Alcohol on its own actually *cannot* be converted into body fat.

The real reason drinking leads to fat gain comes down to all the indirect side effects that tag along with it.

For example:

1. It is packed with calories but provides zero fullness. You can easily drink half your daily calorie budget without even noticing.
2. It destroys your sleep quality. Just one drink can tank your sleep by 20–30%, which stalls fat loss and muscle recovery.
3. The hangover drag is real. Drinking the night before drains your energy and motivation, leading to weak workouts and less movement the next day.
4. It disrupts your hormones. Testosterone, estrogen, cortisol, and growth hormone all get thrown out of whack, putting the brakes on your physical progress.
5. It drops your inhibitions and drives up cravings. You think you have willpower until you're a few drinks in and ordering a whole pizza. It doesn't mean you will always overeat, but it makes staying consistent with a diet almost impossible.

Sure, alcohol changes how your body processes fat.

But that is actually the smallest issue when you are trying to transform your body.

Alcohol offers no health benefits.

But this isn't a lecture—I'll have a drink or two on occasional weekends because I enjoy it and it's social.

A couple of infrequent drinks won't destroy your results on their own.

It's the ripple effect of choices after you drink that creates the real damage.

Sleep is the ultimate biological cheat code.

If you could package a perfect night's rest into a pill, it would be banned in sports for giving an unfair advantage.

While maintaining a calorie deficit determines *if* you lose weight, the quality of your sleep dictates *what* you actually lose—whether it's fat or hard-earned muscle.

If your sleep is compromised, fixing it should be your top priority.

Investing in a sleep tracker like an Oura Ring, Whoop, Ultrahuman, or Eight Sleep is worth every penny. It replaces guesswork with concrete data so you can pinpoint exactly what is disrupting your rest.

Optimizing your sleep isn't a quick fix, but it is easily one of the highest-return investments you can make for your health.

Featured Study:
PMID: 20921542

Ever wonder why fat in your lower abs, love handles, or thighs seems frozen in place? It's not a lack of effort—it's biology.

Fat cells in these specific areas contain a higher density of alpha-2 receptors, which essentially lock the cell and make it highly resistant to releasing fat for energy. When you start losing weight, your body naturally targets the easy-to-access fat cells first, leaving these stubborn zones for last.

You can't spot-reduce or force your body to burn fat from a specific area first. No supplement or shortcut changes this physiology. Melting away stubborn fat simply requires a consistent caloric deficit held over a long enough period for your body to finally tap into those resistant reserves.

If your goal is a "toned" look, you don't need a special type of workout.

How defined your muscles appear actually boils down to two simple variables:

1. The amount of muscle tissue you have
2. The layer of body fat covering it

If you want a leaner, more sculpted physique, you shouldn't be trying to turn your strength training into a cardio session.

Your actual objective is to shed fat while preserving your hard-earned muscle.

The most effective way to retain that muscle is to train exactly how you built it:

Lifting challenging weights
Training close to muscular failure
Staying in a low-to-moderate rep range

Pair this with a consistent calorie deficit and adequate protein intake.

While lighter weights can get the job done if they genuinely push your limits, doing high reps with light weights and short rest periods isn't "toning"—it's just cardio disguised as lifting.

Does eating too little cause weight gain? No. The belief that your metabolism breaks and halts weight loss is a myth. Extreme restriction slows metabolic rate but never reverses fat loss.

If the scale isn't moving, here is why:

1. Short timeline: 1–2 weeks isn't enough.
2. Tracking errors: Logging isn't always accurate.
3. Untracked weekend eating.
4. Overestimating exercise burn.
5. High stress and poor sleep.

Restriction only causes weight gain if it triggers overeating later.

Does eating too little actually make you gain weight?

Not quite.

The belief that your metabolism completely "shuts down" from undereating and halts all weight loss is a myth.

Even under extreme starvation conditions, metabolic rate decreases, but never enough to actually stop or reverse fat loss.

Undereating itself doesn’t cause weight gain.

If you feel like you're in a deficit but the scale isn't moving, here are 5 actual reasons why:

1. **Your timeline is too short.** Weight change isn't instant. The scale is a lagging indicator, and a week or two isn't enough time to reflect your true progress.
2. **Tracking inaccuracies.** Accurately logging food is a learned skill. Just because your tracking app says you are in a deficit doesn't mean your body is.
3. **Untracked calories are adding up.** Hidden calories from weekend splurges or cheat meals can easily wipe out a solid Monday-through-Thursday deficit.
4. **Overestimating calorie burn.** Fitness trackers and smartwatches are notorious for overestimating exercise calorie burn by up to 90%.
5. **Lifestyle factors are dragging you down.** Chronic stress, poor sleep, and a sedentary lifestyle can quietly lower your daily energy expenditure.

Ultimately, "eating too little" only leads to weight gain if the extreme restriction triggers overeating and binging later on.

Studies referenced:
PMID: 25905303
PMID: 20518700

Is fasted cardio actually better for fat loss? 🏃‍♂️

Yes, but only while you are exercising. Training on an empty stomach shifts your body into burning more fat than carbs for fuel. When you eat first, you burn more carbs.

But here is the catch: burning fat during a workout does not equal losing body fat overall.

Your metabolism balances everything out over 24 hours. If you burn more fat during training, you burn less later. If you burn more carbs during training, you burn more fat later. At the end of the day, total daily fat loss remains virtually identical. Real fat loss comes down to a caloric deficit, not whether you train fasted or fed.

⚠️ Bonus tip: Prolonged fasted workouts increase muscle breakdown. If it has been hours since your last meal, grab a light snack or take 1–3g of HMB to protect your hard-earned muscle.

Research:
PMID: 27609363
PMID: 15896087

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