I’m actually writing this on Bank Holiday Monday and the sun is shining, which is giving me huge motivation to get my admin done quickly so I can get outside before an evening in the studio — and wow, that’s going to be a hot one on the poles!
One of my lovely ELEVATE clients got me thinking this week when she asked about the best way to take creatine. Her question reminded me that, yet again, I’d forgotten to take mine, despite fully believing in the benefits of it.
So today, I wanted to talk about something that doesn’t get discussed enough when it comes to supplements and healthy habits: not just what works best on paper, but what works best in real life.
Because when it comes to taking creatine consistently, convenience matters far more than motivation.
Why I Forget to Take Creatine
I’ve had creatine powder on and off for years. I know the research behind it, I know the benefits, and I know it can support strength, recovery, performance and even cognitive function. None of that is new information to me.
And yet, despite fully believing in it, I still forget to take it.
Not because I don’t care about my health or because I’m not committed. I’m actually very consistent with most things. But I realised my creatine habit was heavily linked to whether I happened to be making a protein shake that day.
On days when I made a shake, I’d remember to throw the creatine in without thinking. But the reality is, I don’t have a protein shake every day. I’ll always try to prioritise eating my protein rather than supplementing it where I can, but life doesn’t always lend itself to sitting down for regular meals.
Some days I’m teaching late, rushing between things or getting home at awkward times, and the last thing I want to do at 10pm is make a shake just so I can take my creatine alongside it.
So on the days I wasn’t making a shake, I simply wouldn’t remember to take it. Not because mixing creatine is difficult, but because it required an extra step and wasn’t attached to an existing routine.
The Importance of Habit Stacking
That’s when I started properly thinking about adherence and habit stacking.
We often spend so much time searching for the “best” supplement routine, training programme or nutrition plan that we completely overlook whether it actually fits into our daily life. The perfect plan means very little if you can’t realistically stick to it consistently.
For many busy women, healthy habits aren’t usually ruined by lack of motivation. They’re ruined by friction. Too many steps, too much preparation, too much mental energy required at the wrong time of day.
When your day already includes work, family life, clients, training, appointments and trying to find five minutes for yourself, even small tasks can become easy to forget if they’re not attached to an existing routine.
Why Creatine Gummies Worked Better for Me
I’ve actually tested this over time myself. When I had a three-month supply of creatine gummies, I was the most consistent I’d ever been with taking creatine daily.
There was no mixing, no shaker bottle, no preparation and no extra thought required. I could keep them in my handbag, by the kettle or in the car and take them in seconds.
The barrier disappeared, so the habit became automatic.
That experience reminded me that convenience isn’t laziness — it’s often what allows consistency to happen in the first place.
We often think we need more willpower, when really we just need fewer obstacles.
Convenience vs Cost
Of course, creatine powder is cheaper. On paper, it’s probably the more sensible option financially. But there’s also a cost to buying the cheaper option and rarely taking it.
If paying slightly more means you consistently take something and actually get the benefits from it, then for some people that becomes the better investment overall.
Because success rarely comes from the “perfect” plan. It comes from the habits you can consistently stick to.
The supplement you remember to take is better than the one forgotten in the cupboard. The workout you can realistically maintain is better than the ideal plan you abandon after two weeks. And the healthiest routines are usually the ones that fit into your real life — not your ideal one.