Pete,
I tried creatine a few years ago, and it did seem to bulk up my
muscles.  But it felt like some kind of filler had been added to them,
not real muscle tissue.  It didn't seem to actually make me any
stronger, or help my bg any.  Others have had better luck with it, I
guess.  I thought androstenedione worked better, but you can't get it
any more.  It's probably just as well.  I worry more about the long
term effects of stuff like that than I used to.  I'd say go ahead and
throw yourself into the endeavor without the chemicals.  Exercise
itself is the greatest panacea (along wirh watching carbs).

i am also type 2 and workout 1 1/2 hours a day on a 5 day split. i eat
7x a day using the following schedule -

7:00am breakfast
10:30am whey protein shake + low carb milk
11:30am lunch (6-8 oz of meat + large salad) 16 oz water w/creatine 5g
12:15-1:30pm workout
2:00pm  whey protein shake (2 sccops) + low carb milk
3:00pm 8oz tuna w/low carb tortilla 16 oz water w/creatine 5g
7:00pm dinner
11:00pm  whey protein shake (casein protein) + low carb milk

i have been working out for close to 3 years now and never had an a1c
above 5.4%. in addition, my lipids and kidney's are just fine...

Extra protein should not harm your kidneys unless you already have kidney
problems to begin with.  The problem with this scenario is that you might
not know that you do have kidney problems.

As for the Creatine, I tried it and it didn't do a thing for me.  What did?
CLA (conjugated linoleic acid).  It helped build muscle and also retain the
muscle when I was too sick to be able to work out.  It is not necessarily
recommended for diabetics though.  Recent reports say it can increase
insulin resistance.  For this reason, I quit taking it.  Some years ago, I
took L-Arginine and L-Ornithine along with Carnitine.  These things helped.
I currently take only the Carnitine.  Supplements are so expensive and I
take a lot of them for various ailments.

I have a muscular physique, although not to the extreme.  But being a woman,
I do not want to take it to the extreme.  I do have more muscle mass than
the average person though.  I have been working out for years (when I
can...am often sick) at home and I do not eat a high protein diet.  What
works for me is to workout every single day.  Of course I had to start out
slowly but have now worked up to the highest amount of weight I can safely
use without injury.  I do a hard, heavy workout to exhaustion one day,
followed by the same exact exercises, same amount of reps the following day
but using much lighter weights.  And correct form is crucial.  It helps me
to look in a mirror to make sure my form is right.

I tried alternating upper body one day and lower body the next.  This did
not seem to work for me.  However, I do have assorted medical problems
including Fibromyalgia and that affects the muscles.  So what works for me
might not work for you.

Hi Pete,

I'm certainly no body builder, but from what I understand to have
muscle definition (what I interpret you are referring to by a muscular
physique), it has more to do with what one does not eat than any
supplements, protein powder, etc.

to eat pretty low fat and get the BMI very low.  They say almost
everyone has a six pack, you just can't see it for the fat overlying
and smoothing out the muscle :-)    This may be more true for  women
than men, I dunno.

Congratulations on getting back to the gym, that's the main thing!

ricaVito