Steve, the bloating effect of creatine is normal but nothing to worry about; creatine achieves it's effect because it wicks water into the muscle tissue, and because of this you tend to get a bit bloated and retain a little water. However this is totally temporary, and as soon asd you stop taking the creatine (which you should be using in cycles anyway) it will go away. For this reason bodybuilders who use creatine will always stop taking it a couple of weeks prior to competition, as they need to shed the subcutaneous water retention that creatine promotes.
Evilgrowler, I think fat burners are useful, but thier use should be approached in the same way that you'd approach creatine use; they are usefull tools to help accelerate the gains of a training programme, but it is crucial to have a sound training regime in place in the fisrt place. I've used hydroxicut and I find the boost it gives you is excellent for upping the intensity of your cardio work.
