FitLifeSF

148 responses so far ↓

• 1 officerhizzle // May 20, 2008 at 1:53 pm

  I am also in diet-denial, Smurf! I thought bootcamp would solve everything. I’ve lost inches and firmed up, but the gunt won’t go away and the scale won’t go down! Sucks being an over 30 female.

• 2 auradove // Feb 9, 2009 at 8:56 pm

  I tried P90X about 6 months ago, it was my friends and i we were doing it together. i think i did it for a couple weeks and stayed commited and was already seeing results. me and that friend got in a fight (make sure you get your own) and she sent it back. I just bought it for myself and cant wait to start getting the same results i got the first time!!

• 3 Smurf // Feb 9, 2009 at 9:21 pm

  Best of luck, Aura! That sucks that your friend sent the program back. I just got done doing my Monday dose of the P90X+ Upper Plus and Tony one-on-one Killer Abs- the best thing about having done most of the programs (albeit haphazardly), is that they really can be mixed and matched with whatever else you have going on in your life. (I’m currently training for a marathon, so most of my time is spent running, but I want to keep my upper body stellar as well.)

  With commitment, you’ll kick butt!

• 4 Melissa // Feb 23, 2009 at 8:46 am

  My God…Your review of Yoga X is identical to my thoughts about it. I’m so thankful there’s someone else out there who feels the same!

  I’ve practiced yoga in the past, through local classes and (professional) video instructors such as Rodney Yee and Shiva Rea. I cannot stand Tony Horton as a Yoga instructor. The DVD is choppy, repetitive, and grates my nerves. Because it’s the one video that really requires my full listening attention for the poses, I unfortunately can’t block out Tony with my iPod, as I do with all the other workouts.

  Any time I’ve brought this up on relevant P90X forums, I get blasted. I guess what really peeves me are that most P90X-ers have NO yoga backround and haven’t a clue as to what they’re talking about. They just follow it and yell at everyone else for substituting it with other, better videos.

  I’m trying to get through a round of P90X now and I decided (from the start) to just not do Yoga. Instead I’ve been using other yoga or kickboxing dvds.

  Cheers!

• 5 Rob T // Feb 23, 2009 at 9:37 am

  There is nothing wrong with substituting. I suspect Tony would be the first person to tell you that. You need do do what works for you and keeps you motivated. There is a new yoga video he put out on his One on One series that is a vast improvement. (just a FYI).

  Keep working hard and let us know how you are doing!

• 6 Smurf // Feb 23, 2009 at 10:39 am

  Yeah, Melissa- I feel you!

  Thankfully the studio I was practicing at came out with a DVD that is 90 minutes and a perfect substitution. I think many people who have never actually done yoga don’t understand how important the flow is to the experience. My boyfriend, Rob (above) who is into Martial Arts, tries to tell me “not think of it like a yoga video, think of it like an isometric leg video.” Which, OK, but then don’t call it yoga! (Incidentally, when I try to tell Rob not to get so huffy over Kenpo not being “real martial arts” by thinking of it as a kicking, punching aerobics video, it doesn’t keep him from pointing out all the non martial arts aspects of it, either.

  I haven’t tried the yoga on the One on One series, but I’ll have to check it out.

  Keep us updated on your progress!

• 7 Shirley // Feb 25, 2009 at 1:10 pm

  First of all — love your site! I was searching for reviews of P90X Plus and was directed here. I did Slim in 6 and Power 90 until they were no longer a challenge for me and then ordered P90X. I’ve had it for a couple years — never was able to stick to it for very long until recently. I’m on week 6 (doing the lean routine) and have seen great changes in my body (I’m almost 52 years old and feel better and stronger now than when I was 32!). I’ve lost inches, but have only lost about 4 pounds. As several of you have already said, I am going to have to drastically change my diet to lose the 20 pounds I want to lose. Dang!

  I had never done Yoga before but I dread the Yoga days on P90X — now I know why! I’m so glad to know it’s not just me hating Yoga X! I have a friend who LOVES yoga and I just kept thinking, “why on earth does anyone love yoga — this sucks!” I will have to try some different DVD’s and see if I can reverse my opinion.

  After reading some of the comments, I guess I’ll have to suck it up and improve my eating habits (probably most accurately defined as cutting back on sweets and my wine consumption). I also think I’ll order P90X Plus to add to my workouts when I start my second round of workouts.

  Thanks to everyone for their comments. They were all very helpful to me.

• 8 Smurf // Feb 25, 2009 at 1:27 pm

  Shirley,

  You hit the nail on the head with the food thing. When Rob and I first embarked on this journey and started the blog, the idea was that we could really kick ass on the workouts and then still eat and drink whatever we wanted. For me, I looked at what I was eating and thinking I had it in the bag- I eat generally very healthily. After a few months, though, I realized that I wasn’t seeing the results I wanted and had to own up to two thing- #1 – I might eat healthy, but too much healthy food is still too much food, and #2 – Weekends count. I tracked an “honest weekend” and realized I was consuming upwards of 3000 in food and beverage, which easily negates my efforts all week long.

  At least in the fatloss phase, you need to make some changes. Where I was last year was fine for maintaining, but not for loss. Since owning up to this and really committing to a food program, I am down about 15 lbs and within 5 lbs of my final, eventual goal. (And, darn if this last 5 is taking the longest!)

  I like the P90X Plus workouts a lot. They tend to move a lot quicker and are a little shorter so I feel like I can really give 110% for the duration vs. sitting around while Tony cracks jokes.

• 9 Rob C. p90x results // Mar 5, 2009 at 12:00 pm

  Great post. I’ve been helping several female friends going through the program (now that I’ve finished), and it’s good to read a women’s perspective on p90x.

  You’re so right about the diet, too. I was very strict on my food intake during the program (finished in october 2008), and got great results. Since then, I’ve slacked off on the diet, and I can really tell both physically and in terms of energy. It seems there’s a certainly level everyone can reach in their fitness without dieting, but eating super healthy is what breaks the threshold. At least that’s what I’ve seen.

  Anyway, I’ve just rededicated myself to eating better. Not 100% p90x style, but closer – less carbs, more protein, minimal sugar.

  Do you and Rob continue to do P90X now, or have you experimented with anything else? I’m always looking for something new to try.

  -Rob

• 10 Rob T // Mar 5, 2009 at 1:19 pm

  I do a mix of things. I do like the P90X videos, as they are really good to set a consistant regimen to. I also like the Tony Horton 1 0n 1 videos. They are pretty brutal. The other portion of my weekly cycle is where I fight 3 days a week, talk about muscle confusion. (heh)

  I used to be a total gym rat, but I have not had a consistant work out partner who likes the gym. (Which makes workign out at the gym much more enjoyable for me) Plus living in San Francisco, the time sink and the gym costs make working out at home very attractive.

  My fight nights I am out of the house for 2.5-3.5 hrs, as I go to train in Oakland and you never know what bridge traffic is like. So on “workout days” it is nice to know I can get home, work out hard, and then hit MY shower.

• 11 Rob T // Mar 5, 2009 at 1:22 pm

  BTW. Hit me up on e-mail and we can pass ideas around. I have been training for 23 years, and have a LOT of workout history to draw upon.

• 12 Smurf // Mar 5, 2009 at 3:14 pm

  I am actually trying to move past my “default strategy” of lower-carbs and move into a more 60% carbs situation because I feel I need them to fuel my running. I was at a 45%, 35%, 25% (carb, protein, fat) mix when I lost the bulk of my weight, but was also restricting the number of calories I’d burn per day (no more than 400), so it’s great for cutting, but I definitely feel like I need more carbs to fuel the running. I am hoping for a really mellow .2 pound of actual fat burn (by BF%) per week over the next three months or so, mostly from amping up my running.

  I am running a 12K on March 15 and then start an official training regime for a July 26 marathon, so I will accept conversion over number drop in that time. In order to do that, I know I need to keep up with the upper body weight training, as much as I’d rather just run everyday. That’s where the video products come in so handy for me.

  I have used the following Beachbody products:

  - P90X: Classic, love it, solid workouts

  - P90X +: Love that they are a little shorter- just as intense with less dilly-dallying and more synergistic moves to hit multiple muscle groups

  - Tony 1-on-1: Except for when he’s horking loogies out the patio door, these are nice, no-frills, workouts

  - Ten Minute Trainer: I am super bummed that these require a very specific arrangement of door and television and bands to work. I was hoping I could do them with free weights (we took the one inside door in our apartment off to accommodate my pull-up bar) I had really hoped these would be the answer to me going for a run and busting out a quick strength blast a few times a week

  - Slim in 6- Ha! This is kind of Jane Fonda cheesy, but DANG it hits muscles in ways they haven’t been hit in a while. Try to get through this every day for a week and I guarantee even a P90Xer will be limping. (“Talk about muscle confusion!”)

  - ShaunT: He’s a hoot and the Hip Hop Abs videos really will dig in there and hurt like a mother.

  - Yoga Booty Ballet: Hell no. Just… no.

• 13 Rob C. // Mar 5, 2009 at 3:46 pm

  Interesting. So I just signed up for a 30k trail run that happens in two weeks – out in Marin actually (I’m from SF). That’s certainly motivation to keep my workouts intense, and I think it’ll be an interesting test of how my regular fitness regiment has been working.

  A friend of mine suggested Krav Maga as another fitness option, so I’m starting to look into that.

  I’ll agree with the Yoga Booty comment. Have to say, though – not a fan of Hip Hop abs.

• 14 Rob T // Mar 5, 2009 at 4:13 pm

  Cheetas in Oakland. We do SAMBO every Tuesday and Thursday night at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 11:00 AM.

• 15 Erin // Apr 9, 2009 at 3:42 pm

  This is the first website I’ve found that actually has decent information about women & p90x. Thanks! I am finishing up week 4 of the classic p90x and am struggling with loosing weight and my inches haven’t changed much. I’ve been working hard and following the diet recommended by p90x. I’m in level 1 (1800 cals). I would love to loose 15 lbs but would be happy with 10. It sounded like we were similar size so I was curious if you had any idea how many cals you ate during your weight loss. I’m not sure if I’m eating too much or just not being patient enough.

• 16 Smurf // Apr 9, 2009 at 4:01 pm

  Thanks for the compliment, Erin! I would suggest two things:

  1) Wear a heartrate monitor while you are doing the workouts so that you have an accurate gauge of how many cals you are burning, and use it to be sure you don’t skimp or slack on the cardio elements. Also, don’t be afraid to lighten up the weights or make other adjustments so that you are constantly moving vs. doing 8 reps and recovering for the rest of the time while Tony yaps.

  2) I was eating 1500 cals in my fat-shedding phase

  Here’s the thing… your body can be in one of two places… “Anabolic” or “building” phase, or “Catabolic” or “burning” phase. It is very difficult to do both at once. For me, it was easier to really focus on the burning, knowing it was better for me to burn the fat so that when the time came to build the muscle you’d be able to see it. This meant lower cals (never below 1500 hundred, though, if involved in an intense workout program) and more cardio.

  Since my P90X cycles, I now run most days and do the P90X videos a couple of times a week, and when I do lift NOW, I lift with heavy weights, lower reps because I’ve gotten rid of some of the fat. When I first started the program, though, I think I was putting too much emphasis on lifting max weight.

  As I mentioned, I didn’t really start seeing results on the scale until I added more cardio to the program and cut back the cals a bit. I think the P90X program is really geared for max muscle building vs. “significant” fatloss (I consider 15 somewhat significant- it sure was hard enough!) For me, I had to say, “OK, what is my goal right now? To get bigger, or to get smaller?” and adjust my routine accordingly.

  By 4 weeks, you should have gotten over any water-weight weirdness that would keep you from seeing pounds lost, so I would say 1) TRACK calories in vs. calories out with a HR monitor to be sure you are burning as much as you think you are, 2) look at upping the cardio or just being sure you are getting the most cardio effect out of the workouts as possible, even if that means backing off some on grunt-groaning, musclehead heavy weight lifting, and 3) Try cutting 150 cals per day and see if that helps- just be sure the rest of your cals are from quality sources.

  Would love to hear about your progress!

  Cheers~
  Smurf

• 17 Erin // Apr 10, 2009 at 12:59 pm

  Thanks for the tips! I’m going give those a try the next four weeks. I’ll let you know how it goes!

• 18 ready2lose // Apr 21, 2009 at 2:17 pm

  I am 32 and 60lbs over weight. I hate the gym and cannot really find anything that works for me. I want to lose the weight and tone up my muscles. I found P90X and wonder if this will work for me. Do you already need to be in descent shape before you start this? After 4 pregnancies I am no where in the descent shape range. Any opinions would be appreciated.

• 19 Rob T // Apr 22, 2009 at 12:18 am

  Being in decent shape is a plus, but not a necessity. What is important is your ability to challenge yourself, stay motivated, and stick to the program. Even with P90X Lean (there are a few different ways to run the program) you would need to have the time to dedicate every week. (An hour to an hour and a half a day)

  Also, for the best results possible, there is a very well laid out meal program. There is quite a bit of variety in the food you can eat, but, you need to also stick to plan here if you want the best results.

  I did (and continue to use) P90X Classic several times, and did not use the meal plan. I saw great gains, and looked pretty darn good at the end, but I would have looked a lot more ripped if I would have stayed on the meal plan. (I plan to redo another 90 day cycle when I get back from a trip to Kiev in May)

  Beach Body has a really good food tracking tool which also helps with meal planning. Also, there is a great community to help keep you motivated, and lots of people to work out with online. (Plus the chance to win money or cool stuff everyday you work out is nice.)

  Check out my coaches page: http://www.milliondollarbody.com/robt

  At the bottom there is a link to shop at Beach body. (If you use it I can be your coach, and help ya out as you go. But, then again, Heather and I hope to do that anyway with this blog)

  Feel free to e-mail either of us, anytime.

  -Rob

• 20 Laurie // May 8, 2009 at 12:28 am

  My husband and I have been doing p90x for 9.5 weeks now. We work out together, we both do the same routine. He has become a shredded beast while I am still a wad of dough. Yes I’m stronger, can max out pushups (no knees) can do 4 pullups blah, blah, blah! Why is he sporting a six pack and I’m sporting a 12? Yes, I’m whining about it. It sucks!

• 21 Rob T // May 8, 2009 at 10:28 am

  Everyone is different, and men do tend to shred fat quicker. Don’t be discouraged, but look to tweak what you are doing. (and I don’t just mean exercise)

  Hit us on e-mail so we can discuss other parts of the fitness equation.

  -What you are eating and how you are tracking it.
  -If you are using vitamins or other suppliments
  -Are you getting enough rest
  -Based on where you started, are you where you should be?
  -Are you sticking to the plan? Or doing the right P90X version for you? (Classic vs. Lean)

  There are a lot of factors, and if one thing isn’t working we can try to dial it in.

• 22 Erin // May 14, 2009 at 3:59 pm

  I’m working on the 9th week of p90x. I ended up cutting 200 cals a day this go around. Still no change on the scale. I’ve lost inches and have improved on all of the workouts. I know p90x isn’t sold as a weight loss program but was hoping to loose a few pounds in the process. The last week and half I’ve added running 4x a week to my routine. Hope that jump starts something! I’m going to keep at it.

• 23 B.T. // May 18, 2009 at 12:09 pm

  I am on day 50 of the P90 and I too am struggling with the weight loss. I am loosely following the weight plan. I really liked the Phase 1, the Phase two plan not so much. So now I have pretty much cut out all carbs, except for whole grains and black beans.

  I started in April, not one pound lost. Now I have lost 3 pounds by the middle of May.’

  I wish I had of found this site first, I have to cut back on the calories even though they are meats, and proteins.

  I have since incorporated Boot Camp 3x week and Yoga 3X a week, yes in addition to P90X. I am alternating the Yoga with Kenpo and Plyo.

  NOT YOGA X this does suck as well I go to a studio.

  So I will eat smaller portions now and watch the calories.

  Jeez this weight loss journey is a HOT MESS

• 24 B.T. // May 18, 2009 at 12:10 pm

  Oh I also eat veggies as well

• 25 Curious // May 18, 2009 at 12:27 pm

  Hi,
  I’m thinking about starting the p90x program, but I want to know what it will do for me. I’m a 5′7 and 126 lb female, so I am pretty lean already. I have some excess fat in my lower back and stomach area that I would really like to lose, plus I would really like to increase my strength. Do you guys think that I would need to change my current diet to lose this fat? Would doing the p90x program increase my strength while also burning this fat? I currently go to the gym, mostly doing cardio, about 3 or 4 times a week.
  Thanks!

• 26 Smurf // May 18, 2009 at 12:35 pm

  Curious- In your case, I think it would work wonders for you! You don’t have much to lose and adding the lean body mass from the heavy lifting would “tip the scales” enough to help you burn the little bit of excess fat you do have. I don’t know what your current diet is like, but I will say that, in order to get max results, you DO need to change your diet. Diet is more of the equation than most people care to admit.

  Everyone else- your experiences seem to highlight what I discovered on my P90X journey. I really had to do it in steps- Step 1: “count calories” (shiver, as much as I didn’t want to!) and get the fat off with more cardio and 1 or 2 lifting days/week to keep the lean body mass up; Step 2: Do P90X as designed to build the muscle.

  It is far less frustrating for me now that I have really internalized the concept that “BURNING” and “BUILDING” are oppositional forces in many ways.

• 27 Lucy // May 24, 2009 at 6:50 am

  I am so happy to have found this site. I am a 56 (well, 57 in July )-year-old woman who was always very slender. I used to be able to eat whatever I wanted without gaining an ounce. That changed at around age 32, post second baby. Now, post-menopause, I am finding it hard to get the flab off and the all-over toning I would like to get back.

  I ordered the P90x yesterday, right before I went summer-clothes shopping. Ugh! I didn’t buy a single item of clothing because I didn’t like what I saw in the dressing-room mirrors. Instead of feeling discouraged, though, I felt okay because I knew the system was coming. I am dedicated to doing whatever it takes to get back in shape.

  Anyway, my best weight is 125 – 130. I am right now at 138 and I don’t like it at all. Question: what is the nutrition plan like? I haven’t seen anything about it. I do not eat meat or poultry, but I do eat fish. Will that be a problem?

• 28 Win // May 25, 2009 at 10:36 am

  I am in the process of training for a 3 day 60 mile breast cancer walk that will be handle Nov. 2009. Would you recommend me starting the P90x program while training for the walk? I do not exercise, and I am not certain if I will be setting myself up to fail.

• 29 Smurf // May 25, 2009 at 11:00 am

  Lucy- It sounds like you have about as much weight to lose as I did. I suspect you are going to want to be on the lower side of the calories that they recommend in the nutrition plan. It’s a pretty sound, common-sense plan and you’ll have no problem with not eating meat or poultry, though you might get sick of fish and want to look into some protein supplements. As I’ve suggested to others- track your food intake and make it around 1500 and get yourself a heartrate monitor and make sure you are keeping your HR up the whole time.

  Win- I don’t see a lot of benefit in using P90X to train for the three-day walk. You want to get used to spending “time on your feet” and the best way to do that is to walk. I think that P90X would be wonderful to do AFTER the walk- remember, this isn’t a beginners fitness program. It is VERY intense. I would suggest walking 3-4 days per week and doing a program like Slim in Six or Power 90 to get yourself ready for the X after the walk.

• 30 Lucy // May 29, 2009 at 4:09 pm

  Well, it has been seven days since I ordered my P90X from an ebay seller. No response to my e-mails. No product. I am going to give him until Sunday, then I will have to dispute the transaction. I’m disappointed, but I guess I will just order it from the site,though it is $40 more. Oh well! Six years as an ebay buyer and this is the very first time this has happened to me. Still, I am excited about the program and will definitely get into it. If I ever get it. :X

• 31 Rob T // May 31, 2009 at 1:43 am

  Use my coaches link, and I’ll help ya walk through things. Drop me an e-mail.

  -Rob

• 32 Bobbie // Jun 2, 2009 at 11:33 am

  I am 5′2″ and 136 lbs I would like to lose about 20 lbs. My husband also wants to lose 20 lbs so we were thinking about ordering p90x. After reading some of these blogs I think that it may not work for me as a women as well as my husband. I would really love to get rid of the cellulite on my butt and thighs, I can’t even wear shorts. Is there any hope for me with p90x? HELP I want to wear shorts this year!!

• 33 Bobbie // Jun 2, 2009 at 11:34 am

  reply at bjskinner0429@hotmail.com

• 34 Ileana // Jun 9, 2009 at 9:12 am

  What is the 6-day express plan? I would like to do it! I am doing P90X classic and I am on week 11 and I haven’t lose a pound. Help me please!!!

• 35 Smurf // Jun 9, 2009 at 9:39 am

  The 6-Day express plan is part of the Slim in 6 program and, honestly, doubtful that you’d be able to keep up P90X-level workouts on the food in that plan. Are you following the P90X easting plan? If so, do level 1 Fat Blaster but cut your calories back to 1500/day and pay careful attention to getting your HR up consistently throughout the workouts, even if this means lowering your weight some.

• 36 Women: Not Losing Weight on P90X? | FitLifeSF // Jun 9, 2009 at 11:27 am

  [...] seeing all the discussion on our previous thread P90X: What Can a Woman Expect?, I thought it would be useful to pull some of the tips out into a separate [...]

• 37 Rhonda // Jun 11, 2009 at 9:37 am

  I am 7 1/2 months pregnant and looking for workout programs after I have the baby… Would you suggest this program for me?

• 38 wendy // Jun 15, 2009 at 9:53 am

  Can someone suggest how to mix the p90X with running? I love to run and have a love for spinning and don’t want to give those up.

• 39 Smurf // Jun 15, 2009 at 8:26 pm

  Hey Wendy,

  When I am training for races, I usually run 5 days/week (about 30 miles per week) and do P90X workouts on days that I am “resting” from running. So, for example:
  Sunday: Long Run (~14 MILES)
  Monday: P90X Upper Body (I rotate them) and Ab Ripper X
  Tuesday: 7 miles
  Wednesday: 4 miles + Ab Ripper X
  Thursday: Speedwork or Hills ~ 4 miles
  Friday: Core Synergistics
  Saturday: Rest or X-Stretch

  I don’t generally do the lowerbody workouts because I live in San Francisco and run nothing but hills. We live about 300 feet up the side of a hill, so there is no avoiding it.

  If you are just trying to get in SOME running, but not really training for a race, do the P90X Doubles plan and tuck in a 3 mile run instead of the cardio workout for the day. Or, if you just want to get in a little running, replace Plyo and/or Kenpo with a run of equal time length.

• 40 JessMays // Jul 28, 2009 at 9:34 pm

  I am on day 83 of my first round of p90x. My brother talked me into doing it. I unfortunately gained my freshman 15 this year and was up to 163 lbs in January. I then decided to crash diet my way down to 152 before I started p90x in May. I am now at 139 lbs (lower than I was as a 7th grader, and I can fit into my middle school jeans!). Before I started I could not do one ‘real’ push up, or even think about doing a pull up. I can rip out the push ups now, and I can do 1 real pull up (I use the chair throughout the workouts) . I followed the diet 75% of the time, and I know I would have lost more weight had I followed it 100%. But getting to the point, I agree 100% about the Yoga X. I really got into Yoga this year and practiced daily. I was so excited one day was yoga when my brother told me about p90x. THEN I put in the dvd. HORRIBLE! I hate it. I did it twice, and I have never looked at the dvd again. I substitute my own yoga routine, ballet, or something else for this day. Other than this, and the first 15 min of cardio since it is horrible warriors the whole time, I am 100% satisfied with p90x, and my results. I am going to do one more round of p90x, but lean this time instead of classic because I feel I am getting too bulky. Then I am going to try Insanity!

• 41 tracy // Jul 30, 2009 at 5:54 am

  I kinda have the same problem as bobbie, will P90X hep me firm up my legs? I wanna wear shorts too!!!

  I ordered P90X a few weeks ago, but I haven’t started yet because I’m a student and there is no way I can afford to buy the food recomended in the meal plan. I don’t know what to do! I saved up to purchase the DVD’s and the equipment, but now I’m not so sure I can start. I’m reading that I wont get good results without following the nutrition plan.

  I’m 5′11″ 157 lbs, athletic build… help?! what should I eat?

• 42 Smurf // Jul 30, 2009 at 12:27 pm

  Tracy- Yes, P90X has loads of leg work.

  As for waiting to start until you can afford the the food- I can guarantee you only one thing: If you start now without the food, you will be in monumentally better shape in a month than if you waited until some magical point in the future where you can afford the food. Remember, most of life is about baby steps.

  As for the food issue: As I noted in some other posts, my body didn’t do well AT ALL with the P90X eating plan, and the only thing that gets expensive on that plan is cramming in the mountains of lean protien they call for.

  My advice: Sign up for a free account on Livestrong.com’s The Daily Plate and track your calories. Aim for 1500/day at about 40% carbs, 35% protein, 25% healthy fats. You can make the foods quite inexpensive. An average day for me:

  Breakfast: Kashi Go Lean, Nonfat Milk and a half a banana

  Snack: Fruit and 10 almonds

  Lunch: La Tortilla Factory lowcarb wrap with some chicken, lite cheese and veggies, plus veggies and homemade hummus dippers

  Snack: Laughing Cow Light Cheese and Ak Mak Crackers

  Dinner: Chicken breast or another lean protien, quinoa, veggies

  Evening Snack: Nonfat Milk

  I also take a recovery drink after a long run or hard workout- I use the P90X Recovery Drink because it is easy, but many runners swear by a glass of chocolate milk because it has a similar carb/protien balance.

  Net/Net: My point is that there will never be a PERFECT time to start, when you feel like you have absolutely everything you need to proceed perfectly. All you REALLY need is commitment.

• 43 Suzie // Aug 20, 2009 at 7:08 am

  Hi,

  First of all, thanks for this post. It has a lot of great information for women when there is not much out there.

  I started the fat shredder meal plan on monday and have been following it 98% of the time. I have run into the issue of not getting enough calories because I can’t eat all of the food recommended, but by time I get ready to go to bed I am usually starving. Do you have any recommendations on what I can eat to stop my tummy from rumbling, but won’t add to weight gain? I thought I was thirsty, but last night I drank 16oz of water (mixed with accelerade) after my workout at 9:30 and went to bed at mightnight. I couldn’t eat my omlet fast enough this morning.

  I just entered my meal plan for today into the daily plate and I will only have 1142 cals today – 44% protien, 17% fat, 38% Carbs. Previously when I have dieted I could not reduce my calories without being hungry all the time. Now, I’m not as hungry but I just can’t get enough calories!

  Today:
  Breakfast:
  1/2 cup egg whites
  1 cup spinach
  1/2 cup roma tomato
  1/4 cup fat free cheese
  1/2 TBSP olive oil
  8oz Skim Milk
  Snack:
  Atkins Day break bar
  Greek Yogurt with fruit (can’t do the cottage cheese)
  Lunch:
  6oz Canned Tuna (w/ green onion, celery and celery seed)
  1 oz Light Mayo
  2 cups Romaine
  Snack:
  1 oz Turkey Jerkey
  Dinnner:
  5oz Chicken with P90X Lemon Garlic Sauce
  1/4 cup brown rice
  12 asparagus stalks
  After Workout:
  1 scoop accelerade

  Does anyone have any recommendations of where I can add food?

• 44 Smurf // Aug 20, 2009 at 11:09 am

  Suzie,

  One thing to keep in mind is that, when on an eating program, going UNDER 400 calories is just as “not following the plan” as going OVER 400 calories would be. So, if you are eating the foods on the plan, but not hitting the calorie needs, you aren’t really following the program. Your body NEEDS those calories.

  That being said, I cannot cram as much protein down my face as the P90X fat shredder plan calls for, nor does my body respond really well to it, so I had trouble hitting calories on that plan, as well.

  I can see that you have some room to add some healthy fats and a little bit more carbs, so I am going to suggest that you throw in some more calorie-dense foods to help you hit your goals. Adding a snack of Ak Mak crackers and 1 TBS Almond Butter before you go to bed will help tide you over and be a nice mix of protein, fats and carbs. Adding a serving (2 tablespoons) of avocado to your Lunch, plus a grain (whole grain cracker, quinoa, brown rice, slice of Double Fiber bread, etc) to your lunch would help round that out some. Adding in an apple along with the turkey jerky (ugh, I don’t know how you can stomach that stuff might help as well. 1oz of Turkey Jerky is not enough of an afternoon snack, especially when you need to hit a hard workout later. (Also, a ratio of 1/2 cup egg whites to 1/4 cup fat free cheese doesn’t sound super appealing- that’s only two egg whites. 1/4 cup = ~ 1 egg white. You can definitely add more egg whites to that and, if adding calories in the other ways doesn’t work, even do something like 3 whites and one whole egg.)

  You can also double up on the Accelerade/Recovery drink if you are still having trouble, but I’d rather see you get the calories through wholesome, real foods.

  Hope that helps!

• 45 Suzie // Aug 20, 2009 at 11:58 am

  Thank you for posting so quick, this has helped a lot. I’ve been so concerned with reducing my carbs that I may have restricted myself too much. I completely agree that my lack of calories will only hurt me in the long run and affect the results. I am still new at determinig the right ratios and how to choose my foods for the entire day on my own. Thankfully thedailyplate.com has the little visual calorie breadown that I play with that to see how adding foods would affect my ratios. But, I really need to learn how to figure it out on my own!

  I actually never ate eggs until this week because they would make me gag, so I have been slowly building up to eating them. The only way I can get them down is if they taste like cheese! I also tried cottage cheese for first time (the same day I tried to eat eggs)… needless to say I know my gag reflexes work! And will never eat cottage cheese again! I found that Greek Yogurt has the same amount of protien, but more carbs so I have been substituting. In regards to the eggs, I’ve been using the carton of just egg whites and was not completely sure how the measurements worked out since I am new to the egg thing, so I might have been eating too little.

  Thanks again! I’ll keep checking back for more great tips!

• 46 Margie // Aug 23, 2009 at 9:33 pm

  I am 47 sooon to be 48 and would like to get into shape. I am about 30 pounds over weight. I work a full-time job (40 hours or more per week) and a part-time job (15 to 20 or more hours per week). Between the jobs and taking care of my mother and son it does not leave me much energy. I have a really bad sweet tooth and am going through those magical years. My body does crave sugar and I am a stress eater. I need a workout that will not kill my knees (college accident). I have more belly fat than anything else. Just trying to fit in 30 to 45 minutes a day is really hard for me to concentrate (ADHD). Another issue that I face is vertigo. Can y’all help suggest some things to help me. Thank you.

• 47 Smurf // Aug 24, 2009 at 12:43 pm

  Margie-

  I’d suggest the Slim in 6 program for someone in your situation. It is really geared for fat loss, and is going to be kinder on your knees and joints than P90X.

  You can check out Slim in 6 by visiting:

  http://www.beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/FitLifeSFRob/products

• 48 Smurf // Aug 24, 2009 at 12:46 pm

  Sorry, I hit “send” too soon…

  If you visit that link, you’ll see a tab under the video box for “Slim in 6″ and then you can see some info on the program, testimonials, etc. I’ve done several of the workouts, and it is a really solid program that is totally do-able for folks of any fitness level.

• 49 jauilm // Aug 26, 2009 at 12:28 pm

  I’m a minor, almost a teen, and i hav to admit i could lose some flab. I weigh in at 130 most of the time and im 5 feet 3 inches. I have a muscular build and the fat doesnt really hang off me it just bulks me up. I took gymnastics for about 3 months in summer camp and boy did it work wonders for me! but i dont do it anymore and the fat has creeped back on.

  im not as concerned about the number as i am of the percentage of fat in y body. My mom just ordered P90X today and im kind of woried. Is it hard to customize your own plan? Are there so many options that ill feel frustrated? I really want to build the muscle and be leaner and fit so i can wear a skirt, but im just not sure how ill manage.

  HELP SOMEBODY!

• 50 Rob T // Aug 31, 2009 at 11:50 am

  Hello!

  First off, I must say that being a pre-teen interested in being healthy is impressive, and a very mature way to be thinking. At your age, there are some important rules to follow.

  1.) Don’t eat a bunch of junk food. Now is not the time to go on a “diet.” Now is the time to start good eating habits. Talk to your patents and tell them you want to eat healthy. This means breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. And stay away from fast food! If you need help deciding what is and isn’t healthy eating, send us a note.

  2.) Exercise in always important, but at your age, you don’t need to be on a dedicated 6 day a week workout plan. Go outside every day you can, ride your bike, run around with your friends, go swimming, play soccer, do martial arts, whatever. If you want to work out, sure, do it, but at your age, you need lots of fun things to do. (Do you play sports? What do you do for fun?)

  3.) Understand that your body is changing right now. You are getting ready to go though a lot of growing. It is a wacky time for most people, and your body will sometimes feel like it is working against you. But that is OK. It is that time of your life. If you remember rules 1 & 2, and accept that you can take care of the rest over time, you will be great. For now, being healthy is more important than being ripped. And over time you will understand.

  4.) Your body is your body, don’t get caught up in “the ideal” on TV. I like to be fit, because I like to do lots of very physical things. Heather likes to be fit because she is a distance runner. Wanting to look good in a skirt is not a bad thing, but that should not be your focus right now. Like I mentioned before, focus on being healthy and active, and the rest will fall into place.

  5.) If you need help, talk to your parents, if they need help too, let them know that they can talkto us here on http://www.fitlifesf.com. It is why we are here!

• 51 Nicki // Aug 31, 2009 at 8:22 pm

  Hi,

  I had my tubes tied through laprascopy about a week and a half ago and am wondering when I can start doing the P90X workouts.

• 52 Rob T // Aug 31, 2009 at 10:31 pm

  I’d talk to the doctor.

• 53 jauilm // Sep 1, 2009 at 8:28 am

  thanks so much for the advice! i’m not planning on following the plan to the T. i just want the guidlines so i can stay healthy. right now my body fat is a little over what it should be, so my goal is to get it in the area it SHOULD be in.

  I absolutely love to play volleyball and i do pretty well with gymnastics as i mentioned before. However i do not excell in things we play at gym class like soccer and basketball and football, wigh really sucks sometimes.

  Anyway i plan on doing lots of yoga, but probably with a different DVD. Based on the reviews about Tony’s yoga DVD, i shouldn’t even try it.

  I’m really exited to be on the path to a healthier happier me! i’ll remember to keep writing when i can.

  THANKS AGAIN!

• 54 shelly // Sep 3, 2009 at 4:18 pm

  Hello!

  I am thinking about getting in on this P90x craze because it seems like all of my friends are doing it and love it – but they are also guys so I’m not sure if my results will be the same.

  I’m 21 years old, 5′4″, and 125 lbs – I have never weighed this much in my life! I have a small frame and have always had a fast metabolism, up until now I guess. The weight I feel most comfortable at is 110-115 lbs which means i need to drop at least 10 lbs..

  Before the summer I was fairly disciplined – going to the gym every day, trying to eat healthy. I was really at my “best” last November, but I can’t seem to get into the same mindset I was in at that time.

  Do you think I could benefit from P90X? I really just want to lose this awful belly – And it’s so hard trying to do it while being in college and going out every weekend! :/ Any suggestions/and diet tips would be appreciated too

• 55 Rob T // Sep 3, 2009 at 4:44 pm

  Hey Shelly,

  I can tell you that P90X will help you, especially if you follow the overall program. There are several programs you should look at to see if you like them.

  *** First thing to do. go to: http://www.beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/FitLifeSFRob/join
  and sign up for the free option. This will get you registered on the Beach Body Website, and let you see some og the great features available to you. (WoWY, goal trackers, Forums, etc.)

  Then review these options:

  1.) P90X, Tony Horton is the man, and he will kick your butt. This is a combination program of body weight, resistance (weights), and cardio excerciese. The 6 day a week workouts are target different muscle groups to give you great results. (If you do P90X, you should try the P90X Lean option 1st)

  2.) Shaun T’s Hip Hop Abs (great cardio dance workouts) or Rock’en Body (More intense than Hip Hop Abs). No weights necessary, and will help you get a lean tight body.

  3.) INSANITY (Also Shaun T) I am currently doing this, and it makes me sweat butter. It is also 6 days a week, and it is pure EVIL. But the workouts are pretty quick, and I am seeing great results while not being on a strict diet. (A nice follow up to P90X or a great starting place before P90X)

  4.) Charlene Extreme (The female Tony Horton) If you want a complete program (Weights, Cardio, etc.) this is another great option. (great if you are more comfortable with a female trainer over a male trainer)

  You can’t go wrong with any of these, and if you are eating relatively healthy, and getting enough sleep, you will see good to great results. The thing is, you get out of it what you put into it. (I know how crazy college can be.)

  Drop us a note if you have any specific questions!

  -Rob

  ***If you want to buy any of these, you can get them from my online store at http://www.beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/FitLifeSFRob

• 56 Smurf // Sep 3, 2009 at 4:58 pm

  Shelly- Let me also weigh in here and say that I think you are really in the “sweet spot” for getting the most out of P90X. I’d suggest you do the “lean” option to lose/convert those 10 pounds. (If/when you order P90X, it comes with a few options for how you run through the workouts, and one is called “lean.”)

  I’ve also mentioned that I think the calories they give you on the nutrition plan are too high for a woman starting out and wanting to lose fat. I’d shoot for 1500-1600 calories/day.

  Best of luck on your journey, let us know how you do!

• 57 Denal // Sep 4, 2009 at 11:27 am

  Thank goodness I found this blog! I’m a 39 year old mother of two. I started the P90X program 3 weeks ago and I’m loving it.
  Like others I started the program with my husband, he looks great and me, well I’ve gained close to ten lbs. I’m not happy with the weight gain, but I’m very pleased with what the workouts have done for my well being. I’m alot calmer of a person, and I feel lots better. I just couldn’t figure out why I’m gaining weight, I’m all sweaty when I do the workouts and sore as heck the next day.
  I bought my P90X videos online, not from the P90X site. Big (huge) mistake. I didn’t receive the nutritrion guide plus several others things when I received my videos. So, I’ve tried to wing it on the diet part of the program. Not a good idea on my part. If anyone is considering taking the cheap route when they purchase the videos by going through another site to purchase because of cost, don’t do it. Once you start this program you’ll understand you are making an investment in yourself by purchasing it. You wouldn’t go buy a good pair of running shoes and only buy one, you’d be all lopsided.
  From what I’ve read on the above blogs I will definetly have to make changes to my diet. I’m not a bad eater, I grew up in the 80’s so I learned a really dangerous way of losing weight, straving! Now we know & understand that our bodies need fuel to be able to keep up with Tony in those P90X workouts, without food you have to sit on the sidelines and that’s no fun! It’s just really hard to break those habits. But I’m going to dedicate myself to eating better, I may not suceed every day but I’m going to try.
  Thanks so much for the advice and guidance in the above blogs they’ve helped more than you know. I’m going to kick those 20 lbs that are weighing me down and I’ll be sure to post when I do.

• 58 Shannon // Sep 5, 2009 at 7:48 pm

  My friend is really gung ho about P90x & he swears by this program. I enjoy running 2-3x a week (30 mins+), but once the weather gets cold, I want to do some sort of fitness work. Ideally I’d like to go to the gym, but it can be rather pricey.

  My question is, how beneficial is this program to get toned, but not to lose weight? That’s not really my goal right now (I’m 5′2″ & 96 lbs), but I’d like to develop more strength & muscle & keep in shape during the winter months. I tried the yoga dvd yesterday & actually really enjoyed it–& I’m feeling it today!

• 59 Rob T // Sep 5, 2009 at 8:40 pm

  Shannon,

  P90X is a GREAT fit for what you are looking for. I promise you, if you are eating right, and sticking to the program, you will see the results you want.

  -Rob

• 60 Smurf // Sep 5, 2009 at 8:55 pm

  Shannon,

  As a woman, I concur. If you are not looking to lose large quantities of fat and just want to get really nicely toned, see yourself do things you never thought you could do (I love watching my pullup/push-up count go up!), etc., this will be an awesome program for you. I live in California, so thankfully I can run pretty much year-round, but I always make sure to throw in a few P90X workouts every week just to keep the musculature. I bet, if you try it, you’ll work a couple of the workouts into your running
  season routine- Core Synergistics, especially, is great for runners.

  Here’s the link to Rob’s site (I don’t think he included it.)

  http://www.beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/FitLifeSFRob

• 61 Jenni // Sep 14, 2009 at 1:26 pm

  Hi there,

  I’m just considering starting on my p90x journey. have a bit of a messy situation though. I’m about 45-50 lbs overweight (it makes me cry almost just typing that). I have never been this way in my entire life. I was the girl everyone thoguth was too skinny. But I had a thyroid imbalance which caused my weight to spike. I’m on medication and in the last week I’ve lost about 7 lbs… which is more than water weight can attest for. I don’t eat badly, I eat a diet similar to what I should be on for weight loss anyways. My weight gain wasn’t due to bad habits and I am not badly out of shape. My cardio is pretty high and my muscles arenot super weak. I’ve maintained working out but I just kept gaining because of the thyroid issue.

  I want to do p90x and have purchased it. But am concerned I won’t get any weight loss off of it… Even though I’m a female and was looking to do the p90xlean version. Do you think it would help me lose weight as well as tone up more or should I try something else to lose the weight and come back to it?

  Would it work better if I did the lean version AND did extra cardio workouts like running every day?

• 62 Smurf // Sep 14, 2009 at 2:00 pm

  First thing’s first, Jenni- DO NOT do P90X lean and add extra cardio, that is a surefire way to tank your metabolism and just drive you to burnout.

  The best way for you to lose fat is to look at your diet- 1500 cals per day, nice mix of complex carbs (whole grain bread, fruit, brown rice, etc.), lean proteins and healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, nuts, etc.) Try to eat as “clean” as possible. So, if it comes in a box or a bag, skip it.

  And then do the P90X Lean program, but make sure you are “working through” Tony’s lengthy chats. So, use a weight where you can keep on going, then instantly switch to the next exercise. On cardio days, wear a heartrate monitor- it really takes a LOT to get your heartrate up with workouts like Kenpo, because the redheaded woman on the screen is totally half-a$$ing it. You need to do what it takes for YOU to get your HR consistently up into the 140-150 range. Don’t just follow her lead. Or, if you’d rather, go for a run or take a spin class those days (what I did!)

  I honestly believe P90X is a little more muscle-driven to where it would be tough to lose that much fat on it. Fat, in my opinion, likes to be “coerced off,” not “beaten off.” So the best way to get it off is with a mild underage of calories and a mild overage of activity, but not “slamming it into the floor” kind of workouts, whick P90X really drives you towards.

  Since you already have it, though, I say do it, but do it with lower weights, make it more cardio by doing lower weights max reps and then also try to increase the amount of time you spent on your feet during the day. Park further away, walk if it’s less than a mile… I work in a job where I’m on the phone often and I stand every time I’m on the phone… the little things really add up.

  Best of luck on your journey, let us know how it goes!

• 63 Shauna // Sep 14, 2009 at 10:34 pm

  I stumbled upon this after typing “i hate p90x” into a search. LOL. I’m on week 9 and SO ready to quit.
  I’m doing the lean program and although I have seen some changes in my body (ie clothes looser and things firming up) I have not seen any loss on the scale.
  I’m 35 and have trained in classical ballet, boxing and muay thai. I have been in great shape in the past. However, I just added baby #3 a year ago and my body just feels done. I would really need plastic surgery to fix my stomach but I was hoping to at least see it get flatter. I haven’t.
  I will be honest, I haven’t changed my eating habits. I know lowering my cals will shed pounds cuz I have done that in the past very diligently and have lost my weight. The thing is…I don’t really feel like doing that. I don’t eat like crap and I’m not overweight (5,5 140…but would like to get to 125). I don’t have the time or the money to have a different meal than everyone else in the family I care for (there’s 5 of us) and it’s hard to know the calorie breakdown of the meals I make.
  I’m just sooo tired of doing these videos…I don’t motivate well on my own and it’s a struggle everyday to get this done. I’m proud that I have done it for this long, but I just plain don’t want to. I’m tempted to chuck his routine and just pick the ones that I enjoy doing (yoga is not one of them…lol) and move them around each week.
  Now Im just blabbing but dang I’m so discouraged and I feel so old.

• 64 Smurf // Sep 16, 2009 at 5:56 pm

  Shauna- When you say you “hate P90X,” do you actually hate the routines, or do you hate that you are not seeing results? Cuz, if it’s the latter, I hate to break it to you, sister, but abs are 90% made in the kitchen. You are at a point where you’ve got some good stuff going on, but it WILL NOT be visible unless you burn that fat, and the only way to burn the fat is to cut some calories. I, like you, didn’t think I’d need to change what I was eating because I ate VERY healthily. Every “make these 5 simple changes and drop pounds” tipsheet I saw, I was already doing ALL of them.

  You are trying to drop the most difficult pounds to drop. If you are getting sick of the routines (ie. Yoga), then don’t do the cardio (Kenpo, Cardio) and go for a nice run. Don’t do Yoga, see if there’s a Bikram or Ashtanga class you can take.

  If, however, you don’t like lifting weights, then this is not a plan for you. It’s entirely possible to be nicely toned and slim by CHANGING YOUR DIET and doing a nice blend of cardio and aerobic conditioning.

  Remember, P90X isn’t meant to “slim ya’ down and tone ya’ up for bikini season.” Sure, for some that will be a nice side effect, but it’s meant BLAST your body into the BEST SHAPE OF YOUR LIFE. Fitness-wise. Not scale-wise. (Frankly, P90X is a HORRIBLE program for anyone who insists on the scale being the only arbiter of success. You said yourself, your clothes are fitting better, etc. That is the true test.)

  It’s more important for me to be able to run 13.1 miles as fast as possible than it is for me to be able to do a set of corncob pull-ups, so I pick and choose which workouts I do and supplement them with ~ 30-35 miles per week of running. Because that’s what works for me and my interests. (It got me from 142 lbs to 127 lbs last year.)

  What needs to happen for you is you need to figure out what kind of activity you enjoy (this should not feel like a chore!) and whether it’s worth it to you to really look at your diet, or if maybe that extra flab isn’t worth stressing over. (Also, be honest with yourself- if it’s a skin issue NO amount of working out will get rid of- time and surgery are the only options.)

  I’m 35 as well, so it’s not your age. It’s just finding something that works for you. Don’t give up!

  (Also, as I’ve mentioned before- http://www.TheDailyPlate.com is a great site for tracking your daily food intake. Another is http://www.FitDay.com, but I prefer The Daily Plate a smidge more.)

• 65 Smurf // Sep 16, 2009 at 5:58 pm

  I meant to say “It’s entirely possible to be nicely toned and slim by CHANGING YOUR DIET and doing a nice blend of resistance training and aerobic conditioning.”

• 66 Blondie // Sep 20, 2009 at 8:04 am

  Hi,
  Am 51, 5′6″, 127 lbs. I’m not looking to lose to much, but would like to tone. I eat healthy, ok I break down and eat ice cream.
  I was wondering if this program would work for me. Doing it every day my not work. I have a job that requires at least 12 hours a day 3 days a week.
  Any suggestions?
  Thank you.

• 67 Smurf // Sep 21, 2009 at 12:02 pm

  Blondie- not knowing anything about your fitness level, it is tough to say. If you are already working out regularly, then, yes- P90X can take you to the next level and you’ll see some wonderful results since you don’t have much fat to lose. If you’ve not been working out at all, you may want to start with Power 90 and work your way up. The workouts don’t really take a whole lot of time- about an hour a day, and most of us spend way more time than that in front of the TV. I think you get a rest day on P90X, so that takes care of one of your long-work days, and some workouts are as short as 45 minutes.

• 68 Shauna // Sep 25, 2009 at 11:24 am

  I can’t believe I forgot to check this. I’m so sorry. How rude of me!
  Smurf, thank you SO much for writing back. You’re right, I don’t really “hate” it. It just gets discouraging to not see the scale move. I had to get over that the past couple weeks. I went shopping for the first time the other day and bought a pair of size 7 jeans at Nordstrom. I was ecstatic!!! I came home and broke out some old clothes (size 5’s and mediums) and they totally fit! I have not quit the program and have resolved to enjoy the lost sizes instead of dread the scale not changing. So when I weighed myself the other day and saw 2 lbs gone I was pretty happy:) I’m in the middle of week 10 and I think when I’m done with this I’m going to do the doubles routine and try to keep at a consistent 2000 cals a day.
  As for the question of do I like weights…I LOVE doing weights and seeing the results of that. And I really do love working out. I just don’t do well with home videos. I can’t afford to go back to boxing so I HAVE to make this work for right now.
  And, yes, there are skin issues that will not be resolved unless I get surgery. I’m really trying to commit to loving myself the way I am and just be healthy!!
  Thank you SO much for your input. I appreciate you.

• 69 jauilm // Sep 27, 2009 at 4:38 pm

  Hey! i’m just getting ready to start exercising – ya i know its been a while…but im curious about the serving size. im doing fat shredder phase 1 but i DO NOT GET how much one serving is – and im not willing/ dont have the time to commit to weighing my food. lets be fair here, no one wants to weigh every bite they take

• 70 Angela // Oct 6, 2009 at 9:13 am

  We just got P90X in the mail. So, I have a couple of questions for women doing this workout. I also need to lose approx 20 lbs of fat.

  A) do we also need to do the protein bars/drinks, etc? I thought that was more for “bulking”?

  B) So, I saw that you said to cut down to 1500 calories. So, is that using the “nutrition plan”, but cutting calories off of that? Or does it mean, doing a food plan “like” P90X, but not exactly like it, since the lowest one requires 1800 cals??

• 71 Rob T // Oct 6, 2009 at 10:18 am

  Between meetings, sorry this is short in advance.

  A.) Protein bars are not for bulking. Making sure you get enough protein in your diet in VERY important for recovery. Like everything else, the right balance of the proper foods will only help you. Be sure to read the Diet Guide and understand what and why they are saying what they are saying. Also, Smurf has written a number of posts about the P90X diet plan on this sight. There is a LOT of great info there.

  B.) Everyone’s body is different. Some people respond to more calories, some to less. Smurf is a runner, and with P90X and Running, and eating 1700+ calories, she wasn’t seeing the results she wanted. Your body will be different, and we can help you dial it in. (Especially if I am your Beach Body Coach! )

  The biggest thing to do is get your diet documented, and make sure you are eating right and often enough. (3 meals and 2 snacks a day, no soda! Water and tea are your friend. Don’t eat anything that comes from a box, no fast food, AND drop high fructose corn syrup out of your diet!) Smurf likes “The Daily Plate” online, and the P90X meal plan recorder isn’t bad either. (On Milliondollarbody.com)

  Lastly, if you are trying to tone up and loose weight, I would recommend starting with the P90X Lean Variant.

  Let us know if you have anyother questions!

  My Beach Body Coach name is FitLifeSFRob

  http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/FitLifeSFRob/join

• 72 Smurf // Oct 6, 2009 at 10:36 am

  Jailim- The serving sizes are listed in the book. You should bite the bullet and at least weigh things for a week- there is NO other way to tell that you’ve got it right on “freeform foods” like piles of rice or slices of meat and cheese. Once you’ve done it for a week, you can eyeball it. There are lots of tipsheets online that tell you things like “a serving of lean protein is the size of your palm, a serving of carbs (rice, potatoes. etc) is the size of your closed fist and a serving of veggies is the size both hands cupped together.” But, until you measure and SEE what a serving looks like, you can never tell. Sadly, studies show we vastly underestimate the quantity we are eating– For me, I’ve been eating Kashi Go Lean for years assuming I was having “a serving.” When I actually measured, I was having 1.5 servings. You don’t have to do it forever, but you should do it at least for a week to get an idea.

  Angela- I don’t eat any of the protein bars or anything unless I am really in a rush. It’s tough to get as much protein into your diet, though, as the fat shredder plan calls for, so you might find them helpful. There is no doubt that a lower carb/higher protein diet like the one called for in the Fat Shredder Mealplan is great for burning fat in the near-term, so I do suggest giving it a shot. Keep the proportions the same but drop it down to 1500 cals. (Which would essentially mean not eating a bar-and-a-half if you want to avoid eating the bars anyhow.)

  Since I am a distance runner, I need to keep more glycogen stores in my muscles than I can on a low-carb diet, so I didn’t respond well to the Fat Shredder mealplan. Since the P90X workouts top out at 60 minutes, it is totally do-able on a lower-carb mealplan. You might want to consider moving your carbiest foods to about an hour and a half before your workouts, though, if you find you are “bonking” at all or suffering from low energy going into your workouts. Hope that helps!

• 73 Angela // Oct 6, 2009 at 11:21 am

  Ok, thanks Smurf. I will try that. I am an athelete as well (although I hate running) I had been slowly losing weight by eating approx 1500 cals, and doing a short burst workout plan, but am going to do this workout with my hubby, so, I just wanted to make sure I get what I expect out of this (i.e. toned and keep losing the weight).

• 74 Smurf // Oct 6, 2009 at 11:59 am

  If you’ve got an eating program that is consistently delivering weightloss, I say stick to it while getting into P90X. After a few weeks you can experiment with the diet plan, but I’d be concerned if you change too much all at once some of your losses might go away. Concentrate on getting the weight off first. Since it sounds like you understand the concepts of HIIT, you’ll find ways to incorporate that into the P90X program- it’s easy to spend at least half the workout time standing around if you aren’t thinking in terms of making it more of an “interval” workout.

• 75 Sena // Oct 12, 2009 at 8:57 am

  I started P90X Oct 4. Wanted to throw in the towel by Day 3. I’m doing the lean version. I weighed myself Sunday and had gained 7 lbs. Why is it when you (or just me) start an exercise program you gain weight. i’m now 217lbs, yuck.

• 76 Rob T // Oct 13, 2009 at 10:51 am

  Hi! Ok, first things first. Unless you are 6′4, being at 217Lbs, you are doing the wrong program. I am not trying to sound harsh, but you should be starting with Slim in 6 or a good cardio program like Hip Hop Abs. Right now, P90X is WAY to extreme for you. (You will have to have a LOT of dedication to get past through the 1st month of P90X in your current state. I am not saying you can’t do it, but there are easier ways to start the process)

  If you are trying to drop body fat and get into better shape, as most people are, you need to build up to a more extreme program. I promise you, if you do a round of Slim in 6 or a good 2-3 month cardio program (NOT “INSANITY” AT THIS TIME) you will be in a great place to start P90X.

  That is my first take on this without knowing ANYTHING about you. (I am speculating that you are a 217lb woman looking to get into better shape)

  We can help you, but you need to give us more info. E-mail Smurf or me, and we can help you out.

  -Rob

• 77 Sil // Oct 19, 2009 at 1:45 pm

  Hi, I’ve just ordered the system, and have been reading a lot of the comments, and it seems that women are much more focused on losing the pounds rather than the inches.

  I always understood that muscle mass is heavier than fat, and the true sign of weight loss is the loss of inches. Who cares if you haven’t lost 2o lbs. if you’ve shrunk down a dress size or two?

  Am I looking at this wrong? Should I look at the lbs lost instead of the inches lost? Your insight is appreciated!

• 78 Smurf // Oct 19, 2009 at 3:18 pm

  You are correct- the ultimate test should be how your clothes are fitting. But, when people have 20, 30, 40 lbs+ of excess fat, that won’t go away without seeing a number move on the scale. Also, the amount of muscle mass a woman can build is not nearly what the “muscle weighs more than fat” crowd would have you believe, so it is of value to keep an eye on the number- but only as one of many metrics you track on the program.

  Also, it bears mentioning that for me, personally, the number on the scale does matter because I am a runner and every pound I don’t have to carry over a marathon or half marathon course could trim as much as 3-5 seconds per mile off my time.

  Best of luck with your P90X journey!

• 79 pavjay // Nov 3, 2009 at 4:45 pm

  Hi. im thinking about starting the p90x program but i have a few questions to ask before i buy the dvds. ive been on a meal replacement diet for about the past 12 weeks now, where i have replaced 2 of my meals (breakfast and lunch) with milkshakes, which have all the nutrients required of a normal meal, minus the carbs and the fat. Its pretty much a no/low carb, low fat diet. And dinner is usually meat or fish with a fresh salad and steamed vegetables. i lost about 5 kilos which was what i wanted, but i want to tone my body alot more. i run about 30 minutes (5kms) everyday and i do one hour of pilates with a resistance band everyday, and ive definitly toned up, but not as much as i want to. do you think i would be able to do p90x while im still on the diet? its become a huge part of my life now and i really enjoy it, but i dont want to be exhausted or burn myself out by not having enough energy to get myself through it all. Your thoughts on this would be much appreciated. Thanks

• 80 Asley // Nov 16, 2009 at 1:47 pm

  Great site! I’ve been doing P90X for only three weeks and have already seen a very noticeable difference in my muscle definition-but not weight loss yet. My abs are starting to reappear, I have definition again in my shoulders and calves etc… I’m 35 and I’m currently within my normal weight range-but I’m looking to lose about 10 pounds. I’m 5′9 and 140 pounds now. (I gained 75 pounds while I was pregnant and have lost 65 of those pounds in the last 12 months. I have done nothing except for breastfeed. ) Before getting pregnant I was very fit and ran a lot-working out about 5 days a week on average. So far I have really not lost any weight but I did lose my little muffin top that was driving me BONKERS! (Never had one before baby.) Honestly, I’m not on the diet plan. We eat pretty healthy. I’m still nursing so I still need to take in extra calories. My issue is that I’m really small on the top half and I tone up really fast there-but the bottom half of me (read my thighs and butt) seems to take forever. ANy suggestions? I’m wondering if I should mix more cardio into it? I’m currently doing lean. I also don’t really like the Yoga X. I have a toddler running around so I don’t have an unlimited of time to work out-it’s a miracle I can carve out an hour a day. Thanks!

• 81 ddm // Nov 23, 2009 at 12:00 am

  I purchased P90X in February. I was able to go about 50 days before spring/summer activities set in. I’ve done it off and on since then…but I’m ready to dedicate myself for Dec, Jan and February. Those 50 days I did the Classic version…however I’m leaning towards the Lean version this time because I want to shed those last 10 pounds and then tone up all over. However, I love the Plyo DVD much more than the CardioX, so I was thinking about doing the lean but substituting the Plyo instead of the CardioX. Would this be a good idea for me? My goal is to lose about 10 lbs (I am currently 5′7″ and 145 lbs) and I want to see abs, lean legs/thighs and lean/shapely arms. Any suggestions?

• 82 Rob T // Nov 23, 2009 at 3:25 pm

  There is nothing wrong with switching out any of the workouts for tougher ones. If you feel like kicking it into high gear, do it.

  The big thing to remember is that if you are trying to lose that last 10, DIET is the key. You need to not only hit the workouts with intensity, but also make sure you are on the proper eating program. (And stick to it.)

  If you can do that over the next 3 months, even with the holidays, you will see the results you want.

• 83 Sita // Dec 9, 2009 at 9:41 am

  This site is awesome! I’ve had my P90x for about a year now, and have attempted it twice. Both times I have stoppped in the third week because I lost weight. I’m female, 5′1, 100lbs and I really just want to tighten up and build more muscle. I would just love to be able to do some pull-ups!! I have a fast metabolism and the harder I work out, the more I have to eat or I start dropping the pounds like crazy. Only problem is I can’t seem to eat enough to get me through this!!
  Any recommendations?

• 84 Smurf // Dec 9, 2009 at 12:46 pm

  Hi Sita, thanks for visiting!

  I know most people probably tell you “wow, I’d love to have your problem!” But I understand how frustrating it can be to not have a handle on getting your body where you want it– whether it be gaining OR losing. At the end of the day, the root of both problems are the same- calories in vs. calories out. Since your goal is to BUILD, you do need to be sure you are covering your baseline metabolic needs + covering your workout + fueling that growth. If you are following the eating programs from the P90X book, you want to skip over the Fat Shredder program and look at either the Energy Booster or Endurance maximizer plans, and you probably want to “level up” as well.

  Of course, I’m sure you already know that… So, how do you get more calories in without doing nothing but eat all day? In my opinion, the best way to do this is with healthy, calorie-dense foods. Spread a tablespoon of almond butter on your apple or toast; Add an avocado to a salad or sandwich; Add a tablespoon of sunflower seeds or nuts to a salad; Add raisins or dried fruit to your cereal or have as a snack along with a handful of almonds or walnuts; Have a glass of fruit juice with a meal. If you don’t have a family history of high cholesterol, you can also switch from egg whites to whole eggs (two per day.)

  If you are still having trouble getting enough calories on board, you can try making it up with bars or shakes, but in any case I’d rather you try to get the cals in with wholesome food products before going too overboard with replacements.

  Were you tracking your food the two times you tried P90X? If so, you’d want to take the total calories consumed in a week and add 3500 additional calories to the week for every pound you lost in that week. Example: Say you were eating 1800 cals/day for a total of 12,600 cals/week, and you were losing a pound per week, you’d add 3500 to 12,600= 16,100 divided by 7 days = 2300 is your new calories-per-day goal.

  If you weren’t tracking calories, then just shoot to eat an extra 125 cals/day if you were losing a half pound every two weeks or so, 350 cals/day if you were losing a half pound per week, 500 cals/day if you were losing a pound per week. Now is a great time to start tracking your calories on a free site like The Daily Plate or FitDay, as it’s likely to take some dialing-in to get the right level for you.

  Best of luck, let us know how it goes!

• 85 Rob T // Dec 9, 2009 at 1:50 pm

  Simple things to remember, light weights and high weights are for toning and shrinking. Heavy weights and low reps are for putting on size.

  If you are trying to put on mass, you need to up your calorie intake, increase the protein ratio, up your weights, and lower your reps.

  Try your sets at 6-8 reps where you have trouble getting the 7th and 8th reps completed. This with the added food, should help!

• 86 aj0101 // Dec 14, 2009 at 4:42 am

  This site is really helpful – thanks!
  I just got the P90X DVDs and am wondering what equipment I need to go with it. Do I need the bands, or will weights work instead? Also, as a female, what range of weight/resistance would you recommend I have available? I am in decent shape but have never had much arm strength in spite of having lifted weights for years. I am thin and do not want to lose weight but need to somehow firm up the parts that have started to go “mushy” and am eager to get started!

• 87 Rob T // Dec 15, 2009 at 12:58 am

  The bands are good for on the go. I prefer dumb bells. Some essentials:

  * Yoga Mat
  * Dumb Bells or Bands (I have 5-50 lb and a full rack, if the cost of weights is an issue, try “Play it Again Sports or craigslist. The Select tech Dumbells are nice too.)
  * Pull up bar
  * Folding Chair

  Everything but the folding chair can be found on the team beach body site. If you need a good pull up bar, I really like the one from the beach body store. (Much better than the perfect pull up bar, or the iron gym)

  To sign up on Team beach body:

  Step 1.) Follow the link below and join team Beach body.

  https://teambeachbody.com/signup/-/signup/free?referringRepId=7295

  This will get you set up on Team Beach Body. Ig you sign up as a coach, you will save a pretty penny at the Beach Body Store. (worth it for me as I use a lot of their products) Their regular prices on everything is pretty good too!

  Step 2.) After you sign up, go to the team beach body store and pick up anything you neeed.

  *Optional: find a yoga mat you like from your local sporting goods store. and you can do the same with the bands. Though, all the stuff they sell on the Beach Body site is VERY good stuff.

  -Rob
  (Hit Smurf or I up via e-mail if you need more help.)

• 88 Suzanne // Dec 19, 2009 at 11:09 pm

  Smurf,
  Great site! Just got p90x. Starting it on Monday.

  In the last year I have lost 70 lbs. Yep, way cool cuz I did it by exercise and ultra healthy eating. Im 5′4 and now weigh 150. I run trails and pavement 5-6 days a week. My stomach area still has what I would consider alot of fat, so I would like to lose 10-15 more pounds, and although I love everything mentally invigorating while running, it is frustrating to log 50 miles a week and not lose ONE pound. Weighloss plateau BLAH BLAH BLAH … Im sure that my body has simply gotten very efficient at handling what I throw at it, and I’m fine with that science, since I realize adding toned muscle with p90x will help.
  I would like to start competing in road races and trail runs by spring. My question for you as a fellow runner is: Do I have to do all the dvds, or can I incorporate the ab, plyo, and something else in my week to boost my fitness level?

  I googled ‘p90x and running’ and after surfing other not so informative sites, found yours.
  I enjoyed it!
  Thanks,
  Suzanne

• 89 Smurf // Dec 22, 2009 at 4:08 pm

  Suzanne- First off, CONGRATS on your success!

  So, I assume that running is pretty much your “first goal?” There are a couple ways you can approach this. First and foremost, though, adding P90X (strength training) is going to do a great job of adding some lean body mass, which should help you convert some of the remaining fat.

  Option 1: Do P90X “Lean” rotation as written, but swap out Kenpo X, Plyo and Cardio X for running. You can also swap out the “Legs” portion of Legs and Back if you really want another running day. You’d also want to make at least one of your running days an interval workout- so either turn it into a casual interval workout like fartleks, or into a traditional track-or-treadmill style interval workout, or hill sprints.

  Option 2: Run pretty much as you currently are (though I would still suggest swapping one run per week to an interval or hill workout, as these kinds of workouts will keep your calorie burn higher throughout the day. Don’t add more than one per week, though) and add 3-4 P90x workouts around that. My favorites are Back and Biceps, Chest/Shoulders/Biceps, Chest and Back, Shoulder and Arms, Core Synergistics… You basically want to be lifting a pretty nice weight (I started with 15 for most and now go between 20-25#), since the goal is to get some lean body mass onto you to help keep your metabolism up. You’d want to rotate the workouts and still take a “stepback week” every 3-4 weeks where you’d do less heavy lifting and more of the Core Synergistics, X-Stretch, Yoga X-type workouts.

  I am currently injured, but plan to start out the New Year with Option 1 and transition to Option 2 as soon as I am cleared to run again. I tend to get so much into the running that I neglect weights, but I find they do make a huge difference in overall body composition.

  Also, are you tracking your calories? It might be a good idea to track again for a while just to be sure your intake hasn’t creeped up too much as it can do on 50 MPW. Also, when I hit a plateau, I had some success with swapping my diet up some- I tend to run well on carbs, but I found that I was getting to where I was eating REALLY lowfat. Adding in 3 servings of heart-healthy fats but keeping my overall calories the same helped a lot when my mileage got high. When you start P90X with a goal of getting some lean muscle on, you definitely want to be sure you are getting enough protein to fuel that (no need to go crazy with bars and protein shakes, though.)

  Knowing what you are eating currently at plateau will give you a place to see what making various changes in calorie intake and macronutrient intake can do for you.

  Best of of luck, let us know how you do!

• 90 Nancy // Dec 29, 2009 at 1:54 pm

  I’m 47 and my weight is ok (5′3″, 123 lbs). Weight isn’t the problem but rather those fat deposits and flab. I don’t know how much is flab and how much is sagging skin. So the quetion is how would P90X benefit an older woman. My upper arms are flabby (or sagging? I can’t tell the difference). Would P90X solve that. I mean, if I have fat and no muscle in my upper arms (the tricep area), when that fat is removed, wouldn’t the skin “sag” then. Doctors claim that after certain age, the skin doesn’t “shrink” or tighten easily as when you were younger. I would like to know if there’s an older woman outthere who’s done this and had a similar problem. Thanks.

• 91 Rob T // Dec 31, 2009 at 1:24 pm

  This is a tough one as everyones skin is different, especially as we get older. (I hope this part not sound to sexist) As a woman, if you have had a child, they way your belly rebounded back from the stretching is a good way to tell if you have naturally elastic skin. There are ways to help (surgury being the last resort), collagen rich or vitamin E rich lotions to help the skin recover some elasticity. But, your miliage will vary.

  As for working out, lean muscle mass will help remove some of the flab and flap for sure. And P90X will help develop that lean muscle mass. Also, the removal of excess body fat. But, as you pointed out, once you start building muscle, a lot has to do with your skin. Your dermatologist can probably give you some great tips.

• 92 KellyT // Jan 2, 2010 at 9:27 am

  Nancy – I’m 46 (47 in 2 months) and have 2 weeks to go on the p90x program. It has been a phenomenal experience. I followed the principles of the p90x nutrition program, but not the caloric requirements. It’s just way, way too many calories for a 5′3″ female. And, good news, you’re already in the normal weight range for your height. I began the p90x program at 125 lbs. and now weigh 112. I followed a very slow weight loss plan losing only a pound or so on average a week. I have absolutely no skin sagging. It appears everything that was flabby was just that – fat flab. Once you build up your muscles, that will most likely take care of any skin looseness that might result from fat loss. If you want some good calculations on weight maintenance and/or weight loss, I can provide some really good website that helped me plan out my approach. Best of luck!

• 93 KellyT // Jan 2, 2010 at 9:28 am

  Nancy – P.S. Forgot to mention, I’m also 5′3″.

• 94 Dee // Jan 4, 2010 at 8:41 am

  I’m going to start P90X today. I’m 46 turning 47 soon. I’m 5′4″ and 138lbs. I fully realize my metabolism is going to be a challenge (wasn’t what it used to be), but am up for it. I realize that I may feel like quitting too, just because it happens…but hoping I will not cave. The diet will be a challenge, but have an idea of what I’m in for (I did BodyForLife a few years ago). I’m nervous, but looking forward to the outcome. I too have flab around my tummy, and my sides/back…usual stuff when getting a bit older. Based on what I’ve read, I’ll do the Lean program for the weight loss, and with that said I want to do that “cool stuff” (pull-ups, push ups, etc)…and be in the best shape ever! Great site and great info!

• 95 suzanneo // Jan 5, 2010 at 10:48 pm

  I am 46 years old, I have 7 children. Until 3 years ago I taught group fitness classes and did personal training. Then I graduated from nursing school and began working nights. It is very hard for me to get to the gym on a regular basis. I am 5′2″ and now weigh 127. (used to be 112-115 and mostly muscle) My p90X should be in the mail tomorrow and I can’t wait to start. great web site , very informative and motivational. I’ll post updates

• 96 Rob T // Jan 6, 2010 at 1:39 am

  Please do! We look forward to hearing from you.

  -Rob

• 97 JB // Jan 17, 2010 at 11:02 am

  I am considering starting p90x. I am a 26 yr old who has always been an athlete but my gym workouts are boring me now and I tend to leave the gym early because of it. I am approx. 175 lbs, a lot of muscle but would like to tone and lose 35 lbs. I love hard workouts but am not sure if this is the best program for me because of the amount of weight I want to lose. Also, I cant find anywhere what equipment you need to have/buy on your own that doesnt come with the program to do with the workouts. Thanks!

• 98 Smurf // Jan 18, 2010 at 12:28 am

  Hi, JB. Thanks for stopping by! I think P90X would be a great program for you, especially if you are dealing with boredom in a gym setting. The P90X program is constantly shuffling through the different disks and workouts, so you never really do the same week more than twice in a row.

  If you are already carrying a lot of muscle and want to lose 35 pounds, a few tips:
  1) When you get the program, the book will help you navigate which workouts to do on which days, and one of those programs is called “Lean.” I’d suggest you go with that variation.
  2) I will tell you that eating is going to be ESSENTIAL to your success. As I’ve mentioned in other posts on this blog, I believe the amount of food in Level 1 of the nutrition program is simply too much for most women looking to lose weight. I would follow the basic proportions and philosophy of the plan, but keep it in the 1500 calorie range.
  3) Don’t be afraid of lifting heavy. You want to be able to get through about 10-12 reps and no more. Don’t lift so heavy you can only do 8 reps, or you won’t be moving consistently and getting a cardio/circuit training effect, but don’t lift so light that you could do 15-20 reps with ease, either. You need to keep as much of that wonderful muscle you have even when faced with a calorie deficit, so lifting is going to be essential to that.

  Finally, as for what equipment you need, the bare minimum would be: Resistance Bands of various “weights,” including one that can be attached in a doorframe. You probably also want a yoga mat. If you don’t like using resistance bands, or have grown beyond them, you want a set of dumbells (I started with 5’s, 10’s and 15’s), as well as an in-door pull-up bar (we have the official P90X pull-up bar, and it is great!) You can also get push-up bars if you really want to go hog-wild, but they aren’t really required.

  If you find this post helpful and want to purchase P90X or any equipment from Beachbody, we’d much appreciate if you use this link:
  http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping?referringRepId=7295

  That will bring you into the program through our portal, and you’ll be assigned Rob (and me, by proxy) as your coach so that we can keep on tracking your progress and helping you along.

  Let me know if you have other questions, we’re happy to help!

  Cheers~
  Smurf

• 99 JB // Jan 18, 2010 at 11:06 am

  Thank you so much for your quick response. I just ordered it through your portal and cant wait to start!

• 100 Ali // Jan 25, 2010 at 4:42 pm

  Hi,
  I have just started hearing about the P90X craze and was thinking about starting the program. I am a 21 year old female 5′ 4′ and about 120 pounds. I played volleyball in high school, but since I started college a couple of years ago I have had trouble finding something to commit to for exercise. I am looking to tone up overall, as well as lose 5-10 pounds. Would P90X be a good choice for me to do this?

  Thanks!

• 101 RL // Jan 25, 2010 at 5:06 pm

  I am just a teen, but I’m interested in p90x. I am 5′1”, 135 pounds, and a size 4-6. I do have a few worries about the program though, some more significant than others though.
  1) This program seems pretty time consuming, and I don’t have that much time. Can the workouts be done less than 6 days a week(I do have 2 1/2 hour volleyball practices some days so I would be doing something)?
  2) I am a vegetarian and with volleyball alone I find it hard sometimes to keep up with my calories, so would this be too much for my body?
  3) Will this program make me bulky and less woman-like in my appearance?

• 102 Smurf // Jan 25, 2010 at 5:25 pm

  Ali-

  Yes, I think it sounds like the perfect workout for you, since you are already athletic and have reasonable weightloss goals.

  1) It’s not time consuming at all- the average workout is about an hour. There is a yoga workout that is 90 minutes, but otherwise the workouts are very manageable time-wise (and the added bonus of doing them at home means you don’t have time wasted getting to/from the gym or having to pack up to lug stuff to the gym, etc.) The other workouts are so time-efficient that – I won’t lie – yoga feels like a bit of a timesuck, but it is do-able. If you need to move the day of that workout to fit better into your schedule, know that you have some room for swapping the day there. (The program wants you to do it on a Thursday usually.)

  2) Since you are adding on activity, yes you will need to add on some calories. Look for adding in some calorie-dense foods to make this easier on you (nobody wants to feel like they are doing nothing but eating all day!) If you add in, say, two tbs of peanut butter to your breakfast, a serving of avocado to your lunch, and an extra ounce or two of lean protein to your dinner you’ll be golden. You can also look at bars or drinks to keep your protein in line and provide quick/easy calories, but I always advise people to try “real foods” before bars or drinks.

  3) No, it absolutely won’t. For two reasons: 1) If you are looking to maintain or drop weight, you won’t be “overfueling” like a bodybuilder would, and 2) Women have a limited amount of testosterone, so even lifting heavier weights for lower reps, you will never bulk like a man (doubly-so given that you aren’t overfueling as mentioned above.) I do all my lifting in the 15-20 lb range- right where I can get to about 10 reps and the last two are really difficult- and I’m not manly in the least. You want to make the most efficient use of your workout time, so you do want to lift heavy enough weights.

  If you find this post helpful and want to purchase P90X or any equipment from Beachbody, we’d much appreciate if you use this link:
  http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping?referringRepId=7295

  That will bring you into the program through our portal, and you’ll be assigned Rob (and me, by proxy) as your coach so that we can keep on tracking your progress and helping you along.

  Best of luck on your continuing fitness journey!

• 103 Smurf // Jan 25, 2010 at 7:19 pm

  Hey Ladies–

  Sorry, Rob just pointed out that I answered your posts combined… I got confused because you both mentioned volleyball. Sorry for that!

  Ali- Yes, your weightloss goals are reasonable and P90X would be a good pick for you. Just be sure that you follow the eating plan (as I’ve mentioned on here before, I think the lowest-calorie-plan of the eating guide that comes with P90X is a bit high for weightloss. I didn’t lose any weight until I kept the same principals but at a 1500 cal/day level.) And, being a student, P90X is great because you can do it on your schedule with very little equipment.

  RL- I actually answered most of your questions in the post above addressed to Ali, BUT… now that I see that you are a teen, I want to be sure that you have checked with your doctor and coach to make sure you can handle the added effort of volleyball + P90X. As a teenager, you want to make sure you are not overtaxing your system (it’s especially critical in this time that you not workout so much that your menstrual cycle is affected at ALL- that would be a serious situation indicating that you are doing too much. Other signs leading up to that would be excessive fatigue, lack of motivation, general malaise, muscle soreness lasting more than 48 hours, etc.) For you, the biggest thing is that you want to build the foundation for a HEALTHY life, so I’d hate to see you get burned out on exercise because you took on too much at once.

  But, even if you just decide that you want to add some weight training to your regime, P90X is a great way to do this– if you replace the Cardio X and Kenpo X with your volleyball practice and use the other workouts as weight training on days you don’t have practice, the disks can still serve as a really solid at-home resistance training program.

  Hope that helps!

• 104 Michele // Jan 26, 2010 at 10:18 pm

  So I’m 22, about 145 lbs. I’m getting married in June and am just looking for a program that will help me tone up for my honeymoon cruise. I’ve been working out pretty regularly (3-4x a week) for the past year or so, but I’m looking for something to push me a bit as I lack gym motivation at the end of a long day. I’m not overweight but I’m a little more “flubby” in the stomach and hip area that i want to be. My goal is to be toned up by the end of May. Do you think that P90X would be a good fit for me?

• 105 Smurf // Jan 26, 2010 at 10:23 pm

  Yep, definitely! You have all the benchmarks of someone who will have great success– Not a lot of weight to lose, already working out consistently and… most importantly… MOTIVATED! You’ll want to make sure your diet is really clean those last 90 days leading up to the wedding/cruise to make sure that you burn away all that extra flub.

  If you find this post helpful and want to purchase P90X or any equipment from Beachbody, we’d much appreciate if you use this link:
  http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping?referringRepId=7295

  That will bring you into the program through our portal, and you’ll be assigned Rob (and me, by proxy) as your coach so that we can keep on tracking your progress and helping you along.

  Big congrats on the wedding… don’t forget to take some time out to smell the roses!

• 106 Marele // Feb 13, 2010 at 1:35 pm

  This comment thread is such a great resource – thanks for answering all of those questions!

  I’m a 23 year old woman, 5′8 and 140. I’m happy with my weight, but want to build muscle and endurance – I took an inductance body fat test and was 1% above the normal range. I know that’s no big deal, but I’m sick of being so sedentary and would like to see some muscle.

  Problem is – I’m not sure if I’m in good enough athletic shape for P90X Lean yet, but I have no patience for the “shaping and toning for a bikini body” sort of videos. With the exception of the pull-up, I successfully did all of the P90X fitness test, and didn’t even break a sweat until the jumping jacks sprint – but I only work out 1-2x a week and the only time I was ever “athletic” was for 1 year in high school as a rower.

  Do I need to do another program like Slim In 6 first? I don’t want to start below my potential, but reading about how challenging P90X is for even seasoned athletes makes me unsure whether just passing the fitness test is enough.

  Thanks!

• 107 Smurf // Feb 13, 2010 at 1:55 pm

  If you were able to do the fitness test, you should be fine doing the program. There is nothing inherent in the program that makes it more difficult– it is more the mindset of doing max reps with max weight. The workout is as difficult as you make it. As such, you will be able to modify and complete the moves, just make sure you don’t stay at the level you start at. Every time, try to do more push-ups on your feet vs knees. Every week or so, add weight or add reps, move a little faster, jump a little higher.

  The reason the workout is so hard for seasoned athletes is because seasoned athletes push themselves to a point of max exertion. A perfect example: When Rob and I first did KenpoX, he was sweating rocks and I was whining because the workout was too easy and didn’t get my heartrate up. He is a martial artist, I am not, so he showed me how to do the moves for max impact and I could barely get through it. Anyone can get through the moves, it is up to you to “bring it.”

• 108 Bridetobe // Feb 13, 2010 at 8:32 pm

  I’m 25 years old, 5′9″ and 137 pounds. I’m getting married in 3 and 1/2 months and want to lose about 10 pounds of “flabbiness” in order to look slim and toned. I have read all of the great recommendations you have made in other posts, but I’m wondering if I should try Slim in 6 instead of P90X. I am pretty athletic, but usually do mostly cardio. I’m not wanting to look “muscular” as much as I would like to look lean and toned. But is Slim in 6 too “easy” to get me in shape that quickly? Any suggestions?

• 109 Smurf // Feb 13, 2010 at 8:42 pm

  First, congrats on the upcoming wedding!

  Second, if you are already active, I firmly believe that P90X is the way to go. There are more workouts, so less chance of getting bored, the workouts are not as simplistic or basic as Slim in 6, and, based on your goals, you really do want to preserve lean body mass through adding in resistance training to both burn fat (amp up your metabolism) and give you that nice, toned look you are going for. Don’t worry, you won’t get “too muscular.” For one thing, female bodybuilders have to really supplement and load up on calories, and cycle their diets and TRY to get that big so there is a lot of effort and planning that goes into that– and, we women simply don’t have enough testosterone to get that muscular.

  I do suggest that you follow the eating program that comes with P90x, but shoot for closer to 1500 cals per day if you have some weight you’d like to lose. (The lowest level of the nutrition plan is set at 1800 cals or so- a little too high, in my opinion, for the way most women trying to lose weight use the workouts.) An easy way to get to the right calorie level is just to cut out one of the bars that they suggest.

  If you find this post helpful and want to purchase P90X or any equipment from Beachbody, we’d much appreciate if you use this link:
  http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping?referringRepId=7295

  That will bring you into the program through our portal, and you’ll be assigned Rob (and me, by proxy) as your coach so that we can keep on tracking your progress and helping you along.

  Let me know if you have other questions, we’re happy to help!

• 110 Marele // Feb 15, 2010 at 10:59 am

  Thanks for the help, Smurf! That makes a lot of sense. Looking forward to starting next month.

• 111 JC // Feb 17, 2010 at 7:15 am

  I’m 29 years old, 5′0 135lbs and want to lose about 20-25lbs. I’ve started to go back to the gym, and feel healthier and better about myself, despite a loss in weight. I wanted to boost my chances of succeeding by purchasing either P90x or Insanity. Any thoughts? My hopes are to lose weight, tone my body (especially my midsection).

  JC

• 112 Rob T // Feb 17, 2010 at 11:15 am

  Both systems will help in that department. Insanity is a Max Cardio Training program, where the focus is on movement (cardio drills) and body weight exercises (you won’t need any weights). P90X is well rounded program of weight training, stretching (yoga), and cardio workouts.

  Both of these programs are based on a 6 day workout schedule with one rest day a week. (So you will be kept pretty busy for about an hour a day.) Each also comes with a meal plan. As they say, “Abs are made in the kitchen.” If you want the best results possible, no matter which program you use, stick to the meal plan.

  I use both workouts. P90X is my main program which I use most of the year. The nice add on to this system are the “One on One’s with Tony Horton.” These new workouts target the major muscle groups and can be mixed and matched with the P90X workouts when you get sick of them.

  The P90X system has 3 baseline 90 day workouts, Lean, Classic, and Doubles. Lean is geared for more toning, Classic is a balance of building muscle and burning fat, and Doubles, well, if you want to red shirt a football team, do doubles. So effectively you get 3 programs in one. This way you can choose the best one for you.

  Insanity is more regimented. At this point there are no alternative workouts, but, it is only a 60 day program, so you won’t get too bored. (And I don’t think you should do Insanity sessions back to back. Cardio program, then weight program, then cardio, then weight, and so on)

  In the end, it comes down to preference. How would you like to get your butt kicked? (Well, you do your own butt kicking, the method you want to use to kick your own butt is what I am asking) (heh)

  Both will work. If you prefer not to use weights, go with Insanity. If you like weight training, go with P90X.

  If you find this post helpful and want to purchase P90X or any equipment from Beachbody, we’d much appreciate if you use this link:
  http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping?referringRepId=7295

  -Rob

• 113 sitstoomuch // Feb 18, 2010 at 12:37 am

  So I’m a bit nervouse about buying the P90X program… A few people that I work with do it and some like it… Some don’t… None seem to completely stick to it.. I’d like to get in shape but have never bought any kind of dvd for home..

• 114 Jen // Feb 18, 2010 at 10:08 am

  For me to fit the gym into my busy schedule I go at 4:45 am. I eat an apple on the way and drink milk or eat a granola bar when I return home. Is this enough? When I get to work 2 hours later I will eat a real breakfast such as protein shake or egg whites. My place is quite small so making anything or mixing a shake will be too loud that early.
  I also find that I eat more on the weight training days. I seem to be constantly hungry.

• 115 Smurf // Feb 18, 2010 at 10:53 am

  SitstooMuch: It’s hard to tell if P90X is the right program for you without a few more details: What is your current fitness regime like? What are your goals? What kind of workouts do you enjoy doing? I can assure you that P90X is not your typical “home workout DVD.” Not a single “Jane Fonda Leg Lift” here! But, your friends at work are proof of the one truth in ANY fitness regime– It will only work if you commit to it and give it 100%.

  Jen- Your pre-and-post workout fueling looks good, assuming the rest of your day is appropriate. You are getting a nice carb boost from the fruit beforehand and the milk gives you a blend of protein and carbs (many fitness folks swear by chocolate milk as the ultimate recovery drink, so you could even get carbier in that post-workout snack- you want about a 1-4 ratio, protein to carbs, in the hour after your workout.) The granola bar might be a little high in fat (depending on the type) for a recovery snack– fat slows the release of the carbs into your system and, post workout, your muscles have about an hour where they are ready to fuel back up so it’s one of the few times that you do want those carbs released as quickly as possible.

• 116 Allison // Feb 22, 2010 at 10:38 am

  Hey, thanks for this blog! I am 5′6 133 lbs. and I am about to start P90X, but I am not sure that it is really going to do much for me. I am not trying to lose a tons of weight, but I really just want to tone up, especially my inner thighs and abs. I used to workout 6 days a week for about 1.5-2 hours, doing weights for my upper body, running, bicycling and abs. However, since graduating college it has been hard for me to get more than 3-4 good workouts in a week and I feel like I’ve lost a lot of the energy I used to have that motivated me to workout!

  In regards to my diet, I eat very healthy! On average I eat about 1400-1500 calories a day. I mainly stay away from white breads, rarely eat sweets, and cook really healthy foods. I eat the South Beach Diet lifestyle (foods low on the glycemic index) pretty much everyday! Do I have to follow the P90x diet to see results?

  And, In your opinion, is P90x going to really tone up my body?? I’m having a hard to believing that a DVD will be able to work me out enough to see actual results!

  Thanks!

• 117 Rob T // Feb 22, 2010 at 11:47 am

  I was a sceptic. Before I started in 2007, I thought it was crazy to pay for a workout program. I started working out when I was 15, and have never stopped for more than a few months at a time. (Due to injuries, work or whatever) I was floating between 207 and 215, playing soccer 3 days a week and doing martial arts, as well as hitting the gym 3-4 days a week. What was a video going to teach me? What have I not done before?

  Well, I did post my results: http://www.fitlifesf.com/2009/09/p90x-and-insanity-results-12907-to-9109/#more-412

  It didn’t teach me anything new, but it did help me follow a regimented plan which helped me get into the best shape of my life. And that is KEY! Being consistant, hitting the muscle groups properly, getting the right recovery time, fueling your body properly; stuff many of us know, bit don’t act on properly.

  I guarentee that you will see results with P90X (or Insanity, or ChaLEAN Extreme) but, as you know, you only get out what you put in.

  You also have all the resources available to you on teambeachbody.com, the experiences of the fitlifesf.com team, and many random people you will meet (and may already know) who are using beach body products. (Once I started using P90X, I immediately found out that 10 people close to me were also using it. And their results have been great too. Crazy!)

  As an alternative: Insanity. You want to tighten up, lose a few inches, and improve your cardio. Try this before you do P90X. Then, when you do P90X, you will be ready to CRUSH it!

  -Rob

  If you find this post helpful and want to purchase P90X or any equipment from Beachbody, we’d much appreciate if you use this link:
  http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping?referringRepId=7295

  If your Beach Body Coach isn’t helping you, be sure to tell Team Beach Body you want FitLifeSFRob as your coach! You then get the combined experience of Smurf and me.

• 118 Smurf // Feb 22, 2010 at 3:45 pm

  Allison- I think you will be really pleasantly surprised with P90X. Both Rob and I are workout vetrans and thought the same thing about “how much of an ass whooping can I *really* get in my livingroom?” But, if you bring to it an athete’s mindset (which it sounds like you have), you will get a great workout. I also think since your time is limited, you’ll do well- I am not a fan of wasting time, so whether I’m at the gym, out for a run, or standing in front of my TV at home, I put 110% into the time I am spending on that workout. That means lifting at your max, squeezing out that last rep, etc. I think you’ll find that the videos really inspire that kind of mindset.

  Your diet is probably already pretty close to the P90X nutrition guide… how many grams of protein per day do you average? If you know for CERTAIN that you are at around 1500 and getting plenty of protein, you will see some pounds come off– in fact you may want to up that if you are seeing more than you’d like come off and/or are having trouble keeping energized for the workouts. If you don’t know for CERTAIN and are kind of guestimating, I think it is always a good idea to track a week or two of food on a site like http://www.Livestrong.com (TheDailyPlate) or http://www.FitDay.com (I use The Daily Plate.) In fact, I think most people would benefit from tracking a week or two every couple of months just to keep themselves honest.

  Best of luck on your journey. Please check back and share your successes with us!

• 119 Jen // Feb 23, 2010 at 12:58 pm

  I have been drinking 1 scoop of protein powder and skim milk after my workouts instead of the recovery drink. What is the difference and should I switch?

• 120 Smurf // Feb 23, 2010 at 1:17 pm

  Jen- actually, you want a 4-1 ratio of carbs to protein in a recovery drink, so a protein powder is going to have too much protein, too few carbs. You can augment it by mixing, say, 1/4 scoop of protein powder in orange juice or something like that if you’d like, but you do want to get that dose of quick-process carbs in the first hour to replenish muscle glycogen and get to the business of recovery and repair.

• 121 Celeste // Feb 25, 2010 at 10:47 am

  Hi, I recently started P90X; am doing the lean version. I am only in my 10th day. I do want to lose weight, about 10 lbs. I am pretty fit, however, I miss my cardio and don’t seem to have the time and or energy to add cardio along with the p90x. I am now wondering if I should have bought Chalean Extreme instead…any thoughts would be appreciated.

• 122 JES87 // Feb 25, 2010 at 1:23 pm

  My husband and I are ready to start a fitness program together. Our needs are a little different, but we’d like to find a program that we can do together that involves a nutrition plan and fitness plan. Here are a few details about our separate goals to see if any of you have suggestions for us as to which of these programs may suit us the best:
  My husband would like to shed pounds, but also to really get back in shape. He used to play ice hockey competitively, but has been out of that for some time due to a few concussions along the way. He’d like to be able to get back into hockey by getting into shape, building muscle, and dropping some fat that he’s built up after not being able to play hockey.
  I’m looking to get into shape and tone up. I’m wanting to lose a little less weight than he is, but am more focused on losing fat and gaining endurance. I mostly want to be able to feel better throughout the day with more energy, while also getting back into great shape and shedding some fat.

  Any suggestions on a program that may work for us both? Thanks!

• 123 Smurf // Feb 25, 2010 at 1:40 pm

  Celeste- If you’ve been doing a whole lot of cardio in the past, I would suggest sticking with P90X. You really do want to keep your body guessing, so it’s quite likely that your body has “gotten used to” or adapted to the cardio that you’d been doing. Also, building lean muscle is key for keeping your metabolism revved. That being said, I am a cardio nut, too– I really need the endorphins I get from it– so I would highly suggest swapping out Kenpo and/or Cardio X with whatever heart-pumping form of cardio you enjoy. Ideally it would be something that you can do in “high intensity intervals,” as that will maximize your after-burn.

  We plan to get Chalean Extreme so that we can compare the two, but from the commercials and website, it’s not a “cardio program,” either. It’s resistance training a la P90X. They both work on the same premise– muscle burns fat. Again, if you have a long history of all-or-mostly cardio, I’d really suggest it.

  If you really do decide that you want something extremely cardio, then “Insanity” would be the program for you– you’ll still be building lean muscle through bodyweight exercises, but it is super high intensity cardio intervals.

• 124 Celeste // Feb 25, 2010 at 2:31 pm

  Thanks, that’s an excellent idea. Since I really enjoy Kenpo X, I can switch out the Cardio X for spinning or elliptical. I probably will wind up getting Chalean Extreme anyway and do that after I am through P90X. I use to love, love, love Turbo Jam; lost about 50 lbs 4 years ago with that and weight watcheres. Just recently, i have regained about 7 of them so I need to really nip it in the bud. Thanks for your advice.

• 125 Smurf // Feb 25, 2010 at 2:46 pm

  Celeste– Do you follow Chalene on Twitter? She started following me after I posted about my Turbo Kick instructor showing up to class still drunk from the night before (he’s a hoot- he still manages to kick our booties, even when reeking of booze and covered with nightclub stamps.) She’s got some great stuff on her twitter feed– great videos and such about proper eating and whatnot. http://twitter.com/chalenejohnson

• 126 Smurf // Feb 25, 2010 at 2:47 pm

  Also, Celeste- Are you a WW Lifetime Member? It would be worth checking back in with them just to make sure your eating is on track.

• 127 Spinnelli // Feb 26, 2010 at 11:38 pm

  Hello, I’m a woman, 5 7″, 128lbs. I work out pretty regularly, have a bit of muscle definition, and even spot 3-4 pack abs with the help of the ab rotation machine I’ve been using for a while.
  I want to try P90x though for diversity, endurance, overall fitness and toned look, right now, just my biceps, back and abs are noticeably toned, the rest are merely skinny.
  My issue is, I don’t want to lose any weight at all, I’m pretty scrawny looking as it is. But I don’t want to gain weight either.
  How can I customize P90x to my body type.

• 128 Smurf // Feb 27, 2010 at 12:13 am

  Spinnelli- For you, it will be a matter of calculating the calories you are burning per day (Base metabolism + Daily Activity Level + Workouts) and make sure that you are neither over (gain) or under (lose.) There are many calculators online that can help you figure out your daily pre-workout calorie burn (TheDailyPlate has one that I use often– for most folks, unless you work in construction or something, it’s best to say that you are “Sedentary” and then track the calories you burn through your workouts separately.) Once you know how much you are burning on day-to-day activities, you want to get an idea of what you are burning in the workouts– for that, I highly recommend a heart rate monitor, as this can vary greatly, even on the same workout day-to-day. You can get one for about thirty bucks, just be sure you can enter your gender, height, weight and age and that is is giving you a customized estimate of calories burned.

  You will also want to skip over the “Fat Blaster” phase of the P90X Nutrition plan and go directly to either the Energy Booster or Endurance Maximizer phase, whichever feels best to you.

  Also, it sounds like you want to do the “P90x Classic” schedule, as you are already quite lean and your main goal is to get some overall toning.

  None of these customizations will affect which P90X program you buy– the program stays the same but comes with materials that tell you how to customize for your needs.

  If you find this post helpful and want to purchase P90X or any equipment from Beachbody, we’d much appreciate if you use this link:
  http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping?referringRepId=7295

  That will bring you into the program through our portal, and you’ll be assigned Rob (and me, by proxy) as your coach so that we can keep on tracking your progress and helping you along.

• 129 Celeste // Feb 27, 2010 at 6:07 pm

  I’ll start following Chalene on Twitter…what’s your twitter name? Actually, I’m not a lifetime WW member cause I did it all online. In fact, I still keep up online even though I don’t post; gonna start tracking again. The 50 % fat shredder is hard; finding it hard to to all that protein! What’s your twitter name, I’ll follow you! thanks for all your great info!

• 130 Smurf // Feb 28, 2010 at 11:20 am

  My twitter name is smurfcore. We’ve also got a FitLifeSF feed (FitLifeSF)– It’s mostly Rob’s updates.

  Yes, getting that much protein in is tough. I’ve got my protein up to about 1g/pound of bodyweight right now, which I think is a nice compromise. I feel like crap if I try to eat as much as they call for in Phase 1. If you find yourself slipping off the plan or not feeling great because of trying to get in that much freakin’ protein, you don’t have to (and, in fact, it’s not really designed for you to) spend more than a couple weeks on that phase. Move to the Energy phase when you need to.

• 131 Susan // Mar 1, 2010 at 12:03 pm

  Great info here! I’m close to my 60 day mark of doing P90X and so far I have only lost 5 lbs (in the first 2 weeks). I’m 5′4″ and weigh 159. I need to lose atleast 30 pounds. Right now P90X is the only exercise I’ve been doing. I’m wondering if I should add in a few days of cardio with it?
  I also have no idea how to eat anymore! I know enough about nutrition to just be clueless about it. (ha!)
  What would you recommend a good mix of carb/protein/fat to be and how many calories would you recommend for me? I’ve stopped eating sugar and sweets so right now that’s not the problem. I’m tried cutting back on my carbs but I do need some to have the energy for the workouts and just to get through life.
  Basically I eat veggies, lean protein, low fat dairy, fruit, peanut butter, brown rice, eggs…. I try to eat well but obviously I need to change something in order to lose some weight! It’s so frustrating! I’ve tried counting calories but since the scale hasn’t moved I don’t know if I’m eating too few or too many. Help!
  Any advice for me? I’d really appreciate it!

• 132 Smurf // Mar 1, 2010 at 12:06 pm

  How many calories per day are you eating? At the end of the day, it really is all about calories in vs. calories out.

• 133 Susan // Mar 1, 2010 at 12:21 pm

  I forgot to say that I’m 41.

• 134 Susan // Mar 1, 2010 at 12:59 pm

  Keeping up with my calories on a consistent basis is not my strong suit. This is a problem I know. I have an iphone app that does a great job of it, when I input the food.
  It ranges between 1200-1500.
  The P90X says it burns 600 cals each time but there’s no way that’s true on arms or just legs days. For plyo, yes, not so much for other days. I’m not sure what to put as far as calories burned on most days.

• 135 Smurf // Mar 1, 2010 at 3:22 pm

  So, your total daily burn before workouts is probably somewhere around 1745, based on your age, height, weight, etc. Depending on how you do the workouts, you could be burning anywhere from 200 cals up to (on the REALLY high end) 700 cals. One way to know for sure is to get a heartrate monitor that lets you enter your specific information and gives you a customized estimate of burn. Frankly, though, I wouldn’t worry too much about how many calories you are burning in the workout (other than to make sure that you select a weight that lets you keep moving the entire workout, and that you monitor your heartrate or work on a “perceived effort” scale to be sure you are really giving it your all in every single workout.)

  If your goal is to lose weight at a rate of about a pound a week, and you make a safe estimate that you are burning at least 250-350 calories per workout, you’d want to be eating about 1495 calories per day. It is ESSENTIAL that you actually track every single bite you are putting in your mouth and hit your calories. If you are between 1395 and 1495, fine, as most people underestimate what they consume.

  I am an advocate of a sensible, 40-30-30, Carbs, Protein, Healthy Fats blend. I am sometimes a little lower on my healthy fats, so sometimes those numbers are plus or minus 5% or so. The P90x eating plan advocates for a higher proportion of protein– I encourage you to give it a shot and see if it works for you. However, I do feel the “lowest level” of the p90X nutrition plan is calorically far too high for most women looking to lose weight.

  Hope that helps!

• 136 Arlene // Mar 1, 2010 at 11:33 pm

  Hi I love your site and there’s so much good info here. I’m about to start the p90x program and am excited. I’m getting married in 65 days (woo-hoo!!) and am wondering which program will be most beneficial for me? I’m 5.0, 110 lbs and am mostly muscle but since I’ve fallen off the steady exercise wagon I’ve lost some tone and gained flab. I develop muscle/strength fairly easily and respond quickly to any regimen I pick up, so I have to change things up or I plateau. When I used to do Krav Maga last year I worked up to 100 pushups per workout. I miss the intensity but started getting self conscious with the muscle, esp my shoulders and upper body. I’d like to see the belly and other flab go and strength /development in the glutes and thighs. Also am including spin and hiking in my workouts. As far as diet goes I’m undiagnosed gluten intolerant and sugar/dairy sensitive so I eat pretty clean. I do love my avos and egg yolks though…any advice is appreciated! Thanks for all you guys do.

• 137 Smurf // Mar 2, 2010 at 12:12 pm

  Arlene- First, congrats! Second- I would suggest you go with the “Classic” rotation of workouts. If you are eating at or a little below your total daily burn to power through some of that flab, you shouldn’t bulk up too much (also, if you’ve lost a little bit of tone and the wedding is in 65 days, I bet you’ll be just about right where you want to be if you do Classic with your weights set to allow for 8-12 reps per set.) If you are already eating clean, then just track to be sure your calories are at or a little bit below your daily burn– healthy fats are great! And egg yolks in moderation are being shown to be not nearly as “bad” as once thought. The P90X nutrition plan is pretty protein-heavy, but also the lowest level of the plan is a little high in calories, ESPECIALLY for shorter women. Do be sure to aim for .7-.8g/pound of protein.

  Best of luck, and let us know how you do!

• 138 Arlene // Mar 2, 2010 at 7:12 pm

  Great – thanks for the suggestions! I thought the calories seemed a little high for me. I love protein and the healthy fats, but it’ll be a change to monitor my food intake again! Hope to see good results soon.

• 139 JAMIE // Mar 3, 2010 at 10:29 am

  Oh wow, this site is what i have been looking for. I am about to start p90x with my boyfriend and all he wants to do is bulk up and get big. he can eat what ever he wants and not worry about it. I on the other hand want to lose weight and the only think i ever want to eat is sugar. He wants to help me but when i eat what he tells me i gain weight. I really want to get my diet in order b/c i am known for having highs and crashing. Do you guys think i should do p90x with him and what kind of diet should i follow (i try really hard to stay way from sugar but i cave and then go crazy)

• 140 Amanda // Mar 5, 2010 at 8:06 pm

  I’m 25 5′1″ and currently weigh 132 I want to loose 17 pounds. I do not want to bulk up. Do you think p90X will help me or should I try another beachbody program? Which will I see the most results from and get results fast so, I won’t get frusterated? Help!

• 141 Rob T // Mar 5, 2010 at 9:39 pm

  If you already have decent cardio and you just want to loose weight, I say go for Insanity!

  If you are getting your cardio together, and want to tighten up your body, then P90X is a great choice. Either way, to reach your goal of 17lbs down, you will need to be in control of your diet. Both programs will help you improve your fitness level, but for that kind of goal, it is about eating right and staying on program.

  Then you get to be in maintain mode, which is much easier.

• 142 Steph // Mar 6, 2010 at 11:39 pm

  I am currently on week 4 of P90X. I love the program and progression that I can see so far.

  However, I started the workouts without starting the nutrition plan. I started on the nutrition plan today. I am concerned that it seems to be so much food. I wasn’t able to fit it all in today. I was lacking 2 protein and 1 veggie.

  I want to do this right but should women really be eating as much as men? I am on level 2 of fat shredder and it just seems like so much. Will I really be able to lose weight and consume this much?

  I was considering dropping to level 1 but I don’t want to sabatoge myself. I know the scale is not the best way to judge but I am starting a biggest loser competition at work next week and I really want to see results. Any suggestions?

• 143 Rob T // Mar 7, 2010 at 12:53 am

  We need some specifics. Email us your age, height, weight, and how active you are through the day.

  Our email is on the Home tab.

  -Rob

• 144 Amby // Mar 7, 2010 at 11:04 am

  Hello! I have the P90x program and Im about to start it. Im 35, 5′5″, and at 245lbs. I have a specific food plan that I will be doing, getting rid of pop and fast food and eating 6 small meals a day of about 35% good carbs, (whole grains, good fruits, etc) 50% lean proteins and 15% good fats. Should I be doing classic or lean, I would like to drop about 100 pounds?

• 145 Smurf // Mar 7, 2010 at 11:13 am

  Hi Amby,
  Did you complete the fitness test? I would suggest you do the lean program. Most important for you is going to be upping your “lifestyle burn,” as well. This includes doing all the ancillary things you read about– parking as far from the store as possible to walk more, taking the stairs vs the elevator, standing up and pacing when talking on the phone vs sitting, moving around when watching TV (at least getting up during the commercials), etc. Wearing a pedometer and trying to get in 10,000 steps per day is a great way to work towards this.

  Best of luck on your journey, do check back if you have more questions!

• 146 Tchick // Mar 11, 2010 at 9:05 am

  hi! i left a post on “which p90x workout is right for me” awhile ago and didn’t hear anything back… no biggie but i just wanted to make sure my post came thru.
  thanks!!
  t

• 147 Smurf // Mar 11, 2010 at 10:48 am

  Yikes! Sorry I missed your post, Tchick! Head back over there, I answered your (great!) questions.

• 148 Ashley // Mar 11, 2010 at 6:09 pm

  I’m so glad I found this site! It has been so helpful. I am 5′ 7.5″ and weigh about 165lb. I am going on a cruise in June, so I wanted to get into better shape before I go. I bought the Jillian Michael’s “30 Day Shred” and have been doing it for about a week. It’s a pretty intense 20 min workout. Anyways, I am interested in trying the P90X program. Is the program strictly strength training, or is there also some cardio involved? From what I have read on this site, the P90X program isn’t the best for someone hoping to lose around 30lb, so if I combined the P90X with proper nutrition, and added cardio, if necessary, is 30lb a realistic goal? Thanks so much!

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