FitLifeSF

352 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.teambeachbody.com/fitlifesfrob

  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!

• 149 deedee // Mar 16, 2010 at 12:36 pm

  Hi, I need help!

  I did Insanity for 5 weeks (which was fantastic), then moved across the country and then moved back. Since I stopped Insanity I gained about 20 pounds. I’m 5’3″ and 156 lbs. I started P90X yesterday. Would it be completely insane to do both p90X and Insanity together (like a morning and afternoon thing)? I am also unemployed due to a layoff, so to fight boredom I just want to work out all day.

  I also started going to Weight Watchers 2 weeks ago and haven’t lost a pound yet. My goal weight is 122, can I realistically achieve that by June in time for Bonnaroo? I am also a lacto-vegetarian…so the meal plans are always difficult for me to figure out. I don’t eat meat or eggs or fish. Help? I can commit and am willing to do anything to drop these pounds and be in great shape by June.

• 150 Smurf // Mar 16, 2010 at 1:48 pm

  DeeDee- Yes, you would be insane to do Insanity and P90X at the same time. Really, you would be vastly increasing your injury/burnout risk with little added benefit. The “magic happens” while the body is recovering, so you need to give it time to do that. I, too, am unemployed and love that I have the outlet of working out every day– if you want to increase your activity, I’d suggest doing something long and low-impact, like going for a long walk or bike ride in addition to the program you select. I am leaning towards Insanity being the best program for you, since you do have the pounds to lose.

  As for your food– Trust the folks at Weight Watchers. It is an incredibly well-designed and proven program to give sustainable results. You might be moving waterweight around right now, hence the no pounds lost. If you don’t lose again the next two weeks and are sticking to the plan 100%, sit down with your counselor and talk through some options. You are in the really enviable position of having an expert in the WW organization to help you figure this stuff out, so lean on them. They can also make substitution recommendations for your lacto-veg restrictions.

  Remember, slow and steady wins the race. If you do too much too soon and injure yourself or burn out, you certainly aren’t going to hit your vacation goals! One day at a time!

• 151 Donna // Mar 16, 2010 at 4:28 pm

  Your review is awful.Really,”sucks ass”? What,are you a 14 yr old boy? I was looking for a woman’s perspective,not a foul mouthed teenager

• 152 Rob T // Mar 16, 2010 at 5:43 pm

  Donna,

  Would it be more to your liking if we do a re-post of this entry, remove any and all playfulness while rewriting it in 16th century English and iambic pentameter? If that will untangle the knots your knickers seem to be in, we’ll give it a go.

  -Rob

• 153 deedee // Mar 17, 2010 at 6:46 am

  Hi Smurf! Thanks for the info. So you think Insanity will be better for weight loss? If so, great…I will take your advice.

  Donna, there’s real good advice here and I’m 36 years old and thought the review was funny. I don’t want to read something robotic and boring. Exercising is bad enough, you need to lighten up. You came here for advice, if you don’t like how these fine folks write….then it’s your loss.

• 154 deedee // Mar 17, 2010 at 6:47 am

  P.S.

  Happy St. Patty’s Day everyone!

• 155 Smurf // Mar 17, 2010 at 10:42 am

  I do think Insanity will be best for getting you where you need to be quickest. Hapy St Patty’s to you, too, enjoy your leafy greens!

• 156 Donna // Mar 17, 2010 at 11:38 am

  Thjank you for the suggestion! I did find better reviews elsewhere! It’s not the profanity that offends me,but,the stupidity.I give you credit for “iambic pentameter” .

• 157 Rob T // Mar 17, 2010 at 12:18 pm

  Glad you found what you were looking for. Peace out.

• 158 Dawn // Mar 21, 2010 at 6:41 am

  I am in a weight loss competition at work (the person who loses the most WEIGHT wins the pot – I wish it was % of weight loss, but I didn’t make the rules).
  My question is, should I start the P90X to lose the weight (30lbs in 6 weeks is my goal) or should I do the cardio routine, I heard it’s the best way to shed fat quick, along with a decent eating plan.
  I could REALLY use your advice.
  Thanks!

• 159 Smurf // Mar 21, 2010 at 11:24 am

  Hi Dawn,

  What you are looking to do is not advised unless you are under the supervision of a doctor (a la The Biggest Loser TV show, where they are seen by doctors daily and constantly supervised.) Professionally, it would be a liability for me to help you in this venture, but I can answer your question somewhat:

  In order to lose 5 lbs per week, you need to create at least a 17,500 calorie per week/2500 calorie per day deficit. You can create this deficit either by eating less, exercising more, or a combination. Given that a person NEVER wants to eat less than 1200 calories per day IN ANY INSTANCE, for most folks this means the max you can take from the “intake” side of the equation is 500 calories per day (and, even at that level, any kind of exercise is very difficult, so you are begging for injury if you go that low.) This means you are left with at the very least (depending on your BMR), 2000+ calories per day that you need to burn through exercise in excess of your “activities of daily life.” And, no, P90X will not burn 2000+ calories per day. It would also not be advised to undertake the P90X program while ALSO, for example, running/walking 14-15 miles per day, spending an 3.4 hours on an exercise bike, or any of the additional activities that would get you up to that 2500 calorie per day deficit.

  I sincerely hope you will look at the big picture– weight that comes off that fast, even if you can do it without injury, is VERY unlikely to stay off. More likely, you will come out of this “contest” hating exercise and never wanting to see healthy food again. I’d much rather see you set a healthy goal of 1.5-2 pounds per week and let the ultimate “victory” be your health.

  Stay tuned for the results of our own FitLifeSF 10-week challenge, which will be posted next week. You’ll see what people are able to accomplish when setting healthy/realistic goals. It really is impressive!

• 160 Jen // Mar 22, 2010 at 11:36 am

  I am on day 43 and have noticed a difference in my body and how I am progressing with the workouts (ie..more reps) but I am finding the days I do arms, shoulders and back excersices I am not sweating like all the other workouts. I push myself alot but don’t seem to get my heart rate up either. Should I add a 30 minute run in after?

• 161 Smurf // Mar 22, 2010 at 1:44 pm

  Hi Jen,
  It sounds to me like it’s time to up the weights! Congrats! It’s not surprising that your body has adapted to the stimulus after 43 days, so you should see your intensity getting back to where it was if you just increase the load. I usually try to increase my weights about every month (after each step-back/recovery week.)

• 162 Jade // Mar 23, 2010 at 2:03 pm

  Great website!! I am 39 yo, 5’3 and weigh 152, it KILLS me to even type that. I have ALWAYS been a size 2, weighed between 111-115 and athletic, until I had an emergency hysterectomy three years ago. Since then I have put on the weight, constantly exhausted and just all around miserable. I had never had to diet before moreless watch what I eat, until now. I, for the most part, eat healthy. I do have a weakness for chocolate. What woman doesn’t? Also, the doctor says all my blood work is normal, so according to her my weight gain isn’t due to any imbalance. Anyway, my husband and I purchased P90x but haven’t started it yet. We currently have a trip scheduled in June (which will entail us seeing a ton 0f friends from high school, who…are used to seeing me as a size 2). I want to get back down to as close to my old size as possible while toning up. What do you suggest? Doing the P90x or another program? Thanks for any assistance. I am so tired of feeling tired, lazy and fat!!! HELP!!!

• 163 Rob T // Mar 23, 2010 at 3:43 pm

  If you want to slim up and tone up, it is time for INSANITY! But, if you are just getting back into shape, you should start by working up to it. Means finding a good cardio program and manageable meal plan. If you like to dance and move, try Hip Hip Abs or Rock’en Body. If you want to use weights, look at starting with Power 90 or P90X. (Power 90 is a great way to get ready for P90X)

  We need to know more about you, your fitness level (not just your weight), how and what you are eating, and what you enjoy doing to help you stay motivated. We can do this on the comments section or you can e-mail us direct.

  -Rob

• 164 Jade // Mar 24, 2010 at 9:38 am

  Well, I want to lose a lot of weight before the end of July (I think I said June, sorry, it’s actually the end of July) and just get into great shape. I have always been athletic, in sports and used to run 3-4 times a week (on and off for years, I didn’t have to do it to stay thin, I’ve just always been thin). I typically don’t eat bfast, a sandwich or salad for lunch and a balanced dinner (chicken/fish, veggies and pasta). I don’t eat red meat. But I do have a raging sweet tooth. Cookies are my weakness. We do occasionally make easy dinners like shrimp alfredo or chili cheese dogs, very bad I know. I am very busy and travel often for work so an easy meal plan would help. My husband and I have been cooking off the P90x nutrition guide, but that is so time consuming that it wore us out after one week. I considered doing all the cooking for the week on a Sunday, but never did. I realize I probably need to keep my caloric intake down to 1200-1500/day but not sure what meal plan and/or exercise program to do. Like I said we have the P90x but I have read such conflicting information that I’m a little confused. I appreciate any guidance and help you can give. I’m really not quite sure what to do or where to start. I want to lose the weight, keep it off and lead a healthy active lifestyle. Thanks again.

• 165 Marcelina Nevils // Mar 24, 2010 at 11:28 am

  I’m at my 4th week doing P90X and loving it. I am a few days away from 41, I weighed 119 when I started and I’m 5’1″. I consider myself pretty active, I actually bought this program 1 yr ago and I didn’t really follow the exercise program but incorporated it with Chalene’s Turbo Jam dvd’s. But I decided to follow it this year. With regards to the meal plan. For breakfast I normally have:
  a slice of whole grain bread with 1 1/3 scoop of natural peanut butter with half a banana
  or
  I soak 1/4 cup of steel cut oat the night before then eat it with 3/4 cup of soy milk, 1/2 banana, 1/4 pear and tbsp mix of dried cranberry and apricot
  or
  4 eggwhites with 1/2 cup spinach, 1/4 cup tomatoes & mushrooms with a sprinkle of feta cheese (I use 1/4 tbsp of olive oil)

  Are these good breakfast combinations? Which days should I have them? I do my workouts at 5am and have my whey protein after and have my prepared breakfast when I get to work. I do the Lean version. I do plan to change it up to Classic on Phase 2. Would this be a good decision if I want muscle tone?

• 166 Marniemom // Mar 25, 2010 at 12:52 pm

  Marcelina, I laughed when I read your post because you sound exactly like me in many ways. I’m 5′, 117 lbs and started p90 a month ago. I’ve noticed I’m not losing weight, which bothers me a little, but clothes ARE fitting loser so I think I’m probably gaining muscle, which I guess is ok for now. I also do the workouts at 5am and eat whole grain cream of wheat or oatmeal when I get to work. Funny! Good luck with your routune – nice to know there are others out there going through this, too!

• 167 Marcelina // Mar 25, 2010 at 4:05 pm

  Marniemom, wow! this is exciting. You’re right, I weighed myself for 2 consecutive weeks and lost half lb. I haven’t weighed myself since then since they say don’t mind the scale. I think I will do my weigh in this weeked. Like you my clothes fit better. I don’t know if it’s just in my head but the lines on either side of my abs are more noticeable and muscles do feel firmer. I do hope that Rob or Smurf will get the chance to answer my questions. Also I drink Precision Engineered Whey protein and Glutamine for my post workout at 630am, then have one of those breakfasts at 730 at work (is this okay?? but I think it is since I’m always ready to devour my breakfast because of hunger). I’m concern about the natural peanut butter since I hear conflicting info about it that it’s not good to eat after a workout because of the fat content. I also have a handful of Deluxe mixed nuts w/o salt maybe 2x a week for my snack. My lunch and dinner are normally 40z of chicken breast or salmon with veggies with brown rice. From your previous advice (Suzie) it looks like I need to add more carb on my diet also. Hers is much similar to mine. Thanks this a great website, great motivators!!!

• 168 Smurf // Mar 25, 2010 at 9:28 pm

  Marcelina- Those breakfast options look to fit into the meal plan pretty well- some people find it better to eat the same thing every day (I am one of them ) But, if you can mix it up you have less of a chance of getting too much of something you don’t need (or not enough of something you do.) Numbers one and two are pretty carby (if you are trying to follow the Fat Blaster plan in the nutrition guide), so just make sure you are getting the specified amount of protein later in the day to hit the goals outlined in the plan.

  It sounds like Classic would be the best combo for you if your main goal is to build lean muscle. Coming off of a program where you get lots of cardio (Turbo Kick), keep in mind that you might feel like you are not “doing enough” or getting the same kind of endorphin rush post-workout, but if you make sure your weights are heavy enough and really “bring it,” you’ll see great results. Just stick with it and know that it’s natural to feel like you should go sprint a few laps around the block or something, since you are used to that kind of anaerobic stimulus. Resist the temptation and trust the program.

  As for eating a fatty snack (oe: peanut butter) right after a workout– You have heard correctly, you do want to limit fat right after a workout, so peanut butter wouldn’t be the best choice. Basically, in that hour right after you work out, you want to get quick-digesting carbs and a little protein in a 4-1 ratio into your system to support glycogen replenishment and muscle repair. Physiologically speaking, you ARE actually going for an insulin spike here as it will get the carbs into your muscles to restore spent glycogen. So, this is the one time where you are, quite literally, going for simple sugar. And having too much fat will keep that spike from happening and potentially keep that glycogen from flooding the muscles. At all other times, you DO usually want to have some fat in snacks because it smooths the insulin response and keeps you feeling fuller longer, post-workout is one timeframe where that works against you.

  I only weigh myself once a week– it drives me batty otherwise.

• 169 Jade // Mar 26, 2010 at 7:52 am

  Leaving this again since I didn’t get a response, would really appreciate one. Thanks.
  Well, I want to lose a lot of weight before the end of July (I think I said June, sorry, it’s actually the end of July) and just get into great shape. I have always been athletic, in sports and used to run 3-4 times a week (on and off for years, I didn’t have to do it to stay thin, I’ve just always been thin). I typically don’t eat bfast, a sandwich or salad for lunch and a balanced dinner (chicken/fish, veggies and pasta). I don’t eat red meat. But I do have a raging sweet tooth. Cookies are my weakness. We do occasionally make easy dinners like shrimp alfredo or chili cheese dogs, very bad I know. I am very busy and travel often for work so an easy meal plan would help. My husband and I have been cooking off the P90x nutrition guide, but that is so time consuming that it wore us out after one week. I considered doing all the cooking for the week on a Sunday, but never did. I realize I probably need to keep my caloric intake down to 1200-1500/day but not sure what meal plan and/or exercise program to do. Like I said we have the P90x but I have read such conflicting information that I’m a little confused. I appreciate any guidance and help you can give. I’m really not quite sure what to do or where to start. I want to lose the weight, keep it off and lead a healthy active lifestyle. Thanks again.

• 170 Smurf // Mar 26, 2010 at 9:02 am

  Hi Jade,

  Sorry we missed your follow-up question. Here’s the thing– unless you follow the eating plan you will not get the results you want. Period. This afternoon, we are posting the results of our 10 week Challenge. In that time, I lost 16 pounds and, while I was in the gym 6 days a week, it was 100% (maybe more if mathematically possible) my eating. It just takes making the commitment to do it. Really, spending the time doing the workouts without spending the time to do the eating plan is counterproductive. At the end of the day, “thin” happens in the kitchen, “fit” happens in the gym. (Or, in this case, in front of the TV doing P90X.)

  It sounds like you already know most of this, but… You need to start the day with breakfast. I just get a bowl of Kashi Go Lean cereal in my face every morning (not the “Crunch” variety, as it messes with my stomach.) I eat this rain or shine, without fail. It has everything I need and nothing I don’t and is a great way to start the day without having to think about it. Cookies are fine on occasion, just practice portion control. Shrimp Alfredo is no quicker to make than a nice Shrimp Primavera with whole wheat pasta and loads of veggies. A chilidog with turkey chili, whole wheat bun and lowfat dog isn’t the end of the world.

  The P90X eating plan is a great basis to work with, and you’ll find easily which options are quicker for you- it just takes the time to get into the habit.

  Based on your BMR, to lose 1-2 lbs per week, you want to set your calories at 1385-1635 per day. I suggest using the P90X nutrition guide as the basis for that, but omitting a serving each of protein, carb and fat. (Usually, I suggest just omitting a bar, but I think the bar could actually be helpful to you guys since it looks like time is a big issue– I always suggest getting nutrition from whole foods before something like a bar, but if it’s a bar or nothing, or a bar or cookies, then go for the bar!)

  Hope that helps!

• 171 Jade // Mar 26, 2010 at 11:19 am

  Yes, Thanks so much!!! I REALLY appreciate the time in responding.

• 172 Marcelina // Mar 26, 2010 at 11:53 pm

  Thanks so much for the information. I think I will try to stick more with the eggwhites and try Kashi Go lean. I will let you know of my progress. Although I already get a lot positive comments from my relatives…it’s such a good feeling to be noticed by someone else other than yourself. It tells me that Im not dreaming it. Classic here I come. Bring it!!

• 173 Shannon // Mar 28, 2010 at 6:37 pm

  This sight is very helpful. I am a 32 yr. old female who has been working out for several years, but mostly to keep my weight down with 15 min. of day of scultping, 60 of cardio. I too have been doing the p09x for some time and experienced similar results with the scale not moving. I left an intense daily cardio lifestyle to start this and it is quite a difference. I have couple questions that I would love to hear from others about.
  1. I have been following the meal plan outlined. I am finding it very hard to fit all the proteins in, but I am making it work. I also have to adjust the 2 dairy requirements as I have celiac disease and am lactose intolerant. I am adding 1 additional fruit and 1 additional vegie to take the place of this. I noticed the plan says so soda. Does that include diet soda’s? What about drinks like this such as crystal light with artificial sweetners in them?
  2. I really want to add some more cardio back in to help me lose the last 5 pounds I am working towards, but doing 90 minutes of a video and then running for 30 can take 2 hours out of my morning before leaving for work. Any suggestions on how to blend the two together to continue to build the strength, yet lose the 5 pounds?
  3. I am finding by the end of the day, my stomach often hurts. Is this due to the large amounts of vegies I am eating? Or I was wondering if it was all the egg whites? A typical day for me includes 5 eggwhites, 4 vegies, 1-2 fruits, brown rice, air popped popcorn, 2-3 chicken/turkey/fish to total about 1400-1500 cal.

  Thanks for the help. This site is wonderful!

• 174 Shannon // Mar 28, 2010 at 6:58 pm

  One more question…..
  Is doing the YogaX really an important part of the workout? It takes forever and I really dread it every Thursday. Could I just run 5 miles that day instead? What benefit would I be missing if I did not do that workout weekly?

• 175 Smurf // Mar 28, 2010 at 7:31 pm

  Shannon- Have you done more than one cycle of P90X? When is the last time you increased your weights? I’d be reluctant to have to add too much to the program if it is one of your first times through. Make sure your weights are maxed so that you have a really tough time getting to the end of the reps, but not so high that you only do 6-8 reps and then stand around waiting for the next set. Do you use a heartrate monitor to make sure your heartrate is getting nice and high in workouts like Kenpo and Plyo?

  My firm belief is that those last 5 pounds are going to come off in the kitchen… are you weighing and measuring your food? You really should see the scale moving at 1400-1500 calories (unless you are very short and/or very skinny already.) I wonder if you might not have let the calories sneak up some if it’s been a while since you’ve tracked your food– it happens to the best of us!

  It’s incredibly difficult for me to get in as much protein as the Fat Blaster plan calls for and, frankly, my body doesn’t operate well on that much protein. If you are plateauing anyhow, it might be worth it to move from the Fat Blaster program into the Energy Maximizer program (The second phase) where you can get more carbs in just to mix it up. Keep your cals around 1500, though– remember, the lowest level of the nutrition plan still has you eating 1800+ calories which is too high for most women to see a change on the scale.

  I’m not sure why your stomach might be hurting at the end of the day- are you eating anything with sugar alcohols (sorbitol, malitol, etc.) or any kind of a high-fiber processed snack like Fiber One bars, Fiber One yogurt, etc. Or are you eating Kashi Go Lean Crunch or chewing a lot of sugarfree gum? These things can be a recipe for tummy disaster! It’s rarely veggies that would be causing distress– or, if they do, you usually identify the problem pretty quick. It might be worth a check-in with your doc just to be sure it’s not a new symptom related to the Celiac.

  As for diet soda- I don’t think they spell it out explicitly, but I’d limit that to one artificially-sweetened drink per day. It just doesn’t bring anything to the party that you need and if there is any risk that it’s messing with insulin levels, triggering cravings, or screwing with your hunger messages, I say better to play it safe and limit them. We have a Soda Stream seltzer charger here at the house, so if I have Crystal Light, I dilute it nearly 3:1 with seltzer, or just drink plain seltzer if I want bubbles, or make a Fruit Zinger tea and then add seltzer and some Stevia. We drink a TON of tea around here!

  I wouldn’t replace yoga with running, as it’s not really the same effect. Yoga X is very much a lower-body isometric workout with some stretching, push-ups and ab work thrown in for good measure. I am not a fan of the workout as a yogi. I pop in a different yoga DVD. If you want to replace a workout with running, I’d replace Kenpo and/or Plyo with a fartlek or interval run.

  Hope that helps!

• 176 Shannon // Mar 29, 2010 at 2:23 am

  Thanks for the quick feedback. Let me address a few of your questions.

  1. I borrowed the p09x videos from somewhat and used the cardio ones for about 6 months. I just recently ordered my own and discovered the workout plan and am now following the lean version. I have been doing this for 4 weeks now.

  2. I track every bite I eat on myplate (livestrong) and have been doing this for over a year. I am confident that I am not going over the calories as even if it is a bite, I track it. I do not eat any white flour due to celiac and have eliminated all sugars That was the hard part for me.

  3. I am not eating any high fiber food outside of vegies and popcorn, as the the celiac disease really limits any of those types of foods. I do chew quit a bit of sugar free fruit gum to keep me from craving the sugar. This could make my stomach hurt, bloated, gassy?

  I at 5’7″ and 135 pounds. I know I am in my normal weight zone, however, my 3/4 and 5/6 clothes do not fit right until I am around 130. Those last 5 pounds don’t seem to come off unless I add in liquid fast days which I know is not the best to do. I have been very faithful to get the calories needed over the last month as I noticed on myplate that I get too low on many days. I was hoping that would make a difference, but so far….I am still stuck at 135 everyday. Any other thoughts on how I can get to my goal weight? (and yes, I do measure my food, but don’t have a scale…I just eat 1/2 a chicken breast or a plam size mean portion and the rest can be measured in cups).

  Thanks for the help.

• 177 Smurf // Mar 29, 2010 at 2:48 pm

  Your daily burn based on the BMR for your height/weight is about 1855 cals, so if you are eating at 1400-1500 cals AND working out consistently and not seeing the scale budge for more than a month, I’d suspect it might be something medical going on with the Celiac. In my research, Celiac has been shown to have the opposite affect– keeping you from absorbing nutrients and calories and thus causing a loss where one wouldn’t be expected– but it’s entirely possible it is having some other affect that I’ve not come across in my reading. Given your diagnosis, I’m sure your insurance would approve of a trip to a nutritionist to check out what’s going on, as I can’t see any reason given the data you’ve provided why you wouldn’t be losing.

  And, yes, if you Google “sugar free gum and gas” you’ll see that it can cause all kinds of problems– gas, pain, bloating diarrhea…

• 178 Manda // Mar 29, 2010 at 5:20 pm

  Hi!
  I’m a girl about to be 19 in a few weeks and I’m also on the second day of my second week of p90x lean. I’ve decided to try the lean workout because one of my friends was trying the classic and expressed how difficult it was. I feel that if a workout is too difficult, I’m more likely to give up.
  Last summer, from June to September, I lost just about 30 lbs. dieting and doing a lot of cardio. Unfortunately, my diet was extremely strict and once I came off of it, I gained half of the weight back in the span of about a month and a half.
  This time with the p90x, I’m eating more than I used to but I’m not following the diet program and I’m wondering if I should. I’m a college student and I don’t really have the money to keep going out to buy enough food through the whole program so I’ve been eating light meals and snacks adding up to about 1000-1300 calories a day. What I’m wondering is how much this will affect my results and if I should attempt the classic before sticking to the lean?

• 179 Smurf // Mar 29, 2010 at 5:56 pm

  Well, right off the bat- 1000-1300 is nowhere near enough calories for you, even if you weren’t undertaking an exercise program as intense as P90X. It is unhealthy and will have a great impact on your results. Either you will burn out in the near-term, or gain all the weight back again in the longterm. It’s not more expensive to eat right, it is just a bit of a time investment. You really need to make the commitment to do it or all else is moot. In fact, the nutrition piece of the puzzle is so important that I would say if you can’t commit to getting the eating right, it’s not worth taking the time to do the workouts.

  In a perfect world, you should be following the nutrition guide that was included with P90x, but staying nearer about 1500 calories. If you find that you have a hard time getting in as much protein as it calls for, or that all that protein gets expensive (it can!), then just move into the Energy Booster program which has a few more carbs. If all else fails, just eat about 1500 calories of mostly unprocessed foods- lean meats, veggies, whole grains, etc.

  Lean is not “easier than” Classic, at least it shouldn’t be if you are doing it right. You should still be working out at maximum intensity and lifting weights that net you about 10 or so reps before getting VERY difficult.

• 180 Manda // Mar 29, 2010 at 7:01 pm

  Thank you for the fast reply I’m glad that I got the advice before I was too far into it and found out I did waste all the time I’m putting into the workouts. I’m going to look over the program again and go grocery shopping in the next couple of days. The thing I’m most worried about when eating more often is I interpret it as eating too much, which now that I think about it is because the food is heavier.
  Again, thank you so much for the advice!

• 181 Shannon // Mar 29, 2010 at 7:01 pm

  I will have to check on the nutritionist idea.

  Do you think Insanity would produce more results for me? Is this much harder than p09x or just a different spin on things?

• 182 Smurf // Mar 29, 2010 at 7:41 pm

  Manda- It is true that good food is way more filling than junk. It’s a mixed blessing.

  Shannon- I find Insanity harder- it’s just way different. It’s moves I’m not used to doing, so I’m kind of like “Are you kidding me right now?!” But, one thing is for sure, those workouts will kick your booty. I run 20+ miles per week, lift weights 3x a week, and still think I’m not quite fit enough to do Insanity.

  I would suggest you stick with P90X through the 90 days and then consider Insanity. Rob is currently cycling through the both programs and every time he switches back to the other program he gets thoroughly spanked all over again. They work well together.

• 183 Manda // Mar 30, 2010 at 8:02 pm

  Quick Question: is it normal to feel heavier after the workouts?

• 184 Manda // Mar 30, 2010 at 8:03 pm

  Correction: is it common* to feel heavier after the workouts?

• 185 JULES // Mar 30, 2010 at 9:35 pm

  wow… fantastic site – Smurf & rob, you are so generous w/ your time & comments!

  alas… i’m 41, bloated, and very confused.
  without going into long boring detail, i have a small bone structure and a lot of fat on top of it! i have spent the past couple of yrs stressed out and overworked and i’m ready to get my health back. AND – i’m getting some professional photography done in 4 wks (job-related) and i need to not look like a huge puffy marshmallow. i’m not looking for a miracle (i have previously lost weight before and know how my body USED to work although now that i’m insanely old i’m not so sure). i am, however, looking for some info to get me moving in the right direction.

  stats: 5’3, 167 lbs (my “right” size is about 120 lbs, size 4)
  when i’m focused and eating right (my sweet tooth is what makes me naughty) i tend to not eat enough. even after intense workouts, i’m not always hungry or too tired to eat by the time i get home after a long day and a hard workout. i always eat bkfst (non-fat yogurt w/ this fruit powder Reds-X) and i eat some almonds mid morning, and either salmon or chicken for lunch and the opposite for dinner + veggies, low-fat string cheese for afternoon snack and an apple right before i go to the gym. AND, it’s much easier for me to buy + prepare the same stuff so i know i’m not getting the right nutrition but that’s a tougher challenge for me than working out.

  i do enjoy working out. also, when i’m focused and working out right, i do a pretty hard session on the elliptical (hi resistance, optimum grade for butt/quads, at moderate speed) 5 days/wk and according to the calorie thingy i can burn 500-600 per workout. i also do a round on the machines (inner thigh, overhead T-bar thingy, a lot of side lifts/crunches, and some armwork w/ dumbells. i can easily build up muscle, which i know will help burn fat but it’s also frustrating because i bulk up too and i don’t want to.

  my question:
  like i mentioned, i tend to build up muscle fast – too fast. i’m much more concerned about burning fat and slimming down right now, reducing size moreso than concerned about what the scale says. not knowing any better, i bot P90X but after reading your comments i’m now thinking i should get the Insanity workout instead. i’m looking to accelorate the fat reduction. suggestions?

• 186 JULES // Mar 30, 2010 at 10:02 pm

  …sorry – as if my previous post wasn’t long enough:

  i also take some good supplements (citric acid, fish oil, prenatal vits, D3)

• 187 Smurf // Mar 31, 2010 at 12:21 am

  Manda- Yes, often after you work out hard fluid and blood rushes to the muscles to aid in recovery and you may feel larger/swollen/retain water.

  Jules:
  1) Eating regularly is imperative, whether you are hungry or not. Get on a program that is right for you and stick to it– often this means making yourself eat when you might not feel like it, much like a good fitness program means working out when you might not feel like it. You eat to fuel what you plan to do- you want to be “on top if it”, not “playing catch up.”
  2) For your situation, it will be tough to see any real impact in 4 weeks, but there are some things you can do to cut bloat out– you might want to try an eating program like the Fat Blaster that is included with the P90X program. While you won’t burn much fat in 4 weeks, you might see some decrease in the bloating from being on a lower-carb plan. Also, cutting WAY down on salt, cutting out artificial sweeteners and things like Diet Soda can help bring down bloat… For me, cutting out ALL beer/wine/booze brings facial bloat down.
  3) You would be better off doing high intensity intervals for your elliptical workouts vs. doing “as high as you can stand” steady-state. How you accomplish this is by getting a heartrate monitor and doing a warm-up, say 5 minutes, then go AS HARD AS YOU CAN (literally, getting your heartrate up to very near 220-age) for a minute, recover at 50% intensity, repeat 6 times and then cool down for 5 minutes or so. When I say AS HARD AS YOU CAN, I mean literally “gasping for air, ’bout to barf, HARD!”
  4) While Insanity might be a great end-point for you, I don’t think it’s a reasonable place for you to start. A program like Slim in 6, Rockin’ Body, Power 90 or, on the higher end of difficulty, something like ChaLEAN Extreme would be a better entry point for you. You want to get some of the extra weight off before you start doing something like Insanity which is A LOT of jumping around (I’m 5′ 6″, 124lbs and run 20+ miles a week and I shudder at the thought of truly tackling Insanity because of all the jumping around.) While it might seem like you are “bulking” when you start doing weights, you do want to keep up steady resistance training to keep from losing lean body mass (aka: muscle) when you are dieting. If you are at a calorie deficit, no matter how much or how heavy you lift, it is physiologically impossible for you to put on marked amounts of muscle. You might be seeing some swelling in the muscles creating a near-term feeling of increase in size from pushing up under layers of adipose tissue, but I assure you you aren’t building relevant quantities of muscle if you aren’t eating at a surplus.
  4) Given that you already own P90X, doing the lean program wouldn’t be a bad place to start. I’d still rather see you start with one of the others, though– Slim in 6, Rockin’ Body, Power 90, etc. Of course, I don’t know much about your workout history, though– I’m just assuming from what you’ve said that you have not been working out steadily for the past year or so, which would be the prereq for moving into a P90X or Insanity program.

  Hope I hit on most/all of your questions! Just hit me back if not.

  Cheers~
  Smurf

• 188 JULES // Mar 31, 2010 at 6:30 pm

  1 & 2. “You eat to fuel what you plan to do- you want to be “on top if it”, not “playing catch up.”
  that is a great statement. ok – i don’t do much salt or soda/alcohol and do eat healthy when i’m in my zone, i guess my focus needs to be on the EATING part… sorry – my ‘bloated’ comment was more of a general self-pity whine – my body has already shifted out of the high/simple carbs puffy mode – we’re umm… down to the fat layers now!
  3. i was already doing the intervals but by your description i’m doing it wrong! good to know.
  4. i useta be a runner – and sometimes i’m still psychologically in that “oh, i’ll just pick up where i left off” mode so i overestimate myself, and end up hurt or sick. so i like your idea of just getting the weight off first and then focusing on the fitness part. and i had no idea your muscles swelled a bit after a workout! hmmm… i think my butt does too.
  thank you so much -
  j

• 189 Marcelina // Apr 2, 2010 at 8:12 am

  It’s me again, since I do my workout at 5am, I only try to chew on 2 dried apricots and water before my workout is this enough? I just read from Beachbody message board that there’s a muscle loss if you don’t eat before you workout especially on weights days. I just don’t have enough time to eat and wait before working out. By the way…I’m happy to announce that I lost 3lbs after 30days of P90X (fr. 119 to 116) yaay!!

• 190 Smurf // Apr 2, 2010 at 9:39 am

  Marcelina! That is wonderful news! I think having a quick-digesting carb before your workout is the most important thing for you since, you are right- if you had something that took too long to process, it would be flopping around in your stomach and not get to your muscles anyhow before your workout is over. When I run in the morning, I usually just have some water and maybe a little nip of 5 Hour Energy if I’m having trouble getting moving. Most important is to be sure you have a sufficiently balanced dinner and maybe a bit of a snack before heading to bed, then follow up the workout right afterwards with a recovery drink or snack containing a 4-1 carb:protein ratio.

• 191 Marcelina // Apr 2, 2010 at 4:30 pm

  Thanks for the quick response! I must be doing something right then. I will have to keep in mind to have a light snack before bed though. I’m always worried that if I have a snack before bed that it would store as fat. As I mentioned before I always have my vanilla whey protein after workout and now trying to avoid my peanut butter on toast breakfast. Next week I’m starting a Kashi Go lean and lowfat soymilk for breakfast. I normally have my bfast 1 hr after workout which is at work. Thanks again!!

• 192 Sarah // Apr 2, 2010 at 9:32 pm

  Hey there! Great website!!

  I have been doing the P90X for almost three weeks now, but I should add that I got really sick and had to miss week 2.
  I am not following the diet exactly, but am eating healthy stuff only (little sugar, next to no fat and if so then only “good” fat like almonds, and proteins from chicken and fish).
  My big question is: How many calories should I be eating to shred some fat???? I am doing the “lean” version.
  I am 27 years old, have had two kids (2 c-sections which make the ab ripper pretty hard). I am 5’7″ and weigh about 143 lbs. My body fat percentage is 24.5%, BUT my big problem is that I am breast feeding. This kind of influences my diet/hunger and how my body stores fat. Any suggestions???

  As far as results, I started off at 148ish and my bf was at 25.7% or so (if my weight watcher’s scale is correct). I had lost 7 lbs while I was sick and managed to keep 4 off.

  Thanks!!

• 193 Arlene // Apr 6, 2010 at 10:07 pm

  Hi, hope you guys are well. I just wanted to give an update. Started classic the 1st week of March and did 2 weeks then was hit with the flu and out for 2 weeks. Jumped back in with Week 3 and skipped Week 4 Recovery and started Week 5 today. I’m really glad I started with Classic; it was perfect because the moves were challenging and I like how by the time I got the hang of it, the routine changed up with Week 5. It was great tracking and seeing my progress. I’ve lost 1# but I think I’ve gained muscle and have more definition overall- chest, arms, legs, tummy, back. Haven’t been doing any cardio besides mtn biking once a week, but plan to start up this week. Diet has been good. With the wedding one month and 2 days away, I can’t wait to see more changes. I’m planning on skipping recovery Week 8 and go straight into Week 9 which would be the week before the big day to get max results. Do you think this is ok?? Thanks in advance.

• 194 Smurf // Apr 7, 2010 at 10:22 am

  Personally, if I had a big event coming up, I would do the recovery week workouts, as that’s the only time in the program that you do Core Synergystics. That is one mofo of a super-hard workout, and the one that I always fall back on the afternoon before a big night out. It is loads of core work and push-ups, so I feel like it’s a great “one last chance to look the best you can” kind of a workout. It’s the only workout in the program that still, to this day, kicks my butt thoroughly no matter how often I do it.

  That being said, normally I’d never advocate not taking a week where you switch up your program (“recovery” in P90X is kind of a misnomer), as it is essential both for maximizing results and for preventing injury. But, since you are in a special circumstance, I think you’ll be fine with extending whichever workouts make you feel the baddest-assest through to the Big Day.

  And… don’t forget to take some time to relax and enjoy yourself!

• 195 Tchick // Apr 8, 2010 at 7:24 am

  hi smurf and ladies,

  i’m still kickin tail with classic. i’m the one who had gained 5# after month 1 on lean and posted my pity party above. i’m now on week 10, feeling amazing, and lost 1.5# during month 2. so i’m still 3.5# heavier than i was on day 1 so i’m discouraged about that, but like i said, i feel fantastic. i’ve been reading your & rob’s postings about rotating between rounds of insanity and p90x and i’m pretty sure that’s what i’m going to do after this current month 3 of p90x wraps up. hoping insanity will melt off this fat layer that’s still covering up my sweet p90x muscles.

  anyway, just wanted to update you and thank you again for all of the feedback. i’m also wondering, do you have your food plan posted on your site or do you just follow tony’s plan as close as you can? i’m a vegetarian but like you mentioned in your past reply to me, i can sub out what i need to. but i agree with your thoughts on gearing down the protein a little bit and would love to see like a sample day/week of what you eat if you have it posted somewhere.

  thanks again ! ! !

  t

• 196 Elaine // Apr 8, 2010 at 10:58 am

  I just received my P90X and am very excited about it! I am hoping to get a 6 pack and trim/tighten my thighs. I have some cellulite issues that I want to address. Will P90x assist with that(appearance of cellulite)? I am a little concerned because of the comments from females. I don’ tk now what to expect. I don’t want a “body builder” look- I want a lean look. I am already in pretty decent shape. (looking to tighten up and stay tight)

• 197 Smurf // Apr 8, 2010 at 4:21 pm

  Tchick- Awesome news, and proof that sticking with it will often turn the tide! Glad you are seeing positive changes. As for my diet– I have tried following the P90X meal plan, and I just don’t function well on that much protein. I also had the benefit of having worked with a nutritionist a few years back and knowing what works well for me weightloss-wise. Due to injuries and general life crumminess, I let myself gain back a good bit of weight last year, so did a weightloss “sprint” at the beginning of this year (http://www.fitlifesf.com/2010/04/10-weeks-to-a-new-me-my-thoughts-on-the-fitlifesf-challenge/) I lost 16 lbs in 10 weeks while maintaining muscle by eating a well-balanced 50-30-20 carbs-protein-healthyfats ratio (give or take, I had some days closer to 40-40-20.) I logged all my meals on The Daily Plate username Smurfcore and they are publicly-viewable. In general, b-fast was always Kashi Go Lean and nonfat milk, lunch was either a big bucket of mixed veggie salad with a lean protein source and some beans and avocado, afternoon snack was fruit and Ak Mak Crackers and/or light string cheese; Dinner was lean meat, veggies and a whole grain. I also often had a nonfat tart frozen yogurt and fresh fruit (sometimes with a sprinkle of almonds) for dessert.

  Elaine- Congrats on your purchase and making this healthy choice! The #1 contributor to 6-pack abs is going to be how much bodyfat you can cut. Same goes for cellulite– the only way to get rid of/reduce the stuff is to lose overall bodyfat so that it is no longer pushing on the skin, causing the dimples. The good news is, P90X will get you closer to those goals both by helping you burn calories and by helping you build lean muscle to increase your metabolism and get the lean look you are going for. Don’t worry about “looking like a bodybuilder.” Bodybuilders spend all day, every day, with the laser-focused intention of getting that look. From the way they eat to the way they lift, to nearly every aspect of their lifestyle. It absolutely does not happen accidentally.

  One note on the cellulite– I noticed the first time I tucked into losing weight, I developed some where I had never had it before as my weight started to move around (likely muscle developing before fat came off– I hadn’t yet accepted that my diet was going to be 95% of success in this journey.) Just a warning that you might see the same thing– make sure your diet is line… you must burn the fat layer to get the results you are after, and SO much of that is diet! Stick with it and you will see great results!

• 198 Julia // Apr 9, 2010 at 1:33 pm

  Hi I’m 5’6 and about 135 lbs. My goal weight is to be back down to 115 lbs. I’m fairly active; I go to the gym about 3 times a week but don’t seem to working out as much as I should. I’ve been trying to lose weight for quite some time now but everything i try seems to not work. I tried simply just dieting and exercising but I never stay motivated enough. I eat fairly healthy but my portion sizes may be a bit too much.
  So i had a couple questions about how the best way to lose weight is…
  I read your comments on the Insanity work out program. Would this be a better program to use if I wanted to lose all this weight? And does it come with a meal plan like the p90x?
  Or would you suggest trying the p90x to lose the weight and gain muscle?
  Please let me know what you think!

• 199 Smurf // Apr 9, 2010 at 2:45 pm

  Hi Julia-
  If you are already working out and in pretty good shape going into it, then Insanity really is a great choice for powering through the weight– you’ll still be building muscle because there is lots of bodyweight strength training thrown in. You need to love high-impact, jumping-around workout, though (and, probably, not have a downstairs neighbour to bother

  Both P90X and Insanity come with a nutrition guide. You and I are in about in the same metabolic boat (assuming we’re not too far apart in age), so I will tell you that the lowest level in the nutrition guide, which clocks in at or above 1800 calories/day, is going to be too high for you likely. 1500 is a good generic level to shoot for (if you send along your age, I can give you a more specific number.)

  Here’s the thing– you WILL NOT get down where you want to be without paying laser-focused attention to your calories in vs calories out. I recently went from 141 to 125 (shooting for 118) in 10 weeks and, yes, I was working out every day– but the biggest part of it was watching my diet like a hawk. Especially when adding in new workout stimulus, you just can’t trust your hunger instincts– more often than not, they will lead you down the path of negating all that hard work, even if you think you are consuming exactly the same amount. Also, I fell prey to the “eating really healthy” (but vastly too much) trap for years. Every “do these 5 things and drop 5 pounds this month” thing I was already doing– I was just eating more than I needed to, in part because I figured I was working out and not eating junk so it must be OK. Especially for people like us, trying to get down to the lower end of the range for our height, none of the “easy tricks” are going to work, it’s going to be about 100% focus and dedication.

  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.

• 200 Marele // Apr 11, 2010 at 3:13 pm

  I posted way up there earlier asking if you guys thought P90X would be too tough for me or not.

  I’m currently on Day 40, and I’m glad you advised me to go for it – in 40 days, I’ve gained awesome definition in my arms, gone down 2 pant sizes, and gone from a flat but toneless stomach to having a visible 6 pack. Excited to see how the next 50 days will go.

  I’m thinking about adding Shakeology to the mix next month – if I do, I’ll be buying it through you guys. Thanks for your help.

• 201 Smurf // Apr 11, 2010 at 7:26 pm

  Awesome, Marele! Thanks so much for checking back in with us!

  Rob is a total Shakeology convert- he does one every day and loves it! I do one or two a week – my favorite is to do the chocolate and mix it with skim milk, vanilla extract, espresso powder and ice like a frozen coffee drink. I drink them if we have an evening engagement to go to and they give me nice energy that’s not “twitchy” or irritable.

• 202 Rob T // Apr 11, 2010 at 7:27 pm

  Congrats! Keep up the great work. We love to hear about people’s successes!

• 203 Tchick // Apr 12, 2010 at 7:28 am

  smurf, thanks so much for your comments, encouragement, and the details about the diet and nutrition plan. i will most def check out your meal logs on The Daily Plate. i can’t tell you how much i appreciate your feedback and time! you rock! i’ll check back in again soon.

• 204 Mandi // Apr 12, 2010 at 1:03 pm

  Great website! I am so glad I came across it! My husband and I are doing P90X program together, we are on day 1 of week 2 (YAY). I LOVE the program so far! My problem is he lost 7lbs so far and I have lost .5lbs. SERIOUSLY, frustrating! I just am trying to make sure that P90X is right for me, I have about 25lbs to lose, but eventually would like to lose a total of 35-40lbs. Do you think I am on the right program?

• 205 Smurf // Apr 12, 2010 at 2:10 pm

  .5 lbs in a week is actually pretty good! What have you done with your diet? That will be the MOST important piece of the puzzle for you as far as loss goes. Men drop waterweight like nobiody’s business if they so much as look at a salad and consider lifting a weight. (*shakes fists at the heavens!* He’ll slow down as the program progresses. Read through the comments in this thread, as I address women looking to lose more than 20 pounds– it really comes down to buying a heartrate monitor and pacing yourself such that it becomes an interval weight workout, and FOOD.

  Best of luck with your program, do check back with us!

• 206 Jen // Apr 12, 2010 at 3:04 pm

  I have noticed that my body works better with protein than it does carbs (even though I love my bread) as I gained 3lbs back trying to change 2 proteins for a carb and was not too happy.
  I see that you eat a ratio o f 50-30-20. What do you classify dairy as? I am guessing fruit is a carb. I am trying to see what my ratio is. I notice I do the best on the first stage of the diet on P90x but I am worried that a little extra carbs here or there will hinder my weight loss.

  I am on week 10 and have lost 6lbs and 4″ so far. I want to make the last month a great one and lose an inch or two around my thighs and hips and keep the toning going on my abs and arms.I know there is no spot weight reduction but a girl can hope..right.

• 207 Mandi // Apr 13, 2010 at 8:04 am

  Thanks for the quick response and encouragement! I am going to continue to do the workouts everyday, we may choose a different yoga, I was so glad to hear we weren’t the only ones who think it is terrible! I am following the diet very closely, and hope to see results soon! I need to look at the big picture, but that is sometimes easier said than done.

  Thanks again, I love reading all of the posts!

• 208 Jeanne // Apr 15, 2010 at 8:18 am

  Great site, thanks for the great info and insight.

  I am considering ordering the p90x so I was looking for review and I found your site. I would appreciate your thoughts on whether you think it is right for me.
  I am a 43 yr old female and I have worked out as long as I can remember. I have put on about 7 to 10 lbs over the last year but it is not a mystery as to why. I have not been as consistent with my cardio and weight training and my eating as not been as clean. I have tried to get back on track but for some reason I feel like I have been all over the place with my workouts. I do reformer pilates consistently because I have back problems and pilates has really saved me in terms of back pain but I really haven’t been consistent with anything else. I do a little spin class here, a little weights there – nothing consistent.
  I tend to do well with structure and I like to work out hard so I thought this program may be good for me.
  Is the eating plan easy to follow?
  Is this a program for someone who has to be cautious of back issues?

  I was also a little concerned after reading some of the posts where people find it hard to get the scale to move. I definitely want to increase my lean muscle mass but I do want to lose those extra pounds. Any thoughts?
  Thanks.

• 209 Smurf // Apr 15, 2010 at 10:10 am

  Jen- Just saw your post, girl, sorry for the delay– If you work better and lose on protein, that is awesome! Keep it up! I log all my food on a site like The Daily Plate (I’m currently futzing around with a BodyBugg, though, so I am using their logging program.) Non-fat dairy is blend of carbs and protein, full-fat dairy a blend of protein, carbs and fat, which is why I love a site that keeps track of the macros for me. If you are doing the “portion approach” on the food guide, dairy is its own category- which is fine so long as it’s non-fat dairy, which, let’s face it– I eat lowfat (except milk, I’ll have non for that) and take fats from other things. That’s why knowing your goal ratios and using a tracking program is very helpful in helping you categorize things that straddle categories.

  Anyhow, CONGRATS on your success so far, and, remember- the stubborn parts are the parts to budge last, so if you’ve powered through the other parts in the past few weeks, I bet you’ll see some awesome results in your trouble spots if you stick to this with 100% commitment and really kick up the intensity to finish strong!

• 210 Smurf // Apr 15, 2010 at 10:28 am

  Jeanne-

  You sound like the PERFECT candidate for P90x! The program is super structured, you’ll know exactly what you need to be doing every day and will be provided with loads of tools– online and off– to track your progress. The program will bring the consistency so long as you bring the commitment.

  For you, like so many, it is really going to be the eating that gets you to your goal. The illusive “last ten pounds” are a reward reserved for the dedicated few willing to really work for them. This means laser-focus on your calories in vs. calories out and really pushing yourself through the workouts. P90X does come with a nutrition guide, but, as I’ve noted in other posts and comments, I believe the “lowest level” of caloric intake is far too high for most women looking to lose weight. Not knowing your height, but knowing that you are not vastly overweight and are over 40, I am willing to bet the farm that it is set too high for you, too. (I can do a quick metabolic rate calc on you if you want to send along your height and weight, either here or to smurf@fitlifesf.com.) To get the eating plan down to appropriate calorie levels for weight loss for most of us, it’s usually a simple matter of dropping out one of the bars they want you to eat. The only reason I’d tell you to keep the bar in there is if you really have trouble getting a meal in, in which case we can work with you to point out where you can cut from– I advocate for keeping the balance of macronutrients the same to see how your body responds.

  As for your back– form is going to key for you, so make sure you are using a high enough weight to feel the burn in your arms (or legs or whatever muscle is being worked), but never in your back. The first time through each video, watch each exercise once to get the form cues, then pick up the weights. Keep your abs pulled in (“seatbelt-style like you learn in pilates) during all your weight workouts. Give the Plyo workout a try and see how it feels. Rob has back problems, but it doesn’t bother him if he does it with control. Depending on your particular back problems, you might find you need to do too many modifications (and/or need to do it too slowly) to really get a burn off of it, in which case replacing it with another day of Kenpo or heading outside for an interval jog, or hitting the elliptical, spinbike or other (if you have access) for a heart-thumping interval cardio workout might be a good replacement. I’d also suggest that, if the pilates is helping you with your back, you might want to continue to get in a pilates workout per week, in which case you could probably swap that out with the Yoga X day.

  I hope you’ll give P90x a shot, because it really does sound like it could be the structure you need to get those last few pounds off!

  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.

• 211 Jeanne // Apr 15, 2010 at 4:10 pm

  Thanks for the great info.
  What are the calorie ranges for the meal plan – are they the same across the board for everyone doing the program? I emailed you my stats so you know where I am starting and hope to be.

  Another thing I have a question about is the Shakeology. Is that a meal replacement?

• 212 Smurf // Apr 15, 2010 at 4:38 pm

  The P90X Meal Plan bottoms out at 1800 and tops out at 2,399. It has you take a little quiz to see which level you should be, but the lowest it would have a person at is 1800. I did your math, and will send you that in email shortly.

  Shakeology can be a meal replacement or a supplement. Rob doesn’t normally eat breakfast (Bad, I harass him about that all the time!), so now he’ll drink a Shakeology. I will sometimes have one in place of my afternoon snack, or if I am low on calories at the end of the day. It’s not a meal replacement like you would think of a Slimfast or something where you can’t eat a meal– it’s only got 140 cals per scoop, so, with nonfat milk it’s snack-ish sized calories.

• 213 Denise // Apr 16, 2010 at 7:01 pm

  Hey there,

  I am a 23 year old, 5’7″, 195lb woman who has a 21 month old. I have finally gotten back into a workout routine, working out 4 – 5 times a week with 30 minutes weights and 30 minutes cardio. I have been working out consistently for the past 10 weeks and haven’t really lost any weight, but I have noticed everything toning up and getting smaller.

  I am not really concerned about how much I weigh, I am a size 14 and have been since high school, and I am mostly muscle now. I would consider myself big boned I guess… Anyway I am interested in p90x, but am also interested in getting smaller. I did kettlebells this summer and gained 10 pounds of muscle that I haven’t been able to get off. I am scared that I will continue to bulk up if I start p90x.

  Do you think it would be better for me to do something with a little bit more cardio or do you think p90x will be a good choice?

  Thank you

• 214 Jeanne // Apr 17, 2010 at 12:56 pm

  I am 43. I did p90x last year and did the lean version. Didn’t realize there were phases and did the same things over and over, but looked awesome by July, having started in March. I lost about 15-20 lbs, which was about what I needed and kept it off until Jan. of this year. I am doing p90x again, but doing classic since I had been doing lean all along and put on the weight. don’t know if it’s hormones, but I cannot shake it. need to lose about 15-20 again. Should I switch back to lean or just keep at it and when I get to each phase, I should see some weight loss? I am super athletic. Played sports in college and am no stranger to hard work. I have given up all bad carbs, not eating anything extra, but cannot seem to get moving on any weight loss. Help?!

• 215 Smurf // Apr 17, 2010 at 1:37 pm

  Denise- It sounds like the most important thing for you is going to be getting your diet in order. It’s a sad reality that, without that, you just aren’t going to get the results you want. For your size, eating at a 1500-1700 calories per day will mean a nice loss.

  Now for the tough news. That ten pounds you put on this summer doing kettlebells? Wasn’t muscle. It’s not metabolically possible for a woman to put on more than about .9 of a pound of muscle mass per month– and that is if you are eating at a surplus (ie. on a bodybuilder diet), taking supplements, and lifting really heavy specifically for muscle gain. In other words, a professional female bodybuilder who lives the lifestyle and does nothing but try to get maximum muscle gains would be over the moon and the envy of all her bodybuilding pals if she were able to put on a pound a month of muscle. I don’t doubt what you put on looked a whole lot like bulky muscle– there’s about a 3-5% delta in bodyfat to where you look like you’ve bulked up muscle, but it’s actually fat over or in the muscle tissue. So, the good news is that if you can get on an eating program to where you are burning through that fat, you won’t look bulky.

  That being said, I’d suggest you check out the Insanity program if you might be reluctant to lift heavy. It’s all bodyweight exercises and LOADS of cardio, so you will get the best of both worlds. Between getting your diet in order and doing a program like Insanity, I think you’ll be really pleased with your results. Otherwise, doing P90X “Lean” track (when you get the disks, it has various schedules- Lean being one of them) would be great for you.

  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.

• 216 Smurf // Apr 17, 2010 at 1:45 pm

  Jeanne-

  For you, too– It’s all going to come down to diet. Weight and measure everything you are eating, track your calories, eat at a deficit. That’s 90% of the battle.

  I’d suggest switching up what you’ve been doing- if you’ve been doing lean, switch to classic or vice versa. Also, how long has it been since you upped your weights? If you are stuck, you need to switch things up. Do you use a heartrate monitor? As you adapt to the exercises, it’s really easy for the intensity to drop and a heartrate monitor can provide really valueable feedback and keep you working as hard as possible.

  Also, given that your body is built to adapt to the stimulus you’re giving it, it might be time for you to do a different program for a while to shake things up. Rob alternates cycles of P90X with cycles of Insanity just to keep his body guessing. The two programs go together really well.

  Best of luck getting back! I let myself slide a little last year and had to take the first 10 weeks of this year just really buckling down to get back to where I was, so I understand the frustration!

• 217 gdubesq // Apr 18, 2010 at 6:14 am

  Hi,

  I am 27 , 214lbs and 5’11 (tall). Currently, I am a size 12 and I would like to get down to a size 8 (my size throughout college) I am interested in doing the p9ox (I am leading a fitness group at my church and some of them have done the program). I was very athletic in highschool (ran track, played basketball, volleyball, tennis) and workedout last summer and I diet a lot. My birthday is in July so I want to start the program soon. Do you think this is the best program for me?

• 218 Smurf // Apr 18, 2010 at 9:54 am

  You are on the upper end of where I’d normally say that you should take some time dropping some weight first and building base fitness if you really want to excel at the program. BUT, given that your background is in track, volleyball, etc., I bet you have some nice muscle mass in your legs that will carry you through the more high-impact workouts like Plyo. Certainly if you have other people in your peer group, doing the same program as them can really help as far as motivation goes, and MOTIVATION and COMMITMENT are the two things you absolutely must bring to this program for it to be successful. For that reason, I’d say it would be a good choice for you.

  That being said, the one major red flag I see is that you said you “diet a lot.” I would suggest spending some time thinking about what is going on there. Why are you not succeeding at your diets? Are you choosing plans that cut out whole food groups, have too low calories, or are otherwise faddish and un-sustainable? Do you get started with all sorts of enthusiasm and peter out once the initial excitement wears off? There is something going on there that needs to be figured out in order for you to succeed. For most people, I recommend they give the P90X Meal Plan “Fat Blaster” a shot. For you, though, I am going to say that THE MOST important thing is that you be eating a deficit, not necessarily trying to stuff your face with the massive quantities of protein that the P90X diet calls for. For your size, eating at 1700-1800 calories, eating at about 40-40-20 Whole Grain Carbs, Lean Protein and Healthy Fats is going to be a plan you can stick to long-term. (You’ll need to re-calculate the calories every 20 pounds.) In a nutshell- knowing the importance of getting the food in line, and knowing you’ve had some lack of success with that in the past, I want to make sure the food piece is as easy as possible for you to commit and stick to. No need to complicate it. “It’s not rocket surgery” as I like to say.

  Look, there is no magic potion in the program. It is just a really solid and well-designed workout program that won’t do anything for you unless YOU bring the hard work and dedication, but I firmly believe anyone would see awesome results with it if they just make the commitment.

  (Ps. If you did want to start with something a little different, I’d suggest Slim in 6 on the “easier” end and Cha-LEAN Extreme on the “more challenging” end.)

  If you find this post helpful and want to research/purchase P90X or the other programs I mentioned, 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!

• 219 gdubesq // Apr 19, 2010 at 12:45 pm

  Great stuff! thank you a lot!

• 220 Mayo // Apr 23, 2010 at 8:25 am

  Hello Smurf,

  What substitute do you reccommend for the P90X ab ripper? Years ago I fell flat on my butt and bent my tailbone. I can’t sit in a V position without tearing flesh; my doctor can correct it, but, honestly the procedure scares me far more than the fact of simply avoiding a V position for the rest of my life and this bent tailbone does not seem to cause much notice in my life for the rest of the time
  I can do crunches, but, that does not seem to do the trick
  Love to know your thoughts, thanks. Mayo

• 221 Paige // Apr 23, 2010 at 11:09 am

  hey smurf,
  i am really interested in starting the p90x program. i am going on a vacation in 87 days and i NEED a beach body. i’m 18 years old and i am definitely over weight. I weigh 170 and i’m 5’7. I really want to lose my love handles, fat on my thighs and underarms. what would you reccommend?

• 222 Paige // Apr 23, 2010 at 11:18 am

  and sorry, i have another question. what types of work out equipment should i have before starting this? dumbells, resistance bands, ect.

• 223 Kathleen // Apr 23, 2010 at 12:04 pm

  Hi.

  I am 22, 5’9″ and about 190 pounds. I would like to go down to 150 I guess, but mainly want to be healthy and feel the best and confidently run outside and maybe in a half marathon in the fall. I recently bought P90X and have not started it yet. I had read the guidebook and nutrition book already and calculated how many calories I should be taking in. It said, based on my weight, I should be on level 2, but it seems like too many calories for weight loss.
  I stopped working out for about 2 months now, and haven’t been eating all that good. I used to do cardio 30 mins maybe 3 times a week, and do some weight training, but even then I never had a steady schedule at the gym. I’d like to slim down, and tone for sure, P90X seemed like the answer, but makes me think I might bulk up too much, and not lose as much weight. My mom has Slim in 6 and hasn’t used it yet, I’m just wondering if this program would be right for me to try first before P90X? And especially for the 40 to 50 pound weight loss goal.
  I was also wondering if taking the P90X supplements does anything, like those pills you have to take a few times a day. It seems like the recovery drink makes sense. Also, I live with my family who like to work out but also buy tempting foods (pizza, chocolate…etc).
  Any advice on ignoring others’ food that’s in the same house when I’m trying to start a new healthy meal plan?
  

• 224 Kathleen // Apr 23, 2010 at 12:30 pm

  Oh ya and OR is Chalean Extreme the way to go? It seems to have pretty good reviews, is it more focused for women? Some have said you have to do cardio outside of her workout for about 30mins. Can you tell me the major differences between Chalean Extreme and P90X?

• 225 Smurf // Apr 26, 2010 at 10:30 am

  Ladies- Sorry I’ve been off the blog, I was in a class for the past week or so. OK, let me tackle these one at a time…

  Mayo- Yikes! What a crazy injury! I’d suggest crunches, crunches with knees bent and laid to either side (oblique crunches), leg lifts (ie: laying on your back with your hands under your bum, abs in, and lowering your straightened legs down and up) and doing work in plank- Core Synergystics has loads of plank and active plank work. That kind of stuff is great. Honestly, even without Ab Ripper X, you get so much “dynamic core work” through the other workouts, and keeping your abs in the whole time you do the workouts. Remember, Ab Ripper X is such a small piece of getting great abs, for most of us it’s 98% diet.

  Paige- Not knowing your workout history, I’d say P90X or Insanity could be great program, but, again, it is going to come down almost entirely to diet. You could get either one of these programs and kick ass at them, but if your diet isn’t where it needs to be you won’t get the results you want. For P90X, you need dumbells (not the hot-pink sissy-girl kind- get something substantial, that you can’t curl more than about 8 times) or resistance bands. If you go with the dumbells, you’ll also need either a pullup bar or bands to do the pull-up exercises. You’ll also probably want a yoga mat. Best of luck with your journey! Let us know how we can help!

  Kathleen- I guarantee that is too high for you. Based on your age, height and weight, to attain a 750-500 calorie deficit per day from eating, you want to be at about 1496-1746 calories per day. If you figure you get an average burn of 250 calories per day working out, this will have you losing 1.5-2lbs per week, which is right where most folks want to be. You WILL NOT bulk up if you are not eating at a surplus, so don’t even worry about that. I believe that Slim in 6 is a wonderful “prereq” to get some weight off before starting P90X. To really see the kind of results they show in the commercial, you need to be right on that cusp where you’ve not got much weight to loose and then it can take you from kind of doughy and a little overweight to BLAM!-smokin’. I also find that my body loves to give up weight when I am at a nice, solid deficit, and not asking it to do anything too crazy workout-wise (eg: training for a marathon or other really heavy workouts.) The fact of the matter is, it’s cals-in-cals-out. You’ve got about 20-30 pounds you could get off through a program like Slim in 6 first, then move onto P90X for fine tuning. It might keep you more engaged since you are moving through each program– and, since you have access to both– it’s no additional investment.

  Chalean Extreme is focused more towards women just because her attitude is more geared towards women- it is still a really heavy-lifting workout, though it does cycle you through cardio. If you already have invested in P90X, I would do that first. Best of luck!

• 226 EmsMom // Apr 27, 2010 at 3:44 pm

  I hate p90x but I love it! I can not do the ab ripper x and the yoga is horrible! I will be buying my own yoga video to replace his. Any suggestions? Also, my kempo CD won’t work. Any suggestions on what I should do instead? Just starting week 2. Hate it but not giving up! I am 30#’s over weight and need for this to work or I will give up all hope in dieting and working out.

• 227 Rob T // Apr 27, 2010 at 6:39 pm

  If the disks are not working you can call Team Beach Body and ask them for a replacement.

  Yoga replacement: Tony Horton One on One: Humming Bird Yoga (Much Much Better)

  And if you are just in your 2nd week, keep going. You will see improvement, don’t give up!

  Be sure to read the comments in this section, you will see you are not alone with your diet/training frustration. And Smurf has made some great posts on this subject.

  As you will see, the way to lose weight is simple, but not easy to be diligent with. You must eat properly.

  No cheating.

  Maintain your calorie deficit while feeding your body the proper ration of protein-carbs-fat. Track everything on http://www.thedailyplate.com . Turn that into a habit. Losing weight is mostly diet. Making your body fit is a function of working out. Then, as you lose weight and build muscle, your daily burn increases, and I dare say, losing becomes easier. And when you are feeling fit, and looking the way you want, maintaining should be EASY compared to what you went through to lose the weight.

  Then you are in the living healthy phase of the rest of your life.

  If you find this post helpful and want to research/purchase P90X or the other programs I mentioned, 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.

• 228 Paige // Apr 27, 2010 at 7:43 pm

  hey! thinks for the information smurf. I’ve since started p90x, and I find it to be extremely hard, and i’m really sore. I’m sure that this is probably very common for people who don’t workout often, but I’m finding that it might actually be a little too hard and fast paced. But, at the same time, I want the results! I need to lose the love handles….
  Any possible suggestions?!
  Thanks,
  Paige!

• 229 sarah // May 2, 2010 at 8:51 pm

  hi smurf, i stumbled over your blog while searching for p90x info geared for women and it made me laugh out loud (fraggle on crack YES)

  i realize the post is old but this is one of the only sources of seemingly credible info i’ve found besides beefy dudes who own gyms on youtube. i used to be a competitive swimmer in gradeschool/highschool but 8 years of university hasn’t been kind to me and i’m now 25 and 35-40lbs overweight. i also have knees that feel on the verge of serious injury most of the time, probably bc of all my extra weight. although i wish i could just swim it’s not an option (school pool and community pools are tiny and adult swim times don’t work with my schedule/are full of people who abruptly slow down and kick you in the head all the time…)

  i’ve done about a week of p90x but i want to know if i’m setting myself up for brutal failure somehow. every other form of tv/wii workout i’ve experienced feels like less activity than what i already get walking to work and up and down stairs, and just wrecks my knees because there’s so much focus on lunges in them. haven’t had knee problems yet but i feel like i’m going to throw up all the time during/after the p90x workouts. i don’t know how to start so that i’m not bored right away but also not hurting myself.

• 230 sarah // May 2, 2010 at 8:57 pm

  sorry, i should say that i am mostly concerned with getting fit, i understand the weight loss comes with getting a handle on food and all that. i miss my old flexibility and endurance.

• 231 Smurf // May 3, 2010 at 10:47 am

  Hey, Sarah! Welcome to the blog!

  Couple things:
  1) Feeling like you are gonna barf means you are doing it right! Congrats! Seriously, I get way more barfy-feeling when I lift proper weights than I do when, say, running 12 miles. I bet you are also better-tuned for endurance because of your swimming background, so it’s normal to feel a little queasy.

  2) It sounds like your priorities are spot-on where they need to be to have success with the program. You’ll find that right about when you start to get bored with the workout, it’s time for a recovery week or other swap up of videos, so I think you’ll like the progression. It does serve to keep you challenged and interested.

  3) You’ll find P90X is not super-duper lungey, not in the way other programs are, at least. The main thing to keep in mind with lunges is that you want the energy to be going downwards, not forwards, during the lunge. So, keep them controlled– step and then lower– vs stepforwardanddown all as one motion. Also, I can pretty much guarantee that once you drop some pounds your knees will feel 100% better.

  4) Don’t be afraid to modify! Keep in mind that what the folks on the TV are doing is really what you are trying to work towards– not where you are expected to be from day 1. In workouts like Plyo, don’t touch the ground if that is too much on your knees. Don’t use weights for a while as you get the form down on the Legs and Back workouts— Remember, there is plenty of time in the 90 days to start loading those movements and, you’re right, you don’t want to get injured or burn out or it will all be for naught.

  Best of luck, and keep us updated on your progress!

• 232 Ladybug // May 4, 2010 at 4:17 pm

  Hi Guys,
  I just have to say, LOVED reading all the input on this blog! I also live in the Bay, I’m currently on week 4 of doing P90X lean. As my personal trainer boyfriend is doing the classic version along with me. We attempted doing this program about a year ago, but when my boyfriend fell off at week 5, I feel off about a week behind him. It’s SO much easier to stick with it when you have a partner pushing you. This time around so far so good. I’ve found I’m in a lot better shape than I gave myself credit for;-) SO…I’m 5’8″ weighed in at a whopping 180lbs with a skin fold body fat @ 30% on day 1. I have commited to myself to only weigh in on the monthly checkpoints, otherwise I will drive myself mad and probably quit. So I can’t report any weight loss at this point, although it doesn’t seem like much. I feel more firm, so I guess that’s what matters for now. I’ve heard the scale starts dropping more in phase/month 2, so we’ll see.

  History: I gained 20 lbs after a bad back injury last year, of which I was out of commision for 6 months laid out on my back . 2 surgeries and loads of PT later, here I am trying to get my arse back into shape. I’d like to loose 20-25 pounds, because I used to be an active fit person and 155-160 is my comfort zone. Not to mention, even at 180 I’m still a size 8-10, and I really would just like to be back to a size 6-8.

  Comments/questions:
  1)I TOTALLY agree with the yoga comments. I’ve been a yogini for 10+ years, and the yogaX video makes me irrate! Such bad form and flow, not to mention people new to yoga will seriously injur themselves trying this as their first yoga experience. Anyways…I’ve been dying to substitute it by going to my yoga studio or by doing an intermediate/advanced yoga video at home instead, and you just gave me permission to do it! My boyfriend is a VERY stick to the program kind of guy, and he struggles with this yoga tremendously. Do you mind if I ask which video’s you substituted with?
  2) I have been sticking to the diet religiously, because I totally understand that nutrition is most important when it comes to weight loss. I even cut out my 2 glasses of vino a week treat! My question is, with my size can I cut down to 1500 calories? I’ve been doing 1700-1800, which still seems like a lot to me. But I don’t want to sabatoage my metabolism by not eating enough to sustain the workouts.
  3) My doctor put me on Wellbutrin XL about 6 weeks ago, because after some blood testing she said my hormones are out of wack because of stress (which could be another reason I put on so much weight). How are you doing with the extra stress of the workouts and running OFF the meds? I have a full time job, 2 VERY active kids, and a mortgage to pay on my own. According to my doctor, my stress almost threw me into early menopause=( I’m only 32, and that scared the bejesus out of me! So, on the meds I am until I can figure out how to stop go-go-going so much I guess. I’m just wondering how others do it, LOL!
  4) In week 3 during the weight training videos I found myself not sweating AT ALL which frustrated me, because I too live for that endorphin cardio burn. After this week of recovery I will definitely be upping my weights to challange myself more. Thank you for that tip!
  5) A big thank you for also suggesting alternating in your favorite cardio workouts! I’ve been REALLY missing my kick-ass spin class at the gym, so I think in this next phase I will substitute it in a few times instead of the cardio or kenpo workouts.
  6) My son is a 2nd degree brown belt in Shaolin Kenpo karate, and so the Kenpo video irritates me a little too because the form is SO bad! I just ignore the people on the screen and do the proper form that I’ve been watching my son do
  for the past 7 years.
  With that being said, I really wish Tony would have substituted “experts” in yoga and kenpo to instruct these videos, as it would’ve made WAY more sense than to see him flailing around attempting to look like he knows what he’s doing. Also, I am VERY thankful for the cue only versions! After the first time doing each video, his jokes and carring on just get annoying. I will be adding in more cardio bursts inbetween waiting for him to shut up. Thanks for that little morsel too.
  7) One last thing, sorry to have typed so much! But, I have been thinking about doing the Insanity program after this round of P90X, but I’m a little scarred about all the jumping. Like I said, with my back injury last year, and 2 pretty bad knees my whole life…do you think the program can be altered to be a little less impact? Though I would LOVE to loose the extra lbs, I REFUSE to do it by risking another injury.
  Again…THANK YOU SO MUCH! I look forward to hearing from you=)

• 233 Ladybug // May 4, 2010 at 4:24 pm

  Oh…1 more thing. I track my food at sparkpeople.com, which I love. I even track the 1 or 2 hershey kisses I’ve snuck since I started, LOL! They have a recommended nutrition program on their site based off of your stats. Would you suggest following this instead of the P90X nutrition program?

• 234 LILI // May 6, 2010 at 8:46 pm

  Hello,
  i was wondering if i dont do the meal plan will p90x still work with me. I dont have the money or time to be doing all the recipes in the nutrition plan but im 40 lbs over weight. I started doing the Lean program but still want to know if without doing the nutrition will i still get same results? or some at all?

• 235 Smurf // May 6, 2010 at 9:44 pm

  Lili- Define “work for you.” Will it make you more physically fit? Yes, of course, any exercise will. Will you look like the people in the ad or drop that 40 pounds? Not hardly. You may drop a pound here or there, but the fact of the matter is diet is MORE than 90% of the battle when it comes to weightloss. You don’t have to “follow the P90X eating program,” any calorie-controlled program will do. You can even do it yourself by eating the same things you are eating now, just in calorie-limited portions– of course, as you lower your calories the nutritional content and quality of those calories matter more and more. You could conceivably lose weight eating nothing but Big Macs, so long as you are eating a suitable caloric quantity of them. It sounds like you are just not interested in doing the eating portion, though. So, no… you will not get the full results of the program if you are not going to do the full program. Minimal, at best. Though, on the plus side, you will be able to move heavy objects around a whole lot better.

  Ladybug- Thanks so much for the kind words and enthusiasm for the program!! Let me see if I can tackle your questions– lemme know if I skip anything.
  - As for the scale dropping, I tend to think they set the cals quite high for most women trying to lose weight– I feel like you and I are probably around the same parameters and I found 1500 calories to be a really nice “magic number” for me that allowed for slow, steady loss. If the program has you eating much more than that, I would advise bringing it down some– certainly on days where you feel the workouts are lighter. I’m very happy to see that you are tracking food on SparkPeople… it is SO important! As for what eating program you should be following, as long as you are getting about .8-.9 grams per pound of bodyweight in protein, I don’t much care where the rest of it is coming from. (Healthy fats and whole-grain carbs, please!) Here’s the thing… some people swear by low carb. P90X Burn Phase has you eating so much protein that it is, by default, very low carb… I bloat up and feel like crap on low carb, but some people love it. The eating program that I want you on is the one that you are going to stick to. At the end of the day, so long as you are getting ENOUGH protein, eat in a way that feels natural for you, just at a deficit appropriate for your size. The P90X program is a great one, Zone feels pretty “natural” for lots of people. I tend to net out at about 40-50% carbs, 30ish% protein and the rest healthy fats.
  - I used to practice yoga every day at a studio on Folsom St called It’s Yoga. The owner, Larry Schultz, came up with a variation of ashtanga called “Rocket Yoga.” They did a pretty low-production-value video of the progression and sell it on their website, so I replaced with that– The caveat being that I’m not sure the video is sufficient for folks who’ve not been to the classes, because they do some moves that they explain better in the classes. I love the series, though, because it is very athletic with lots of arm balances and flow-y stuff. http://www.itsyoga.com if you want to check it out– I think they have a chart of the poses and some video on there.
  - Holy Moses on your stress levels, girl! So, when I went on Wellbutrin it was because my depression was showing in extreme exhaustion, so adding in aerobic exercise, for me, helped boost my energy levels and “feel good” hormones to where working out isn’t a stressor for me– it’s medication. Whenever I get injured and can’t run or work out, I get severely depressed, still. If you are looking at working out as something that’s ADDING- not RELIEVING stress for you, I’d suggest that you’ve not found the right workout protocol for you yet. Working out, for me, is not something I need to cope with, it’s something I need to cope. Capiche? It’s my alone time, my therapy, my get-the-juices-flowing time. I truly believe everyone has some form of physical activity they will connect with on this level. If it feels like a chore, keep looking! Yours is out there! (I surely never thought I’d find my happiness while running 13 miles at a stretch… TRUST me. But, I did!)
  - Sweat is just one sign of exertion and can be so variable (Wellbutrin, for what it’s worth, wonked out my sweating so much I had to go on prescription antiperspirants, but I would bet it could have the opposite effect since dry mouth is a side effect as well)… Hands down, the best judge– get a heartrate monitor. That’s not going to lie to you. Sweating, perceived exertion, those are all subjective. I lie to move very quickly from one exercise to the next and, as mentioned,s sometimes throw in jumping jacks and things while Tony is yacking away.
  - I would have loved it if he brought in experts to teach Yoga and Kenpo, as well. Rob hates the Kenpo as much as I hate the Yoga. I always roll my eyes when the redhead from the P90X Kenpo video says, in the infomercial, “Now that I have started doing Kenpo, I know that martial arts will always be a part of my life!!” I was like, “Wait? You did Kenpo/martial arts? When?!”
  - I think P90X is the perfect primer for Insanity. Once you get more core strength and drop a few LBs, you will be in great shape for it. If you can do the Plyo workout without pain, you can get through Insanity. As with anything, you might need to modify in the beginning, but that’s fine. This is supposed to be a process and a journey– if you can do it perfectly on day 1, you probably should pick something more difficult, right? The goal is to grow, learn and progress.

  Hope that answered your questions… keep in touch! Let us know how you’re doing!

• 236 LILI // May 6, 2010 at 10:43 pm

  oK, I thought you had to do the p90x nutrition plan in order to get results. Then are you able to tell me around what should my limit for calories be or somewhere i can look that up. Thats a relief that i can even do that on my own eating anywhere as long as i take note of what i eat. Thanks alot.

• 237 Smurf // May 6, 2010 at 10:50 pm

  What is your height, weight and age? I’ll can plug you into a BMR calculator and give you a range.

• 238 LILI // May 6, 2010 at 10:51 pm

  Its 20, 5’5″, and 270…Thanks again.

• 239 LILI // May 6, 2010 at 11:01 pm

  Waiit..Not 270.. its 170.. haha.. typo.

• 240 Smurf // May 6, 2010 at 11:10 pm

  I’m assuming based on your previous post that you meant to say 170… (otherwise, we can talk about that “I have 40 pounds to lose” statement.

  So, you want to be eating 500-750 calories BELOW your average sedentary burn, which will give you a pound-a pound and a half of weight loss from food, with the workouts contributing another 250 or so calories per day to your deficit, netting you out at a pound and a half to to two pounds of loss per week, which is a healthy rate of loss.

  Based on your height, weight and age, this would mean consuming between 1369 and 1619 calories per day. I’d suggest staying on the lower end on days where the workouts feel easier, and moving to the higher end on days they feel tougher.

  Remember, studies show that even trained nutritionists who eyeball portion sizes overestimate by as much as 20%, so it is vitally important to weigh and measure your food, at least for the first few weeks. If you have been eating at this level for a month with no budge on the scale, it is safe to assume something is off in your food measurements and you should try stepping back another 100 calories per day each week until the scale starts to move. But realize that, when starting a new workout regime- especially weights- you might throw on water in the first few weeks that will mask any fat loss, so stick with it for several weeks before lowering your calorie intake.

• 241 Jen // May 10, 2010 at 11:23 am

  Hey Smurf,
  I finished my 90 days yesterday and am very happy with my results.
  9 lbs and 11 inches.
  I am more toned all around but need to do a bit more toning on my thighs and but so am thinking of running and doing a second round of P90X.
  I really want to get into running but don’t want to lose what I just accomplished.
  How would you recommend incorporating running with p90x? or do you have a different sugestion?
  One other thing, I find that I am constantly hungry. In the past 2 weeks I feel like I cannot eat enough. I drink 2-2.5 litres of water a day and eat 1600 calories a day. ( im 30, weighing 135 and am 5’11″) I am eating a ratio of 50-30-20. Am I eating enough?
  Thanks

• 242 Smurf // May 10, 2010 at 5:45 pm

  Jen,

  The easiest way to add running into P90X is to do the “lean” program and replace all the cardio workouts with running workouts. Otherwise, you can kind of create your own program. When my mileage gets high, I like to at least do an upper body workout and Core Synergystics each week to maintain muscle mass.

  As for “Are you eating enough?” The best way to tell– How much weight are you dropping per week? How much more would you like to drop to get to goal? It sounds like you are losing at an OK rate- a pound-ish per week? If you are losing in the .5-1 pound per week range and still have weight you would like to lose, then “yes,” you are eating an appropriate number of calories for your goal. But, it sucks to be hungry all the time and will contribute to your downfall if you don’t do something about it.

  So, you have a few options here. .. Some people like to take about two weeks at the end of every 90-day cycle to loosen things up for a very specific period of time– two weeks is common– and not go “buckwild,” but just take a little bit of a break to reset things, then lock it back down to get the remainder of the weight off. If you were eating similarly at the beginning of the program and didn’t notice being hungry all the time, there is a good chance that mental fatigue is playing a part.

  Another thing you could try is to move 10% of those carb calories over to protein calories– Protein is the most filling of the macronutrients. Also, are you eating a combo of all three- carb, protein and fat– at every snack and meal? Leaving one out may make you feel hungrier. For example, if i have just a fruit or just a yogurt for breakfast, I am hungrier by lunch than if I don’t eat breakfast at all!

  Also, you could look at increasing the overall volume of what you are eating without changing the calorie intake. For example, if you are currently having a turkey sandwich for lunch, have a turkey salad over massive quantities of very low cal- high-volume veggies like lettuce, mushrooms, cucumbers, broccoli, etc. and have the bread on the side– you are eating essentially the same thing for the same calorie intake, you’ve just increased the volume of your meal by a lot. Or, if you are having Chicken Breast and Veggies for dinner, turn it into a massive bowl of soup, where you have a lot of broth adding to the content of the meal. Or just make a big pot of veggie soup and have that before your dinner– or a big salad with very low-call dressing. If you Google “Volumetrics” you can read more about high-volume foods that might help with the hunger.

  Also, are you getting all your calories from whole foods? ie. No drink mixes, protein shakes or meal replacement bars? Protein shakes and the like have a place when you are unable to enough protein into your diet, but NOT if you are having trouble staying full. They are horrible for that. An equivalent serving of whole-food proteins and carbs will keep you fuller much longer and scratch your “satiety” itch, as you’ll feel you had “food” not “drink.”

  Other than that, it sounds like you are doing everything right! The toughest part of this process is that the real rewards come in this boring post-honeymoon period phase, and that is ALL about mental tenacity!

• 243 Jen // May 11, 2010 at 9:18 am

  Thanks Smurf for the quick response and the great info!
  I think I will do the lean priogram and run on cardio days. I love core synergetics so I will work that into the program too.

  As for my food. I was having a hard time fitting all the food in at the beginning and starving at the end so you may be right…it could be fatigue.

  I normally eat egg whites, cottage cheese and a piece of fruit for breakfast, nuts for snack, salad with veggies, avacado and chicken or tuna for lunch, yogurt for snack then dineer is chicken, or steak, or fish with rice and veggies. I don’t eat much carbs besides the rice and fruit and try to eat at least 4 servings of protein a day.

  Thanks

• 244 roni // May 11, 2010 at 1:15 pm

  I am 31 female 5’5 and weigh btwn 123- 125 pounds. My diet is predominantly fruits thru out the day ( 2 – 3apples and 10 -12 almonds) with a cooked meal in the evening ( mainly lentil/vegetarian soup with some rice or bread). I am vegetarian and consume milk but no cheese.

  My exercise routine is bikram Yoga /ashtanga yoga every day for about 60-90 mts. i try to run but my calf aches so dont run a lot, i bike twice a week ( 20 miles total) . My problem is at 123 i have muffin tops ( fat hanging ovem my jean /pants and have flabby arms)
  I am planning to start the P90X exercise program which style would you recommend? I am also worried about the eating on running a google seatch.. The eating suggested is way too much eating for me is what i feel.. can i comtinue my current diet and still work on tightening my body? i really would appreciate any advice ..

  Thanks, Roni.

• 245 roni // May 12, 2010 at 11:33 am

  Ok .. i have another question to add on … which is better Insanity Vs P90x .. i have been reading this and i am leaning towards Insanity but i a nervous and confused.. need help to decide.

• 246 Rob T // May 13, 2010 at 5:42 pm

  Hard to say which is better. The real question is what system appeals to you more. I like both, and use both. I will do 1 or 2 P90X cycles and then do an Insanity cycle. For loosing weight and getting SICK ripped, I like Insanity. Insanity takes so much out of me, I am forced to eat right just to keep my energy up. P90X, though brutal, I am more physically in line with that kind of weight training. I have been weight training since I was 14, so I am more used to it.

  The Insanity workouts are shorter (for the most part) and really target your core strength and overall conditioning. This is through INTENSE Cardio.
  P90X, targeted weight training, mixed with some cardio and stretching/yoga.
  Use both.

• 247 Roni // May 14, 2010 at 8:31 am

  Thanks for your response.. I am going with cardio.. INSANITY.. buying it now.. Cheers..

• 248 Kathleen // May 22, 2010 at 6:06 am

  Hi! Thanks for the info!

  I have just finished my first week of Slim in 6, and it’s great! I was thinking about starting running about 30 mins a day in the mornings on an empty stomach. Possibly right after my run I’d do my 45 minute Slim in 6 routine. Do you think this is a good idea?
  Would I have to modify my calorie intake if I add 30 minutes of cardio on top of the 45 minutes of Si6? Since you said 1496 cals day range, would I have to change that? Also, do you think taking any “slimming supplements” (there’s some with slim in 6) are necessary? Not feeling results yet, but it’s only the first week, and I have definitly cheated with calories, but just trying to really commit more to the limited calorie intake. It’s the evenings that gets me when the belly is rumbling.

  Thanks!

• 249 Smurf // May 22, 2010 at 11:13 am

  Running in the morning on an empty stomach burns the same calories as running in the afternoon after having a snack a few hours before… so, unless the “morning-empty-stomach” thing is just out of necessity (ie. for scheduling purposes you need to run right after waking up and can’t handle running with food in your stomach), I would suggest doing your workouts properly fueled. You will get more out of them and feel better all around.

  I wouldn’t alter your calories if you choose to add the running. Are you running already? You’d need to work your way very gradually up to running 30 minutes every day.

  It might take several weeks to get used to being on the lower calories. If your stomach is getting grumbly, work on low-calorie ways to increase the volume of food you are consuming. A big mixed-veggie salad with non-fat dressing with dinner (I like to mix balsamic and dijon mustard to dress my salads- it is nearly non-caloric); A big bowl of vegetable-brothy soup with lunch… Also, make sure you are drinking lots of water and such. In the evenings, I like the Fruit Zinger teas with a little splenda.

  Slimming supplements are a load of crap, for the most part. I wouldn’t waste my money. Keeping the calories under control is the #1 thing for you.

• 250 Cassie // May 24, 2010 at 10:12 am

  Hello,
  First off, This has been such a helpful site! Thank you so much for all of the advice..

  I’ve heard so much about p90x and I’ve been thinking about giving it a try. I just graduated college. I’ve played soccer my whole life and have always had an athletic build, but recently my toned legs have turned a bit flabby. To the point where I cringe when I look in the mirror

  I struggle with dieting.. something that obviously needs to change! I always have eaten a lot of carbs (and food in general) to keep up with my high activity level.. Now, all that eating is catching up to me because I’m not as active as I was.

  I am 21, 140, 5’6″.
  I’d like to be at 125-130.
  Which p90x would you say would best fit my situation? and where should I aim my caloric intake?

  Thank you so much!

  p.s. Seeing comments you posted to other people, I will definitely be buying a HR monitor!

• 251 Smurf // May 24, 2010 at 10:33 am

  Hi Cassie,

  You sound like the perfect candidate for P90X. When you buy the program, you get all the disks, so when people talk about the different “types” of P90X, it’s just the rotation in which you use the disks. I would suggest that you follow the “Classic” program.

  As for your eating program– I’d put you at 1500-1600 calories per day for a nice, steady loss. If you cut out some of the simple carbs (I’m a huge proponent of getting enough whole grain carbs to fuel workouts and such, though, so don’t think of carbs as the enemy!) and bring up your lean protein a bit, I think you’ll find that calorie level totally sustainable. I’m not going to say that the eating piece of the puzzle is easy– if it were, everyone would go to the trouble to lose those last 10 vanity pounds– but, speaking from experience, I can tell you it is SO worth it!

  Here’s the link to our store if you decide you want to make the commitment– we’d love to follow your progress!

  http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping?referringRepId=7295

• 252 Jenny // May 25, 2010 at 12:09 pm

  Hi there,
  Thanks for your postings, they have been very helpful..but I have a question of my own!

  I am a 20 year old female, 5″6 and 110ish pounds. I have been very athletic throughout my childhood and teen years, playing basketball and running. I just completed my first Marathon in the beginning of May, and decided that p90x would be my next challenge.
  I really want to gain some muscle, and look defined and athletic rather than lanky!
  what do you recommend for my diet, calorie intake wise? I am starting today, and I was thinking of following the p90X meal plans. Do you think that following this strictly will allow me muscle gain and definition(from personal experience)?
  Or do you recommend that I should be intaking 1600 calories instead of 1800 as you have recommended to previous female posters.
  If you have any tips,advise or recommendations for me to get from lankyish to ANY HINT OF MUSCLE DEFINITION AT ALL!!..please let me know!
  Thanks for your help and CONGRATS on all your accomplishments!!!
  Jenny

• 253 Smurf // May 25, 2010 at 5:17 pm

  Hi Jenny- For you, yes, I would follow the meal plan lowest-level exactly. You are in the minority of women who DO want to be at a bit of surplus (of healthy foods, of course), since your concern is more gain and definition. 1800 is a great place for you. Make sure you are getting in a recovery drink after heavy lifting workouts (ie: more important after a weight workout than plyo or yoga.) As a marathoner, you might be used to using chocolate milk as a recovery drink– and that remains the perfect blend of carbs and protein for after a weight workout. The P90X recovery drink is also great. As is Endurox R4 (what I drink after my long runs, so you may know of it.)

  Also, it’s imperative for you that you lift at that 8-10 reps to failure range. Don’t skimp on the weights– as you well know, muscle definition isn’t going to happen “accidentally.” You need to be fueling properly and lifting heavy enough.

  I’m especially interested to hear about your progress! As you can tell from this post, most folks I’ve coached through the process are looking to lose fat, which is such a monumental step 1 that it really takes some dedication to even GET to the point where you are– using the program to get some nice definition without having to worry about dropping that layer of flub. (I’m allowed to call it flub, cuz I had it!

  Best of luck and stay in touch– happy to answer any questions you may have!

• 254 twp // May 28, 2010 at 7:48 pm

  Let me add to all who complimented you on the extreme usefulness of this site! My husband and I had already decided to get p90x but thx to this site, I feel like I might avoid certain pitfalls like being jealous of my husband’s progress, cheating on the food plan, or using the wrong program (I also know to order it from the official website!). I am coming off an achilles tendon rupture and right before the surgery I was in the best shape I’d been in for years (I was in bootcamp, playing soccer, biking, and eating well) and I want to get back there. Life changes prevent my return back to bootcamp and my eating went all to heck with all the comfort foods I ate while recovering from surgery. I’m really hopeful that p90 will be a good replacement for bootcamp. Anyway, I have a hard time staying motivated when I don’t have a trainer or a coach, so I’ll definitely be checking in on your site as needed!

• 255 FitLifeSFRob // May 29, 2010 at 10:13 am

  We are here! Good luck!

  -Rob

• 256 Vanessa // May 29, 2010 at 7:47 pm

  hi! i just received the p90x videos, and really want a slim but toned/athletic looking body. if i could look like a victoria’s secret model, or marisa miller, that would be ideal! haha

  anyway, i was wondering if doing p90x lean version, but swapping out cardio x with plyometrics, and kenpo x with high intensity interval training on an elliptical would be a good way to achieve my ideal body? or should i just stick with the regular p90x lean? (i don’t get much of a sweat from kenpo or cardio x)

• 257 Vanessa // May 29, 2010 at 8:07 pm

  hi smurf, in addition to what i said above, this is the body i am aiming for (the asian girl’s):

  http://i48.tinypic.com/2uz2b75.jpg
  http://i46.tinypic.com/t0rl1c.jpg
  http://i47.tinypic.com/fwks60.jpg

  i’m kind of slim/average, 5’6 and 130 lbs, but i don’t have any muscle, i’m kinda flabby, and i have pretty bad saddlebags. i’ve been eating really healthily for the past week and have lost 5 lbs so far

• 258 sarah // May 30, 2010 at 5:50 am

  just wanted to say thanks for the reply! i love that you’re still replying to posts on a 2 year old blog entry. the enthusiasm you and your dude show is really inspiring.

  not much to report as i went through a bout of extreme salmonella poisoning (at least i lost all the water weight at once? heh?) in the middle of may which kind of destroyed my progress. i’ve started over though and i’m already feeling less pukey every day.

  thanks again.

• 259 chris // Jun 1, 2010 at 2:43 am

  Hi Smurf and Rob,

  I’m so glad I stumbled on this website. I’m getting ready to start my p90x Lean tomorrow and i’ve been reading up on the nutrition part. Thank goodness i checked your posts with regards to the amount of calories you recommend for women. Originally, i was going to digest around 1800+ calories. I’m 38 years old, 5’4″ tall, weigh 157lbs and I’m a size 8. My highest weight was 191 5 years ago. I’ve gradually been losing 15-20 lbs every 2 years and i’ve hit my lowest at 142lbs. I’ve noticed that I tend to stick around 155-157 lbs but i’m not happy at this weight. I really felt good at 142lb but at that time I lost weight due to stress rather than working out. I want this year to be the year to lose the last 25lbs and finally have the bikini body that I’ve never had in my entire life. Better late than never, right?

  Do you still think 1500 calories is more than enough or should i drop some more for ultimate weight loss? Also, when do you recommend drinking the protein shake? Right after the work out? Should I combine this with the recovery drink or chocolate milk? I’m still trying to figure out the kinks on the diet part. Thanks for any suggestions you can provide. You guys are great.

• 260 FitLifeSFRob // Jun 1, 2010 at 9:22 am

  Dialing in the meals is the toughest part. You need to fuel yourself for your workouts while not eating too much. It is a little different for everyone. Smurf did drop below 1500 calories for a time (1500 was her max for a few months) and try to eat around 1200-1350 a day. When she did that, she made very sure that every calorie was a good calorie and not wasted.

  If you do drop below 1500 Calories, be aware of your body and mood. If you are not recovering as fast or are getting depressed/grouchy, get your calorie count up. As for me, I start my day with a Shakeology and go from there. I no longer take a fist full of vitamins a day, and the chocolate tastes pretty good. (Mix it with 2% milk or Lactaid)

  As for a recovery drink, I can’t say enough how important one is. I use the P90X recovery drink, and Endurox R4. When I get sick of the Orange (P90X) I switch to the Fruit punch (Endurox). Both are great. (I just mix my recovery drink with Ice and water)

  -Rob

• 261 Chris // Jun 1, 2010 at 1:54 pm

  Thanks for the reply. According to the nutrition manual , my body needs 1590 calories x 1.20 = 1980 calories a day to just maintain my weight . +600 calories for working out on the P90x=2580 calories. If i want to lose 2lbs a week which is 7200 calories, I would need to have a deficit of 1028 calories a day. 2580-1028= 1552 calories max daily intake. Are my calculations right? Also, doing p90x everyday, would I burn on average the 600 calories? Or should I need to add extra cardio to make sure I burn 600 calories?

• 262 Kristen // Jun 1, 2010 at 2:29 pm

  Hey everyone!
  So, I’m a 20 year old female, 5’5″ and about 135 lbs. Think Freshman 15, but replace the 15 with 25. LOL. Anyway, I initially heard of P90x in late-2009 but never thought anything of it. My brother recently finished the program and the results were fantastic!

  So, just wondering if it is possible for me to lose 15-20lbs if I do the program? I have always been ‘bigger’ and apparently have a lot of water-weight. I want to do this but I don’t want to end up being super muscular and have well defined 6-pack abs. I just want to lose a bit of weight and to tone my thighs/stomach.

• 263 FitLifeSFRob // Jun 1, 2010 at 2:38 pm

  Kristen:

  First Read this: http://www.fitlifesf.com/2010/04/learn-to-walk-before-you-run

  Then the answer to your question about P90X is, is it the right program for me?

  Then read this: http://www.fitlifesf.com/2010/05/p90x-insanity-or-chalean-extreme-which-beachbody-program-is-right-for-you/

  Once you read them, let me know your other questions. We’ll help you dial things in.

• 264 FitLifeSFRob // Jun 1, 2010 at 2:44 pm

  Chris,

  I am 6’1″ and I float between 197 and 201. I eat somewhere between 2500 and 2800 calories a day, and am maintaining well. I float between P90X and Insanity plus I fight 3 times a week. And I have a pretty high metabolism.

  So, it is a tough one. Everyone is different. (I’ll let Smurf respond, as she likes the calorie equation stuff)

  As for the P90X workouts being a 600 calorie burn… Not to sure what the actual number is and it will vary based on your size and intensity level. If you go at it 100% the entire workout, it will, of course, be higher, but unless you are sporting a body bug and a heart rate monitor, I would not take the internet averages.

  We should have another body bug showing up in the next month or 2, and when it gets here I want to document the burns for someone my size. Stay tuned for that!

  -Rob

• 265 Smurf // Jun 1, 2010 at 4:20 pm

  Hi Chris-

  Even when I really slam hard on the workouts, I rarely burn 600 calories. More like about half of that. (Not to say that the workouts aren’t hardcore and accomplishing the goal, they just aren’t really calorie-burn-intensive– weight work rarely is.) The only way to know really how many calories you are burning per workout is with a heartrate monitor that will let you enter your information and calc it for you. So, yes, based on your info, your resting metabolic rate is in the 1900-range, so to lose 1-2 lbs per week, you need to be at a 500-1000 calorie deficit per day. If you can assume that you are getting at least 350 cals per day out from the workouts, that leaves you with a reduction of 150-650 calories in to arrive at the total deficit you need to lose. I wouldn’t recommend going below 1400 calories per day, so anywhere in that 1400 to 1750 range SHOULD produce a loss– Remember, though, that even trained nutritionists almost without fail under-estimate calories consumed by as much as 20%, so I like to stay away from the top end of the range. And, more often than not, the more women I coach, I find that without even doing the math, somewhere in the 1400-1500 calorie range is pretty much a “magic number” that allows enough loss to keep you motivated while still fueling you enough to hit your workouts hard.

  I wouldn’t suggest adding to much additional high impact working out around P90X– honestly, you can much more painlessly and conveniently create a deficit from cutting 100 calories from your diet than you can from adding an additional 20 minute elliptical or similar workout. Trimming the cheese from your sandwich, cutting out a latte, leaving off the mayo… For the sake of not getting burnt out (and, remember, adding that workout might increase your hunger, which might end up working against you…) I would rather see you increase your overall daily burn through simple things like walking to the store, standing and pacing vs. sitting when on the phone, etc. than feel like you are “having” to work out twice a day. The P90X workouts are mentally tough enough without putting even more pressure on yourself.

  As always, I am advocate of making the simplest, most effective changes first! Keep it simple and trust the process.

• 266 Smurf // Jun 1, 2010 at 4:24 pm

  Kristen- Trust me, (and the four years I’ve been including P90X workouts) you will NOT accidentally get six pack abs from P90x. I wish!

  Seriously, if you are at a calorie deficit, you won’t be building massive amounts of muscle, just keeping what you’ve got and increasing overall fitness. The diet is really the most important piece of the puzzle, though, especially if you’ve got some LBs to lose. I think you’d be really pleased with the results you get from the program if you put in the work!

• 267 Chris // Jun 3, 2010 at 1:20 am

  Smurf and Rob,

  Thanks so much for the plethora of information. You guys are so helpful. Can’t wait to show you the results in 90 days.

• 268 Jeanne // Jun 3, 2010 at 8:39 am

  Smurf & Rob,
  I need some help getting past my frustration. I am on my 5th week of P90X. I was really encouraged when I lost 4 pounds after the first week but I am now in the fifth week and the scale has not moved any further. I have not missed a workout and I am working crazy hard. My eating has been great other a little cheating on the weekends – nothing major. Granted I only had about 10-12 pounds I wanted to shed and I know the last few are the hardest. I also know muscle weighs more than fat and I have to be gaining muscle but I did my 30 day pics hoping to see the results there and I saw almost no difference. It is really frustrating when you are working your tail off and don’t see results.

• 269 tchick // Jun 3, 2010 at 11:06 am

  hi again, your most high smurfness. i have to thank you for your prior input on my diet during p90x. after your last post back to me, i did begin entering every bite on thedailyplate.com, and it has helped tremendously! thanks so much!

  i finished p90x on 5/8 with a total weight loss of 3.5#. as i posted in the past, i was disappointed not to have lost more, but i did get much stronger, and as i’ve heard said many times, p90x is never advertised as a weight-loss program. i began insanity on 5/9 and lost 4# in the first 2 weeks. i have another weigh-in after this weekend when i head into my recovery week after insanity month 1. a side benefit of insanity has been that my sweat-related gag reflex is nearly gone, what with the daily swimming in my own sweat puddle and all. ick.

  i do have a question for you about thedailyplate. i’m confusing myself and making this too complicated in my head, but the more i think about it the more confused i become (yes, i am blonde…). i have set my profile to a sedentary lifestyle to reflect my desk job, with a weight loss goal of 2#/week, and then i enter my insanity workouts daily.

  my question: is the daily total calories that the site calculator kicks out (1467/day for my current weight) taking into account that i want to lose 2#/week, and giving me a calorie goal that will have me at a 500-cal (or more) deficit each day if i eat all of the allotted 1467 calories? … OR, is it giving me a daily calorie total, and each day i should make sure that the myplate net calorie bar still says “500 calories remaining” after all of my meals and workouts?
  i’m confused on who’s counting the deficit – the website, or me?

  … i’m just worried that i’m not understanding it correctly, but hey, maybe that means i’ve been eating at a 1000-cal deficit for all this time instead of 500??

  thanks for any feedback ! ! !

• 270 Smurf // Jun 3, 2010 at 8:52 pm

  Jeanne- Are you tracking your calories- every single thing you put in your mouth? I once tracked a “nothing major” on the weekend and it landed me with a 3000+ calorie day. More than enough to negate what I was accomplishing with good eating and working out during the week. It is SO easy to underestimate what you are eating (studies show that even trained nutritionists underestimate by as much as 20%!) I totally feel your frustration, though… I spent several years there myself. It really did come down to tracking every bite, staying at a deficit, and taking a period of time (for me, 10 weeks), where I “just said no” to everything that wasn’t helping me get closer to my goals.

  Have we run your numbers to see what calorie level you should be at? I need your age, height and weight.

• 271 Smurf // Jun 3, 2010 at 9:12 pm

  tchick-

  I’m afraid you’ve created a monster, as Rob is now calling me Most High Smurfness around the house… and I am LOVING IT!

  So, here’s the thing… I ignore the “net” reading on Daily Plate. There are some folks who say that you can, say, increase your intake by x# of calories if you burn x# of calories more than you planned to, but I find that that is a bad idea for a couple reasons: 1) Knowing what you REALLY ate and what you REALLY burned is such a crapshoot that keeping a steady intake for a while is the only way to really see if you are at an appropriate deficit, and 2) It encourages some bad habits, in my opinion. eg: Finding a way to tweak the numbers so that you kind find an excuse to eat bad crap, or, for some people, working out more than you need to so that you can put in a number and pig out on bad crap. For me, whenever I try to do that “eating back overages of workout calories” thing, I stall. Without fail.

  Did we math out a number for you? If not, I’d need your age, height and weight to do it. It will probably be pretty close to what Daily Plate gave you (most women– almost like clockwork– end up in the 1500 calorie range.) If you give me your stats, though (apologize if you already did elsewhere on this looooonnnnggg comment thread), I can walk you through how the numbers work so that it might make more sense to you.

  Once we have that number, what you’ll do is eat at it, going by the “Consumed” number and totally ignoring “Net,” and do the workouts for a couple weeks and then we’ll look at the results on the scale to see if we have the numbers right. (The only way to know if you’ve got the cals-in-cals-out equation where you want it is to plug in that scale number after a couple weeks to see if you are where you want to be.) Not to confuse you too much, but there is a way to use that “Net” number and your scale results to predict by how much you are underreporting food or overreporting exercise, but, in most cases, that is TOTAL overkill.)

  Hope that helps!

• 272 Jen // Jun 4, 2010 at 10:48 am

  Hey Smurf,
  I thank you for all the great advice you have given to me and others in the past. My passion for fitness and clean eating has made me a bit crazy (my friends say) but I love it!
  I finished P90x about a month ago and took 2 weeks off, meaning I only worked out 3-4 days a week at not such high intesity, and the past 2 weeks I have had a hard time given it all on my second phase of P90X. My body feels exhausted and the recovery time after is much longer than it used to be. I feel more exhausted this time around then I did when I started P90x the first time. Why would this be?

  Also, I have order the Brazil Butt Lift from Beachbody as I want to work on my butt and thighs. I am going to mix this with P90X and hopefully get my butt where I have always wanted it to be..high!!! lol. Have you tried this workout or have any reviews? There is not much on the web about it but it is from beachbody so I thought it would be worth a try.

• 273 FitLifeSFRob // Jun 4, 2010 at 11:11 am

  Hey Jen,

  The Brazil Butt Lift program is not bad at all. The only thing that made me crazy was the guy instructing it. Not my cup of tea, but I am pretty sure I am not his target audience. We don’t do it casa Rob an Smurf, but have seen the demo DVD’s. Looks pretty intense. I can say for sure, if you want butt lift, Insanity will do it. And from what I have seen of Turbo Fire, that will do it as well.

  Honestly, if you are kicking ass and taking names as it sounds you have been, you will make any of them work.

  Now, for the feeling exhausted bit. Make sure you are eating enough. There comes a time to stop starving your body for a while. Try upping your daily calories by 200-300 of protein. (An extra low fat string cheese or 2, or maybe extra almonds, whatever.) You have to make sure you are eating enough. And if you are not using a recovery drink, you may add those calories by using one. I can’t say enough how a good recovery drink helps, in well, recovery!

  And make sure you are getting enough rest. You are beating yourself up pretty good, and you need to get a good nights sleep to heal.

  Being fit = balanced eating + rest + activity + stress management

  if one part of the equation is out of whack, then you will feel it.

  (Yeah, I am stating the obvious here)

  -Rob
  (Just felt like chiming in)

• 274 Jen // Jun 4, 2010 at 1:08 pm

  Thanks Rob for the qucik response.

  I REALLY want to do Insanity but I live in an old apartment building and I don’t think the people below would appreciate the noise

  I feel I eat well and sleep 8 hours a night so I am not sure whats up. I will try and add a bit more protein and see if that helps.

  Thanks again.

• 275 Smurf // Jun 4, 2010 at 1:41 pm

  Jen-

  A lot of folks advocate taking a two-week “full diet break” after a certain period of time before really hunkering down again. I find, for me, I can go about 10 weeks doing great, then the wheels completely fall off and I just can’t get back to where I was for about 4 weeks. I bet if I just got to the end of that 10 weeks and stepped back for two, vs fighting tooth and nail to try to keep it up for 4 while really kind of half-assing it, I would bounce back much better. I am just now back on track for another 10-week “cycle” of really hunkering down and doing everything “by the book,” but I do plan to take a 2-week recovery break after that before hunkering down again.

  Your body is really meant to work cyclically like that– all the progress happens through adaptation during recovery, so you need to be sure that you are fuelling the recovery and giving yourself the physical recovery, both day-to-day AND on what’s called a “mesocycle.” Think of it like climbing the stairs in a tall building. You really appreciate that little break when you come around the landing each floor (microcycle, or “recovery days”), but every 5 or 6 floors you are still going to have to stop and actually catch your breath before you can start climbing again. (mesocycle, or “recovery weeks/diet breaks”) And, once you get to the top of the Empire State Building, you probably want to give it a good rest before you decide to tackle the Sears Tower. (macrocycle, or “annual breaks.” Or, for example, the month-long stepback you’d do after training for/running a marathon or peaking for another big “goal event”.)

  In addition to the physical need to take a break (musculo-skeletal recovery), it is also important psychologically and hormonally. When you are in a loss phase, your hormones change. Taking a break can “re-set” those hormones so that you come back primed to start losing again.

  Now, when I say “diet break,” I don’t mean stuff your face with as many donuts as will fit and drink whole kegs of beer until you burst and totally negate your efforts, but two weeks of loosening up restrictions, eating at maybe 100 calories per day above maintenance for you, having maybe one meal per day that you might not have been “allowing” yourself, knowing that it is actually a “part of the plan” and that you are doing it to reset the clock so that you can progress on to an even higher level when you come back has great benefits. For one thing, it makes it easier to stick to the plan to know that there is a point of time in the future when you can loosen up. And, it makes loosening up less scary to know that it is for a finite period of time and not done out of “weakness,” but for an actual purpose.

  Now that I’ve totally gone off on a tangent… I’d say you sound like you might not have taken enough of a break, or might not have really, mentally, connected with the “break” mentality. Or not loosened up your eating during the break to reset those hormones.

  It’s hard to prescribe what you need to do, but I’d suggest taking a deep breath and really tuning into your body and asking whether it needs another week to break… if so, put a date on your calendar that is the date you hunker back down again and know that you aren’t going to do any real damage by moving to maintenance mode for a week and, in fact, will probably be better for it. If you feel like just adding a few hundred calories and sticking with the high-intensity workouts, that is an option as well, but if you still have weight to lose, you’ll need to bring those cals back down and that, mentally, will suck. (At least, it would for me.)

  OK, I’m going to end the world’s longest post because I am WAY overdue for my date with the treadmill. Man, alive, I hate the treadmill!

• 276 Jones // Jun 6, 2010 at 1:48 am

  Hi guys,
  I’m 25 yrs old, 5’5” and 30 lbs overweight. I used to be pretty active but over the last two yrs and an incredibly stressful job I’ve gained a lot of weight. I was originally thinking of starting p90x but from all the review I’ve been reading it doesn’t seem to work as well for women that are trying to lose weight. What do you guys think about Chalean Extreme? Is one system better than the other when it comes to shedding pounds?

• 277 Jeanne // Jun 6, 2010 at 6:50 pm

  Smurf,
  You did run my numbers and you told me 1456-1671 calories per day to get a 500-250 calories per day deficit from food to lose 1-1.5 pounds per week.
  I have not been religiously tracking my calories but I was eating as I did the last time I leaned up and I am working out more so I expected more. I did however, wonder the same thing you mentioned and I started tracking on sparkpeople this weekend. You are so right, it adds up fast but I am curious to see what kind of results I get in the next week or two by staying very diligent about tracking. I will let you know. Thanks.

• 278 Melanie // Jun 7, 2010 at 10:20 am

  P90X is nothing more than a scam. If you want to lose weight and build muscle, run, rest between lifts and push yourself. I am 110 lbs and guarantee no guy is going to get muscular doing just pull up and lifting 20 lb weights with p90X. As far a women . . dont be scared to lift weight. Dead weight and heavy weight will burn fat more quickly than just running although including running is important. Guys that do nothing but run end up lowering their testosterone and find it harder to build muscle. Drink protein to repair muscles. STAY AWAY FROM P90X AND JUST GO OLD SCHOOL WITH WEIGHT TRAINING AND CARDIO.

• 279 Smurf // Jun 7, 2010 at 10:35 am

  As a certified personal trainer, I have to disagree– for someone who doesn’t want to pay for a gym membership and personal trainer, and doesn’t know enough to develop a program for themselves. (ie: 90% of the population that’s not into this as a lifestyle/hobby like myself and, apparently, you)… it is the best home weight training DVD available.

  P90x *is* old-school weight training and cardio. Plain and simple.

• 280 FitLifeSFRob // Jun 7, 2010 at 11:00 am

  Melanie, have you even seen P90X? From your post, I suspect you haven’t, because it is a wee bit more than pull ups and using 20lb dumb bells.

  Yes, you don’t need P90X to lose weight or get fit, but many people need a good program and motivation to workout. When you add a good fitness regimen to eating right, then you have the proper combination for success. If you want to see actual results, look at my pictures, go to teambeachbody.com and see the people who HAVE seen the results.

  And, for the record, P90X IS old school weight training and cardio. It is just that Tony Horton put together the workout and was smart enought to brand it. He is your personal coach, and WAY cheaper than a $80-$120/session personal trainer. For the price, I have almost 4 years of using it, I am in the best shape I have ever been in. I’m 38 years old, I train MMA with guys who could be my kids and are in their prime, and, because of P90X and other beach body programs, I train at their level. Not old guy level.

  Interesting note: I paid $119.00 for P90X and another $119 for insanity, been using beach body programs for 3 years, and I work out about 6 days a week. Say over the last 3 years I only used the workouts once every 3 days (I just tracked workout 367 on WOWY, so I know for sure). That equates to about $.65 a workout. Not to bad. Not to bad at all. (What are your gym dues? Personal trainer costs? Other expenses?)

  So, like anything, you get what you put into it. Me, I put in a lot of effort and sweat. I push and pull my body weight, and use an array of dumbbells from 5-50lbs. Heck, I’d be using heavier ones if I had them here at the house, but truth be told, the 50′s are doing a bang up job.

  Oh, and if you think P90X is a scam, what do you think of the Shake Weight?

• 281 Tina // Jun 7, 2010 at 5:35 pm

  Hello, I just purchased P90X and want to start it as soon as possible. However, I am so confused about the supplement intake and nutritional plan. I am 35 years old, 5’7 height, and weigh 158. The program comes with a booklet that discusses supplment intake (Whey supplement and Recovery shakes) all of which I don’t want to consume. I am really afraid of what protein shakes may do (Make me look like the female version of the incredible hulk). Are there ways in which you can get protein in without shakes. And what methold beside a shake can be used directly after my workout? I am also a vegetarian which I guess is another strike. I am just so confused as to were to begin or how to begin. I want to start and have been trying to do as much internet searching to assist me in getting good results. Furthermore, call me crazy and I probably am but I am so afraid of eating too much and gaining weight instead of lossing it. I know, I know, that the eating healthing and exercising helps you with your weight but my brain can not rationalize that fact. I also wanted to ask am I suppose to take any multivitamin, B-12 vitamins, or just any vitamins at all during the program. I guess what I really want to know is can I do this program with out drinking the shakes and if so what are some good substitutes for them. And please tell me that they wont (A) make you fat and (B) make me look like a female body builder. I am planning on starting the p90X lean and I want to shed fat from my body and look good. Thanks so much. Sorry for the Rambling.

• 282 Smurf // Jun 8, 2010 at 10:13 am

  Well, for starters– I can assure you that you will not “accidentally” end up looking like a female bodybuilder. It takes a huge amount of science and commitment for women to get the bodybuilder look, so even if you were to include a protein shake in your diet, it wouldn’t happen.

  That being said, there is no real need for most folks to use a protein supplement– especially people who are eating at a deficit with a goal of losing weight. Eating your protein as whole food is going to be much more satiating and keep you fuller longer. Being a vegetarian makes it a little more challenging, but, assuming you aren’t vegan, egg whites, non-fat dairy (yogurt, cottage cheese…), tofu, tempheh, quinoa, nut butter… all are great sources of protein.

  For your height and weight, if you keep your calories between 1300 on the low end and 1500 on the high end, you should see a loss of about 1.5 lb per week.

  I’d suggest taking a multivitamin every day, just as insurance. Also, in lieu of a recovery drink, chocolate milk is a long-time favorite of runners. It’s got the right blend of quick-acting carbs and protein to fuel recover. For me, I don’t care for chocolate so I drink either the P90X recovery drink (orange julius flavor!) or the Endurox recovery drink in fruit punch flavor.

  Best of luck on your journey!

• 283 Tina // Jun 8, 2010 at 11:50 am

  Thank you so much Smurf, I really appreciate you taking the time out to answer my questions. I am not a vegan so the suggestions you gave me will help me out a bunch. Like you I too do not like chocolate and haven’t had any at all since childhood. With that said maybe I should invest in a recovery drink. But because as you wrote I am sort of “eating at a deficit” while trying to maintain a weight loss goal. Because I am a vegetarin would the recovery drink hinder my weight loss efforts ? Are the recovery drinks something that can potentially put on weight instead of helping you lose it? Also, since chocolate milk is out and depending on your suggestions for the recovery shake, after my workouts during that “peak window” of opportunity should I just eat a bowl of cottage cheese, yogurt etc. to aid in recovery? Also, my old beat up scale that I used to weigh my self before was really off and I actually weigh 150lb with a height of 5’7 so would my caloric intake still be 1300 to 1500?

  Again thanks again

• 284 OAT // Jun 8, 2010 at 11:52 am

  This is my 6th week of doing P90X Classic along with the diet plan, which I followed since day one. P90X can become very addicting. It really is a great workout routine. As much as I love it I am somewhat disappointed. I have not lost any weight, my measurements haven’t changed and neither has my body fat %. I have been doing the workout every single day and I have followed the diet without any cheating. I weigh 138 and i was really hoping to lose at least 4 to 5 lbs. I am not sure what’s going on. The only reason i have not stopped the program is because my performance has improved. I can do squats and lunges w/ no problem (unlike when i first started). I increased my weights from 8lbs to 10 or 12lbs (depends on the routine). But why can’t my results translate into a decrease weight, or reduced measurements, or lower body fat %? It really frustrates me!

• 285 Smurf // Jun 8, 2010 at 11:57 am

  If you have not dropped weight, you are eating too much. Plain and simple. The good news is, if your weight has moved neither up nor down, you know exactly where “maintenance” is for you. If you cut out 300 calories per day, the scale will move.

• 286 Smurf // Jun 8, 2010 at 12:06 pm

  Tina- So long as you are counting the calories in the recovery drink against your daily total, it will not hinder your loss efforts. I take a half a serving since I eat in the 1400-1500 calorie range. If I know I am going to eating a well-balanced meal within an hour after working out, I usually skip the drink. After you move outside of that hour range after working out, it defeats the purpose, so you’d just want to eat the same healthy diet you would otherwise. The reason for getting quick-acting carbs and a little protein in the period of time right after working out is that the muscles are primed to reload glycogen in that period. That only lasts for a set period of time, so either you get those nutrients in right afterwards very efficiently, or you get them in less efficiently over the course of a day.

  Honestly, though, taking or not taking a recovery drink or snack isn’t going to make or break someone’s progress. It might make you less sore. It might help with fatigue and food cravings. But, in the hierarchy of factors affecting success, it is pretty far down there.

• 287 Jones // Jun 9, 2010 at 1:00 am

  Hi guys,
  I’m 25 yrs old, 5′5” and 30 lbs overweight. I used to be pretty active but over the last two yrs and an incredibly stressful job I’ve gained a lot of weight. I was originally thinking of starting p90x but from all the review I’ve been reading it doesn’t seem to work as well for women that are trying to lose weight. What do you guys think about Chalean Extreme? Is one system better than the other when it comes to shedding pounds? I’m kind of just trying to figure out which one would be right for me.

• 288 Karmag // Jun 9, 2010 at 1:20 am

  Hi there,
  I’m trying to loose the last 20 pesky pounds. I’m doing the p90x and I’m soo happy to hear I’m not the only one that does not like the yoga dvd. I do substitute it with different workouts. I should have started week 3 today, actually yesterday, but I’ll start week 3 today! I was a bit dissappointed that the scale nor my measurements have budge. I gain the weight this past year when I returned to school. I’m not following the p90x diet. I’m now adjusting my eating habits to reduce carbs, processed foods, sodas & juices, sugar, etc. I achieved it before by cutting out all carbs, sugars etc. and only consuming about 1200 to 1300 cal a day. I worked out everyday some days twice, doing spinning (great workout) and Turbo Jam.

  I’m going to continue doing the p90x, hopefully I’ll start to see some changes in my body, but if anything I know I’m building muscle, which it’s always a plus. But I want to finish the p90 at least so I can say, “I DID IT!!” :p

  Good luck all!!

• 289 FitLifeSFRob // Jun 10, 2010 at 11:53 am

  Jones! Sorry about taking so long.

  Chalean Extreme or P90X are both good programs. And you can start both. I think that if you are jut getting into a fitness plan, Chalean is a great place to start, and for you, I would start with Power 90, not P90X. Fitness is about habits, and building good ones. (Eating, working out, whatever) If you try a program that is to intense, then you may not stick with it.

  If losing the 30 Lbs and toning up is what you are looking for, you might even want to look at Hip Hop Abs or Rocken Body. Major cardio workouts but you are dancing around like a maniac. Really good core work, and pretty fun. Great for people just starting. Then you can move into the more “Extreme” workouts as your body gets stronger.

  Main thing to remember, to lose weight you HAVE TO EAT RIGHT. This means maintaining a calorie deficit, and eating healthy foods. Food tracking is a must for poeple starting out on a new program and their main goal is weight loss. Without it, you will get stronger, you will tighten up, but you won’t lose weight the way you hope to.

  -Rob

• 290 tchick // Jun 10, 2010 at 12:04 pm

  Thanks MHS! Hope the nickname sticks. My age is 32, my height is 5’4” and my current weight is 155. Any number-crunching you would be willing to do for me would be wunnerful! My new dailyplate cals/day is 1439, adjusted for a few more pounds lost now. I have been hitting this faithfully, but it is kind of a struggle for me, with also doing the Insanity workouts. I do my workout early in the morning and then have several great productive hours with good energy, then I’m completely drained in the afternoons & evenings, and also have been having frequent headaches & grumpiness. I pretty much feel like my body is telling me it wants more calories, but now that I’m finally seeing some real scale movement with Insanity (7.25# in 30 days) after not seeing much with P90X (3.5# in 90 days), I’m trying to not change things too much for fear that I’ll mess up my results. I read Steve Edwards’ blog entry “Slow, Hungry & Tired” and it made total sense to me, but it seemed like he was saying that phase should be temporary….? I’ve been eating about 300 cals every 3-4 hours, which does seem to help (though it leaves NO wiggle room for a single Hersheys kiss, sip of wine, etc. if I‘m still gonna hit my 1439 cals/day). It seems like I’m completely starving by the time the third hour rolls around. I can live with that, but the crappy attitude, headaches, shakiness etc. are sucking. I’ve been trying to focus more on upping my protein intake too because I’m a vegetarian. So… do I basically just sound like a whiny hungry woman? Like I said, there are parts of the day that I feel fantastic, and this baby weight is going away so that’s really encouraging to me, but I’m just wondering what else I can do to feel a bit better the rest of the time.

  Also, I understand how the RMR works … do you know how I could also find the calculations for exercise metabolic rate, anaerobic threshold & my projected v02 max? I’m mostly just nerding out with all these numbers and would like to learn more about what mine would calc out to.

  THANK YOU again for all of your feedback to everybody. This site is amazing!

• 291 Smurf // Jun 10, 2010 at 3:58 pm

  Tchick- As I’m sure you’ve heard (I think it’s even in that book), “Hunger is not an emergency.” Especially at the rates we Americans are used to eating, so much of it is hand-to-mouth habit, boredom, eating crappy stuff so your body is still like “Hey, thanks for stuffing my belly an hour ago, but I got NO nutrients out of that, so you need to feed me again!” It can sometimes take a while for our bodies to realize, “I’m doing OK here. I’m not starving. This is fine.”

  Mathematically, your pre-workout burn rate is about 1942 (1942.65 if you really wanna go crazy with it ) This means that you’d be… YEP! at exactly 1442 to get a 500 calorie pull from the “cals in” side and then the goal is to get a 500 cal pull from the “cals out” side, and the best way to check that math is with your results… 1.81 pounds per week. Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner! This means two things… 1) Congrats, you are doing a great job of tracking and sticking to the program, and 2) You are not starving!

  Now, I would be irresponsible to not mention that you ARE doing such a stellar job of tracking that you COULD bring the cals up by 100 calories per day if you were willing to slow your loss to just a pound a week. I mean, if you are REALLY struggling and just HAVE to, know that you can.

  More than likely, though, you can move macronutrients around some. Are you getting enough slow-digesting carbs? Specifically slow-digesting carbs about two hours before you are hitting that crash? Are you combining carbs, protein and healthy fats in all your meals and snacks? Are you generally getting your calories from “whole food” sources vs bars and powders? Are you drinking enough water? Have you tried hot tea or gum (careful, this can mess with some people’s stomachs if it has any of the sugar alcohol sweeteners in it… malitol, sorbitol… I find xylitol is pretty much benign with the others worse.)

  As for your questions about VO2 Max, Lactate Threshold, etc– those are all lab tests. Vo2 Max involves running on a treadmill breathing through a mask to track 02 exchange (though Polar claims to be able to come close with a test run via heartrate on one of their higher-end heartrate monitors), and Lactate Threshold involves running while someone pricks your finger every few minutes.

  While, I, too, am interested in having those tests done at some point– and you can often find a university kinesiology department that does them for a fee– they are pretty much useless in that they won’t really inform your training much. Even for me, as a distance runner, sure i could KNOW my Vo2 Max, but that doesn’t change the fact that my feet have to hit the pavement every day and I can only run what I can run on that given day.

  You can generally figure out your anaerobic threshold (kind of the “old terminology” for Lactate Threshold– they are used pretty interchangeably) with a heartrate monitor. It’s about the level of effort you can sustain for an hour. For me, it happens to be 167 BPM this cycle. How do I know this? If I run at or below 167, I can stay at or below 167. If I run at 170, it takes only about 20 minutes before I go up to 172, 175, 183 and then crap out. This means if I want to train in my “lactate threshold range,” I’ll do a run at 170-172ish for twenty minutes once per week. And, I say “this cycle” because the number is moveable, whereas VO2 max is only moveable within a range, but there are definitely some pre-defined limiters– be they genetics or physiology or goodness-knows-what. I could train all day, for example, and not have the same Vo2 Max as Lance Armstrong, but that doesn’t mean that when I’ve hit my max achievable o2 exchange rate I can’t continue to improve and see better times through biomechanical, muscular, cardiovascular, etc. changes. In other words, of the two, Vo2 Max is definitely the least useful.

  A more valuable metric for you to track might be your resting heartrate– taken 1st thing in the morning after having woken naturally (ie: without a screeching alarm or other startle.) If it is going down, you are generally getting more cardiovascularly fit. If it goes up unexpectedly one day, it could mean you are getting overtrained, run down, getting sick, etc. and might want to take it easier that day.

• 292 Mary // Jun 11, 2010 at 12:06 pm

  How does the P90X recovery drink differ from Shakeology? I am going to do P90X and want something for an after workout replenishment but I also like the idea of a nutritious option for when I need a quick out-the-door shake in the morning when I don’t have time for breakfast. Does one offer something the other does not?

• 293 Smurf // Jun 11, 2010 at 12:18 pm

  The two are actually quite different.

  Shakeology is more of a nutritionally-dense meal/snack “on the go” replacement, whereas the recovery drink is specifically formulated with quick-acting carbs and a little protein (in a metabolically-ideal 4-1 ratio of carbs to protein) for speeding glycogen into the muscles in the 45-minute period post-exercise when the muscles are most primed to receive them. Shakeology has too much protein and not enough carbs to prime post-workout recovery (nor is it probably going to be palatable for you to drink it right after a really hard workout), and the Recovery Drink isn’t going to have the “stick with you” quality or spectrum of nutrients that makes Shakeology an ideal meal/snack replacement.

  That said, it doesn’t mean I’m trying to say that you NEED both, though both are fine products. There are work-around for both/either (for example, a glass of fat free Chocolate Milk made with non-sugar-free syrup is going to have the right carbs-to-protein ratio to act as a recovery drink, and the P90X Wildberry Bars are a great meal/snack grab-and-go – though not nutritionally identical Shakeology.

• 294 Tina // Jun 11, 2010 at 4:21 pm

  Hello again, I wanted to ask about “recovery drink” substitutes again. Hello, Smurf you suggested that I could possibly drink Chocolate milk after working out? I don’t eat or drink chocolate at all so could I do the strawberry milk (i.e., neslie quick strawberry syrub and whole milk). Or is there something in the chocolate that people should have? Also, could I just drink a cup of milk without the chocolate or the strawberry syrup or does that bit of sugar from the syrup help the muscles out?

• 295 Smurf // Jun 11, 2010 at 5:41 pm

  Hi Mary,

  Yes, you can do strawberry instead and, yes, you do need to add the sugared syrup to get you to correct carb-to-protein ratio. (About 4 grams of carbs to 1 gram of protein.) Nonfat milk needs about 25g of carbs added to get to the right ratio. And, the quicker-acting the better so this is probably the only place in your diet where you do want a pretty refined/processed sugar. In other words, no need to go all hippy-dippy and seek out some agave rice syrup sweetened strawberry milk mix. You WANT that insulin response from the quick-acting carbs, as that is what is going to help refuel muscle glycogen.

• 296 Wendi // Jun 14, 2010 at 9:23 pm

  Hi Smurf,

  I just reveived my P90x in the mail today and before I start I want to make sure I have my diet/calories in order. I am 31 years old 5’4″ and 133 pounds. Can you tell me how many I should be eating a day? I used to do a group “boot camp” workout in the park near my home for a while (the trainer stole alot workouts from P90x) he told us we should take our start weight and times it by 10 and thats how many calories we should be eating and adjust it down as the weight decreases… Let me know what you think, Thanks so much!

  Wendi

• 297 OAT // Jun 15, 2010 at 6:17 am

  Hi Smurf,

  Thank you so much for replying so quickly to my post. I actually was following the diet and i was doing level one and eating no more than 1500 cal/day. After speaking to a trainer at a gym (not my personal trainer) I mentioned to her that i was just finishing up my first month and that i did not lose any weight or inches. She then mentioned to go from 1500 to 1300 cals which i’ve been doing since. I’m finishing up my second month and I still have not lost any weight or gained more muscle except for my arms, but my other measurements remain the same. At this point i’m thinking about taking some diet pills or adding more protein to gain muscle. I was thinking about Jillian Michael’s fat burner pills or incresing number of protein shakes i take per day from 1 to 2 (each shake has 25g of protein). Perhaps i’m just getting anxious, but i see all these infomercials on P90X with women with six packs, and i’m NOWHERE near close to that, i would settle with my tummy getting a little flatter but like I said my measurements have not changed. Any thoughts or recommendations on that? Also, i will be extending my workout from 90 days to an additional month so that i can say that i gave it my all.

• 298 Smurf // Jun 15, 2010 at 9:32 am

  OAT- Are you weighing and measuring every bite that goes into your mouth?

  The simple, scientific, fact is that if you are not losing weight you are taking in the same number of calories that you are burning. You cannot be at “maintenance” (ie: neither losing nor gaining weight) at both 1500 AND 1300 calories if you are keeping the same workout intensity and all else is equal. Over the course of a month, if 1500 was true maintenance, you should see a pound and a half of change at 1300.

  1300 is as low as you’d want to go– and I absolutely guarantee, if you have been eating at 1300 cals and not seen a loss, that calories are sneaking in somewhere. It happens to the best of us. I think it’s Jillian Michaels who famously tells the story of a client who was not losing weight, swearing up and down that she was weighing and measuring all her food, frustrated beyond belief, so Jillian says, “I’m going to follow you around for a day, because I guarantee you are consuming more calories than you think somewhere.” So, the woman makes her bowl of cereal, Jillian checks everything and it’s correct. Come lunchtime, she goes to make her chicken for lunch and Jillian says, “OK, how are you going to prepare that?” The woman says, “I have some fat free spray stuff I use.” “Great,” Jillian says. “Go ahead and make that.” And watches as the woman fills the pan to 1/4 inch with “fat free, calorie free” I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray and fries up her chicken. Turns out, she goes through about five cans of the stuff a week– to the tune of THOUSANDS of calories (it’s basically just oil that’s got such a small serving size- .33 of a second spray, I believe- that they can call it fat free and calorie free.) Yes, it’s an extreme example, but I bet if I could follow you around for a day, we could figure out where the calories are coming from.

  Fat burning pills are a complete waste, but might have a little bit of a placebo effect. If you’ve got money to burn, go ahead– just be prepared to feel crappy. They make me feel horrible. Most of them are safe enough these days so long as you don’t have pre-existing heart conditions or sensitivity to caffeine. You can try swapping out some carb calories for protein calories to see if that helps get things moving, but I *HIGHLY* suggest you get those from real-food protein, not a shake. They sometimes put things in shakes (especially ones made for bodybuilders) that prompt the muscles to hold water to give the appearance of “pump.” Also, for the sake of feeling full and generally having a clean diet, real food is ALWAYS better.

  And, you are correct to be looking ahead at extending the workouts– everyone should. Tob goes through a cycle of P90X and then either jumps right into another one, or does a cycle of Insanity, or jumps into a hybrid cycle of both. To truly “give it your all,” it’s a lifetime thing, not just a 90 day thing.

  Best of luck, and keep us updated!

• 299 Smurf // Jun 15, 2010 at 9:40 am

  Hi Wendi,

  That equation they gave does work out pretty well for you with what I am getting with your BMR. My calc has you at 1321 calories per day to realize a 500 calorie deficit per day from the “calories in” side of the equation. With the addition of the workouts, this should put you in the 1.75ish pounds of loss per week range.

  I don’t think that calc works across the board, though– I wouldn’t be able to maintain my workouts on 1200 calories per day, and I wouldn’t want a 200 lb woman eating 2000 calories a day or she’d have very frustrating results.

  Best of luck on your P90X journey!

• 300 Jenny // Jun 15, 2010 at 10:39 am

  Hi Smurf,
  I just finished week 3 of the program, starting on week 4 today! I had already wrote to you earlier, but to refresh your memory(as I see TONS of people write to you for advice) I am 5″6, 110 pounds and am doing p90x to go from lanky to toned!
  So, here’s my update:
  I have definately seen a change in my arms. Before I started, my measurements of my arm flexing, and not flexing, were..the same. Now, there is a visible bump of muscle nicely forming, I am impressed, I must say! My legs and rear have gotten bigger (in a muscular way) and my weight has more or less stayed the same.
  Now..my typical workout week is the p90x routines, and then most days I will also to spinning or go for a jog (as I am, and always will be a cardio junkie).
  My diet..well..I eat very well during the day, following the meal plans and adding some variety that fits in for me. At night, however, is a different story..I often find myself eating popcorn (with added..butter:o) and occasionally ice cream…as occasional as 2 times a week :$. Now, I havn’t really seen a change in my weight as I am young and active…but could this be getting in the way of even better results? I still stick to 1800 calories when I sneak off with my popcorn, but obviously, it’s not the kind of calories I should be eating.
  So for months 2 and 3, do you think I should be stricter on my diet? I want to get a lean, cut and toned look that I know can only be accomplished with the cleanest of diets. My stomach has a bloating look to it , and I don’t know to blame this on the workouts or the food(although it is probably the latter).
  Anyways, I would love to hear your input.
  Thanks, I love reading through your posts!

  Jenny

• 301 Smurf // Jun 15, 2010 at 11:02 am

  Jenny, I need *you* to give *me* some tips on how to get the booty to fill out, cuz I’ve still got nuthin’!

  Seriously, though, it sounds like your results are great! For the most part, I tell people “If you’ve got room for it in your diet, you earned it, don’t beat yourself up over it.” Whether this means accounting for a latte, or a bowl of for-really ice cream, a glass of wine or butter on your popcorn. BUT, I also know the satisfaction that can come from knowing you absolutely CRUSHED something for a month or more to really make you feel great about yourself (or take a killer set of before/after pics, etc.) In your case, my bet is that it is the salt in the popcorn that is contributing to the bloaty-belly moreso than the butter. If I were you, I’d probably give it up for the rest of the 90 days, just to see what I could do, but I tend to look at my body like a bit of a laboratory anyhow.

  For you, not seeing a change in your weight means you’ve got your calories dialed in PERFECTLY– remember that the max poundage of lean muscle mass a female can put on per month is ~.8 of a pound. And this is a female who is eating at a surplus, supplementing, doing SUPER heavy 4-5 reps to failure lifting specifically for the purpose of piling on muscle for competition. And .8 of a pound of muscle per month would be the super-stellar gains of a genetically-gifted person (this is a woman who is not using steriods, of course.) If your weight were going up, it would be mostly fat. And your weight doesn’t need to go down, so “holding steady” is exactly where you want to be.

  Are you drinking loads of water? How is your sodium intake? Also, are you pulling your belly in against the spine while doing your core work? Other things to check- are you eating any of the FiberOne products? Chewing lots of sugarfree gum? Have you added anything else to your diet that might have sugar alcohols in it, which can lead to bloating (and, for some people, stomach pain/gas/monumental yuckiness.)

  If all those are all ruled out as temporary causes, I would say just stay the course… for some bodyparts, progress happens in fits and starts.

• 302 viktor // Jun 16, 2010 at 7:02 pm

  i’m a dude and i found this website helpful…… trust me ladies guys are just as nutty about their physiques as you are and yes i am hetero…. i was very heavy 225 and now i’m 175.. maybe lost a little too much weight gonna put on a few pounds… i had to diet down to the 190s before i could consider p90x, i tried it and i couldn’t do one pushuup because of the weight but at 190 i could at least to 6, then rest, then six again.. i know all tony’s jokes by memory =D TIP OF THE DAY DON’T SMASH YOUR HEAD

• 303 Laelia // Jun 20, 2010 at 10:37 am

  I saw the P90X advertisement on TV and am debating about if one of their programs is right for me. I just turned 40, am 5′-8″ and am hovering around the 170 mark. I know a lot of my recent weight gain (only 5 years ago I was around 150) is due to work stress, poor eating habits, and a major decline in physical activity – mainly from being burnt out over work stuff. I also stopped hiking – which I used to do almost every weekend until I had a ski accident and sprained my MCL. My knee is better now (it happened three years ago) but I’m hesitant to do those kinds of elevation gains when I’ve gotten so out of shape.

  Ten years ago, I was in the best shape of my life. (135-140 lbs and pretty toned.) I worked out every day, did step aerobics 4x a week, even had a personal trainer (my step aerobics instructor who was trying to break into the personal trainer business so I was able to get an amazing rate.) Now, I’m struggling to motivate myself just to work out and I can’t afford to have a personal trainer.

  I’m glad I checked out this discussion group. Although I originally was trying to see if P90X was right for me, given that there are so many different programs, Smurf’s comment to Margie (August 24, 2009) made me think that maybe I should consider the Slim in 6 program instead.

  I’d like to find out a little bit more about the program first…

  - How are the Slim in 6 workouts? (If you’ve done them, did you enjoy them?)

  - Does it make more sense to try to lose some weight first before starting the program – like Viktor – or just jump in and do it all at once?

  - What is the basic premise of the food program? I must admit that I have difficulty with some weight loss meal plans because I don’t like canned tuna fish (although I like fresh tuna), tomatoes, canned beans and some other foods that I frequently find in their daily menus.

  I know that I have to do something to lose weight and get into better shape. I’m just wondering if Slim in 6 is the way to go or if there is a better program for me.

  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

• 304 FitLifeSFRob // Jun 20, 2010 at 11:54 am

  Slim in 6 is a great way to start, especially if you have not been involved in a workout program in a while. Same thing can be said about Hip Hop Abs or even Turbo Jam. BUT, the biggest part of losing weight is to get your diet under control. We put on weight because we eat to much. Sure, stress and inactivity are major contributors, but when it comes down to it, you daily burn must be less than your calorie intake for anyone to lose weight.

  Even before you buy a program, get on http://www.thedailyplate.com and track everything you are eating for 2 weeks. You will need to get a real look at what you are fueling yourself with. While that is going on, think about what will keep you motivated during the next 3-6 months. Dancing to work out, lifting weights keeps you energized, you love cardio kick workouts, whatever it is that makes you happy. We can help you find the right program, and make sure you are startign this on the “right” foot.

  -Rob

• 305 Sara // Jun 22, 2010 at 7:16 pm

  Hi Rob or Smurf,

  I skimmed through some of your comments and I have a quick question. I’m 25 and have about 40-50 pounds to lose. I just completed Day 8 of P90X (I’m doing the lean routine). As I skimmed through your comments, I noticed that you guys suggested for people with lots of pounds (haha like me!) to use to begin with a different program. I was wondering if you think I will get good results if I continue with P90X? Although overweight, I am a pretty active person and have been really enjoying the workouts. When something is extremely difficult (i.e., the Dreya Roll), I substitute the exercise for jumping jacks or something else.

  Any assistance or insight would be greatly appreciated!

  Thank you and have a great day!

  Sara

• 306 Smurf // Jun 22, 2010 at 8:45 pm

  Sara-

  If you are loving the workouts, absolutely no reason to switch to a different program! Just follow some of the other tips– Make sure your calorie intake isn’t too high, as the P90X Nutrition Guide is generally too high for most women looking to lose significant weight and calorie intake is going to be 99.7% of what gets those 40 lbs off you once and for all! Get yourself a heartrate monitor and make sure you keep your intensity high, especially as you start to adapt to the workouts; Throw in some jumping jacks and whatnot if you need to in workouts like Kenpo, Cardio X, etc.; Make sure you are lifting nice and heavy…

  The most important part of this journey is finding something you love so that you keep consistent with it!

  Congrats on starting your journey– I wish you the best of luck, do check back if you have additional questions!

  Cheers~
  Smurf

• 307 Sara // Jun 22, 2010 at 9:15 pm

  Thanks so much for the quick response! I’m generally taking in about 1200-1500 calories/day. Is that too high?? I’ve been eating every few hours, too…I think I read to do that somewhere.

  Thanks again!

• 308 Smurf // Jun 22, 2010 at 9:18 pm

  What’s your height and weight?

  Yeah, eating every few hours is a great idea to quell hunger, prevent crashing/binging and generally just keep your energy up.

• 309 Sara // Jun 22, 2010 at 9:24 pm

  5’2″/175.

  Thanks again for all the help!

• 310 Smurf // Jun 22, 2010 at 9:38 pm

  So, with a predicted resting metabolic rate of ~2088 before workouts, I wouldn’t suggest you dip much below 1500 at this point. You just don’t need to– The goal here is to have you take on a program that is absolutely sustainable… there is a chance if you are getting down to 1200 calories, you subject yourself to mental and physical burnout, not being able to give your workouts your all, potential injury and just general all-around crappiness. I want this to be a process you enjoy and one that feels like it will be for a lifetime, not just 90 days.

  If you eat at that 1500 level and wear your heartrate monitor to be sure you get a 500 calorie burn, you should be right at 2 lbs a week, which is pretty much as fast as you want to cut weight anyhow.

  Be sure you keep on challenging yourself through the whole 90 days. Up your weights once your reps get up above 12. Use that heartrate monitor to make sure your intensity doesn’t drop as you get used to the workouts. And re-assess your calorie intake once you drop the first 20 lbs. (Generally, you’ll need to come down about 100 cals/day every 20 lbs you lose to keep losing at the same rate.)

  Again, best of luck! Let us know how you do!

• 311 Sara // Jun 22, 2010 at 9:49 pm

  Thank you SO much for all the information … I’m really excited about this! It’s crazy how quickly weight creeps up on you…thanks again – totally ready for this lifestyle change!

• 312 Christina // Jun 25, 2010 at 1:53 am

  Ok, I have a question that no one has hit on yet. I don’t need to lose weight at all – on the contrary, I’ve been told my whole life that I could put on a few pounds. I hate hearing this! I don’t eat the best foods, but I try to stay conscious because my husband is extremely conscious of food and exercise… So my question is: is P90X helpful for a skinny woman? I’ve been scared to work out, because I don’t want to lose any more weight! But I have heard that if I work out, I will gain muscle mass, and will then probably look like a “normal” person – a person that doesn’t need to “put on a few pounds.” Does anyone have an opinion on what would happen to a skinny girl that did P90X and followed the nutrition program? Would it be worth my time? I’m 22, 5’6” and 105-110 pounds. Any suggestions are appreciated!

• 313 Liz // Jul 16, 2010 at 11:15 am

  Always trust your gut: I’m so glad you two have noticed that 1800 calories a day is too much for most women. I thought that when I opened the book, and 7 weeks later I sure wish I would have trusted my opinion. I’m 5’4”, 30 years old, 135 lbs. I was 21% body fat when I started and have remained this way. This has been very frustrating to me, considering I only missed 2 work outs (am very dedicated).

  So, now that I’m finishing week 8, I have 5 weeks go. I guess I will just have to watch my diet like a hawk in order to lose the fat. Sure wish I would’ve been more careful. I do want to thank you for running this site, as I needed a good ol’ fashioned reminder to start measuring and saying no to treats at family parties.

  Best of luck to you all!

• 314 Smurf // Jul 16, 2010 at 11:58 am

  Thanks for the kind words, Liz. The GREAT news is, since you haven’t been at a deficit much if at all, you probably have some really nice muscle under there that a few weeks of stepping back the calories a bit will really show through nicely. This is how fitness models do it– working out tenaciously while eating at or a little above maintenance to get some muscle going, and then cutting back the calories to clear the fat off the top. So, totally not time wasted. I think you’ll see that bodyfat percentage change really nicely with a few weeks at a lower cal count!

• 315 Liz // Jul 17, 2010 at 12:28 pm

  Thanks, Smurf–I’m inclined to agree! Will let you all know how I progress. Keep on keepin’ on!

• 316 Renae // Jul 19, 2010 at 12:05 pm

  I am 53, 5’5 and ~155*# (don’t weigh due to old eating disorder days, use my clothes as a guage). I just finished week 12 of the classic p90x and am quite disappointed as far as weight loss goes, I haven’t lost any, definitely much stronger. Shirts are getting tighter, don’t like this. I was a hard core cardio queen before starting the program and needed a change. I use fitday.com to track my food and usually consume around 1400-1600 calories a day, ~45-35-20 (carb-protein-fat) I cycle in a group 2x or so per week and usually burn around 1300 cal in addition to my daily workouts. HELP, my son is getting married in OCT (hence starting the p90x 3 months ago) and I want these old lady arms to go away and lose about 15 pounds.
  Thanks…

• 317 Smurf // Jul 19, 2010 at 2:23 pm

  Tricky one, Renae! Here’s the thing– given your history of ED, I am really reluctant to give you much advice without the input of a medical professional. It could be that you weigh less than you think you do and, thus, your metabolic burn is lower than you might think. It might be that there is some metabolic abnormality remaining from the ED that needs to be addressed… It could be that you ARE losing weight but something is happening with the body dysmporphia where your brain is convincing you that you are not (pretty hard to say that you aren’t losing any weight at all without a scale as an objective measure– esp with a history of a dysmorphic disorder. (Even I get on the scale “feeling heavy” sometimes and see that I’ve actually hit my loss or maintenance goal that week- the mind is a horrible gauge sometimes!)

  All I can say is that, from where I’m sitting, your numbers look like you should be seeing a loss. That you aren’t seeing one could mean (and for most people emphatically DOES mean) that you are eating more than you think. That your clothes are getting tighter would also indicate to me that you are eating enough calories to be bulking some muscle under whatever fat you have– so that’s another thing that would indicate you aren’t at a deficit. Being someone who’s recovering from an ED, though, I know you are probably meticulous at tracking calories, so I would never want to tell you that you might be eating more than you think and should cut calories without a full medical eval. (In this case, my advice to most normal folks is “take this as your maintenance level, cut about 200 calories per day and I bet you’ll see the scale move.” But, again, it’s tough to say that you aren’t already losing weight– you should be at that level!– when you aren’t weighing.)

  Incidentally, your predicted daily burn rate pre-exercise is 1541, so that is a little lower than your “average” woman who can go on a 1500 calorie diet and lose weight. At that level, much of your deficit is going to come from exercise. And, again, reluctant to tell someone recovering from an ED to eat less, but sticking closer to the 1400 calorie end would probably be better for you.

  My suggestion to you– given your history, you should be able to get insurance to cover a check-in with a nutritionist. If you have food logs, that will help them immensely to see whether something might be going on metabolically. Though, frankly, the metabolism usually springs back just fine once you are in full recovery for a few years, so I’d be doubtful if you are much off of what would be predicted for your weight, height and age.

  Aside from the advice that you run it by a medical professional, I’d say make sure your tracking is spot-on. That there is nothing slipping through the cracks, going un-logged or unmeasured. Make sure you are wearing a heartrate monitor in your workouts so that you know definitively how many calories you are burning…

  I know that was kind of a round-about, non-answer answer, but I hope you found something helpful in there!

• 318 Renae // Jul 19, 2010 at 7:44 pm

  Smurf,

  Thanks so much for taking the time to help me figure out what is going on. I don’t know how old you are, but the body definitely does strange things with and after menopause. Funny thing, I was in the fitness industry for almost 20 years and know and understand nutrition and helped many people figure out their diets, but I’m stumped now with my own. Go figure!

  I really haven’t suffered with the ED about 15 years now and one of my obsessions was weighing constantly, so I put them away and truly do use my clothes as my guide. I probably was a bit misleading when I said my shirts were tight, it’s mainly just a couple of workout shirts and I do think it’s from doing the p90x. I do like your advice of a nutritionist. I track my calories on and off and when I’m off I really don’t eat enough, b/c when I start tracking I am shocked to see that I’ve only had 1100 or so, so I do work on trying to keep the calories up. I tried eating all the calories the p90x advises, but honestly I just couldn’t, way too much, so I backed to 1600, I’ll back it off to 1400. Since I just finished one round of the program, I am going to get back into everyday cardio and do the weights twice a week. I used to have success with that for my older clients when I was a trainer.

  Again, thanks again.

  Blessings…

• 319 Smurf // Jul 19, 2010 at 7:59 pm

  Your gut was right– you would have BALLOONED on the number of cals at the lowest level of the P90X plan.

  Just a thought- Is it possible for you to have someone else weigh you? It really is the best totally objective measure there– I’ve even known people who “cheat” on using the tape measure– “I’ve lost 11 inches but haven’t lost a pound!” Well, I can make my waist measure 25″ tomorrow, too, if I pull hard enough… (Not to say that sometimes morphologic changes don’t happen without scale movement– just that for someone WITH fat to lose, the scale will move first.)

  You are right that your body is really trying to figure out what it wants to do with the calorie burning and probably tanking a little at this stage in life. Which is why it’s crucial that you get in at LEAST 2x/week of weights, preferably 3, and don’t be afraid to lift heavy- I am talking no more than 8 reps to failure. Keeping the lean mass you have while losing the weight will be essential to not tanking your metabolism even more. I’d also suggest High Intensity Interval Training. The Wikipedia entry for HIIT is actually really well-thought-out– most people who think they are doing HIIT aren’t really. You need to go hard, hard, wanna-puke hard on the intervals for it to really be HIIT.

  And, I really would suggest that you track everything, every day, on a site like The Daily Plate while trying to get this weight off. You need to stay at a consistent 1400 to let your body know it doesn’t need to hold onto anything. Those lower days could be throwing you off and/or maybe even sparking some higher-cal days that are higher than you think. Knowledge is power in this game, and the only way to win is knowing, as best you can, the cals in and the cals out.

  If you are interested in trying another at-home program, TurboFire is really a great HIIT and strength program that is cardio to the EXTREME and people are getting crazy-high burns from it (important for you since you have so little room to move food-wise because your daily resting burn is where many people’s “daily burn minus 500 calories” is.)

• 320 Renae // Jul 21, 2010 at 7:23 am

  Hey Miss Smurf,
  Do you mind telling me how you came up with my pre-burn calories at 1541? I plugged my numbers into the BMR calculator and I got 1305, I like your number better!. Also, this is a huge eye opener of how much one’s metabolism REALLY slows down as one ages. It’s true that the older one gets, the harder it is to keep the fitness level up!
  Today I did a power walk for just over an hour and burned 692 calories, average of 3.8 mph with 350 ft of climbing (our neighborhood is VERY hilly), more than I thought I would out walking. I have a Garmin GPS I use when I bike and used it while walking as my regular HR monitor does not calculate calories. I have been consistent in monitoring my calories and daily intake for the past 4 months.
  Did I read somewhere that you are running a marathon this weekend? Good luck.

  Thanks again for your insight!

• 321 Smurf // Jul 21, 2010 at 9:14 am

  Sure thing– I use the Harris Bennedict equation to get you from your BMR (what you’d burn, quite literally, in a coma or if you slept all day) to your estimated daily pre-exercise burn. There are two things missing from your Basal Metabolic Rate– one is the fact that you are consuming calories during the day, and as soon as you consume a calorie you burn some calories digesting it. This is called the “Thermic Effect of Food” or TEF, and a good estimate is that 10% of the calories you consume are burned through TEF. The other is the fact that, at some point, your feet are going to hit the floor (ie: You aren’t laying prone in bed all day), so you need an “Activity Multiplier.” In this day and age, I use the “Sedentary” multiplier for everyone, unless they tell me they are literally a construction worker, or I coached one woman who worked in a carwash drying cars all day– unless you have an actual physical labor job, the “sedentary” multiplier is 1.2.

  People use the terms BMR, RMR and “Daily Burn” interchangeably (even I do sometimes), but they aren’t really the same thing.

  And, thanks for the well-wishes! Yeah, I’m running the San Francisco Marathon on Sunday. Pretty excited!

• 322 Aimee // Jul 21, 2010 at 11:26 am

  I have more of a question than a comment. I would LOVE to try this but I am skeptical that I will gain so much muscle mass that I will look like a man.. I want to be lean, not look like a body builder. Is this the program for me?

• 323 Smurf // Jul 21, 2010 at 11:56 am

  You absolutely will not. This is such a common concern, though, that I actually addressed it here:
  http://www.fitlifesf.com/2010/02/women-concerned-about-getting-bulky-on-p90x/

• 324 Cherie // Jul 21, 2010 at 4:13 pm

  Hi Smurf. I really appreciate your site and all of the intelligent feedback you guys give. I am just finishing week 2 of P90X Lean and it’s kicking my behind. However, I’ll keep pushing play, and all that.

  I have a couple of questions. First, I bought the program through Amazon, joined Team Beachbody, and was assigned a coach before I found your site. Is there a way that I can switch to having Rob (you’re not a coach, right?) as my coach? I’m thinking I might spring for the recovery drink for now, and might well buy other programs in the future to keep things interesting.

  Second, I am really, really struggling to get enough calories on Phase 1. All that protein just grosses me out and makes me not feel like eating. I get that calories in must be less than calories out, but how important is the high protein part of phase 1 to being successful? Can I watch my calories and stick to a not-eating-crap plan instead?

  Good luck in the SF Marathon. I hope you have typical, cool SF weather to run in.

• 325 Smurf // Jul 21, 2010 at 4:32 pm

  Cherie- Lemme ask Rob about the switching coaches thing. That’s be awesome if you switched! And you are right, he’s the only one of us that has any ties to Beachbody.

  Congrats on getting through your first few weeks– as soon as it stops kicking your booty, it’s time to kick it up a notch, so be glad you’re not there yet.

  As for your eating– You have figured out a good part of the reason why some of these eating programs are SO DANG HIGH in protein– it is extremely filling and nearly impossible to overeat on. In my opinion, so long as you are getting 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight, and not filling in the rest with junky foods, you can step back some on the protein from what they suggest. 1g per pound is often referred to as the “bodybuilder gold standard,” so it is still PLENTY of protein (the RDA for protein for athletes is between .7 and .9 g/lb, so it’s slightly higher than that.)

  The way I advise folks to structure a diet:
  1) Figure out how many calories you need to be taking in to reach your goals (lose, maintain or gain.)
  2) Start by setting your protein goals at 1g/pound.
  3) Set your fats at about 15-20% of your total calorie intake
  4) Anything leftover can be healthy carbs

  So, total generic:
  If I’m 120lbs and eat 1500 calories, I know I need to get 120g of protein at 4 calories per gram = 480 calories coming from protein and 1020 leftover. 15% of 1500 is 225 calories coming from fat. Which leaves me with 795 calories from carbs (198g)– and I can tuck into that to bring my fats up to 20% if I want to.

  P90X is pretty weight-intensive, so you do want to be sure you are getting enough protein, especially if you are at a calorie deficit to burn fat. So.. that’s how I’d structure it in the generic. I couldn’t do the P90X eating plan as written– I felt like crap and really weird and gross stuff started happening as I tried to stuff myself with that much protein.

  Thanks for the well-wishes! I’m super excited, but scared pantsless!

• 326 FitLifeSFRob // Jul 21, 2010 at 5:46 pm

  Hey Cherie,

  The most “on the level” way to switch coaches is for you to call Beach Body and make the request to have FitLifeSFRob as your coach. [1 (800) 470-7870 Monday through Friday 6 AM to 6 PM (all times Pacific) ] The other way is to create a new profile on Teambeachbody.com and when you sign up, make me your coach there. But to do that you have to switch your name, re-enter everything and use a different email. (A bit of a pain, but plausible) Would love to have you in the group!

  The Join Link for Team Beach Body is here!

  Thanks!
  -Rob (& Smurf)

• 327 Laelia // Jul 23, 2010 at 12:39 pm

  Rob-

  Sorry for the delay in getting back to this forum. I want to thank you for your response and suggestions. I’ll definitely look at my eating habits (more so than I have been). You’re right about my needing to figure out what’ll keep me motivated b/c that’s my biggest roadblock.

  I’ve now bookmarked this forum too so it’ll be easier to keep up with the discussions. (I’m inspired and learning a lot too just by seeing the other inquiries/responses.)

  Thanks, everyone!

• 328 jenn // Jul 26, 2010 at 6:00 pm

  I’ve started P90X lean. I’m 5’0 and 160. I didn’t realize when I bought the program that is was more for people already somewhat fit. I’ve been able to do the program but have to modify some moves that i can not do. I know for me to lose weight I have to cut my calories down to around 1200 and that only gives me 1/2 pound per week. What should I try to keep my calories down to with the P90x lean. I probably would not have started it had I know it wasn’t for people who want to lose alot of weight but I’m there now and I enjoy the work outs and feel sore but good after. I’m about 1 week into the program. I know I can not eat 1800 cal per day at my height. The guide says you need to add 600 cals but I know that will make me gain wt. not loose. What do you think?

• 329 Aren // Jul 27, 2010 at 10:04 am

  Hi!

  So I stumbled on this very useful post today and had a few questions that you probably answered somewhere above, but I cant quite find.

  I do pole dancing for fitness, have done so for about two years and I am good enough to compete. I am 5′ 10, and since doing the pole dancing, have dropped from 180 pounds to about 165. When I began, I couldnt do one pull up and maybe 2 chin ups . Now I can do about 5 pull ups and 12 chin ups as well as climb up a brass pole 20 feet high in about 10 seconds. So I am strong. I am also built like a swimmer.

  HOWEVER, I have the lower back problems of a 60 year old (I am 24, oh the glory of car accident ten years ago. My back isnt weak, the nerves are the problem) AND I still have fat over my all my large muscles. And I have love handles that I can never shrink, even though you can see definition on my arms, legs, and even my freaking abs (the top four).

  I have always gained muscle quickly but sucked hard at cardio becuase I get bored. And though I LOVE my pole dancing, its a wee bit dangerous to be doing tricks upsidedown 12 feet in the air when my back has the horrifying tendency to give out or queue my leg muscles to spontaneously release their grip on the pole, thus resulting in a quick and painful fight with gravity. And its not great for concentrated fat burning.

  Thus the question: I am already strong and I tend to bulk up like CRAZY. My goal is to gain more lean muscle but not to look like a man with my swimmers shoulders and amazonian build. BUT, I really want to have all six of my abs show and get rid of my incogruous love handles AND not murder my ridiculous back. Is there a version of P90X that I could benefit from?

  Thanks!

• 330 FitLifeSFRob // Jul 27, 2010 at 6:17 pm

  Aren.

  One Word: Insanity

  http://teambeachbody.com/fitlifesfrob

  Click here then go to the store. and Check it out!

• 331 Marcelina // Jul 28, 2010 at 8:07 am

  Hi Smurf/Rob,

  I have posted and got great answers. I finished P90X almost 2 months ago and got great results. I continued working out by mixing P90X and Turbo Jam’s Punch Kick and Jam/Kickin Core for a month. Then I started in July by replacing cardio days with Insanity workouts. Since chest workouts are always a part of P90X (Chest/Back and Chest Shoulders an Triceps) is it a good idea to do Insanity the next day since it has some chest moves too? I can really feel the soreness in my chest and shoulder areas whenever I do those moves from Insanity towards the end of the workout. Will this set me back instead of helping me? Thanks in advance!! 

• 332 Nadia // Jul 29, 2010 at 3:14 am

  Hi,
  I’ve been considering the P90 programme as a compliment to my other training, I am particularly interested in gaining strength which I find quite difficult. I’ve always been “small” I’m 29, 5’3 and weigh only 41kg. I struggle to consume even 1500 calories a day and I probably do about 6 hours a week of bodyweight conditioning for my aerial acrobatics. It’s very frustrating to condition harder than anyone else in my class and see them gain strength so much more quickly and easily! Would the p90 programme help me to gain weight and strength?

• 333 Smurf // Jul 29, 2010 at 7:02 pm

  Hi Nadia-
  I would actually advise you NOT to add anything to your workout regime right now until you get your eating under control. You need to find a way to get in the calories you need to fuel your training before you even consider adding anything new. As with most anything fitness-related, fueling is SO MUCH of the equation. You need to start either increasing your portions or to get your cadding some healthy-but-calorie-dense foods like nuts, avocado, more whole grains, etc. to your diet to get your calories up. If that’s not palatable, add something like a bar or a shake that will be relatively easy for you to consume and will bring your calories up to where you are at a little bit of a surplus so that you can build some muscle and fuel your training/strength gains.

  Once you have your calorie situation figured out, if you want to add some weight training, work with whomever is coaching you on the acrobatics. I’m sure that the P90X disks have the types of workouts that would benefit you, but, not knowing what your training schedule looks like specifically it is hard for me to coach you on which disks to use when. You would definitely NOT want to jump into the P90X program as written on top of 6 days of acrobatics, as you’d likely get into a situation where you aren’t allowing for enough recovery– and, remember, it is ONLY during recovery that the adaptations that increase muscle strength happen.

  For the kinds of strength gains you need, I would bet your coach can give you just 4 or 5 compound movements for your lower body, 4 or 5 for your chest and back, and 4 or 5 for your arms and shoulders and tell you what day to do them to be sure you aren’t working the same muscle groups back-to-back.

  Since you are looking to build strength towards a specific functional purpose, you are in a little bit of a different boat here.

  In a nutshell, though:
  - Get your calories up before you throw in any more training
  - Add some weighted compound exercises that speak specifically to the kinds of functional strength you need for the acrobatics
  - Make sure you are recovering properly and not throwing in workouts that your coach isn’t aware of, or you could set yourself up to end up burnt out at best or injured at worst.

• 334 Smurf // Jul 29, 2010 at 7:10 pm

  Marcellina- I wouldn’t do Chest and Back back-to-back with Insanity. So much of Insanity is pushy/planky that you wouldn’t be giving your chest enough recovery. I think Insanity has PLENTY of chest in it, that maybe do just the “Back” part of “Chest and Back” (Or just the “Back” part of Back and Legs.) If you are feeling early fatigue in the workout the next day, it means those muscles aren’t recovered enough. You need the chest to be stable to get the core activated in Insanity, so not only are you not recovering your chest enough, you are possibly cheating your core out of doing the work.

  If i missed anyone else’s question, please remind me… I’m finally coming out of my post-marathon stupor. Thanks!

• 335 Nadia // Jul 30, 2010 at 6:59 am

  Thanks so much for the response… I kind of knew that the answer would be changing my eating habits rather than working out more or harder since I’ve been seeing little to no results for my increased efforts these past few months. I eat healthily, just very small portions, I hardly ever feel hungry. I will go and see a nutritionist and perhaps in a few months look to add some weight training if I still need an extra boost. Thanks again for the detailed response.

• 336 Marcelina // Aug 2, 2010 at 4:40 pm

  Smurf as always, many thank you’s to your wonderful advice. And yes you’re right Insanity is such as fast phased workout already that by the time I do the chest moves not only I struggle with it but my chest would be completely spent and the soreness is unbearable and I end up just barely doing it. Your website is such a motivation to my fitness journey. Keep up the good work!

• 337 Renae // Aug 4, 2010 at 6:43 am

  Smurf…
  How was the marathon? I would imagine you are still somewhat recovering. WTG!

• 338 Lucie // Aug 6, 2010 at 4:44 pm

  Hi, first of all, thanks for all the information! I was wondering if you could do some number crunching for me to tell me my bmr, and if you could recommend a workout… I’m 29, 5 feet tall, 110lbs. I’m currently nursing a 16month old, so I know I need to add calories for that (I’ve been actually eating around 2500). I’m interested in being fit and maintaining my weight, mostly… Is the P90X maybe too intense for that? I was thinking of doing something about 3x a week (I do the 30day shred now three times a week)… Thanks!

• 339 Katherine // Aug 8, 2010 at 5:44 am

  If your a vegeterian can you still follow the eating plan?

• 340 Smurf // Aug 8, 2010 at 8:40 am

  Katherine- If you are lacto-ovo, no problem at all! (Please do read my comments on “Women, not losing weight on P90X” if you are looking to lose weight, though, as I do suggest swapping up the diet some.)

  Lucie- I promise I’ll crunch your numbers once i get back from my run– I want to make sure I get your BF numbers accounted for correctly. In general, though– Maintaining weight has more to do with the calories you take in than it does the workouts you are doing– I trained for a marathon on 40+ miles of running and two weight days per week and maintained my weight. Allllll about the food. You can definitely do the workouts 3 days a week if that is all you are looking for, just make sure to cycle the workouts so that you are hitting all body parts and allowing for proper recovery. Are you doing supplemental cardio at all?

• 341 Smurf // Aug 8, 2010 at 4:30 pm

  Lucie- With a daily burn of about 1690, plus about 200 for breastfeeding at this point (on the lower end of the breastfeeding range, since baby’s not exclusively on the breast anymore), I’d say 1900 is a good starting point for your daily calories. If you have a heartrate monitor to track your calories burned in workouts, that is the best way, otherwise you can use an online estimator to see how may cals you are likely burning in a workout and “eat those back” on workout days, since your goal isn’t to lose weight. Of course, the only way to check the math on this equation is to weigh yourself weekly and see what your weight has done over the course of a month. If it’s gone up, you’d want to cut some cals or vice versa. If you are adding a significant amount of heavy lifting, about .5-.8 of a pound gain per month could be attributable to muscle gain, but don’t get tricked into thinking that any more than that is muscle– and that kind of growth would be only if you are really pushing the weights to fatigue within 8 or so reps. In the first couple weeks, you could put on some water weight, but that should even out by a month in.

  Hope that helps!

• 342 Lucie // Aug 9, 2010 at 2:09 pm

  Thank you so much! I will try to shoot for around 1900 and see how I feel. I suspect that I need to be more careful about what kind of calories I’m getting as well as try to improve my sleep in order to feel more energized. I’m not doing any cardio other than what’s in the 30 day shred (I’m not sure if that counts, really), but last week I went for a five mile jog and was totally beat the next day. That’s why I was wondering if maybe the P90X is too intense… if you think it’s doable on a three day schedule, I might give it a try! As far as the breastfeeding, am I correct in thinking that since 1 oz of breastmilk is 20cal, it takes at least that many calories for my body to make it? So if baby drinks 10 oz, I burn around 200cal depending on how efficient my body is in making it, and so on? I know it might be a weird question, but I haven’t seen much info on this anywhere, so I thought I might give it a try because you guys know a lot

• 343 Smurf // Aug 9, 2010 at 2:59 pm

  You are absolutely correct that the quality of the calories matter greatly– especially for people eating at or below their daily burn. On some level, a person vastly overeating on crap might have a shot at hitting their nutritional needs, just because the volume of food is so great. If you are feeling really run down, make sure you are getting carbs in the 2 hours before your workouts, and a mix of quick-acting carbs and protein (ideally in a 1-gram-protein to 4-grams-carbs ratio) in the half hour afterwards. Sleep is obviously important, though with the baby definitely at a premium!

  I’m not lactation consultant, but I know the guidelines for breastfeeding moms are 200-500 cals per day– I put you at the lower end of that just because you aren’t feeding exclusively. It would make sense that the calories involved in breastfeeding would be the caloric content of the milk + a little bit of caloric expenditure put towards producing the milk itself. It seems to line up nicely with your knowledge of the caloric content of the milk itself. Neat stuff!

• 344 Lucie // Aug 10, 2010 at 9:25 pm

  Thank you so much for your response! I will keep your suggestions in mind, and I think I will give it a try… I’m just ready for something that will challenge me and get me in shape. Now I only need to figure out what to do about the pull up bar (we don’t have door frames) and I’m good to go.

• 345 Blondie // Aug 25, 2010 at 7:10 am

  Hey guys, I am a 19 year old girl hustling my butt through college.
  I am 5’4 and a heavy 130lbs. I feel so uncomfortable being this weight, my goal is to lose 10-15 pounds.

  Throughout my younger years I was always very fit and did gymnastics at a fairly high competitive level. Around age 16 however I got injured and had to give it up and since then I just never really had any motivation to keep up my fitness.

  Now, I feel like a big jiggly mess, my body is completely untoned and I feel like I couldn’t even run the length of myself if my life depended on it. (I wasn’t kidding when I said I haven’t done