Women and P90X: What Can a Woman Expect?
Judging by the number of women coming to this site searching for a female-centric review of P90X , there are a lot of questions:“Can a woman do P90X?Is P90X effective for women? What kinds of success can women have with P90X?”Given that I recently completed 90 days and have been a woman most of my life, I thought I would weigh in on this one. (Multiple highhats!)
First, a little background:I’ve been active pretty much all of my life.My mom is a dyed-in-the-wool gymrat, and has been since I can remember (I totally remember sitting in the back of the Buick when Mrs Garber from church told my mom about this awesome new song for jazzercise, “Eye of the Tiger .”I remember being quite sure Jane Fonda was someone my mom actually knew in real life.) If I was looking pale or pasty, she would lock my brother and I outside to go run around until the sun went down. I was in ballet and gymnastics and all sorts of stuff as a kid. In highschool , I did cheer and dance and track.After highschool, I went to the gym regularly and watched Ms Fitness USA for hours on cable (though I never had the tenacity to actually train for it.)In 2000, I started cheering again with a competition-level charity squad called Cheer SF , while being concurrently addicted to spinning (studio cycling). After my stint with Cheer SF, I discovered Bikram and, after that, Ashtanga yoga…
Despite all that, as I get older it seems harder to keep my size down.I’m used to being the one who everyone thinks is “too skinny,” only it’s been a good 10 years since that’s been true.About a year ago, my boyfriend saw the P90X infomercial and we decided to embark on a 90-day fitness challenge. We would each do our own workouts and see who had the better results.
For me: walking to work (2 miles), doing 90 minutes of Ashtanga Yoga and then taking a cardio kickbox or weightlifting class, for a total of about 3 hours of activity, 5 days a week. I had pretty good results- my goal was to wear the 24” corset to Folsom Street Fair and not look spongy. I think I did an OK job of it. (This despite a very pricy-yet-assy trainer at the Van Ness 24 Hour Fitness… if you are thinking of getting one, please get in touch first so I can help you find a decent one!)
For him: Rob was no stranger to the concepts of P90X, so he put together his own P90X-esque plan and self-motivated at home.
I had better results that first 90 days and Rob realized he needed a little more structure.Knowing spending $100+ on P90X would force him to motivate, he began the program in November, and I started following along in December/January, but really hit my stride of six P90X workouts per week in January and registered for MillionDollarBody.com on February 13, 2008.
So, that brings me to spelling out what, for me, are the measures of success (these can– and probably SHOULD– be different for everyone):
-Size/measurements (and, yes, weight)
-Being able to do cool stuff like pull-ups, arm balances and whatnot (you may notice that “being able to do cool stuff” is the theme that runs through my fitness pursuits. I might be 34, but I can still do the splits.)
-Feeling good (including being confident in the way I look, how my clothes fit, having energy- I recently went off the anti-depressant Wellbutrin and knew that fitness would be a major component in my success there.)
I started at about 140 lbs; my “goal” for the past 10 years has been “about 127” (for no real reason other than it would be nice to get back to my post-highschool weight)So, that is where I started- here are my thoughts:
The Program: I started mid-cycle on P90X, so we switched to P90X+ midway through.When we did the first fitness test, I think I was able to .25 of a pullup, but was OK in other strength tests like push-ups and wall-sits from my yoga background.Cardiovascularly, I was lacking, despite that foray into the world of “cardio kickbox.”
P90X consists of six workouts per week, mostly strength training, two cardio workouts, and a yoga workout.I did P90X “classic,” but there are options that have you mix up the same workout DVDs into programs called “P90X Lean,” and “P90X Doubles.”
The strength workouts are really the core of this program.The workouts are really hardcore- I was one of those people who doubted you could get a good workout from a DVD.In fact, I get a better strength workout with these DVDs than I did with my last personal trainer.(Who really, truly, sucked.Wish I had that $600 back! See previous disparaging comments.)The workouts are very heavy on pull-ups and push-ups, which might be intimidating to some women.As I mentioned, I was able to do .25 of a pull-up.I started out with bands, and then progressed to the P90X Pull-up Bar.I am happy to say that I can now do 3 pull-ups in a row with just a little “body-English” cheating and can complete the whole workout with one foot on the back of a chair.Push-ups are easy enough to do on your knees, but you need to make a mental commitment to do as may as you can on your toes before going to your knees- For some reason, I find the psychological crutch of doing push-ups on my knees hard to overcome, so it really is a mental game to see progress here.
Note about P90X Plus: I really dislike the overuse of the Upper Plus program in P90X+.You do it twice per week.I notice a lot of people have concerns that P90X will feel repetitious.I’m here to tell you that it really doesn’t– unless you are doing P90X Plus as written, and then you might want to tear your eyes out vs. do Upper Plus again.
I do LOVE the Abs/Core Plus workout in P90X+.It has a lot of hanging ab work, which can take some building up to, but it is a great workout for those of us who hate crunches.(In fact, I hate crunches and some boat-type ab work because it makes the front of my legs go numb.This was a huge issue for me with Ab Ripper X.Numb legs suck.)
About the Cardio Workouts: The cardio workouts in P90X are Kenpo X and Plyometrics.Plyometrics will kick your ass and give you a great cardio workout.It will likely also take you several weeks to build up the confidence in getting through the whole thing, but you will.
It took me a REALLY long time to get to the point with Kenpo X where I felt like it was even worth my time cardio-wise.Emphasis on proper breathwork is essential.Do not watch the redhead; she is half-assing her way through the entire thing.I made the mistake of mimicking her for the first several times and literally had to flail like Fraggle on crack through the “breaks” to even get my heartrate in zone.Even with proper form, I still do use the “breaks” as an opportunity to really spike my heartrate with intense jumping jacks/running in place, etc.- this workout has a lot of downtime that you have to commit to fill.
A note about P90X Plus: The Kenpo Cardio Plus workout in P90X Plus is crap.Rob talked about it in his review from a “martial arts practitioner” point of view.I’m just talking about it from the perspective of someone who is looking for a good cardio workout.It has no flow, the moves go by so fast that is nearly impossible to do them with proper form… just not a well-thought out workout at all.
Interval X Plus:
Personally, I don’t feel like half the movements in this thing are true “interval” moves. Nor do I think that 30 second intervals are enough to feel intervals (in either the exertion or recovery sense of the word.) I am used to one minute all-out effort, 1-or-2-minute recovery. But, it’s like “slow jogging” and then “all-out Olympic sprinting.” I am not sure how I can kick some and then kick a little more and then LIKE TOTALLY REALLY KICK!All in one minute and feel the difference in between. My cardiovascular system doesn’t work like that.Plyo or a nice 150-min-188-max-BPM-max interval run for 50 minutes is better.
Yoga:Oh, you really want me to go there? I hate the yoga in the P90X system with a hatred that I can barely explain.I love yoga as much as I hate Yoga X. In fact, if I didn’t love yoga so much, I might not think Yoga X sucks as much ass as it sucks. And, it sucks a lot.Mucho.Many the ass.I won’t do it.I’ll pop in a different tape, do yoga on my own, or go for a jog. Yoga is supposed to be about exploring the flow in life and ending up places you never thought you could end up, not about doing “runner’s pose” 49 times in a row. Tony doesn’t even know the difference between “cow” and “camel.” He might be good at other stuff, but he is NOT a yoga instructor.
The Results: My boyfriend had great results firming up with P90X without changing his diet at all. For me—I got about 70 days into it and felt exactly the same.Scales and measurements concurred.
For me, having about 15 lbs of fat to lose, it really will come down to the diet. The months I spend doing P90X as written without severe diet changes didn’t produce results. In the past 3 weeks, I have changed my diet in a major way.I’ve did the 6-day express plan and a really structured food plan, and am down about 8 lbs. And- in more exciting news- I actually havea picture that I am willing to use as a “before!” Woop!
I am 100% off of Wellbutrin. I feel strong.I can do cool stuff. Now, I just need to lose the fat.
(Ladies, did you really think eating whatever you want and lifting heavy weights would solve all your problems? Me, too!Not the case, sadly.)
If you would like to PURCHASE or find more information on this or any Beach Body Product, please follow this link: http://www.beachbodycoach.com/FITLIFESFROB
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
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
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..
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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?
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
How many calories per day are you eating? At the end of the day, it really is all about calories in vs. calories out.
I forgot to say that I’m 41.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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)
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!
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.
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?
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
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?
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!
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
Yikes! Sorry I missed your post, Tchick! Head back over there, I answered your (great!) questions.
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!
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.
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!
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
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
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.
P.S.
Happy St. Patty’s Day everyone!
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!
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” .
Glad you found what you were looking for. Peace out.
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!
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!
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?
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.)
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!!!
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
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.
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?
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!
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!!!
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.
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.