I know this topic has been discussed before several times, but I figured I'd start up a new thread anyways. I've got all the equipment and the DVDs at home and will begin Monday morning. I've already heard that you have to do the nutrition program for it to really work, but I was trying to get other advice here since I know several people here have done it. Any tips as far as easing into the more difficult workouts, supplementing, modifications of the program, etc.?
About to jump on the P90X wagon
- Thread starter UpTheMiddlex3Punt
- Start date
I know this topic has been discussed before several times, but I figured I'd start up a new thread anyways. I've got all the equipment and the DVDs at home and will begin Monday morning. I've already heard that you have to do the nutrition program for it to really work, but I was trying to get other advice here since I know several people here have done it. Any tips as far as easing into the more difficult workouts, supplementing, modifications of the program, etc.?
You don't have to follow the nutrition plan that comes with it. You just eat smart. Don't do the workouts and then hit McDonalds every day for lunch. When I started I just went to Kroger and got those meals that are able to be heated up in the microwave like those Cafe Steamers meals. They have pretty decent nutritional value for lunch and so forth.Your co workers will think you are about to file bankruptcy till you tell them what you are doing. Then hit subway or something for some more protein for dinner and so forth. Dropping calorie intake plus discipline in P90X equals the lbs coming off. I dropped nearly 10 lbs in a month when I first started... but i reversed some habits also that contributed to it.<div>
</div><div>This is no ******** program. if you follow what he tells you to do, you will work your *** off like the discs tell you time and time again. </div><div>
</div><div>My advice is if you are fresh into any workout program and you are diving straight into it... start a couple mornings with the Yoga one to get stretched out and a little more loose.. if you are stiff, you will be extremely sore after the first workout. Do a couple mornings of stretch and then start the programs as a day one after that.</div><div>
</div><div>If you want to, you can pick up some protein supplement or something at GNC.
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</div><div>This is no ******** program. if you follow what he tells you to do, you will work your *** off like the discs tell you time and time again. </div><div>
</div><div>My advice is if you are fresh into any workout program and you are diving straight into it... start a couple mornings with the Yoga one to get stretched out and a little more loose.. if you are stiff, you will be extremely sore after the first workout. Do a couple mornings of stretch and then start the programs as a day one after that.</div><div>
</div><div>If you want to, you can pick up some protein supplement or something at GNC.
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You don't have to follow the nutrition plan. Just watch your calories. That's one of my few complaints with the program. Not many people have the time to prepare these types of meals for lunch every day. An easy way to do it is to grill chicken/fish a couple nights a week for your lunch. Steam some vegetables or get some of the steamer bags but watch the sodium in some of those. Don't worry about the carbs you take in. You're going to need them, just don't go overboard. Try to consume 4-5 meals a day(350-500 calories each) to keep your metabolism up. The only supplements I would recommend is a basic whey protein shake for one of your meals and a creatine/glutamine combo. Those will help with muscle recovery and with the soreness. It's a great program but like other programs, you just have to do it and some people don't have that motivation doing it at home alone or in front of a TV. You will see results.
Ihave a crazy work scheduleso there was no way I could follow the nutrition plan that came with it. I just ate smart and did the best I could. I lost 25 pounds or so when I did it. I kept doing the workouts (still do them today to mix things up) and lost 35 - 40 pounds total. It changed my life. The workouts are hell, depending on your age/condition. I'm 43 and was pretty out of shape. It took me a month of trying the workouts before I could really get through them well, so I started over after that 1st month and made it last 120 days. Do the Yoga. Don't wuss out and think you're too tough for that. It will kick your *** and make you feel better overall. Good luck!
S
Sterling Archer.nafoom
Guest
it's a lot more intense, but it takes much less time. You only need about 45 minutes a day, and half of that is warming up and stretching. Don't get me wrong, P90X will work, for me Insanity worked much faster and took less time per day. They're both much better than doing nothing though.
Make sure your nutrition is in check. Find your BMR. Supplements can help fill the gaps. Whey protein isolate, kre-alkalyn creatine, BCAA's, glutamine and a good multi-vitamin (Optimum Nutrition Opti-Men). Then call Matt Balis for your hypertrophy program.
I figure the whole "you have to do the nutrition part" really means you have to cut out all the junk food, eat lean meats, healthy fats, and get your carbs from better sources. One thing I've heard is that you need to eat more high potassium foods, so I will probably eat more bananas, avocados, seeds, etc. I've never really been much for creatine or protein shakes, but I will go out and get some creatine, protein shakes, and whey powder. I figure I'll be needing the extra energy.
Unless you are:
1. Unemployed and can get the food.
2. Work at a gym.
I can't exactly go up at the cafeteria at work and ask them to make me some grilled fish tacos with avocado and a wheat wrap.
I never did their supplements. I got good results just doing the program and kind of following the diet plan as best as I could. I can't do all of the yoga- especially the plow thing. That was my water break. I also accidentally did a Dreya Roll once. Key word being accidentally.
I think a lot of people probably get frustrated because they can't do it like the freak shows on the videos, but don't worry even if you can only do something like 1 pull up. Just do the best you can and try to go at the pace that they are going at. I think that's the key.
1. Unemployed and can get the food.
2. Work at a gym.
I can't exactly go up at the cafeteria at work and ask them to make me some grilled fish tacos with avocado and a wheat wrap.
I never did their supplements. I got good results just doing the program and kind of following the diet plan as best as I could. I can't do all of the yoga- especially the plow thing. That was my water break. I also accidentally did a Dreya Roll once. Key word being accidentally.
I think a lot of people probably get frustrated because they can't do it like the freak shows on the videos, but don't worry even if you can only do something like 1 pull up. Just do the best you can and try to go at the pace that they are going at. I think that's the key.
and when we started, we tried to follow the diet plan as listed. As a result, our initial grocery bill was approximately $300 and then settled in at $150-$200 per week. Our normal grocery bill is $100-$125 per week. We have two small children at home. Didn't take long to start looking for short cuts for meals. Hell of a challenge to finish the series though. Good Luck!
Not because it is too hard. It just gets kinda old. I hope you don't quit and you get through 90 days. It really did work for me. And i really like working with free weights and had little time to or energy to do both. I think in the future i am going to alternate free weight and p90x. Get a good mix. Have fun with it.
Here are a few tips that I've learned along the way...
1. Sign up on beachbody.com. There's some great info on there, you can sign up for a weekly newsletter that will tell you all about the latest products, and the message boards help a lot. I don't go there every day, but it's the first place I go any time I have a question.
2. I completely disagree with some of the comments saying to forget the nutrition plan and just "eat smart". I'm not saying that you need to eat every meal out of the guide and you may know a lot more about nutrition than I did, but understanding what your body needs to be successful is critical and there's a lot more to it than just watching calories. I've gotten to the point where I don't need the guide as much anymore, but it changed my entire diet when I first started.
3. The bands are great for a lot of exercises, but get some dumbbells also. There are some things that you just can't do with the bands and then even some of the times when you can use them, it's still really awkward.
4. Don't ignore the Stretch and Yoga dvds. I can't do every move on the yoga one, but I can't begin to tell you how much it helps with recovery. Let me know how you feel after doing chest/back, Plyo, and then arms/shoulders during your first week. You're more than likely gonna hurt like hell just like everyone else. When you start Yoga on day 4, you'll think that there's no way you can get through it, but then all of a sudden you'll start to feel better. By the time I got done, nearly every pain that I had was gone. It's incredible how much it stretches your body while giving you a decent calorie burn at the same time.
All that said, I'm a big believer in P90X. I worked out at a gym in Jackson for a year and never saw the gains like I have through P90X in just a couple months. If you put a good nutrition plan together and follow the program as closely as you can, you'll be amazed at the results.
1. Sign up on beachbody.com. There's some great info on there, you can sign up for a weekly newsletter that will tell you all about the latest products, and the message boards help a lot. I don't go there every day, but it's the first place I go any time I have a question.
2. I completely disagree with some of the comments saying to forget the nutrition plan and just "eat smart". I'm not saying that you need to eat every meal out of the guide and you may know a lot more about nutrition than I did, but understanding what your body needs to be successful is critical and there's a lot more to it than just watching calories. I've gotten to the point where I don't need the guide as much anymore, but it changed my entire diet when I first started.
3. The bands are great for a lot of exercises, but get some dumbbells also. There are some things that you just can't do with the bands and then even some of the times when you can use them, it's still really awkward.
4. Don't ignore the Stretch and Yoga dvds. I can't do every move on the yoga one, but I can't begin to tell you how much it helps with recovery. Let me know how you feel after doing chest/back, Plyo, and then arms/shoulders during your first week. You're more than likely gonna hurt like hell just like everyone else. When you start Yoga on day 4, you'll think that there's no way you can get through it, but then all of a sudden you'll start to feel better. By the time I got done, nearly every pain that I had was gone. It's incredible how much it stretches your body while giving you a decent calorie burn at the same time.
All that said, I'm a big believer in P90X. I worked out at a gym in Jackson for a year and never saw the gains like I have through P90X in just a couple months. If you put a good nutrition plan together and follow the program as closely as you can, you'll be amazed at the results.
Been through it 3 times. I also have insanity. The upcomeing round will be a hybrid of both programs.
Once your done be sure to get in on Warrior Dash on April 21st in Jackson.
Once your done be sure to get in on Warrior Dash on April 21st in Jackson.
That was part of my motivation. I got drained on all the climbing I had to do. I'll try insanity later if I have good results with P90X. I'm having to put off starting until Wednesday. Mainly because I want my longest workout (Yoga) to fall on a day when I don't have to go to work (90+ minutes in the morning will mean either waking up earlier or getting to work later), plus Amazon 17ed up in shipping me some of the equipment. I'll have it all tomorrow and will 'bring it' on Wednesday morning.
I can't stand dedicated meal plans, but I can easily throw some stuff together to satisfy portion requirements. I'll be eating a lot of those salmon and tuna packets mixed with half an avocado (tried this last week and it is tasty and full of good protein, fats, and potassium). I'm setting up a Google Spreadsheet to track everything I eat so I'll have a pretty good idea of my caloric intake and where I might be going wrong.
another hobby and that set me back 6 weeks so I'm about to start over from scratch. After the first 2 stages I had actually gained 1 pound but the sewing tape I used to record my body measurements proved I was going in the right direction. Everything that should have increased did and everything you want to shrink also did. I was also beginning to notice some nice rippage in my shoulders and triceps.
As far as the nutrition, I ate smart and followed it the best I could. I ate a shitload of tuna or just ate light and healthy. I bought their recovery drink formula but none of their other supplements. I also cut out soft drinks and cut down the beer to one night a week and only had 2 or 3 then.
I saw where someone in the thread said to use the 'pause' button. I totally agree with that. After a while you won't need it.
Also, be prepared to feel like you've been beaten with a baseball bat. I never was stiff but every square inch of my body was sore to the touch. Its a good hurt though.
As far as the nutrition, I ate smart and followed it the best I could. I ate a shitload of tuna or just ate light and healthy. I bought their recovery drink formula but none of their other supplements. I also cut out soft drinks and cut down the beer to one night a week and only had 2 or 3 then.
I saw where someone in the thread said to use the 'pause' button. I totally agree with that. After a while you won't need it.
Also, be prepared to feel like you've been beaten with a baseball bat. I never was stiff but every square inch of my body was sore to the touch. Its a good hurt though.
It works, but there are better ways.
After a couple of weeks, it becomes monotonous and I just started back to the gym with a new daily routine.
I let a couple friends borrow the Insanity DVD's to keep them from buying their own copies. Inboth cases, I got the DVD's back in about a week.
The most recent opinions from the medical field are suggesting that the P90X/Insanity type workouts are really not good for your body. You can Google it and there's some new information out there.
After a couple of weeks, it becomes monotonous and I just started back to the gym with a new daily routine.
I let a couple friends borrow the Insanity DVD's to keep them from buying their own copies. Inboth cases, I got the DVD's back in about a week.
The most recent opinions from the medical field are suggesting that the P90X/Insanity type workouts are really not good for your body. You can Google it and there's some new information out there.
P90X tools
The above link has a great excel workbook to get you started and track progress. It also has the sheets that you can print out to track all your reps during exercises. You may come up with something that works better for you, but I found the P90Xcel file at the bottom of the page to be pretty helpful. The myfitnesspal app is pretty helpful for checking on calories also.
It sounds like you're on the right track with the nutrition. Trust me, I'm no personal trainer by any means but it seems like a lot of the people that say to not worry too much about nutrition end up being the exact ones that quit. A couple cheat meals per week turn into a cheat meal per day, then people don't see the results that they hoped for, and then they get frustrated and quit. Eating burgers for lunch may not affect people when they're just doing light jogs at the gym every day, but P90X is a whole different ballgame. If you don't get the right things in your body, I'm dead serious that you'll have a hard time making it through the hour. Not to mention the recovery afterwards.
Sorry, one last tip I forgot about. Take some pictures before you start. The reason being is that you may find at some point during your round, you're not quite losing the weight that you hoped to lose. However, if you follow the program and then take a look at yourself 45-60 days, you'll see a difference. It's just something to keep you motivated when you may not realize the progress that's there, otherwise.
The above link has a great excel workbook to get you started and track progress. It also has the sheets that you can print out to track all your reps during exercises. You may come up with something that works better for you, but I found the P90Xcel file at the bottom of the page to be pretty helpful. The myfitnesspal app is pretty helpful for checking on calories also.
It sounds like you're on the right track with the nutrition. Trust me, I'm no personal trainer by any means but it seems like a lot of the people that say to not worry too much about nutrition end up being the exact ones that quit. A couple cheat meals per week turn into a cheat meal per day, then people don't see the results that they hoped for, and then they get frustrated and quit. Eating burgers for lunch may not affect people when they're just doing light jogs at the gym every day, but P90X is a whole different ballgame. If you don't get the right things in your body, I'm dead serious that you'll have a hard time making it through the hour. Not to mention the recovery afterwards.
Sorry, one last tip I forgot about. Take some pictures before you start. The reason being is that you may find at some point during your round, you're not quite losing the weight that you hoped to lose. However, if you follow the program and then take a look at yourself 45-60 days, you'll see a difference. It's just something to keep you motivated when you may not realize the progress that's there, otherwise.
I'mmid-40sand have never been a big workout guy. I lost a good bit of weight and inches through diet overthe lastfew years but P90X helped me lose about 10 more pounds and a couple of more inches this year I wasn't even trying to lose. I was just trying to exercise and lower my cholesterol and now I'm in the best shape I've been in since I was 15.
Just keep going. Don't stop. It took me easily a month like dubmdawg to even be able to halfway do justice to the workouts. Yoga was torture. Now I can do it all (except crane...not goig there) I was dying doing plyo. I can do the whole thing just like them now. Pushups...are you kidding me?! Now, I can reallydo probably 2/3 of what they do on the video.
Not quitelike the videoon some stuff but way more than I'dhave ever imagined. I was doing bands and have ventured into actual pullups and am getting better...not good but better. After having done stuff I never thought I could do, I'mmuch more confident. For a 40-something year old I feel downright badasswhen I roll all the way through plyometrics and do it all full speed like the people on the video with no pausing.
Just keep pressing play. It really can change your life.
Just keep going. Don't stop. It took me easily a month like dubmdawg to even be able to halfway do justice to the workouts. Yoga was torture. Now I can do it all (except crane...not goig there) I was dying doing plyo. I can do the whole thing just like them now. Pushups...are you kidding me?! Now, I can reallydo probably 2/3 of what they do on the video.
Not quitelike the videoon some stuff but way more than I'dhave ever imagined. I was doing bands and have ventured into actual pullups and am getting better...not good but better. After having done stuff I never thought I could do, I'mmuch more confident. For a 40-something year old I feel downright badasswhen I roll all the way through plyometrics and do it all full speed like the people on the video with no pausing.
Just keep pressing play. It really can change your life.
I wouldn't completely throw out the nutritional plan. Not sure what you're looking to do here though. If you're fairly over weight/out of shape I'd try to at least stick to the general idea of the plan. But if you're already in decent shape then yes, just eat smart.
I loosely followed the nutrition plan for the first 30 and it kick started some weight loss. I started at 240, finished at 215. It was my second go around, first time I completed it. Don't throw in the towel if you get a little behind, its impossible to do it in 90 days. It took me about 120.
It definitely kick started a healthier me, after dropping those 25 lbs it was much easier to get out and run. Since then I've lost another 25 lbs.
My major advice is to stick with it, its a grind and you won't be able to do it in 90 days. O felt pretty fortunate to do it in 120.
I skipped yoga a good bit too.
I loosely followed the nutrition plan for the first 30 and it kick started some weight loss. I started at 240, finished at 215. It was my second go around, first time I completed it. Don't throw in the towel if you get a little behind, its impossible to do it in 90 days. It took me about 120.
It definitely kick started a healthier me, after dropping those 25 lbs it was much easier to get out and run. Since then I've lost another 25 lbs.
My major advice is to stick with it, its a grind and you won't be able to do it in 90 days. O felt pretty fortunate to do it in 120.
I skipped yoga a good bit too.
I am a trainer. I can tell you that you don't have to follow the meal plan exactly. Sure, if you're one of those people that have to follow things by the book, then go ahead. Just remember, this isn't a nutritionist specifically designing a meal plan for YOUR exact needs. It's a meal plan for the masses, and one that requires a lot of money and preparation. I'm not saying that it isn't a great meal plan, I'm just saying that you don't have to follow it exactly to get great results. Not following a exact meal plan doesn't mean you're eating terrible and eating burgers all the time.