P90x

[Volusianator]

OK, so I'm considering trying this program as I'm way overweight, out of shape and need to make a lifestyle change. I've heard that the diet portion is very important in this program.

Has anybody here done P90x and if so, can you shed some light on the diet portion? I'm pretty damn fussy when it comes to food, not a big fruit or veggie guy, so if that portion of it is just simply not going to work for me, I may have to reconsider.

[cricky101]

Haven't tried it myself, but quite a bit of info here: http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showth...highlight=p90x

[Volusianator]

Originally Posted by cricky101

Haven't tried it myself, but quite a bit of info here: http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showth...highlight=p90x

I read through that thread, lots of people saying that the diet is key, but nobody really saying what it is.

[hammondc]

Originally Posted by Volusianator

I read through that thread, lots of people saying that the diet is key, but nobody really saying what it is.

The 'diet' is simple. Overload on fruits n veggies and try to stick to clean carbs (whole wheat etc) and limit the red meat. My wife and I go through an obscene about of veggies during the week.

No fast food
no soda
Lots of water- I drink about 200 oz a day. That is a LOT but I have worked up to it over about 24 months.
Definitely for sure every day...eat breakfast. I Do plain oatmeal with a bit of brown sugar
Protein Shakes ---see above...make with 1% milk and add a banana for recovery. maybe a TBSP of natural p-nut butter.

[Volusianator]

Originally Posted by hammondc

The 'diet' is simple. Overload on fruits n veggies and try to stick to clean carbs (whole wheat etc) and limit the red meat. My wife and I go through an obscene about of veggies during the week.

No fast food
no soda
Lots of water- I drink about 200 oz a day. That is a LOT but I have worked up to it over about 24 months.
Definitely for sure every day...eat breakfast. I Do plain oatmeal with a bit of brown sugar
Protein Shakes ---see above...make with 1% milk and add a banana for recovery. maybe a TBSP of natural p-nut butter.

Thanks. Corn OK? For veggies, I don't do much other than corn, green beans, and baby carrots, I am a meat and potatoes guy!

[Sauer Grapes]

Originally Posted by Volusianator

Thanks. Corn OK? For veggies, I don't do much other than corn, green beans, and baby carrots, I am a meat and potatoes guy!

Just do google search for the p90x diet plan and you'll find it.

[E.J.]

Originally Posted by hammondc

The 'diet' is simple limit the red meat. .

That is all I heard.... WTF....

I have no complaints at the shape I am in, but have seriously considered doing the P90X for the next bit to lean up for our trip to Mexico/the start of the boating season....

That said, when the heat hits...I need red meat... Don't know what it is, but my body craves it.... I'll eat a T-bone or NYS 2-3 nights a week....you're killing me....

[Superbad]

I ordered the DVD's the other day. Several coworkers swear by it. I need to lose some weight and get in better shape.

It is a very intense work out, I would build yor cardio up well before even attempting it. Good luck with your program though. I hope it goes well.

[hammondc]

Very good program. I have done Insanity and some P90X. Get a good Protein for after workout. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Optimum Gold Standard Cookies N Cream.

Oh.....and get ready to have your ass kicked.

[hammondc]

All veggies are ok. F that Atkins diet BS. Eat all the earth grown products you can. I like the green veggies. No broccoli or baby brussels for you?

We eat a lot of
Cucumbers
Bell Peppers..all colors
Carrots
Broccoli
Baby Brussels
Almonds
Almonds
Almonds
Green Leaf Lettuce (I hate Iceberg)
Oranges
Bananas
Berries-Blue and rasp

[Bill86]

Ouch all veggies and 200oz's of water a day? 12.5 pints of water? This diet seems completely unrealistic. I'm with E.J. I eat like 5-7 steaks a week. I couldn't do a veggie diet and feel like a man. There is other ways to lose weight.

[hammondc]

Originally Posted by Bill86

Ouch all veggies and 200oz's of water a day? 12.5 pints of water? This diet seems completely unrealistic. I'm with E.J. I eat like 5-7 steaks a week. I couldn't do a veggie diet and feel like a man. There is other ways to lose weight.

The diet does not call for that much water. That is just what I drink. I started making a point of drinking water about 5 years ago. 1 pint immediately after I wake up, at least 1 with each meal plus I always have a 32oz Nalgene bottle with me. Hell, I go through 64 oz in one Insanity workout. Not that tough to get through 200oz in a day. It is not a veggie diet, I suppose you could eat a bunch of red meat, but results would be slower. Is it that tough to drop back to red meat twice a week?

[yourchoice]

The nutrition guide has a few different ways to go about following it. I may not use the correct terms (as my book is in my office) but one is the menu plan, where you basically make a bunch of food per their recipes. That didn't work for me. Another way is to follow their number of servings per food group for your goals...meaning if your goal is to lose weight, follow the "Fat Burner" number of servings. If it's to maintain, use another and if you're an athlete in training use another. I followed the fat burner method and tried to follow the quantities for it. It was a lot of lean protein, some carbs (but healthy), vegetables (but not so many it's unattainable), some fruit, dairy, fats, etc. I really didn't find it all that bad.

Red meat isn't stricken from the diet. Lean cuts of it are okay (like a London Broil). But I would say chicken and fish is probably preferred.

To give you an idea, a typical day eating for me was:
Breakfast - An egg white scramble with lowfat cheddar cheese and something else...I liked mushrooms, asparagus and occasionally lean ham. I also used Tabasco liberally.
Snack - Usually some celery and carrot sticks, with about a tablespoon of peanut butter for protein and to make the celery taste better. Or just some nuts (Wasabi Almonds are awesome!)
Lunch - Mixed greens salad with chicken breasts, a little cheese, maybe some olives, any healthy vegetables I had around with fat free salad dressing.
Dinner - A typical, but healthy dinner. Chicken breast, lean beef, fish, or lean pork with a healthy carb (usually brown rice, wild rice or a sweet potato (to me it falls in both carb and vegi catagory)) and a vegetable.

I tried to work a snack in between lunch and dinner, but it wasn't for me.

No eating after dinner, water is the main (almost only) beverage, yada yada yada. All of the typical healthy eating guidelines.

I would assume most people who've been on it cheat. For me, if I knew I was going to cheat, I wouldn't cheat as much. And the biggest thing that I got threw my thick skull was if I did have an unhealthy meal (ex. cheesesteak before a Phillies game), I didn't fall off the wagon...I brushed it off as no big deal and got right back on the program.

Also they stress no alcohol. I cut down big time, but I didn't give it up. Oh, and I drank coffee aplenty.

To me, it wasn't really a "plan", but more of a guideline. It's basically all of the healthy, natural eating things you've probably heard a dozen times. I'm not bashing it...on the contrary, it was well designed, reasonably easy to understand and reinforced healthy eating. It's more common sense than a system.

Hope that helps.

[12stones]

The diet seems simple, but it's difficult to adhere to if you're used to eating what you want when you want. It's not just limit your intake of red meat. It's very specific as to how many calories you consume and what those calories consist of. My biggest problem was eating all of the food I was supposed to eat. Sometimes it was just too much. 9 servings of protein was rough as were all the vegetables and fruits.

It's easier to do the "portion" diet as opposed to the specific meal diet, but as anyone in the know will tell you, weight loss is 90% diet 10% exercise.

The exercise is a killer. Plyometrics, yoga, and legs & back were the worst for me. I always felt better after doing them, as it was a sense of accomplishment.

I lost 30 pounds on the program, but after finishing it, didn't maintain the lifestyle and have gained half of it back. It kicked my ass and I was tired of working out 7 days a week. I did it with my fiancee so that we could motivate each other, and we had to do the stretching day or the next day was just too painful.

It's a great program if you can stick with it.

[forgop]

Just like with anything, the results you see in the mirror are directly related to what goes into your mouth and what effort you put into the gym. The diet they provide is just a guide and no better/worse than anything else out there. Right now, I'm doing weight watchers because I can track everything online and with my iPhone application, plus I like the plan. It'll "reward" you with more food if your diet is more focused in fruit/vegetables.

I have P90X and never really got that into it, primarily because I didn't have the dumbbells. Bands are doable, but I'm the type that likes to see tangible results in numbers, and that's something you can't really do with bands. Sure, you can choose which color, but it's really hard to track how much tension you have on them. It's certainly an intense program and not for the type afraid to get after it. For those really out of shape, I recommend getting into shape a bit before trying it.

[yourchoice]

Originally Posted by forgop

For those really out of shape, I recommend getting into shape a bit before trying it.

I hear that a lot, but I was pretty damn out of shape and it worked for me (lost 50 lbs. in 90 days). As long as you push yourself everyday while doing it, you'll get results. Only able to do 12 reps of a 20 rep exercise? Do 12, and try to do 14 or 15 next time. Need a break? Pause and come right back to it.

I think "you have to get into shape first" scares people away and since they don't have a program to get in shape, they never get into what they think is good enough shape to do it, which turns into an endless cycle. Hell, I did the "Lean" version to get into shape, and now am doing the classic version since I'm in good enough shape...I guess.

Thats my opinion anyway...take it for what it's worth.

[forgop]

Originally Posted by yourchoice

I hear that a lot, but I was pretty damn out of shape and it worked for me (lost 50 lbs. in 90 days). As long as you push yourself everyday while doing it, you'll get results. Only able to do 12 reps of a 20 rep exercise? Do 12, and try to do 14 or 15 next time. Need a break? Pause and come right back to it.

I think "you have to get into shape first" scares people away and since they don't have a program to get in shape, they never get into what they think is good enough shape to do it, which turns into an endless cycle. Hell, I did the "Lean" version to get into shape, and now am doing the classic version since I'm in good enough shape...I guess.

Thats my opinion anyway...take it for what it's worth.

You can certainly attempt to do it, but I'm thinking for someone who hasn't done a lick of exercise in ages. For example, I was doing some pretty hardcore spinning classes last summer, got busy with school in the fall, quit going to the gym, and had back surgery just over a month ago. Would I see myself putting in the Plyo DVD tomorrow before doing some work on the treadmill or something for 2-3 weeks? No way. That would be a recipe for

[Bageland2000]

Tried insanity, It's a good workout. I however recommend going to this site
www.crossfit.com.
It a free online community with workouts everyday (called WODs) and it is gaining an insane amount of popularity. It will whip you into shape and there is even a great nutrition program associated with it called Palio. It's what I use to stay in shape for the Army. Start doing crossfit and you'll NEVER look back.

[forgop]

Originally Posted by Bageland2000

Tried insanity, It's a good workout. I however recommend going to this site
www.crossfit.com.
It a free online community with workouts everyday (called WODs) and it is gaining an insane amount of popularity. It will whip you into shape and there is even a great nutrition program associated with it called Palio. It's what I use to stay in shape for the Army. Start doing crossfit and you'll NEVER look back.

A buddy of mine started crossfit awhile back and even opened his own gym to train people. Haven't seen him for a few months, but I know he's been getting great results.