- P90x -

[Mirilis]

So after a few months of looking at this infomercial I decided to buy it. Anyone else out there that has used it who can comment on it? The workouts seem like they will be ok, but I dont know how willing I am to give up beer for 90 days.. and have grass and water for 3 meals a day.

 

[zman]

You do not need to do that. P90x has a pretty decent nutrition program. It is all about 4-6 small means a day. You will need to be to read the list of ingredients on everything you buy at first. You need to get out of the habit of eating food that have partially hydrogenated anything, bleached flour...etc. I suggest getting the e book "burn the fat feed the muscle" It is really great and explains fitness from top to bottom and can really accentuate the P 90 X

 

[MikeFlynn74]

p90x is tough. But make sure you eat well and use the dvds in the right orders.

What are you looking to do? Lose weight or get more fit?

 

[rsmith179]

Doesn't matter what you want to do, lose weight or get fit. You'll definately do both with P90X. I didn't even follow the eating plan but still got nice and lean. The workouts are INTENSE IMO! The first two weeks, I didn't think I was going to even keep going. Just remember to keep pushing yourself all the way through the workouts. They're hard, but your body will be too in a few weeks.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

Well it does. There is a certain order to watch the vids that makes a ton of difference.

 

[Mirilis]

I checked the tracking.. it should be in monday or tuesday.. i plan to follow the instructions to the letter, but i want to look at some of the vids and do some grocery shopping first.. Im 6'4" 250lbs, when I got back from my Iraq deployment i was 215 and fairly lean. I even managed to keep it off untill my now SWMBO moved in.. thats when I got fat.

Im hoping after I get back in shape ill have some energy again. I work a full time job as a design engineer, im going back to school full time to take advantage of the new post 9-11 GI bill, and im working on opening a brewery with a friend as a weekend job. (we are getting close.. we got our building we just need to do some work to it and move our stuff in), so im extremely busy and tired all the time.

I can try to post before and after pictures.. i may have to blot out my fat man ****s though.. or post them in the************!

 

[MikeFlynn74]

I did the abb dvd today. Mikey hurts.

 

[Mirilis]

I am starting week 2 today and I have to tell you.. those DVD's kicked my A$$. I was sore all weekend. The foods not as bad as I thought. The breakfast scrambles arent really my favorite though.. too many egg whites.

 

[bkov]

what do you need besides the dvds themselves? i can probably download them for free but i havent looked yet

 

[MikeFlynn74]

You just need to be on a good meal plan and make sure you dont drink too much. Doing p90x hungover is the work of satan

 

[EvilGnome6]

You don't have to give up beer to lose weight. Regardless of the diet plan, it boils down to calories. The reason diet plans cause you to lose weight is because they restrict calories. That's it.

I've seen the P90x infomercials and they look like a pretty good exercise program but I haven't looked into the nutritional side of things. If they give you hard restrictions like "no beer" or "no this" or "no that", I would throw it out. Not that cutting out certain things is entirely bad, but because you really want to find something you can maintain and be happy with over the long term.

At the beginning of the year, I started at about 230 lbs. I'm now under 195. Here's a graph of my weight:



That's pretty consistent weight loss at a very healthy 1lb per week. I've had beer every single day. I haven't gone hungry a single day. I haven't cut a single thing out of my diet. I've made a few adjustments to balance out my macronutrients but other than that, I eat what I like.

I had already been going to the gym for 3 months before the end of the year but I had actually gained weight during that time. The weight started to come off when I started tracking my calories. I use Calorie King (which is kind of pricey) but there are plenty of other sites like The Daily Plate (which is free) that let you track your calories online. Once you get the hang of it, it's super easy to do.

Ultimately, you need to find what works for you, but for me this has been the only thing I've ever found that gives me total control over my weight. If I want to lose 1lb per week, I eat 1900 calories per day + whatever calories I burn exercising. If I burn 500 calories on the treadmill, I can eat 2400 calories that day.

If I want to maintain my weight, I eat 2400 calories per day + whatever I burn exercising. It's dead simple.

 

[bkov]

dont you need a pull up bar and some free weights or something like that?

 

[bkov]

thanks....

 

[MikeFlynn74]

http://maggiewang.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/p90x_calendar.pdf

 

[pizzaman]

reviving this not-too-old thread....I've done p90x 3 times, first time I had enough after 2 weeks. second time I sprained my ankle after 5 weeks and had to take a couple weeks off. last time I got all the way through week 9 before I stopped. Each time I saw drastic improvements and had great results, each better then the last obviously. one thing I hated about p90x was the amount of time required. each workout was at least 90 minutes which meant I had to dedicate at least 2 hours of my day seven days a week to working out and recovering.

now i'm onto the newest beachbody program called 'insanity'; and it's just that. there are no weights, bands or pullup bars required. it's freakin nuts. the insanity workouts are only 40 minutes including warmup, stretching, and cool down. I'm halfway through week 3, in the first 2 weeks I lost 10 pounds of fat, and that's without changing my diet and while still drinking a looooot of beer. I mean I drink at least 5 days a week, usually finishing off at least a six pack on my own. I could probably get much better results much quicker if I did quit drinking, but I've always felt a good workout program should work around my life, not the other way around.

 

[Rick500]

now i'm onto the newest beachbody program called 'insanity'; and it's just that. there are no weights, bands or pullup bars required. it's freakin nuts. the insanity workouts are only 40 minutes including warmup, stretching, and cool down. I'm halfway through week 3, in the first 2 weeks I lost 10 pounds of fat, and that's without changing my diet and while still drinking a looooot of beer. I mean I drink at least 5 days a week, usually finishing off at least a six pack on my own. I could probably get much better results much quicker if I did quit drinking, but I've always felt a good workout program should work around my life, not the other way around.

I just looked at their website... I bet more people would be willing to give it a shot if it wasn't for their fishy "3 payments of $38.95 (+ $24.95 shipping and handling each)" plan. I'm guessing the money back guarantee is minus the $75 bucks.

 

[CPTHOOK]

it is intense keep pushing your self and you will see results. I had to quit at week 7 becasue of a shoulder injury. I will start up after the theraphy is done.

 

[Mirilis]

I only made it the first couple weeks. But i have been managing my calories and Ive lost about 20 pounds now. I want to start up again but Ive been so busy I havnt been able to dedicate the time every day to do the workout.

 

[pizzaman]

I just looked at their website... I bet more people would be willing to give it a shot if it wasn't for their fishy "3 payments of $38.95 (+ $24.95 shipping and handling each)" plan. I'm guessing the money back guarantee is minus the $75 bucks.

More people indeed, I didn't pay a cent for it.

 

[KingBrianI]

Just started for the first time yesterday. That workout was tough! My biggest problem wit hthe program is the meal plan. If you try to do their "menu" meal plan, you'll spend all your damn time in the kitchen. It's freakin non-stop. I think I'll try to move to the "portion" plan next week. I don't see how any normal person with a life and job can do that menu plan for 90 days.

 

[bkov]

damn, ive done 3 days so far(skipping pullups and the abripper), and my body has been aching sore

not doing the meal plan either

 

[flyangler18]

Check out CrossFit.com too, I'm a fan. Similar methodology, non-repeating workouts - some as short as 20 minutes.

They look easy on paper, but look out!

 

[yermej]

I just looked at their website... I bet more people would be willing to give it a shot if it wasn't for their fishy "3 payments of $38.95 (+ $24.95 shipping and handling each)" plan. I'm guessing the money back guarantee is minus the $75 bucks.

It's not that bad. The $24.95 S&H is a one time deal, though you don't get it back if you use the money back guarantee. So it's pretty much $145 total with $25 of that being non-refundable.

That said, it's definitely out there for free too. And it would probably be easy to split the cost amongst several people and then make copies. But those options would be illegal. And wrong.

 

[Bopper]

Just ordered P90x and am looking forward to it. I have Bowflex select-tech dumbells which I'll be using with the program. I'll update on my results once I get into it.

 

[BlackNotch]

On my 2nd tour of p90x, and I love it! One thing I cant stress enough, your diet is VERY important to this program!

For those who struggle doing pull ups, I use Iron Woody bands that wrap around the pullup bar, and assist you with the exercise. I also downloaded the discs to my ipod video, that way you can workout without a DVD player or TV.

 

[Bopper]

On my 2nd tour of p90x, and I love it! One thing I cant stress enough, your diet is VERY important to this program!

For those who struggle doing pull ups, I use Iron Woody bands that wrap around the pullup bar, and assist you with the exercise. I also downloaded the discs to my ipod video, that way you can workout without a DVD player or TV.

Today is day 1 of my first round and I'm expecting a lot of pain this week from the workouts.

My goal is to follow the portion nutrition plan as closely as possible but I know that I will have a few beers on the weekends. I will try to keep that to a minimum though since I really want to put 100% into this for 90 days. I thought about doing the meal plan but it seems like I'd be in the kitchen forever and I wasn't thrilled with some of the meals. I'd rather just build my own meals according to the portion plan. What did you do for nutrition?

I do not have the pullup bar since I struggle with them. Instead, I bought the resistance bands with door attachment.

Did you take the supplements during either round? I bought the recovery drink but it has not come yet. I'll be doing the first week without it but will just eat some extra protein after the workouts.

Looking forward to the results this program will bring.

 

[BlackNotch]

The first round I used a GNC preworkout drink, basically caffeine, and Creatine Mono. I like pre-workout supps, get me going in the morning, not for everyone due to the caffeine amounts. I don't like creatine due to the bloating and cramps it can cause, even when drinking insane amounts of water. I'm 8 weeks into round 2, and I've been using VPX Shotgun as a preworkout and I like it so far. I also use Whey protein and a multi vitamin. If you plan on buying supps, shop around, places like GNC can be double the price of online vendors. Bodybuilding.com has good prices and fast shipping, and if you have a Vitamin Shoppe near you there are 20% coupons available online.

 

[Bopper]

Thanks for the tips. I've already ordered the recovery drink from beachbody so I'm going to go with that for a post-workout drink. I've never supplemented with creatine before so we'll see how I do with it. This drink only has 500mg of creatine. From my research, typical maintenance (i.e. non-loading) dosages are around 5g so the dose in this drink is very small. If it were higher, I'd probably just go with a 100% whey as I did in the past.

How much water do you drink when doing p90x? Back when I played sports and was working out very intensely I tried to drink 1 gallon/day in addition to what I drank at the gym. That is so much water though...I'd be be running to the bathroom constantly at work if I tried to do that now.

I also plan to continue taking a Centrum multivitamin.

 

[wildwest450]

Thanks for the tips. I've already ordered the recovery drink from beachbody so I'm going to go with that for a post-workout drink. I've never supplemented with creatine before so we'll see how I do with it. This drink only has 500mg of creatine. From my research, typical maintenance (i.e. non-loading) dosages are around 5g so the dose in this drink is very small. If it were higher, I'd probably just go with a 100% whey as I did in the past.

How much water do you drink when doing p90x? Back when I played sports and was working out very intensely I tried to drink 1 gallon/day in addition to what I drank at the gym. That is so much water though...I'd be be running to the bathroom constantly at work if I tried to do that now.

I also plan to continue taking a Centrum multivitamin.

If your going to take creatine, water is a must. I would shoot for a gallon a day. You will get bigger (retain water) and stronger using it. As for loading phases, I believe it's a waste of product.

 

[Bopper]

If your going to take creatine, water is a must. I would shoot for a gallon a day. You will get bigger (retain water) and stronger using it. As for loading phases, I believe it's a waste of product.

A gallon even taking only 500mg per day? That's only 1/10th of a full dose. Don't get me wrong I plan to drink water but a gallon is a sheet ton of water. I was thinking more like 1/2 gallon plus some additional while working out.

 

[wildwest450]

A gallon even taking only 500mg per day? That's only 1/10th of a full dose. Don't get me wrong I plan to drink water but a gallon is a sheet ton of water. I was thinking more like 1/2 gallon plus some additional while working out.

It's healthy to drink a lot of water even if your not working out. 500mg probably won't do anything, as recommended dosage is 5 grams per day(on average).

But drink as much water as possible.

 

[Bopper]

It's healthy to drink a lot of water even if your not working out. 500mg probably won't do anything, as recommended dosage is 5 grams per day(on average).

But drink as much water as possible.

Agreed. I was actually wondering why the creatine dose is so low. I was originally just going to do a whey protein shake as a recovery drink but decided to stick with the P90X recovery drink instead. We'll see how it is. I'll use the 30 day supply I bought then decide whether to continue with that or switch to 100% whey.

 

[bkov]

how did this work out for the guys who started it?

 

[KingBrianI]

how did this work out for the guys who started it?

I recently finished my first 90 days and just started another round this week. It worked really well for me when I was sticking to it strictly. Lately I've been slacking though, both in diet and in skipping workouts (like today!). Even still, I'm losing fat, or at least not gaining it, and building lean muscle. The progress was much quicker when I was following their diet and doing the workouts 6 days a week though.

 

[KingBrianI]

Oh, and something I think is equally as important if not more important than looking a feeling better: you increase your strength and endurance for everyday stuff. What surprised me the most is a recent hiking trip I took. I usually go a couple times a year and carry a ~40 lb backpack and hike 8-12 miles a day. And usually it is tough! I went right around the end of the original day 90 of the program and I felt like the energizer bunny on the trails. I could just keep going and going. Sure, I still got fatigued in long climbs, but nothing like I use to and I only took breaks to let everyone else catch up. It was great. I told all the slowpokes I was gonna put them on a strict p90x regiment!

 

[dataz722]

So just want to make sure I am clear. In addition to the dvds I would have to buy dumbells, pull up bar, resistance bands, and maybe a yoga mat?

 

[KingBrianI]

So just want to make sure I am clear. In addition to the dvds I would have to buy dumbells, pull up bar, resistance bands, and maybe a yoga mat?

You'll need either the bands or the weights, not both. Adjustable weight dumbbells like powerblocks work well. It is expensive though. But you're investing in your health and well-being!

EDIT: Oh, if you get the bands you don't need the pull-up bar either, though you'd do better with it.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

A gallon even taking only 500mg per day? That's only 1/10th of a full dose. Don't get me wrong I plan to drink water but a gallon is a sheet ton of water. I was thinking more like 1/2 gallon plus some additional while working out.

There's no point in taking a lower dosage. Creatine mono is not expensive and since the goal is to aid recovery it doesn't make sense to shortchange yourself on recovery.

----------------------------------

I've known a handful of people who tried that p90x program, who had varied levels of results. The biggest indicator of success (like any workout program) was how disciplined they were with diet and consistency in their workout schedule.

It would also seem, despite it's advertisements, it is far more productive for weight loss than building lean mass.

 

[ODP]

I'm also interested in getting into P90x (or something similar, like the "Insane" program)
Would be nice to have something pizzaman was talking about...

 

[Elfmaze]

It would also seem, despite it's advertisements, it is far more productive for weight loss than building lean mass.

i would agree. for raw mass building you dont need more than 3 days a week. an hour or so a day. any more and you cut into recovery time and resources.