P90X Nutrition Plan Made Easy
UPDATE – December 29, 2009. Over the past year or so we have gotten a lot of questions about this post and it has generated a lot of attention. One major development since we originally did this post was the introduction of Shakeology to the Beachbody line of supplements. Shakeology is hard to define in the P90X Nutrition Plan. At 140 calories with 15g of protein and 19g of carbs (Greenberry) or 17g of protein and 17g of carbs (Chocolate) it is not really a full serving of either. With Beachbody’s advice, we have characterized it as a snack. Note that if you add items into the shake and increase the calories, it can easily be a double snack, rather than a single snack. Most people like to add fruit to the greenberry and things like almond butter and bananas to the chocolate. If you do that, take a minute and look up the caloric values of your additions and track them accordingly. We have updated the Excel document below to reflect this change. Also, we want to point out that the P90X Results and Recovery Formula is also properly tracked as a snack. In that case it is a double snack.
We also wanted to offer our help with your P90X journey. If you are new to P90X, start with the video below and then move through the post, including the comments. It will take a while, but it will be worth it. You’ll finish this post with a complete understanding of why the plan works the way it does, and how to make the most of it. We are Team Beachbody Coaches and helping people with programs like P90X is what we do. If you would like to have us coach you through P90X please send an email to dave@thefitclubnetwork.com, and we’ll give you instructions on how to make that happen. There is no cost to you for this program or our services, but it is important for us to be assigned as your Coach in order to provide you with advice, support and motivation. Also, check out our message board community at http://www.thefitclubnetwork.com/community/. Good luck and we look forward to hearing from you.
UPDATE – May 16, 2009. We have updated this post to include a video discussing the resources contained below. One key issue to note is that the daily trackers on the spreadsheet below represent a mid-range in the various “Levels” of the program. You will need to customize the spreadsheet to your needs. This is one reason why we decided to make it an excel document, rather than a PDF. Please watch the video first and then use the resources.
Gaining an understanding of your caloric needs is very important. Many people comment that the calories required for the plan appear very high. This video explains why the calories are calculated the way they are calculated. In the post I reference the Power 90 Master Series. You can find information about that program HERE.
Once you have an understanding of how many calories per day you get and the portions of each food group, you’ll want to consider how to break those up in your day. Monica shot this video describing how she uses the Phase I, Level I of the P90X Nutrition Guide during her day.
ORIGINAL POST – January 29, 2009. The P90X nutrition guide can be an overwhelming document, as a P90X coach and graduate of the program, I have created a simpler system to help you with the portion approach. I hope that you can benefit and maximize your P90X results by using these documents to support all your hard work and sacrifice during the program.
Step 1 – Calculate your Daily Calorie Needs and Determine your “Level”.
Start by downloading this Excel file. The document contains several steps at the top. These will help you determine how many calories you will need on a daily basis and what “Level” of the program you will be on. There are “Levels” and “Phases”. The “Level” relates to how many calories you need on a daily basis. As the diet progresses it goes from a high protein/low carb diet, to a more balanced, but slightly higher carb diet. Each progress is a “Phase”.
P90X-Nutrition-Guide-12-29-09 (Click to Download Excel file).
The Excel file also has a daily tracker you can use. If you can print this up and laminate if then you can keep track of your portions each 6 days. If not, just print a new page every six days. The daily tracker also has boxes for water and supplements to help remind you to DRINK WATER. This will help you to stay accountable and on target to the outrageously fit YOU!
When you download the Meun planners below you will see that each section tells you how much a “Serving” is. For example, a 3 oz. chicken breast is one serving of protein. If you eat a large (9 oz.) chicken breast, then that is 3 servings of protein, and you would check 3 boxes in the protein category in your daily tracker.
Step 2: Plan your Menu.
Below you will find three different menu plans for each Phase of the diet. Download these documents, starting with Phase I – Fat Shredder, and take a good look at the foods in the food plan. This was especially important for us because Dave and I have two kids to feed and we wanted healthy, kid friendly meals. Although, our kids’ taste palate expand all the time, eliminating items off the list make the list more realistic. This is a good shopping list for us.
Phase I – Fat Shredder (Click to download Word file)
In proteins for example, I removed ham slices, soy burgers, soy cheese, tofu, turkey bacon, veggie burgers, and veggie dogs. The simplified list was AWESOME for menu planning and for food shopping at the store. Family dinners have always been my biggest concern.
Obviously, our children are not restricted to portions like one carb and 2 proteins and 1 veggie.
A delicious Turkey meatball or Lean ground Beef meatball with a home made marinara and a cup of whole grain pasta. Makes a delicious meal for the whole family.
Corn tortillas and shredded chicken is another delicious meal for the family. Depending on your specific level and phase, you can add black beans and brown rice.
Stay tuned to get more menu ideas that are both completely P90X menu planner compliant as well as YUMMY!
Phase II – Energy Booster (Click to download Word file)
This is just the second phase of nutrition in the P90X menu planner.
Phase III – Endurance Maximizer (Click to download Word file)
This is the last phase of nutrition in the P90X menu planner.
If you ever need any peer support or coaching with your P90X, please contact me, Monica at fitclubnetwork@gmail.com
GRRRRR LET’S BRING IT!
I notice that the phase nutrition plans are all exactly the same, except for the snacks, along with some minimal changes to the veggies. Why do the snacks get change the most, and why do the small changes in the veggies make a difference?
Think you might be mixing up the Phases and the Levels. There are three Phases (Fat Shredder, Energy Booster, and Endurance Maximizer) and three Levels (I, II, III). The Levels really just have to do with caloric needs. A Level III person needs more calories than a Level I person. The diet changes through the Phases. It starts with a focus on lean protein and shifts to more carbs. As your metabolism kicks in you can use those carbs more efficiently. I’m on Phase III now and I have endless energy via food. I’ve also lost a fair amount of fat, while gaining lean muscle.
I am just starting the P90X workout (beginning Mon.). Very excited, but not very creative. I noticed that in your post, you spoke of recipes. Do you have any of those available yet? Thanks for this!
Hi. We have a few things up, but have not really tackled putting up all the recipies that we would like to. We are both following the portion approach, so we basically eat what we want as long as it has the appropriate portions of carbs/protein/fat. Keep checking back for more info.
Dave
OK. Thanks. I purchased the packed set (new) of dvd’s but it has no literatures. Are the portions by calories or by size? I’ve done Body For Life where the portions are based on the size of your hand, etc. Is it like this or is it basically what you have on the documents created? Also, I’ve read that in Phase I, it is 30/50/20 (car/prot/fat). Is this correct? Thanks!
Wow! Thanks so much for the spreadsheets! I purchased the plan with the dvd’s and literature, but I was looking for a convenient checkoff sheet to help me keep my food intake on track. This is just what I needed! Your blog is very helpful, and if it is alright with you, I am changing my coach to you and Monica.
Thanks again for such a great help to the program! I am just starting my first week, and it is so hard! I currently can’t do all the reps, all the weight, or all the moves, but I will gain the ability to do those things over time. I know the results will be worth it, and I intend to stick it out for the duration.
I have subscribed to FitClub Network and lood forward to updates.
We are very flattered. Thanks for the kind comments. We had something similar floating around, so it was pretty easy to revise. I hope we can continue to keep you interested and motivated. Keep bringing it!!!
Thnaks a lot for the documents..I have a quick question..how come it has a set calorie usage of 600 calories for doing the workout and it’s not based on how much you weigh? I weight 105 lbs, so I don’t think I’m going to be burning 600 calories with my workouts..so if I follow the spreadsheet for my caloric intake, won’t I be eating too many calories?
The short answer is, yes! 600 is the standard average calorie burn for a P90X workout, but this is only a standard rating. If you have a heart rate monitor, I would track your workouts for a few weeks and figure out how many you burn, and just alter the Excel document to figure out caloric needs. You’ll probably find something weird – You burn more calories on cardio days, but are more hungry on strength days. The body tends to need the extra calories for repair, which is more frequent on strength days. So, just be aware of that. Good luck. Please feel free to send me an email at dave@thefitclubnetwork.com and I’ll get back to you quicker than I might here.
I have a question about the meal plan. I’m a big guy, over 300 pounds, and I’ve been looking for a meal plan. I stumbled across this one and it looks great. I like the phases. My question is if I don’t want to buy all the supplements and protein shakes and bars then should I substitute something in its place? What do you recommend? Thanks!
I think it is ok to replace the shakes/bars with other foods. The key is really to look at what is in those foods and try to replicate them. The shakes are about 240 calories (25g protein/10g carb) the bars are 260 calories (20g protein/31g carb). The carb value of the bar is really the hard part to replace. Most protein bars are going to be very low in carbs. But yes, there is really no reason why you could not make this replacement. I’d recommend fresh fruit and/or vegatables. Also legumes for protein replacement value. Hope this helps.
Are you doing P90X, or just looking for a good meal plan? Keep in mind that there are 600 calories added into this plan to account for the average daily burn of P90X. If you are not doing that, or another intense workout program, be sure to reduce your caloric intake.
Dave
That’s perfect! I was going to look for some protein bars at my local store. I have some shakes and they are super high in protein, like 40g and the calories is around 200.
I’m not doing P90X yet because I really don’t have the room for it in my home. I’ve joined a gym and have been playing basketball and doing the treadmill for 30-45 minutes. I’m not sure how accurate the readings on the treadmill are, but if I do it for 45 minutes i usually burn over 400 calories.
Thanks!
One more question. Obviously I would need more then 3,000 cal per day to keep my weight where it is at. Should I start on Level III then work my way down? I know that if you cut your recommended cal intake in half then you’re going to loose weight. I just don’t want to be doing Level I and feel like crap because I’m not getting enough cal to exercise and energize my body.
I would not cut your calories by more than about 400 per day. You’ll see results if you do that. If you cut it too much, you will under fuel your body. You will crash during workouts and your body will think you are trying to starve it. When that happens the body can start to store all food as fat, which is counterproductive to your goals.
Great website and great work on the spreadsheet. I have a question regarding weight though. Should you input your desired target weight or input your actual current wieght? If you are wanting to lose weight as well as get tone and fit with p90x it would seem you should input your target weight, right?
Thanks Dustin. You’ll want to enter your actual weight, but you’ll also want to re-enter it over time. As your body weight changes, so too must your caloric intake. You could use your goal weight, but if you have a lot to drop, then I would not advise that. You have to think of your body’s metabolism like a fire. You have to feed a fire wood to get it to burn. The metabolism is the same way. When you feed it fuel it can use on a regular basis, then it will burn it efficiently and you’ll see great results.
Thanks so much for the spreadsheet. It is very useful, but I do have a question. When I mark off bar in the snacks box, do I also mark off a protein?
Thanks,
Brandy
The answer depends on your caloric needs. Look over the video for a discussion of how to tweak the plan. The design is that a snack and a protein are separate, so then you would not check both. If you need to adjust the plan you may find that you can have your snack count as a protein. You just need to determine how many calories you need and then do the math with the calories per serving of protein and snacks. Make sense? If not email me at dave@thefitclubnetwork.com.
This is amazing. I just got the P90X set and I’m going to get to work asap on it. The nutrition guide is JUST what I have been looking for. Thank you!!
No problem Alyhryn. Glad we could be of help. If you have any questions you can email me at dave@thefitclubnetwork.
Dave
First of all THANK YOU FOR THE SPREADSHEETS! The P90X Nutrition Guide was just overwhelming. My issue is I am STRUGGLING to eat as much as the the guide dictates. I’m BARELY into Level II (2,496 cal). Do you suppose I can lose significant fat and gain muscle if I go down to Level I? I just do not have the energy, desire and time to eat 7 proteins and 4 veggies. It’s 6pm now and I’m short by 2 and 3 respectively. I can meet the other food requirements easily. Thanks again so much!
The answer probably depends on how active you are. If the only exercise you are getting is P90X, and otherwise you are sitting at a desk, then you can cut the calories a bit. Level I might be too much. You don’t want to go too far under your caloric needs. You’ll bonk on your workouts and your body will start to deplete your muscle stores. You are better off feeding yourself small meals regularly. The only way I can get in all that protein in Phase I is with shakes and bars. Are you using those?
Thanks for the quick reply Dave.
Yes, I sit at a desk and to shakes/bars. P90X is not new to me and I have learned I MUST force-feed myself one day prior for Legs & Back day (only). I’ve been eating 5-6 smaller meals/and snacks all day since ‘97. The brain is wired NOT to want to eat after 6pm.
Based on your comments, I’ll aim for the very upper range of the Level I caloric requirements versus the lower range of Level II. Thanks again.
Cool. Let me know how that works out. I’m always interested. We can only learn so much from our own experiences. It is good to hear what other people do so we can pass on that info.
probaly a dumb question ,but do i adjust the daily food planer to meet my required calories per day as the caluclator suggested? I ask because im in level 1 phase 1 , I weight 213 and the calulator suggests i take in 3156 calories per day. That just sounds like alot to me if im trying to cut weight.
Yes, you adjust the calories for your daily intake. At that many calories, you would be on Phase I – Fat Shredder – Level III calories. You can cut the calories, but not by too much. You have to keep in mind that you will be burning about 600 calories a day doing P90X. If you under fuel your body a couple of things could happen all of which are counterproductive: (1) you will “bonk” and have no energy to workout; (2) your body will look to your muscle stores for fuel rather than feeding on fat; and/or (3) your body will go into starvation mode and store as many calories as it can as fat because it thinks you are starving. The last really only happens when you really cut calories. Drop your calories by about 400 and you should be fine. Also, weigh yourself once a week and adjust your calories with the spreadsheet. You’ll find you need less as your weight drops. With all the protein you will be taking in, you will lose weight fairly quickly and then level off as your body starts to replace fat with muscle.
My email is dave@thefitclubnetwork.com if you have more questions.
Hi! First of all, thanks for the helpful worksheets. They have made meal planning much easier. I’m in my third week of p90x. I haven’t missed one workout and I have been strictly following the nutrition plan. My weight started at 117 but I’ve noticed that I have put on 4 pounds instead of losing them. I’m just wondering if this is normal or if I should start cutting calories even more???
Katie,
Probably normal. You may be gaining muscle and losing fat. This may explain.
http://www.thefitclubnetwork.com/2009/01/one-pound-of-fat-vs-one-pound-of-muscle/
How are your measurements? If you didn’t take them, then how are your clothes fitting? If that has not changed, then email me at dave@thefitclubnetwork.com and I’ll help you dial in the nutrition aspect.
Dave
Thanks for the Guid, I am going to start P90X, so I am new at all this, and I never really looked at nutrition so I am trying to rap my head around this diet. I am 270lbs, and it states that I need to take in 3800 calories. I feel that I am pretty active for my size; I left weights, run and walk. I want to continue to run and walk while doing P90X. Do you recommend that and if I continued to do that would I be alright staying at those calories? Depending on what I am doing I burn around 300 to 600 calories.
Hi there sqeebol. You have to keep your calories up to do P90X. Keep in mind that this is not a calorie deficient diet, so it is not designed for weight loss. You should cut about 400 calories out of your diet to accomplish that. Also keep in mind that you will likely lose weight fairly quickly with the program, if you follow the nutrition plan. Weigh yourself once a week and then recalculate your calories. When you drop 20 pounds, you won’t need as many calories. A lot of people forget to redo their calories and end up eating more than they really need after they have lost weight. Hope that makes sense and helps.
Dave
I had a baby 10weeks ago and I have started p90x to get back into shape. I was wondering, since I am nursing her, do I need to increase my caloric intake? When I originally did the nutrition calculator, I added in an extra 500 calories since I read that you need an extra 500 calories a day when you nurse (although this hasn’t been quantified). Eating an extra 500 cal/day put me at level 2. I understand that it’s not designed to be a calorie deficient diet, but shouldn’t I see better weight loss? I am considering dropping down to a level 1. Your feedback is appreciated.
Liz
Liz,
I think that’s a question better directed to your doctor. This is a really delicate time. I would hate to provide you with some advice about caloric intake and have it cause problems for nursing. Monica may be of more assistance. Her email address is monica@ward5000.com.
Dave
Hey
I’m starting Phase 2 of Round 1 of P90X. I feel that I’m seeing and getting slow results. I’m 4′11 and weigh 144.3 lbs.. My caloric intake is suppose to be 1800 cal/day.. I HAD lost 6lbs but the scale is starting to go up again.. I guess I’m starting to get frustrated and concerned I’m not doing something correctly. I see so many people with great results and I feel like I’m not having the same success.. I think I may need to start doing the doubles routine to get better results.. I’m doing the meal plan also. I’m Pescatarian(only eats seafood)and eat alot of soy products. So I’m starting to wonder if I’m not getting the needed calories, ect. to excel at this program. If you have any suggestions PLEASE let me know.
Thank you.
Piper,
I have two things to check. The first is your measurments. The scale is a real liar. Since muscle is more dense than fat, what often happens is that people lose fat and gain muscle. It takes up less space, but weighs the same. Monica only lost about 15 pounds when we did Power 90 the first time, but she went from a size 12 to a size 6. So, take the measurments. The second thing is the soy. Soy is not something we typically recommend. I used to use soy milk, but was speaking with Tony’s chef Missy Costello one evening and she explained that soy is very high in fat content and it also has some hormones that are difficult for the body to deal with. That may be something you want to think a little about.
So, start with measurements. The scale really does tell lies. Measurments and body composition testing are really the best way to judge what is really going on. If you are following the program, then you should be getting results. Let us know.
Dave
I am on week # 2 of phase two. I have been dieting along with work outs but not using the nutrition guide; basically eating low carb, high protein. I started at 222lb and have dropped 7 lbs. Looking at your guide I need to consume about 3000 calories. I have been averaging about 1800 or so. Will I lose more weight if I up my calories? Thanks
Good question. The answer is that you might. If you are running that large of a deficiency, you are going to have problems. Your body may think you are trying to starve it and will then start storing up reserves as fat. Those are hard to tap into when you need them, so you may bonk when you do your workouts. All bad things. Try to think of your metabolism like a fire. If you wanted to build a roaring fire, you would start with a few pieces of nice thick dry wood. Once you got it going, you’d add the same pieces of wood to keep it going. You’d realize that if you dumped a bunch of leaves on it, then it would burn hot for a few minutes, but it would go out afterwards. You also wouldn’t let it get too far down before you put some more wood on. Your body is the same way. If you feed it good fuel (protein) regularly, it will start to burn a fire. Just keep the fire going and it will burn off the fat. You shouldn’t run more than a 500 calorie deficit. Give it a try and let me know how it feels.
I just started P90X and the nutrition plan. I have a couple of questions about it still. One, they tell you to use fat free salad dressings, but they often have a lot of sugar and high fructose corn syrup in them — things that I always try to avoid. Is it ok to substitute with a different kind of salad dressing (maybe even low fat)? Also, my cottage cheese is 2%. How should I adjust things for that. Finally, does the phase in nutrition correspond to the phase in the workouts (e.g., do I stay in phase 1 for 30 days)?
Thanks! This website and the spreadsheets are fantastic and help tremendously.
Kendra,
I already responded via email, but this is important. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is bad! I would recommend that everyone avoid it if that is possible. Excessive sugars are not good either. You are right and a lot of these types of dressings are laiden with both. I recommend that people use olive oil and lemon juice on their salads. Now, that may not be something that works for everyone. I’d rather see people choose a low fat dressing over a very fatty dressing to be sure. But there are better choices to be made. Give the oil and lemon juice a try. It is really good and very healthy.
Dave
UPDATE: Varying btwn level I and II is working out for me (ex. 6 proteins, not 5 and not 7). I’m don’t crash and am never hungry. Clothes are fitting much better now than 6 wks ago. The scale is still climbing. I’m hoping for a downward turn before Labor Day. Regardless, thanks again Dave and Monica!
Thanks so much for the comment. This is a really excellent point. Each individual is going to be different. It can take some time to find your ideal caloric intake and it is important to understand that it will change as your weight changes and as your activity level demands. For example, I usually stay around 2,000 calories per day. I then burn between 500 and 700 per workout. I like to ride with a group on Saturdays that goes between 45 and 60 miles. A 60 mile ride works out to about 3 hours and 3,000 calories burned. If I only take in 2,000 on that day, then I’m toast. I eat a big meal on Friday night and then wake up early and start gobbling down calories. I still probably fall short, but the point is that I’ve learned that I need to do that. It just takes time to find that balance and to find what works for you. I’m glad you’ve found the balance! Keep up the good work and keep bringing it.
Hi Dave,
I am about to start the P90X and I have a question about the meal plans. To start, I am 190 lbs., my caloric intake should be 2900 daily, and I sit at a desk all day at work, but I simply do not have the time to prepare all of the meals.
I purchased, through the P90X website, the meal replacement shake, the P90X protein bars, the P90X Peak Health Formula, and the P90X Peak Recovery Formula. Can I use the products to replace the majority of my meals? Except for dinner? And, if so would I need to get added calories elsewhere?
Thanks, Amanda
Hi Amanda and thanks for the question. We formulated the portion approach tracker just for this reason. I’d love to eat all of those meals (most of them anyway), but I just don’t have the time. But I can check the boxes when I eat food and understand what additional portions of any given group I need throughout the day.
Here is how I would use the supplements you have. I find the Meal Replacement Shake works well for breakfast. I now use Shakeology to replace my breakfast, but I’ve used the shake too. I eat the bar as a snack. That happens either at 10:00 am or at 3:00 pm as I’m trying to bridge meals. I eat oatmeal, nuts, or maybe a shake as my other snack. I can keep all that stuff in my desk so it is easy to get to and mix up. The vitamins (Health Formula), you’ll want to take after you eat an actual meal. There are a lot of vitamins in each pack and I don’t advise taking them on an empty stomach.
I don’t think you can replace every meal, and I don’t think you should. Your body needs whole foods. Supplements are just that “supplements”. They are not intended to replace all your meals. You’ll want to significantly increase your intake of whole foods. Early in the diet that usually means chicken, beef, legumes, and other proteins (look over the word documents). As you move away from protein into more of a balance you’ll want to get a lot of fruits and veggies. They can also be a great source of carbs that your body can process very easily.
Hope this helps. If you have other questions let me know. I think you are wise to plan ahead. That is one of the main keys to success.
Hi, I have a question about the P90X Nutrition plan? I have been following the plan and seem to get confused about what I need to be tracking. I am on the Level II and need to consume 7 servings of protein or 700 Protein Calories and i am only allowed 1 serving of Carbs or 200 calories. I have tracked my eating habits and made a similiar spreadsheet to yours but instead of check boxes for each thing I am actually counting Calories, Fat, Carb and Protien. Ex- If I drink a protein shake in the AM that had 60 grams of Protein or (240 Protein calories) and 5 Grams of Carbs (20 carb calories), What would I check off? (Protein or Carb or both). Should I look at each thing I eat and break it down into the Protein, Carb, Fat, and calories or am I making this to hard?
Thanks for the comment. I think the more specific you can get with this the better. I’ve done something similar using http://www.fitday.com, but I found that it was just not sustainable for me. We came up with this format to try and keep things as simple as possible because most people will stick with what is easy and effective. With that said, if you can track every bit, and that works for you, I’d track it. In that case, I’m not sure the spreadsheet is going to be that useful, because it would assume that protein shake is primarily protein and you’d check that box. It is less than a precise science to be sure.
I will recommend Fit Day. I did that for about 2 months and it allowed me to gain a very good understanding of what was in the foods I was taking in and what it felt like to eat 1,900 calories a day or up to 3,000 on days where I would ride my bike for 3 hours. I have a real feel for that now and pretty much stay in Phase III of the P90X Nutrition Plan. I don’t track my daily intake on paper anymore because I can just about do it in my head within a few hundred calories. I’ve found that generally that is close enough for me to meet my goals. When I get back into endurance training, I’ll have to do it again to rethink my intake and what it feels like to be eating more like 2,500 a day.
Let me know what works for you after you’ve had a chance to experiment a bit.
I just purchased P90X, I am 35 years old and I way 124 pounds I am not sure what my calorie intake should be…how would I modify the diet to suit my needs?
Can you download the spreadsheet? If so, then you just need to enter your weight and it will give you the caloric intake needed for P90X. The spreadsheet also has daily trackers with it that will help you with accountability. If you can’t get to it, let me know. I’ll see if I can get you a PDF.
Thanks
I downloaded the spreedsheet and it said I need to have 2040 calories per day
I want to lose weight so i would like to have calories at 1600-1800 calories
i can’t seem to get that right..
Keep in mind that P90X and the P90X Nutrition plan were really not designed for weight loss. The program is really designed for people that are already in good shape and now want to completely take it to the next level. With that said, you can cut out about 300 calories and run a deficit, which will help you lose weight. I recommend that you use the daily tracker sheets and a service like http://www.fitday.com or the “Lose It” iPhone app to track the calories in the foods you eat. If you do this for about a month, you’ll have a good idea of what 1,700 calories looks like.
Also, you need to very carefully monitor your energy level and make sure you have enough fuel in your tank. Consider that you’ll burn about 600 calories on average per day doing P90X. If you cut down to 1,700 that will leave you with about 1,100 to process your daily bodily functions. That’s really not very much. You risk underfueling your body which can lead to fatigue and leave you “bonking” during workouts. That’s really counter productive. So just keep an eye on your energy level if you choose to drop below 2,000. This is somewhat individual, but I generally recommend no more than a 300 calorie deficit.
Where does beer come in to play?
I’m really not trying to be funny. I drink socially. So if I’m not willing to give that up, what do I need to check off when drinking beer?
P.S. Thanks so much for the resources!
Hi Amy,
A brief speech first. Alcohol is basically empty calories. Your body can’t really use alcohol for anything and typically processes it like sugar. Now with that said, I also drink on occasion, but I understand what I’m doing to my body and I try to account for it with the rest of my diet. You can track alcohol, particular beer as a carb. So if you know you are going to a party or something, don’t load up on pasta or bread before you go (note that beer is a gateway drug to pizza too). Track it as a carb and limit it when you can.
Dave
Hello,
I just want to say what an awesome job you guys have done to share the ideas and plans. I’m definitely one of those people that have the hardest time committing myself to fixing my health. I think picking up P90X was the first step to something better for myself and really want to commit. The nutrition guides found here are very helpful but I do have one question regarding the daily trackers. The numbers next to the categories like protein and so on, do they mean how many servings I should take within that day? I’m sorry, I know it sounds like a question I can answer myself but I just need to make sure. I think I’ll need all the support and motivation I can get from my surroundings during this time to get me to really commit and stick to the program. Hopefully with the help from these guides I can really try to follow an actual diet. Thanks again guys!
- Peter
Peter,
You’ve got it right. The numbers indicate the number of servings and then you just check off the boxes. Make sure to watch the videos too about adjusting your caloric needs to suit you. We are always here to help if you need anything. Thanks for the kind words. We get a lot of satisfaction out of helping people through the program, but it is always nice to know we are doing the right thing. My email address is dave@thefitclubnetwork.com if you want to email me.
Dave
This brings up an interesting question that I haven’t found a clear answer to. Does coffee likewise generate those ‘empty calories’? I feel that I get just as paunchy when I overdo coffee as I do when I overdo bourbon.
Any thoughts on this?
BTW, I don’t use sugar or cream in my coffee.
According to Spark People, an 8 oz cup of coffee has 2 calories. 8 oz of bourbon has a lot more than that (LOL). I don’t think it is the calories that create that feeling. Likely it is the caffeine. Your system may not be able to process it very efficiently and I know the feeling you are talking about. I try to stick to one cup of coffee per day. I use skim milk, or almond milk and stevia to sweeten it.
The spreadsheet lists 8 servings of water per day, but how many ounce of water are in one serving?
I don’t have it on me, but I believe those are 8 ounce servings. Honestly, I think that’s a little bit light for someone doing something like P90X. You have really got to get a lot of water in your system. I probably drink 12 to 15, 8 oz servings per day. Granted, I live in Arizona and the dry and hot weather tends to make me need more water, but I think that the more water you can get in your system the better off you are going to be. Hope this helps.
so what if i am not looking to lose any weight by starting the p90x work out system… i am looking to gain weight in muscle.. is there a different section in the nutrition plan? this seems to only be geared towards people wanting to lose weight.
Jeff,
Phase I of the diet is a weight loss/metabolism jump starter to be sure. The rest of the diet is not really designed for dramatic weight loss. P90X wasn’t designed to be a mass builder or a super weight loss program. It is designed to get you in great shape. What you eat controls the results you get. I’m trying to add mass now in preparation for the upcoming triathlon season, which always has me lose a lot. I follow Phase III of the diet, but I have added in two whey protein shakes a day at about 250 calories each. I’m going to play around with the extra 500 calories and see how that goes. I’m thinking I may need more. I think for someone looking to bulk up there are two steps: (1) calculate your caloric need using the excel spreadsheet and then add at least 500 calories; and (2) try to stay in Phase II. I like Phase III because it gives me a lot of carbs, and I’m still doing two days a week where my workouts are over 2 hrs and 30 mins long. I need the carbs for that. But I’m adding in the extra calories as protein to try and build some muscle.
Hope that helps. If not, let me know. I can help you get in contact with Steve Edwards, who is Beachbody’s nutrition expert. He’s a great resource.
Dave
thanks for the quick reply! also, this nutrition guide seems like it may be a little expensive for someone like me. i mean i am a 20 year old that isnt making too much money. any suggestions on places to shop or ways to go about this nutrition plan the most cost efficient way?
I think it depends on how you eat. If you prepare you own food, it should be pretty inexpensive to do this diet, because it incorporates a lot of whole foods. If you follow the menu plan, I think it can get expensive, but if you use the portion approach you should be able to follow the plan without too much cash outlay. You might be talking about the bars/shakes listed in the plan. These are optional items. They are things that I incorporate in my diet because I have a hard time getting in all the calories through food. I’m just not hungry enough to eat the 2,500 calories I’m shooting for.