Starting any new nutrition plan can be difficult. Depending on what you are used to eating, it can take a period of adjustment. The good thing about the P90X nutrition plan is it doesn’t ask you to do anything bad for your health. There are no severe restrictions on calories and the only lack of variety stems from your lack of imagination! By urging a healthy plan high in protein and limited carbohydrates, the P90X nutritional plan will burn fat and kick your metabolism into overdrive. If you are not accustomed to a diet plan like this, however, you may need some help in coming up with healthy meal and snack ideas. Planning ahead is key. By making sure your refrigerator is stocked with fresh vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins you make it much easier to make healthy choices that line up with your ultimate goal. When grocery shopping, be sure to stick to the outside aisles as much as possible. This is where you will find the good whole foods that are so important in the P90X nutrition plan.
Starting new can leave you with little idea of what to munch on. When hunger hits, you want to be sure you have some ideas ready to go so your spur of the moment decision will be a good one. Always remember fruit and fresh vegetables are a good choice and add the following to your list of potential snacks:
+ Deviled eggs (only use half a yolk per egg to reduce the fat)
+ Low fat spinach dip with veggies
+ Apple slices with cheese
+ Low fat yogurt with berries sugar free jello made with fruit
+ Beef or turkey jerky
+ Low-fat string cheese
+ Lettuce wraps (iceberg lettuce wrapped with low fat cold cuts)
+ Almonds
+ Turkey Pepperoni
Meal times can be hectic. Depending on your daily schedule you may not have time to cook a full meal every night. Most modern day adults need quick healthy meals in order to avoid the lure of fast food.
Omelets are an excellent source of lean protein and a quick one pan meal. To decrease the fat use all egg whites or simply halve the amount of yolks you use. You can easily trick yourself by adding only one yolk to a 3 egg white omelet. Throw in mushrooms, peppers, lean sausage or chicken breast pieces, or whatever healthy ingredients you have on hand. Top with low fat cheese or salsa, and dinner is served. Another option is keeping grilled chicken breast strips on hand. You can buy these already cooked in your grocery store, or grill a few breasts, slice lengthwise and store for future use. Chicken breast strips go great in stir fry, low-carb wraps, or mixed in with your veggie of choice. To add some variety liven the chicken up with lemon pepper, Cajun spices, Asian seasonings, or salsa. The same holds true for grilled lean cuts of beef or pork tenderloin.
The best way to prevent straying from the P90X nutrition plan is to have what you need on hand. When your kitchen is stocked, your excuses go out the window. By being prepared and keeping good meal and snack ideas close, you are more likely to maintain your motivation and see the results you want with P90X and the P90X nutrition plan.
May 20, 2010 @ 00:34:09
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May 25, 2010 @ 15:17:14
I am on the fate shredder Phase 1, Level 2. On the snack allotment, there is a box for DBL, SNG, and Drink. If I am reading this right, can I have a double snack, two single snacks, a P90X protein bar and a P90X recovery drink?
Thanks for the help.
Hi John,
yup! You’re reading it right.
May 27, 2010 @ 07:24:36
Also, after you figure out your caloric requirements for the p90x, do you recalculate them as you change weight throughtout the program?
Yes, you can recalculate your nutritional level as you progress through the program.
May 29, 2010 @ 21:33:55
I just received my P90x and i was going through the nutrition guide, and im 16 and want to burn of a lot of fat and shed some pounds. and i did the calculations and i am supposed to eat over 1800 calories, however, i mistakingly spent two years depriving myself of food and lost weight in that matter. However now i have gained it back and was hoping this would be my trick to get back to my figure.. But i used to eat more less than 1800. I would eat 800! And now this all seems way too much for me to eat. Is this ok? will i still loose weight and shed fat? If i do phase one, will i be able to achieve that? or should i lower my calorie intake? I am worried that this is too much food for my body, and my metabolism has been screwed up and is ridiculously slow. I worried that this nutrition plan will make me gain weight instead. Im very worried! Please help me! I can’t start without knowing. If i eat those 1800 calories, will i get the same result doing the Lean version of p90x?
May 29, 2010 @ 21:39:31
I just received my P90x and i was going through the nutrition guide, and im 16 and want to burn of a lot of fat and shed some pounds. and i did the calculations and i am supposed to eat over 1800 calories, however, i mistakingly spent two years depriving myself of food and lost weight in that matter. However now i have gained it back and was hoping this would be my trick to get back to my figure.. But i used to eat more less than 1800. I would eat 800! And now this all seems way too much for me to eat. Is this ok? will i still loose weight and shed fat? If i do phase one, will i be able to achieve that? or should i lower my calorie intake? I am worried that this is too much food for my body, and my metabolism has been screwed up and is ridiculously slow. I worried that this nutrition plan will make me gain weight instead. Im very worried! Please help me! I can’t start without knowing. If i eat those 1800 calories, will i get the same result doing the Lean version of p90x?
Oh and i am 5’2” and weigh 135.
Hi Veronica,
in your situation, it might not be a good idea to eat 1800 calories. You should try and speed up your metabolism slowly. Just try to eat what you can according to the plan, then increase that amount of food little by little each day. Eating smaller meals more frequently will help to speed up your metabolism.
-Mike
Jun 04, 2010 @ 22:16:03
I just purchased p90x, really looking forward to it, however I’m having a really hard time with the meal planner. My job requires me to be away from home in another state every other day staying in a hotel. They have free breakfast w/waffle and cereal, fruit and oatmeal. There is also a Applebee’s and a Mexcian place close by there is also a Wal-Mart within walking distance. I have no way of cooking or preparing food but I do have a micro-wave in the room. What are my options for when I”m traveling over the road? I’m worried my schedule won’t fit the program.
Hi Russ,
my advise would be to use the portions approach and not the meal plan. The meal plan requires you to do a good amount of cooking an preparing, which can be impossible in a hotel. Go through the portions approach approved foods list and choose some things that you know you have access to and that can be prepared in your room. For example, you can get pre cooked chicken that can be microwaved and add it to a salad for lunch. Or at a restaurant, order a small piece of steak, steamed veggies and a small portion of brown rice. You will have fewer choices not having access to a kitchen, but it is still possible to follow the portions approach on the road. You just have to get a little creative!
-Mike
Jun 08, 2010 @ 13:35:49
hi I just purchased the p90x. I’m 18 years old and I was reading through the nutrition plan. I find it extremely frustrating that the recipes are often 12 or 18 or 20 servings when I only need one. I honestly find it to be a huge con in this plan. Not only that but I’ll be starting college in august and there is no way I can eat to the plan in college on such a low budget. How the heck am I supposed to modify my plan to fit my needs? I think I may be stuck with not following the eating and just doing the fitness. Will that seriously hurt the results this plan guarantees? Because if so, me and p90x are going to have a problem….
Hello Sam,
I know the meal plan approach can be overwhelming and costly for a college student. Luckily, there is also the portions approach and the quick options approach. I would definitely recommend following the portions approach. Choose the foods you like from the approved list and follow the daily servings chart. You don’t have to make any big meals or have to buy anything you normally wouldn’t. The portions approach is for those who don’t want to change their eating too drastically. You can still eat some of the foods you like, just healthier versions!
If you don’t follow the nutrition plan as closely as you possibly can, you might not lose as much weight. The workouts are great for your body and will whip you into shape, but if you want to lower your body fat percentage and lose weight, I would definitely follow the nutrition plan.
-Mike
Jun 14, 2010 @ 00:33:27
Hi, I recently bought P90X, and I am trying right now to figure out this nutrition plan. I am doing the whole program with a friend (Because I feel it will help me stick to it, and the competition aspect I hope will allow me to achieve greater results.) We both have decided to do the ‘P90X Doubles’ workout plan. And we are both going to start with ‘Fat Shredder Level III’. The problem I have with this is that me and him are trying to achieve different goals. He wants to gain weight and I want to just get my body I had in high school back. He’s 20 years old 5’8″ 150 lbs, and I’m 21 years old 6’1″ 215lbs. I’m curoius to know if we have made the right choices for our set goals. We both also work mon-fri 8-5 jobs where we are unable to cook most of the lunchs, would it still be the same if we were to cook the food the night before? Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope you can help me with my questions. Thank you in advance.
Hello Brett,
If your friend wants to gain weight, he might want to do the classic approach. Doubles has extra cardio for extra fat burning. He can still gain, but he would really have to go hard with the weights to add pounds with muscle.
You can certainly cook ahead of time to make your life easier! Just as a tip, the portions approach is much easier to follow than the meal plan if you don’t like to cook or are a picky eater.
-Mike
Jun 18, 2010 @ 12:51:42
Hi everyone i just started the program a week ago very sore from back and chest not much from the arms at all but i will adjust next week to heavier but my question is ,an i do more abs on abs day? I really dont feel anything the next day and i do the whole routine with very good form,also i used to have an 8pack like a year ago so i no that there very strong,just a little hidden now if catch my drift,lolplease let me no would ithurt with this program ive worked out very hard for over 8yrs now and have learned to listen to my body,but wasnt sure if this would hurt with this thanks
Hello Joshua,
if you want to do more abs on a day that you are supposed to do abs, that would be OK. I would say not to add abs to a day that you aren’t supposed to do them. Especially if you are planning on doing more reps. You need a day to recover and rebuild.
-Mike
Jun 30, 2010 @ 01:12:21
hey, i just received my p90x and bought some supplements so im getting ready on starting p90x. the only concern i have is regarding the meals to eat per day. any help you can give me on what to eat each day so i can lose weight and bulk up a bit?
Thanks.
Gabriel
Hey Gabriel.
Did you get a nutrition plan with your P90X?
-Mike
Aug 09, 2010 @ 21:24:34
I notice the Meal plan approach does not account for the Recovery week.
Do I just repeat a week?, start the next phase?, binge? – for example: on week 4 should I:
a) start the Meal plan for Phase 2?
b) repeat a week from Phase 1?
c) eat Cheetos morning, noon and night
Thanks in advance.
Aug 16, 2010 @ 18:49:18
I am aware this is a bit off topic, but I would just like to find out, what you think about the australian general election?
Aug 18, 2010 @ 19:46:22
Hi
My partner and I are about to start P90x and want to purchase the P90x recovery formula and the protein bars. As we live in Australia we can’t purchase the P90x recovery formula and the protein bars as apparently customs won’t let it in the country.
I know you probably can’t reccommened specific brands, but is there anything else we can make/mix ourselves that will give us similar results?
Thanks for your time.
Aug 22, 2010 @ 14:41:56
Hey guys this is james, I finished my p90x three month doubles and have always had time to mke my meals throughout the summer, now that schools coming up i usually packed sandwhiches and dorritos and crap for lunch and need some new ideas that will go well with my doubles workouts. annnd snack ideas for during school. Thanks!
Sep 01, 2010 @ 13:12:48
My 16 y/o daughter and I started P90X 3 weeks ago. I’ve lost 5 lbs and she has lost 9 lbs. Since we started, we have been on the Phase I, Level I. We are using the portion approach. We’ve both recently started feeling very very tired and sluggish. When I calculated our weight to figure out which level, she should have been at level III and I should have been at level II. I know, I did this bass-ackwards, but I was too afraid to start out on any other level. We are all terrible about eating breakfast, which makes starting the day off on the wrong foot. How soon after we get up should we eat our first meal? I am concerned about jumping our caloric intake up so much. Should we go the Level II until we hit week 5? Will this make us put on more weight? Her starting weight was 240 lbs at 5’7. My starting weight was 182 at 5’6. Where do we go from here on the nutrition level? Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated. This is our current calculations:
231 x 10 = 2310 rmr 177 x 10 = 1770 rmr
2310 x 20% = 462 DAB 1770 x 20% = 354 DAB
2310 + 462 + 600 = 3372 (Level III) 1770 + 354 + 600 = 2742 (Level II)
Are my calculations correct? Also, my daughter started an aerobic class. She will be in this class for one hour five days a week. Will I need to increase her caloric intake even more?
Sep 01, 2010 @ 13:17:09
Here, this should clearer.
This is our current calculations:
231 x 10 = 2310 rmr
2310 x 20% = 462 DAB
2310 + 462 + 600 = 3372 (Level III)
177 x 10 = 1770 rmr
1770 x 20% = 354 DAB
1770 + 354 + 600 = 2742 (Level II)
Thank you
Sep 01, 2010 @ 20:55:08
I am gearing up for my first time doing P90X and very excited about it. I wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions concerning breakfast because I HATE EGGS. I’m working on learning to like foods I have never liked to eat and eggs is very high on the list, but still no guarantee. The only other things I see on the suggested menu plans for Phase 1 is protein shakes. I suppose I can suck it up for the first 4 weeks until the introduction of more carbs with Phase 2 and I can have the muffins or waffles, but the more options, the better. Thanks!
Sep 02, 2010 @ 08:48:43
Hi Wendy,
My daughter doesn’t care for eggs unless they are mixed in her chef salad. She usually eats turkey bacon to get her morning protein along with cereal or cottage cheese with fruit. We decided to go with the portion approach. I tried doing the meal plan last year, but I have a large family of picky eaters. The portion approach has worked out much better for us, especially since she is back in school. I hope this will help. Good luck.
On a side note, I would really suggest the recovery drink or a good protein shake after your workouts. Part of the reason I didn’t hang past 4 weeks last year, I was always so sore. I couldn’t pick-up and carry my 18 month old up to his room. The drink has really helped my a lot! Good luck & keep pushing ‘Play.’
Sep 20, 2010 @ 12:06:29
My boyfriend and I are starting the P90X today. We are both in Level 1. He wants to do the classic and that is fine with me but am I going to get really bulky? Also if I make up some protien shakes with low fat milk, bananas, strawberries, pb, flaxseed and protein powder will the fruit count on as my fruit intake for the day? I really love fruit and I normally eat alot. So it is already going to be hard to cut back that far. Please help.. I’m really confused.
Also I have always planned out our meals but I am findind it alot harder with the P90X. I can’t get us up to 1800 calories with out going over certain serving amounts. Please help!
Oct 03, 2010 @ 16:07:45
Hi, ‘m goign to start p90x soon but I need a little help. The thing is that I do not want get bulky, I just want to lose lke 20-30 pounds and drop a few waist-line. There are three options in the training block: classic, doubles and lean. I was wondering if Ido the lean would that be okay and help me achieve my goal? or would classic do. Also since my cousin lost my Nutrtion guide book, I wont be able to follow the phases. I did ask the coustomer service if I could but a book seperately and i’m hoping to get an aswer by tomorrow but until then Iget the book, i will watch what I eat. Will that do? I do want a flat tummy and have a little muscles in my arms but not the bulk type. Can you please give me suggestion that would be best for me? Thank You.
Oct 10, 2010 @ 11:35:57
My husband and I are entering week 3 of p90x and we’ve been doing both the diet and the workouts exactly as required. What I’ve noticed however, is that my husband seems to be losing weight more rapidly than I am. Over the course of two weeks, I’ve only lost 2 lbs whereas much husband has lost 6. He has been doing level two of the diet plan and I am doing level one. For one, after the first week I felt like it was way too much food for me to eat. I felt full to the point of discomfort/nausea so I cut back on the portion sizes while trying to keep the balance of protein, carbs and fats the same. However, I’m still not sure that even with the reduced portion sizes it is the right amount of food. I realize that I’m most likely putting on muscle instead of fat but in turn I would expect my clothes to feel loser and my measurements to decrease, which doesn’t seem to be happening. Given the extreme time requirements (working out every day with a two year old and a 55 hour per week job doesn’t leave much time for anything else) I would expect to be seeing some results by this point. Can anyone tell me if it is safe to reduce my caloric intake further? Or is it normal to see an increase in weight/inches lost after the first couple weeks?
Nov 30, 2010 @ 05:50:07
I was wondering if it calls for 3 egg whites and you have the egg whites you pour out, how much of that do i use.. Also i throw in some cheese for flavor is that ok? It says to have a protein shake one day then say mushroom omlet. Not to sound stupid but could i just have eggs every morning then snake cheese then dinner fish and grrens or w/e im horrible with this diet thing.. I’m not sure how many fruit and veggies i should eat in a day. I’m in phase one week 2. Also i don’t know why but when i flex my abs are pretty good tight, but when i release is kinda flabish, when i was doing boxing was a tad bit better but when i flexed my abs werent as good as they are now.. So i dunno what im doing wrong im eating better and doing the workouts. Better abs when i flex but when i don’t not so much..
Nov 30, 2010 @ 05:52:41
i ment some cheese not snake cheese.
Nov 30, 2010 @ 06:09:38
Where can i go to ask questions about working out and equipment and stuff?
Dec 30, 2010 @ 22:35:00
Hi,
Im in college and looking to start the p90x program after im done with break, however, i live in the dorms and even though i can buy alot of healthy food my main courses I eat are at the cafe and they are far from what is required in the nutrition manual. Will i still get similar results even if its im possible for me to follow the nutrition rules ?
Jan 24, 2011 @ 11:00:42
Interested in P90X but I have a couple of questions:
I’m a 45yr old male needing to lose about 40lbs…My schedule will not allow an hour to 1.5 hours of training PER DAY. I leave for work at 5a and get home at 5:30P…Kids etc
-Is there a version of the program that leverages 30-45 minute workouts 3-4x per week?
-My knees aren’t what they used to be and I’m concerned about the “jump” excersizes…am i suited for this program?
Please advise and thx!
Jan 26, 2011 @ 22:34:49
I just started the p90x program after losing 60 lbs on my own with diet and exercise (mostly walking) i hit a plato and didnt lose a pound for 3 months then joined a club and have been working out religously for a month, ive lost 3 lbs in that month but to my eye have seen no gains if i up my protien intake only(as i still want to lose a few more pounds) will it b ok to do p90x and my regular workout?
Feb 09, 2011 @ 18:15:09
hi im in my second week of the p90x i have been following the nutritional plan to the letter im 6’0″ 250lbs and ever since i started i have been hungry at fist it didnt bother but after two weeks it is getting old what i dont know if my hunger has anything to do with my old wieghtlifting diet which was around 6,000 calories a day with 5 to 6 hours of lifting and strength exercises, i am still lifting wieghts about 2 hours a day in addition to the p90x workouts since im doing this can i increase the intake and still achieve the results
Feb 21, 2011 @ 11:07:53
I am about to start the p90x, just wondering if you got that grocery list yet.
Apr 30, 2011 @ 15:25:32
HI I HAVE 2 QUESTIONS DO I NEED TO FOLLOW THE MEAL PLAN AS IS? OR I CAN JUST EAT HEALTHY I FOUND SOME OTHER RECIPES IN MY P90X NEWSLETTER SO CAN I MAKE THOSE INSTEAD? AND ALSO AS YOU PROGRESS WITH PHASE I II OR III DO I HAVE TO INCREASE MY CALORIE INTAKE OR I JUST HAVE TO STICK WITH MY 1200 A DAY FOR THE WHOLE 90 DAYS THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP!!!
Hello Jessica,
you should follow the nutrition plan as closely as you can to get the best results in terms of weight loss. If you want to put your own twist on things, that’s fine, as long as those changes fall within the guidelines of the serving charts and within the amount of calories you should be taking in.
It’s up to you wether or not you want to recalculate your nutritional level. The calculation is based on your weight and your activity levels. Since your weight will be going down, if you start out as a level II, you might have to go down to level I. I wouldn’t go up a level unless you plan is to gain weight, in terms of muscle of course. You can stick with the same level the entire program if you have enough energy and are still able to shed some body fat in the process.
-Mike
May 22, 2011 @ 13:06:48
Hi there. I’m seriously thinking about getting P90X. However, I’m about 5’10″ and 155 lbs, which seems like an okay weight or maybe even a little underweight, but I feel like my body fat percentage is still pretty high even though I weigh so little. Ultimately I would like to gain weight but get a lot leaner. Should I still do phase 1 of the nutrition plan? or cut it back at all?
Thanks!
Hello P,
if you want to lower your body fat, definitely start with phase 1. You will probably lose weight at first and as you start working your muscles more and more, you will will start to lean out.
-Mike
Jun 01, 2011 @ 08:21:47
Can you specify the amount of intake for men and women?
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