The P90X nutrition plan was designed to accompany the P90X program, helping to get you ripped by burning fat and creating muscle. While the program itself could get you good results, by using the nutrition plan you multiply and speed your results, guaranteeing you get maximum results in the healthiest manner possible.
There does seem to be confusion regarding exactly how the P90X nutrition plan works. It’s quite simple actually. The first step is choosing which plan works for you. The P90X nutrition plan has three approaches, tailored to meet the participators needs. We want you to succeed and the three approaches make certain that everyone has a program tailored to their needs.
Of the three approaches, you choose from the Portion approach, the Meal Plan approach, and the Quick Option Approach. Each one is designed to be appropriate for difference dieters needs.
The Portion approach is perfect for people who don’t have a ton of time on their hands. This one is for people who enjoy cooking very little or don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen. The meals in this program usually involve only 1 or 2 steps in preparation.
The second option is the Meal Plan approach. This program is for people that enjoy cooking and want to prepare their meals. The P90X nutrition guide offers many tasty recipes and plans for this approach that might work better for people with a little more time on their hands.
Finally, the Quick Option approach is for people with no time or to be used on days when time is of the essence. Just because you selected the meal plan approach doesn’t mean you can’t choose a meal from the quick option group on busier days.
Once you have selected the approach that will best fit your needs, the P90X nutrition guide will walk you through the meals and options you have.
Mar 16, 2010 @ 14:57:26
Hi Christy,
the workouts are supposed to be done in a specific order laid out in the fitness guide.
You an your husband can do this program together. Not only will it help you to lose weight, you will add muscle and tone what you already have. If he isn’t concerned with adding muscle, he can do the lean approach and you can do the classic approach.
If your diet is similar to the P90X nutrition plan where you have enough protein, you should see the same results. I would say the portion size would make the difference and determine wether you have a snack or a meal.
Anytime!
-Mike
Mar 17, 2010 @ 14:05:17
I am on week 2 of p90x and I am on the level III diet. My problem is that im not supposed to be eating dairy. Are there other foods that i can substitute for the calories that the nutrition guide says to get from dairy products?
Thanks,
Rusty
Mar 18, 2010 @ 14:09:44
Hello Rusty,
there are some “non-dairy” dairy products out there. Have you tried soy or almond milk? You can also get these products in the form of cheese and yogurt.
If you go for soy, make sure it’s fortified with calcium. Soy milk has about 1/16 of the calcium that comes from cow’s milk.
If you just have a lactose intolerance, Latcaid brand has a ton of products to chose from.
-Mike
Apr 18, 2010 @ 20:24:27
Just starting on p90x and if i am doing my calculation right i am level 3, phase 1. 260 pound man. Anyway, this just seems like a ton of calories (over 3000 per day). I am only 5’8″ and need to be under 200 pounds. Should i do level 2?
Thanks!
Hello Russ,
I would start out as a level 3 and see how it goes first. You might find you need all that food to provide energy to get through the workouts. Of course you don’t have to stuff yourself silly. If after a week or two you feel you are just eating too much, you can drop down to level 2.
-Mike
Apr 29, 2010 @ 04:04:21
Boy you guys are great..I have had a blast shredding into summer shape with P90x..The girl who is going to Dental School quite possibly the prettiest girl I have seen..We need more speaking parts for her next time!!! I almost feel as if I know all the people..
Anyway, I saw above another person inquired about working midnight shift..And you sort of implied that if he woke up at 3pm he would workout from 3:30-4:30..My question is sort of similar..
I eat out every day..I’m addicted to restaurants but I eat pretty healthy there (mostly salads with meat for my meals) and am down from 208 to 191 since late Feb and after getting down I decided that I would put on a little muscle..I purchased some whey protein as a “recovery” drink..
But I guess my question is this..I never realize the carbs vs protein argument and what part of the day to load up on which..
I’m a batchelor so I really don’t keep a lot of food in the house so would it be better for me to wake up, go out and eat my first meal then come back and work out or is there something between that 3pm and 3:30 that I could take to help my workout..I have always thought that if you wake up and work out on an empty stomach that you aren’t maximizing your workout? I mean I can workout on one if you say so..
So lets say here are my variables (as a batchelor I really can’t buy stuff to cook at home)
Oatmeal
1 fruit
Salad with meat
2 “meals” (2 servings each) of whey protien that I consume with skim milk
Eggs
So in what order should I eat them in regards to my workout if my goal is to stay slim and put on some muscle?
I’m 6’2 40 yrs old 191 pounds
Thanks,
Mark
May 01, 2010 @ 23:04:49
Aloha,
My boyfriend and I just received P90X in the mail about 3 days ago. We watched the introduction video, and watched the first video just to get a feel for the program, read the Nutrition Plan and Fitness guide. Today we went shopping for everything we need e.g. food and equipment. We will start our first day tomorrow. I am a vey let’s say black and white kind of girl. I do exactly as I am told. So I have a question for you. If I wake up at 5:50-6:00 am, what should I do first? Eat, drink water, go straight to the tape? Our normal schedule takes us out of the house by 8-9am. Can someone give me an exact schedule? I am 42 years old and my boyfriend is 49. I have spent most of my life around 105 to 115lbs. I am 5’2. I have been with Mr. Right for 3 years now and weigh 130. I’m totally freaked out about my weight and need to get back to a normal weight before it is too late. I am a realtor and need to look my best. Please! Any advise you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your kind assistance.
5:50am Eat Breakfast
6:00am – 7:30 workout
8:00am drink Protein Shake or protein bar or recovery drink
11:00am Lunch
2:00pm snack
5:00 – 5:30 dinner
6:00pm Evening ½ hour to hour walk
9:00pm sleep
Of course working all the while in between.
May 02, 2010 @ 16:17:08
Aloha,
My boyfriend and I just received P90X in the mail about 3 days ago. We watched the introduction video, and watched the first video just to get a feel for the program, read the Nutrition Plan and Fitness guide. Today we went shopping for everything we need e.g. food and equipment. We will start our first day tomorrow. I am a vey let’s say black and white kind of girl. I do exactly as I am told. So I have a question for you. If I wake up at 5:50-6:00 am, what should I do first? Eat, drink water, go straight to the tape? Our normal schedule takes us out of the house by 8-9am. Can someone give me an exact schedule? I am 42 years old and my boyfriend is 49. I have spent most of my life around 105 to 115lbs. I am 5’2. I have been with Mr. Right for 3 years now and weigh 130. I’m totally freaked out about my weight and need to get back to a normal weight before it is too late. I am a realtor and need to look my best. Please! Any advise you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your kind assistance.
5:50am Eat Breakfast
6:00am – 7:30 workout
8:00am drink Protein Shake or protein bar or recovery drink
11:00am Lunch
2:00pm snack
5:00 – 5:30 dinner
6:00pm Evening ½ hour to hour walk
9:00pm sleep
Of course working all the while in between.
May 19, 2010 @ 11:49:16
Hi,
My fiance and I are getting married in October and are trying to get into shape. We just started Phase 3 of the P90X workout and love it. When we first started working out months ago, my fiance was already in relatively good shape. However, I was not. I weighed in at 192 and am only 5’6”. I know…terrible. I have since heard that P90X is not the correct workout for losing weight. Is this true? I fluctuate constantly from 183-186 range and have yet to go beneath that. Because we are already on Phase 3 (we are consistent with the workouts, by the way) I feel like I should have lost more. There is a noticeable difference between Pre-P90X pics to now, but I want to start and drop more lbs. (For me, this is a way to keep me motivated.) We haven’t followed the P90X diet, but I’ve been doing Weight Watchers pretty consistently and we eat healthy on a normal basis. What do I need to change to see the lbs. drop off? Or am I doing the wrong workout? Will adding 30 minutes of running on weight training days help? I’ve also considered replacing the weight training days with running and then sticking with Plyo, Kenpo, & Yoga. (because it helps to have a work out partner) HELP!!! I want to be super sexy for my honeymoon! HAHA!
Jul 09, 2010 @ 10:37:20
Hello,
I’m in highschool and i saw your program on TV and was just wondering if the p90x can work for teens?
Jul 19, 2010 @ 13:23:00
If I started on Level 2 of the nutriotion portion but am having a hard time eating all the food can I scale back to level 1?
Aug 02, 2010 @ 14:54:02
Hi. I am starting the P90X today. I am doing the Portion Approach since I am a really picky eater. I’ve always considered veggies a “free food” but the portion for Level 1 only allows 2 servings. Can I have 3 servings if I am still below the 1800 cal. mark?
Sep 30, 2010 @ 10:22:39
The way my meals are set up is.
im phase III
5:30 am Workout
6:30 am Protein drink with 8oz of skim milk
8:30 am 1 cup special, 1 cup blueberries, 1 medium banana and 8oz skim milk, protein bar
11:30 am 2 cups spinach, 1 cup cucumber, 6 egg whites, 3oz ham slices, 1 cup tomato, 2tsp of fat free italian dressing, 1 1/2 oz part skim mozz cheese.
2:30pm string cheese, 3oz tuna fish, yogurt.
5:30 pm 9oz chicken or fish, 1 cup mixed veggies.
7:30 protein shake with water.
11:00 bed
my questing is i need to add a fat, would it be all right to add a table spoon of canola oil to my mixed veggies for dinner? I wasn’t sure if eating the fat that late would be ok. Also sometimes I will workout at 4:00pm instead of 5:00am and switch the protein shake to 5:30 and the chicken and veggies to 7:30, is that ok?. and lastly is there anything you would tweak with my diet.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 11:22:26
i love p90 buts its tough
Dec 21, 2010 @ 05:16:56
I have tried every diet that you can think of and i kind of have my doubts i have been doing some exercise and have lost some weight (by the way i’m about 400+) would p90x work for me
Jan 18, 2011 @ 20:44:52
Im about to start p90x and i want to know, When it comes to the nutrition plan can i choose certain meals and eat those everyday??? cause i dont like some of the other meals. im just asking because i dont know if each meal has certain nutrients that i wont get in others.
Jan 24, 2011 @ 07:27:14
My husband and I started the 90 plan this morning at 5am. We had our recovery shake at 615 while making breakfast (mushroom omelet/blueberries/cottage cheese) just seems like a lot of food. Are we doing this right?
Feb 09, 2011 @ 18:51:02
hi, im confuesed about the diet plan, i decieded to take the portion approach, but i don’t understand the servings. It says each servings = 100 cal. And then next to it i saw one of the portions is 6 egg whites, does this class as 1 portion or 6? And also can you get muscle mass and strength, plus definiton, becuase when I saw Tony’s arms I was amazed?
Mar 28, 2011 @ 10:24:36
r I started the P90x diet today and the portions for me seem ridiculously huge. I’m doing fat shredder level II. I’m doing their fat shredder workout and I’m supposed to have 7 proteins a day. My breakfast was so much it made me want to puke. I had an egg white omelet made of 8 egg whites which is what I’m supposed to have according to the sheet. A glass of 8 oz light soy milk plus a scoop of protein powder. The soy milk is considered dairy and the protein powder is a my 2nd protein. I was so stuffed I can hardly stand it. For a snack they want me to have 12 oz of cottage cheese, then for lunch is grilled chx 6 oz. (2 proteins) with lettuce, cranberries, then a yogurt for a snack and im having some fish for dinner with string beans and carrots. I don’t think I can handle cottage cheese right now. My wife and I both read how to make the meals and we both think the portions are ridiculous. So idk, what do you think?
Hello Mike,
a lot of people feel the same way. You don’t have to stuff yourself if you are feeling full. Make sure you have all the right components when putting your meals together and eat what you can. Some of the meals make 8 servings, so be sure to check that before hand. You might find that you will be finishing more and more of your meal as you start to get more into your workouts.
-Mike
Mar 31, 2011 @ 21:10:56
I see that tea should only be drank in moderation, but what amount is moderation? Could you give me an amount in ounces? I have a hard time getting in all my ounces in water, and it seems easier to drink with a tea flavor. I make my own with 59 ounces of water and 2 tea bags. Also, is it ok to add a small amount of sweet and low(no calorie) sweetner?
Hello Christine,
about one cup (not cup as in measurement, as in a tea cup) of tea per day would be in moderation. The tea itself isn’t bad, just the stuff you add to it, ie. sugar. Artificial sweetener is something else you should use in moderation. Overall, it’s just best to drink water.
-Mike
Apr 23, 2011 @ 17:59:55
Oh my gosh, I’m SO excited for this program! I lost 70 lbs. on an investigational medication, but that was a little over a year ago. (Yes, it’s since been FDA approved but not on the market commercially yet) Since then I’ve been yo-yoing between 150 and 170 lbs and I’ve been kind of stuck in this 20lb plateau for a year. Time to amp it up! I’m still pretty strong even though I have loose skin from the weight loss. So my question is, does gaining muscle also help tone the loose skin? I’ve seen before and after pictures of women with loose skin and stretch marks who become toned and athletic, so I hope that this program works for me that way too.
Hello Heather,
it can take a while to tighten up your skin after rapid weight loss. There are a number of things you can do to promote elasticity in the skin:
1. Exfoliate daily – this will promote circulation
2. Aloe vera extract, soy protein and yeast extract can improve your skin’s elasticity by increasing your body’s production of elastin and collagen.
3. Treat yourself to an hour long sea salt bath once a week. It will draw toxins out of your skin and will improve your overall skin tone.
You should also get an accurate reading of your body fat percentage. Loose skin can often get confused with body fat, and visa versa. Although you may have lost a lot of weight, you body fat percentage might still be high. To combat high body fat percentage, of course working out and replacing body fat with muscle will do the trick.
-Mike
May 11, 2011 @ 20:38:57
Hi , I started the p90x program 6 and 1/2 weeks ago. I am currently in phase 2 and am at level 2. I have continued with the fat shredder program because it worked so well in the first month and I needed to lose a lot of weight It is really hard, however I have lost 22 inches all over my body and 10 pounds in the first month!! It has been a 3 weeks since I have lost any more weight and very few inches…. Am I doing something wrong?? Should I increase my exercise or add more cardio every day??? I am really frustrated and feel I have hit a major plateau!!!! I work so hard every day and eat an incredible diet .I have only missed 2 work-outs due to sickness, other than that, I follow exactly what I am supposed to do >>> HELP!!! Any info what be greatly appreciated!!
May 12, 2011 @ 14:58:03
Hello Colleen,
for some, depending on the shape they are in when they start, they see a big drop in weight the first couple of weeks, then a slower steady loss for the rest of the program. You aren’t doing anything wrong!! Don’t forget that as you get further into the program, your muscles will be growing and muscle weighs more than fat. At this point, after burning a good amount of fat in the beginning, you should be gaining muscle at a faster rate and looking at the scale might throw you off. You should have a body fat tester. This will help you to see how much body fat you are losing.
-Mike
Sep 27, 2011 @ 23:15:37
Hi, i was just wondering if there was a Nutrition Plan Guide that is just as detailed as the one provided for the “Meal Plan Approach.” Im considering the ” Quick Option Approach” because of my crazy schedule going from working twelve hour days to twelve hour nights. Alot of the meals on the meal plan approach seem to take some time to prepare and in my case after a long day at work my schedule doesnt leave me with much time to go through my workout and still be able to prepare the next days meal.
Sep 30, 2011 @ 12:22:01
Hello J Lo,
the quick options are really for when you don’t have time to make a full meal, but not for every meal every day. In your case, I would use the portions approach. This way you can pick and choose the foods you like and come up with some simple meals that you can make quickly. You might have to take a few hours on your day off to plan out your shopping list and meals, but if you do that, your meal times will go much quicker.
-Mike