Just like P90X has 3 phases in the fitness program, the nutrition plan also has 3 phases. These phases, however, don’t have to be followed or progressed in sync with the 3 phases of the fitness plan. You can change nutritional phases based on your nutritional needs at the time.
When you first open your P90X Nutrition Plan you will see the 3 phases laid out before you. They include a Fat Shredder Phase, an Energy Booster Phase and the third phase which is an Endurance Maximizer. Each phase has specific goals and is directed at a specific diet need. You choose where to enter the program to sustain the results you want.
The Fat Shredder Phase is designed to do just that: burn fat. This is the highest protein phase of the P90X nutrition plan. This particular phase is easier to sustain if you have a lot of fat to lose. Because your energy levels may drop with this phase, it is important to monitor how you feel on it and react accordingly. If you have less body fat to lose you may want to spend less time in the Fat Shredder Phase.
The second phase, the Energy Booster Phase will get your energy back to high levels. This stage is a more maintainable one and one that should be quite easy to sustain. The protein levels are slightly lower here and there is a balanced level of carbs and protein along with lower fat.
The final phase is the Endurance Maximizer and this is the athlete’s diet. As the plan says, this phase “must be earned”. You will get more carbs here in the anticipation that they will be burned off by your newly developing defined body. When your body is ready for this stage you will notice an increase in energy making it easier to push even more on the P90X program.
These stages can be followed with the 3 stages of the P90X fitness program, but they are flexible. As you continue this plan you will become more aware of your body and its signals, allowing you to make good choices on when it is time to move onto another stage or when it is good to hold out a little longer.
Jun 24, 2009 @ 12:21:23
im not really sure what to eat….i have all these conserns. Like right now my cousin said don’t eat fast food for one thing, and no more sweets, or pizza. And i haven’t touched those in a while now. But im doing the lean program for P90X. I just need to know what i can and can not have. Cause i really want to do this right. Please help!
Jul 13, 2009 @ 13:22:28
Hi Jocelyn,
Do you have the Nutrition Plan that comes with the P90X? That guide tells you exactly what you should eat and how much. Foods high in fat are obviously out. Sugar is no good, and too many carbs at the wrong time aren’t so hot either. Basically, you need to be eating foods that give you clean sources of protein (a lot!), carbs (not too many), and dairy (a few servings). You need to have fruits and vegetable in your diet as well. The guide will map out how much of each you should have per day as well as give you a calorie limit for your body weight. If you are a small to average sized woman, you should be eating about 1,800 calories per day during the P90X. As you progress through the workouts, there are changes to the diet plan. You should really check out the Nutrition Plan for a good idea on what you should be eating. It will be too large of a blog post for me to try and explain it all!!
-Erin
Aug 18, 2009 @ 12:46:49
Where is the difference in fat coming from in the energy booster phase as compared to the fat shreddar phase. The fat blocks are the same,1. Although I do use some of the recipes in the recipe plan, I focus more on the portion approach and am scared that maybe I am getting too much fat in phase 2 because I am still following the 1 block. Please help.