You are ready to get started and see that daunting list in the beginning of the book. If you have chosen the Portion Approach you probably meal and snack solutions that are quick and flexible. This approach does just that and simply gives you foods to choose from with a daily allowance of portions.
Taking the list of approved foods and translating it into a manageable grocery list can seem daunting. There are so many foods you may feel overwhelmed. Try not to be.
Choose the foods you like, several from every group, and buy those this week. If you don’t eat all of them or wish you had something different, adjust next week’s grocery list to fit your needs. Below you will find a sample grocery list for Phase 1 (the Fat Shredder Phase) of the Portion Approach
Fats
Avocado
Olive Oil
Olives
Proteins
Boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
Eggs
Fresh Fish
Tuna
Turkey Bacon
Fat-Free Ham Slices
Carbohydrates
Whole Wheat Bread
Whole Grain Cereal
Whole Wheat English Muffins
Oatmeal
Pasta
Low-fat Refried Beans
Corn Tortillas
Dairy
Low-fat Cheese
Cottage Cheese, 1%
Skim Milk
Nonfat Yogurt
Fruits
Apples
Bananas
Grapes
Kiwi
Strawberries
Vegetables
Asparagus
Cabbage
Carrots
Cucumber
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Peppers
Tomatoes
V-8 Juice
Condiments
BBQ Sauce
Fat-Free Salad Dressing
Mustard
Remember this grocery list does not have to be yours. It’s just to give you an idea of a good variety for one week on the Fat Shredder Phase of the Portion Approach. You have a much more extensive list of available foods in the P90X Nutrition Guide.
Apr 18, 2009 @ 15:59:49
Hi,I live in lebanon and I am currently using the p90x program ; its really great!!!!! however, some of the food varieties provided in the portion plan list are not usually found in local markets or even malls here… so,would it be ok to use the same eating plan everyday for each phase while respecting the servings??
Thank u for your support!!
Hello Karl,
It is absolutely OK to eat the same thing everyday, as long as you can take it. Here is your chance to be creative and come up with your own menu, if you can, keeping your portions in mind. Otherwise, Enjoy your meals.
-RJ
May 12, 2009 @ 11:26:47
Thanks!! I’m now 27 days into my program and have already seen tremendous results…I lost 12 pounds using the level 1 nutrition level!!! During the fat shredder phase (1 day left of it), I followed the portion approach and was able to come up with my own appropriate menu. I also thought that following the level 1 would be a good idea instead of my original calculated nutrition level (level 2) for a lower calorie intake… Was that bad ? Would I have lost more weight if i had followed my original calculated nutritional level ? And would i get better results and the end of 90 days if I continue with level 1 or should I shift to level 2 for phase 2 and 3 for the ultimate results??
I would really appreciate some help. THANK YOU !!
Hello karl,
if you are happy with your weight loss and have the energy to keep going, I would stay right where you are if you want to continue to loose weight. If you are feeling like you are getting hungry more often or loosing energy quickly, then it’s time to move on the the next phase of the nutrition plan.
Keep up the good work!!
-Mike
Oct 01, 2009 @ 01:06:18
It is my fourth day in the program and i am following the portion approach level 2. I dont know at what times of the day I have to eat the different servings
Hello Diego,
that is really up to you. I would try and distribute things evenly over the course of three meals and two snacks to make your life easier.
-Mike
Oct 10, 2009 @ 23:26:12
My husband and I want to see if we can stick with the dietary plans before we jump into p90x, but there are a lot of items we dont really like, for example fish and tomatoes and more. What would we do about that.
Hello Megg,
you can use substitutions here and there if you need to. Fish can be replaced with boneless skinless chicken and tomatoes can probably just be omitted.
-Mike
Jan 21, 2010 @ 15:13:25
Hello,
I am having trouble with the eating plan. It seems that I’m eating alot! I am following the portion approach for P90X and have fit each portion of all the food groups(Protein, carbs, fats, veggies etc) into my diet. It seems that in order to fit in all the foods some of my meals get quite big. I have composed a sample eating plan and was wondering if someone can help me out and take a quick look over it. Thanks soooo much in advance.
Jan 21, 2010 @ 16:46:54
Hello Palo,
if you would like someone to take a look at your eating plan, you can submit it to customer service and choose “nutrition question.”
Or if you feel comfortable, you can just post it here!
-Mike
Jan 28, 2010 @ 15:07:40
Good afternoon. My husband and I are going to embark on the P90X journey mid Feb. We are establishing diet plans (subsituting some of the things we don’t like) and I was wondering if egg beaters are an acceptable substitution for the omelets and if yes, what would the portion be, ie:1/2 cup etc.
Thank you!
Jan 28, 2010 @ 16:02:22
Hello Lisa,
Egg Beater Whites would be an acceptable substitution. I believe 6 egg whites is one serving, and the box will give tell you how many cups equals how ever many eggs.
-Mike
Feb 03, 2010 @ 01:07:01
Hi there! I’m just now starting P90x but am vegan. The diet plans you guys have set forward don’t work for me – do you know of an alternative diet plan for vegans? Thank you!!!
Feb 03, 2010 @ 16:37:42
Hello Hillary,
I don’t have a specific diet plan for vegans who are doing the P90X. I would just be sure to eat “clean.” Stay away from junk food, really limit sugar, salt and fat. Drink a lot of water and stay away from soda. It is important to be sure that you are properly fueled for these workouts and you will need a good amount of protein and just enough carbs for energy.
Good Luck!
-Mike
Feb 24, 2010 @ 16:13:28
Can someone post a sample meal plan for a phase 1 level 3 person.
Meals tend to get quite big and I need to know if I’m doing this Correctly!!!!!! I weigh 213lbs, 5.9″.
Also, Do I really need to consume more protein in the form of shakes beside what I eat? If, what are some good brand to get that don’t have cholesterol?
Mar 11, 2010 @ 19:20:34
Hi, I just got the p90x and I’m trying to figure out the nutrtion plan. I’m only 16 years old and I’m a girl. I’m level 2 and I’m doing the portion approach. I am very busy so I want to be able to fix food eassily and fast. I am pretty sure I know when to eat but I don’t know what to eat. Like what are some good snacks and what are some easy meal to bring to school. And what is a shakeology and what is it made of?
Mar 12, 2010 @ 12:46:33
Hello,
if you are doing the meal plan approach, you aren’t crazy…the meals are big! You don’t have to eat it all. Eat what you are comfortable with, you don’t need to stuff yourself silly!!! I would freeze the rest if there is enough for a second meal the next week, or share it with family or friends. Some of the recipes are for like 8 or 12 servings. Be sure to check that before you start cooking. You might be able to half the recipes.
-Mike
Mar 12, 2010 @ 12:56:38
Hello Jordan,
if you plan to have your one serving of carbs during lunch, a tuna wrap is a quick easy meal. Add some veggies, a slice of cheese (1/2 dairy serving), and some low fat dressing and you’re in business. Or a chicken salad is quick and easy. Just buy those bag salads and those pre-cook chicken breast bits that come in the packages. Add some low fat dressing and maybe some chunks of cheddar. Vegetable soup is quick and easy, although I don’t know if you have access to a microwave at school. For snacks try yogurt, string cheese, a hand full of nuts, a protein bar, a piece of fruit, or turkey jerky. There are tons of options, but try and keep it simple to make your life easier!
Shakeology is a super healthy shake that can be used as a meal replacement or a snack. There is tons of good stuff in it that do tons of great things for your body.
-Mike
Mar 19, 2010 @ 19:35:25
Hi, I just finished week 2 of P90x classic. I am suppose to be level 2 with a recommended intake of 2600 cal. I usually end up consuming around 2200 a day and feel satisfied. I was able to finish every workout through the first week and a half with energy to spare, but with the last 3 workouts my body has completely run out of energy the last 10 to 20 min of the workout and I physically could not finish. My body is very shaky, and I even feel sick towards the end. I twisted my ankle doing kenpo today (I’m guessing due to poor form), although I did extremely well with that workout last week. So I was wondering if I need to up the calories I eat even though I am not hungry or if its time to move on to phase 2 already. I”ve lost 5 lbs and do not want to hinder my weight loss as I still have about 15lbs I want to lose. I drink the recovery drink and eat the protein bars but I just do not have any energy compared to last week. Help!
Mar 19, 2010 @ 19:46:52
Hi, I just finished week 2 of P90x classic. The last 3 workouts I have completely run out of energy and could not finish the last 10 to 20 min of. My body is very shaky and even feel sick after the workout. I did not experience this the first week and a half and had plenty of energy to spare. I even hurt my ankle today doing kenpo (guessing due to bad form) although I did extremely well on that workout last week. I am suppose to be a level 2, eating 2600 cal a day but end up eating about 2200 and feel satisfied. So should I increase my calories even though I am not hungry? Or is it time to move on to phase 2 already? I do drink the recovery drink and eat the protien bars. I have lost 5lbs and do not want to hinder my weight loss as I still have 15lbs more to lose. I really need to get my energy back. Help!
Mar 26, 2010 @ 20:54:06
Hi, I started p90x on Mon. and I am doing the portion approach and need 3000 cal. I usually work 4am – 2-3pm so my meals usually start with some oatmeal at around 3:30 am. The first 2 days I was trying to finish my portions prior to working out(usually between 3-5pm.) I was usually really full throughout the day since I tried to spread out the proteins and other portions. I assume this is normal at first. The past 2 days I have saved items like a chicken breast and celery for post workout but worry that it may be too close to bed time(around 8 or 9) I am just confused on when to eat and how much in a sitting or can I nibble on portions all day?
How do you recommend spreading out the food and is feeling full normal?
Is it ok to have multiple protein drinks throughout the day as replacement for say chicken breasts or red meats?
Should I save some of the portions for post workout(dinner time) and which ones would be best since it is so close to bed time.
Can I have multiple protein bars, 1 counting as a DBL Snack and one counting as a Bar?
I’m stumped
Mar 29, 2010 @ 11:47:50
Hi Brad,
If you feel like you have a lot more to eat than usual, don’t worry this is completely normal in the beginning. Over the next 2 weeks or so your body is going to start changing. Most importantly you are going to start increasing your metabolism, and by burning so many calories in your workouts, your body is going to NEED more food.
So, give it a couple weeks and see how you feel. Everyone is different and you may still find that it’s too much, if so, scale it back a bit (don’t feel bad about going against the plan’s suggested values, it’s not set in stone).
You should eat a “meal” at least 5 times a day “like the Meal Plan approach. But you can space those calories out to 6 or seven meals, if it makes it a little easier for you.
So lets say you are a Level 3. You will need 3,000 calories for the day. Divide that into 5 “meals” and you should shoot for roughly 600 calories 5 times a day.
Now, those 3,000 calories are comprised of proteins, dairy, fruits, etc. as listed in the Portion Approach table for Level 3 so you just have to keep track of how many servings each meal you eat counts for.
I suggest you take a look at the Meal Plan Approach for Level 3. Do this to get a general idea of how and what you can eat to fulfill the suggested servings per day. From there make your alterations based on your personal tastes and the portion plan.
hope this helps
Apr 22, 2010 @ 15:41:00
I have been doing P90X for a week and I’m loving it. I just have a question about the portions. How much protein is equal to 1 portion of protein? It says I need 7 of protein a day? That seems like a lot to get to. Thanks for the help!
Hello Gary,
about 3 oz of lean meat is a1 serving of protein. If you check your nutrition plan, it tells you about how much 1 serving of each food is. To the left of the list in each category.
-Mike
May 16, 2010 @ 20:22:57
Hi! i just started p90x and I’m 5’3 and 117 lbs so I’m level 1 and I’m on the Fat Shredder Phase. I was going to go for the Meal Plan Approach but I noticed that the amount of protein is WAY more then what I would be eating if I stuck to the Portion Approach. For example Day 7 on the level 1 meal plan tells me to eat the turkey bacon and the Cheese Scramble – thats 3 out of my 5 portions of protein for the day. And then I am supposed to have 6 oz of tuna for lunch and 6 oz of chicken for dinner. So that puts me up to 7 servings of protein for that one day and according to the portion approach I should only be having 5 servings of protein a day? Thanks in advance!
May 18, 2010 @ 16:25:06
Hi, I’m just getting ready to start but have dairy allergies. What can I substitute for the recommended dairy and still get all of the benefits of “real” dairy products?
Jun 03, 2010 @ 14:21:01
Hi-
I am doing the P90x nutrition plan and have not started the workouts, if I do not do the workouts will I still lose weight?
Aug 09, 2010 @ 10:40:25
Hi,
I’m preparing my first week menu using the portion controll program. I was wondering if the snacks should be calculated as a dairy protion, protein, carbs, etc. I don’t want to have a bigger intake than I need. I just need a little clarification.
Thank you so much
Dec 04, 2010 @ 13:57:21
Hi!
I really want to get started with this program, but:
I gott confused creating my own mealplan using the portion approach. Yoghurt for example is in both diary and snack but does 8oz count as one diary and then you have to add another 8oz to get the snack one? Or does 8oz yoghurt count as both 1 diary and 1 snack? I was also wondering the same thing when it comes to oatmeal. 1 cup is 1 carb but wouldnt it also be 1 protein, since oatmeal contains a lot of it? Because eating 5 different foods from the protein list seems like a lot!
Same thing with the protein bar, is that also 1 protein or just a snack? Does 1 portion of protein equal like 20g of protein or am i totally off?
Thanks in advance!
Feb 24, 2011 @ 05:39:11
Just 1 question cos im not sure to eat enough.I eat a lot but tell me.
i follow the portion approach, i will give u an example :
Beans : for 100 grams i have 90 calories ( 16 g of carbs)
We know that 1g/carb=4 calories so 16g=64 carbs calories.
…1 carbs portion=200 calories so if i want to eat 200 calories of carbs (beans for ex) should… i have to take 300grams??? to have my 200 calories of carbs (and only carbs) or portion approach of 200calories included all (protein carbs and fat )?? so just 200 grams (1oo g of beans=90calories)
hope im clear just want to know if 1 carbs portion=200 calories (included all groups ) or just carbs.
thx for helping
second question: if i take 3 protein powder a day ( i have 6 protein portions a day) it is not too much???
should i have to deducted of my protein portions??
my protein bar is 270 calories shoul i count it as a snack??or as a protein portion??
Its really confusing and not clear enough on the guide
thxx
Mar 20, 2011 @ 01:09:38
The portion approach and calories do NOT add up.Iam level 3 and need 4080 calories according to the book.Iam 290lbs. and need to lose a good 45lbs.I want to stick to the portions without going over them cause that will defeat the purpose of the portion approach.Will 3500 calories be enough to get me by without losing too much muscle?I do have a lot of muscle for being so fat lol.Huge arms,legs,back,shoulders.Iam 6’2”.Any help would be fine.Thanks very much.
Sep 11, 2012 @ 00:43:18
I am a health fanatic and it’s really important to me that people study how to eat right and remain in good condition. Although it does not matter to a lot of other people, eating healthy foods as well as remaining fit is very crucial to me. It’s so depressing that there are so numerous people nowadays that do not care about eating healthy
or about remaining fit.