So I am starting p90x tomorrow, I will be doing the portion level II plan. Other than the obvious ones how do you determine which category a food fulfills?

For example if I eat a Protein bar with 24g protein and 250 calories, does that count as my bar or does that count as 2 servings of protein or does it satisfy both?

Also is there a relation to the amount of protein in something and how many servings of protein it satisfies?

Example, I eat something with 8g protein and 200 calories, and something with 24g protein and 200 calories... Do both count for 2 servings of protein? I am going off the book that said 1 serving =100 cal.

Maybe I am just confused how this works.

Thanks

The only thing that counts for protein is meat, eggs, or protein powder. Any other form counts for something else. Like milk, which is higher in protein, counts as dairy, not as protein.

A bar counts as a bar or a snack (depending on your level)

The only things that count as carb are starches (grain products/potatoes, depending on level & phase).

If you can't figure out if it belongs in a certain classification, then it's usually a snack.

The above isn't *perfect* in terms of the rules, but it's close enough to get you by.

The plan allows for a bar, so if you eat 1 protein bar, that is your "BAR" serving. If you eat a second bar, you should count it as a protein. It does not count as a carb, but of course you should select a lower-carb bar if you are eating a second one. If you eat 3 servings of nuts, the first would be a snack, but eventually nuts could count as a protein, because you've used up your allotment in the snack category.

A food only includes multiple categories if you're eating some sort of stew or sandwich or such. An apple is a fruit, not a carb. However, if you eat 4 apples, and no grains/starches all day, an extra apple could be counted in the carb department.