My buddy recently offered to give me his P90X DVDs and literature and I'm pretty sure I'm going to do it. But if I'm going to make that sort of commitment then I want to go all the way; workouts, diet, and supplements.

Problem is I'm a student and can't afford the $400 that would be needed to buy all the recommended supplements.

My question is, which supplements are MOST important for P90X? I can only afford to buy one or two a month.

Thanks all!

Well before I'd say anything we need to know if you want to get bigger or loose weight?

I'm 5'6" at 168lbs with minimal muscle. I pass the fit test, but I'm pretty out of shape. My primary goal is to get rid of the gut and maybe get some definition and strength, but I certainly don't want to get "bigger".

I would say that the most important supplements would be whatever you have a hard time getting as part of your regular diet. Trouble eating enough lean protein? Get some protein powder. Not able to eat a broad spectrum of fruits and vegetables? Get a good multivitamin (actually, probably a good idea to do that anyway).

If you don't have gaps in the basic nutrition stuff, next most useful from a muscle building perspective is probably creatine, and it would be a really good idea to either buy some sort of recovery drink or learn how to make one yourself.

There's lots of options out there though, and you really have to consider your personal situation, the resources you have to work with (namely budget), and what your goals are. There is no magic bullet for working out, so the most important thing is finding what works for you.

Hope that helps!

I agree with Val.

Take a long look at the "Lean" version of P90X. You will build some muscle, but not as much as you would with the "Classic" version.

Sparta-bound!!

Kevin

The program can be done without supplements but you won't see near the results you would see without them. People on the infomercial and tony are so in shape because they workout hard, eat a well balance diet and.......TAKE SUPPLEMENTS. So my opinion is, if you're going to do this thing and do it 100%, then take the supplements and see the results you deserve. I have a site dedicated to P90x at http://p90xworkouts.blogspot.com/ Go check it out. there's a link on the right going to a page talking about the most important supplements. Get in touch if you have any more questions.

Umm, hate to step on toes here. But many of us are doing this without supplements.

Now, I'm not referring to a multivitamin, or to protein in addition to what's provided in the diet. But I work taking care of people every day and every dietician I speak with tells me that additional supplements won't be needed if your diet is good.

The P90X diet is good, very good!!

Bottom line...if you aren't getting an adequate diet, then you should look at what you're missing in your diet and supplement that. If your diet is a sound one, you probably won't need supplements.

Also, please remember that supplements in many cases are considered DRUGS!!! They have effects and side effects and can be dangerous or lethal if taken in high doses. The manufacturer claims have not been verified by the Food and Drug Administration and, in some cases, have not been studied within the context of prospective clinical trials. So, please be careful.

They can be effective if you use them correctly and if you need them. Discuss ANYTHING you have concerns about with your physician before taking them!!

Sparta bound!!

Kevin

Well I don't mind stepping on some toes here.

Let me quote Tony Horton (he created P90x if you don't know). "...Workout consistently and with intensity, eat the proper foods and take the supplements to get the body ready and prepared for the next workout. That's the key. If you think you can get away without it, well good for you. But I'm telling you from here: Supplements, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats; that's the key, that's the way you're gonna get super fit."

And in response to when you said supplements are considered drugs, I will also quote Tony.
"I take my supplements every day. My belief is that going without them is like going without water. They supply us with the nutrients required for living a healthy lifestyle. The vitamins and minerals in supplements work together with food to supply us with the energy we need to do a six-day-a-week program like Power 90 and P90X. Supplements are NOT drugs. A prescribed drug is taken when your body and/or mind is no longer capable of functioning normally. Supplements are taken to subtly assist the mind and body to reach beyond everyday activities."

So I'm gonna follow the advice of the person who invented the program that We're all doing. Supplements are part of the program and if you ignore them than you're not doing it completely. And "If you think you can get away without it, well good for you."

I think the last few posts are great, but I don't believe you guys understood the question. I DO want to take all the supplements, but I can not do that. I am absolutely broke and it IS NOT POSSIBLE for me to afford all of them. I can maybe justify one or two of them.

With that in mind, which one (or two) are the MOST important? I'm thinking either recovery and vitamins or recovery and whey protein.

Tyd45,

Whoa there! First, let's take a deep breath, step back, and look logically at the situation.

Okay, now we can evaluate this more critically...
In your second paragraph you point out that Tony advises us to eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc. But he doesn't define "supplements" here. And it isn't defined in your comment. It is defined to some extent on the Beachbody website, which I've found valuable. They encourage the use of vitamins and antioxidants, but don't go much farther than than that. So the reader is left to wonder, "What other supplements would be appropriate for me?" And how would a non-medically trained person choose which supplements are correct? This is an extreme workout program and to make a discerning choice regarding supplements would improve the chances of success and lessen the chances of doing harm. But choose unwisely, and the results can be catastrophic!

Supplements are drugs. End of discussion. They are taken to affect how your body's physiology performs and can have deleterious effects. As a practicing physician, I see what they can do every day in my work. Please don't think otherwise as you risk your own health and we all care too much for you and for your success. This is why we're all here!

We're all here to help each other, so there's no need to be mean-spirited.

Kevin

Sorry if I got off topic!

You've got choices...
Recovery drink is very helpful. But you can drink chocolate milk (Les's suggestion and I like it, too) if you're on a budget. There are a few folks here in the forum who have posted their favorite recipes, too. They're great for the budget-conscious.

Whey protein is very helpful, and you can mix it with water instead of milk to save money. Keep your eyes peeled for sales, and GNC puts things on sale the first 0 days of the month.

Vitamins, in my estimation, are almost a must. Consider a store brand (Safeway, Kroger, HyVee, etc) rather than a name brand (Centrum, Theragran, etc) to save some cash. I think there's so much going on in P90X that you'll want to facilitate the healing/rebuilding process with a daily one. Antioxidants are usually added to help as well.

Hope this helps,

Kevin

Kevin, I think our argument with each other isn't whether or not supplements are helpful but with the way we think the other is defining supplements. When I say supplements, I'm not referring to steroids or anything of that sort, but the exact things you're suggesting for him: vitamins, whey protein, and a recovery drink.

Sorry if I came on strong but I think we actually think the same thing. I too know the dangers of improper supplements and certain kinds are definitely categorized as drugs.

But back to the main point; on a budget I would suggest the P90x recovery drink. At the walmart where I live, there is a tub of whey protein for $12. If you could protein for this price, I would also suggest that.

Agreed!!

Ok, great, thanks! I'll definitely be getting the recovery drink. Now it's down to which is more important: vitamins of whey?

Well, it's kind of like asking whether the blood pressure or breathing are more important. You might try to find a vitamin-fortified whey protein mix to take care of both. But a bottle of 30 vitamins should cost around $5 so it's not a huge expense. Especially if you get a store brand rather than a big name national brand.

Another thought...sometimes you can find vitamins that are going out of date. Pharmacists tell me that a vitamin is "outdated" when it reaches 90% of its potency. In that case you might be able to get them on the cheap. But the other side of the argument is that it's like buying outdated milk...yuck!

If you're going for muscle you'll want more protein. And you'll get some vitamins in the whey protein.

Kevin

Wow this conversation was really intense. Real quick I liked the taste of the recovery drink and after my thrid week of seeing results I ordered more. I bought a lagre box of protien bars at a Sam's Club it worked out to about 50 cents a bar as opossed to 1.75 to 2.50 each. And I also bought a tub of Whey Protiem mix at Wal-Mart. I use the Bars and Whey powder as fillers in my diet. I don't know about 400 dollars worth. I would focus more on buying the proper foods first.
Buting supplements didn't kill me it was buying bags of chicken breast on sale and finding the freezer space for it.

Take it easy

Ken

You know, as good as the program is it is important to keep in mind that Tony is making money selling the supplements. True, they may work great, but are they required to see results? If you buy everything a salesman feeds you just because he sold you one good product then I'm guessing you have a house full of junk. Think about his angle. Realize that most supplements are saturated with content that your body will only take in required amounts. If your getting proper nutrition, you are literally pissing your money down the toilet.

If you don't want to throw down 40 or 50 bucks a month on the p90x recovery drink, I recommend that you do some research and make your own. Trust me, theres info about recovery drinks everywhere.

My supplements I took every day throughout p90x were: a multi, vitamin B complex (in the morning, it turns food into energy), and protein bars. Plus green tea pills, which you can look up yourself.

None of those are really expensive but supplement your diet if your cutting calories like crazy like I did.

ps. my recovery drink was v8 splash: mixed berry. Doctor recommended/approved.

I'm not an expert at this though I did study nutrition for a year when I got my anatomy certification....either way, here's what I'm doing, and here's a link to a very thrify place I found for online ordering (they have the protein bars I like for $10 a box vs. Vitamin Store selling them to me for $29.95).
http://www.thejuicedmoose.com/

I follow the P90X diet as strictly as I can. When I eat out, I choose as close as I can to the P90X menu.

I use Muscle Milk LIGHT (vanilla flavor) for my protein (when the P90X diet calls for it).

When it calls for recovery drink, I use a glutamine mix which is 1000% DV of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is very important to keep your muscles from cramping and keep you healthy. I'm not sure about using chocolate milk as a recovery drink. Perhaps as a protein drink replacement or snack, but I would probably avoid the chocolate unless you use Ovaltine. If you're using Hershey's in the squirt bottle - forget it. That stuff is just waiting to clog your vital organs.

I take a daily multi-vitamin (I use generic Walgreen equivalent to Women's One-A-Day). My doctor says that flinstones vitamins are just as good if that's what you have.

I choose a protein bar that is low in calories. I get protein in plenty of places - so I choose low sugar over high protein for this snack.

Also, there are many sugar substitutes out on the market. I choose pure sugar over any of them. Sugar in moderation is alright. AVOID high fructose corn syrup despite new commercial advertisements. It will stick to your thighs!

Most supplements are chemicals in a pill. You