Hey,
I just started P90X yesterday. Wow I didn't realize it was this hardcore. I'm 23 years old, 6'1" and weigh about 175 (haven't bought a scale yet but hopefully I can get one tomorrow.) I have a little bit of fat on me but not much. I'm mainly doing this to shape up and look a little better. I don't really have much muscle on me so maybe I'll pack on a few. I've never worked out before but I've played sports throughout my life and pretty much always been in decent shape so I thought I'd give it a try. I didn't do the fitness test or anything b/c I thought there was no way a workout video was gonna stop me. I made it through Chest & Back ok but I definitely didn't keep up with Tony. Since I started just yesterday, I think I am completely motivated to do this. I smoked for about 8 years and recently quit cold-turkey(6 months ago) so I think if I could do that then I can do pretty much anything. I think it's all mainly going to be mental. I can work a my own pace physically. Anyway, I think being on this board will really help me get through everything. Looks like a good bunch here.

I have a few questions, though:
Is anyone else running while doing P90X?
I'd like to get better than average results. I've been running for about the last 3 weeks only about a mile or 2 a day and I'd like to continue. I couldn't today because the Plyo kicked my ass but I'm thinking the soreness will go away after a week or so.

What is the fail rate for people that start?
I've seen some other forums as well as this one, and I see a lot of people say they are starting and don't see that many finishing. I saw on another forum where a guy wrote that it is under 20%

I don't have the money to eat exactly how it says. Can I use this diet?
Basically, for the first 3 weeks I was going to plan on eating:
*Breakfast - Special K w/lowfat milk
*Snack - fruit (apple or orange)
*Lunch - Sandwich (whole wheat bread, 2% cheese, and 3 slices of turkey)
*Snack - fruit (apple or orange)
*Dinner - Spaghetti (ground turkey, angel hair pasta, Prego)
*And an 8oz Protein Shake mixed w/lowfat milk for a drink after my workouts


Thanks a lot. I'm sure I'll be posting here a lot over the next 13 weeks b/c I think it's gonna be tough and I could use the support, especially since the partner I was going to start with wimped out on me a few days ago...

I see a few things that "could" be wrong with that eating plan. Are you following the Phase One (Fat Shredder) plan for the first 30 days and if so at what level? I calulate your intake requirements to be around 2700 so you would be at level 2 2400.

If all of that is true then from the food plan you listed
you have 3 "bad carbs", 2 fruits, 3 proteins, 3 dairy, no veggies "good carbs" and roughly 1500 calories. I follow the portion plan myself because it is easier for me too. It calls for more protein, less fruit, and less carbs than you listed, 4 veggies, and about 1000 more calories a day.

Take in too few calories and all the hard work will be for nothing as you bodys starvation mech will kick in and you wont see fat loss. Eat carb heavy and you will only burn eaten carbs for fuel and not use stored fat. If fat loss is not a concern then your diet "may" be Ok but I am still concerned about you total calorie intake. Its hard to believe but you have to eat more and eat cleaner if you want to loss fat and no bonk on your work outs.

Hope that helps.

ok thanks a lot.
Im actually not following any diet plan from P90X. I didn't receive any booklets or anything b/c I bought the DVDs used so thats all I have. I downloaded the worksheets and the classic plan from another site but as far as nutrition goes, this forum is all I have.
Could you recommend me a good place to find the diet plan, or tell me a good plan for the 1st month? Eating the same thing over and over again does not bother me at all. Considering I am in college, I tend to do this a lot with leftovers a stuff.
Ok, bought to start my first Shoulders & Arms. And I don't think I've ever been this sore in my entire life and its only the start of Day 3!
Thanks

First congrats on quiting smoking, I know how hard it it cause I just quit on 5 Feb and feel so much better. As for the nutrition plan I just made a log of healthy things to eat and I try to put together things so I take in a lot of protein and little carbs. I havn't figured up exactly how many calories I take in because it may very about 200-400 a day but I know that everything I put in my body is healthy and helps for this program. I started @ 194lbs and should be on my 3rd week or routines but I was sick last week so I decided to redue week 2 and I now weigh 187lbs. I also run at least 4 miles on my rest day, on the treadmill @ 3.5 incline and 5.2 speed, about 1 hour give or take. Hope this helps. Good luck and yes the soreness goes away as you get into some of the other workouts.

Thanks for the ideas Charles. I read somewhere else that drinking a protein shake before bed was good because you build a lot of muscles overnight. I'm currently drinking 1 protein shake after my workouts. Should I go ahead and do 1 before bed, too? It sounded from you guys that I wasn't getting enough protein, so maybe that would help.

discoV wrote:

QUOTE:

I have a few questions, though:
Is anyone else running while doing P90X?
I'd like to get better than average results. I've been running for about the last 3 weeks only about a mile or 2 a day and I'd like to continue. I couldn't today because the Plyo kicked my ass but I'm thinking the soreness will go away after a week or so.

You can definitely run while doing the P90x it will certainly improve your result.
However I would suggest you do a week of just p90x do properly gauge the intensity of the workout.
as for the soreness from Plyo you'll be lucky if it's only 2 weeks ....I'm joking.
Welcome to the board guys.

QUOTE:

What is the fail rate for people that start?
I've seen some other forums as well as this one, and I see a lot of people say they are starting and don't see that many finishing. I saw on another forum where a guy wrote that it is under 20%

the fail rate is hard to tell.
My first attempt at P90x was last June I did the first phase and dropped it, for various reasons e.g. I couldn't see any improvement,because I was transfixed on the informecial results. I didn't have any dumbbels and I just started a new job.

but I didn't think I failed I figured I'd pick it up later , which I did 7 months later.
so you can't fail when you have the exercises at your fingertips. JUST PRESS PLAY!

QUOTE:

I don't have the money to eat exactly how it says. Can I use this diet?
Basically, for the first 3 weeks I was going to plan on eating:
*Breakfast - Special K w/lowfat milk
*Snack - fruit (apple or orange)
*Lunch - Sandwich (whole wheat bread, 2% cheese, and 3 slices of turkey)
*Snack - fruit (apple or orange)
*Dinner - Spaghetti (ground turkey, angel hair pasta, Prego)
*And an 8oz Protein Shake mixed w/lowfat milk for a drink after my workouts

I don't follow the P90x Nutrition Plan, or any other plan for that matter so I can't comment.

If you are going to run during pP90X, why not try the "Doubles" routine? It throws in Cardio X three times a week (I think). And that DVD is only 45 minutes long.

mohms wrote:

QUOTE:
If you are going to run during pP90X, why not try the "Doubles" routine? It throws in Cardio X three times a week (I think). And that DVD is only 45 minutes long.

I might try that. I haven't decided yet. That doesn't start till Phase 2 though. I might go ahead and try it tonight to see how extreme it is

Ya dude feel free the throw in the Cardio X dvd after any of your work outs if you week you didn't exert yourself as hard as you wanted too. I know that the Kenpo X dvd is a little easy for me(martial arts background) So I find my self running or doing cardio X later in the day. Been thinking about doing plyo right after Kenpo Just seems like they would go hand in hand But if you decide to add any rutines just make sure you know what muscles groups your doing the next day as not to tear them up the day before which could have devistating results on your next work out... you don't wanna burn out or tear something because of pre-fatigue. Luck man.

Day 4
So I just finished my Yoga. I thought it was gonna be girly stuff but I guess I was wrong again. I couldn't do a lot of those exercises. Did anyone else have these problems and will I improve do you think by the next time. A lot of the problems were with my arm strength and leg strength. Those warrior positions were killing my thighs. And I couldn't even come close to doing the crane. The first 20 minutes of the exercise really had me sweating pretty hard, but it was a nice calm sweat. It wasn't too bad. Looking forward to Legs & Back tomorrow!

It gets better!!! Amazing how much you can sweat without even moving!! My arms still get killed in the warrior positions.

The crane comes with time. I have been on for 6 weeks now and I am just now able to get it for more than a few seconds. I am up to 15 or so at a shot, so I can get in 2 or 3 during the minute.

Keep it going!!!

It gets better, indeed.

I'm in the first week of Phase II right now and I can definitely say my poses are so much more solid than the first week.

I was stumbling and fumbling around with most of the yoga poses at the beginning. Just a short 4 weeks later and I'm so much more fluid.

As my legs/arms get stronger and I achieve more flexibility, I'm noticing that Yoga is much more enjoyable.

As for Crane, I skip that one altogether at this point. I do the glute stretch for a minute during that exercise. Although I'm sure I'll attempt Crane again at some point in the future.

Good luck. Keep bringing it.

Day 4
I definitely see where the whole loss of motivation comes into play. Today I kinda had a lot of stuff to do and wasn't neccisarily thrilled about Legs & Back. I wasn't sore or tired, just lazy and didn't wanna do it. I DID finally got around to it and I underestimated this workout yet again, just like the others. I got done and immediately started Abs. I feel great now. Tomorrow I'm taking off because I really can't because of too many other things, but I'm going to make it my off day and just do my Kempo on Sunday.

discoV wrote:

QUOTE:
Day 4
I definitely see where the whole loss of motivation comes into play. Today I kinda had a lot of stuff to do and wasn't neccisarily thrilled about Legs & Back. I wasn't sore or tired, just lazy and didn't wanna do it. I DID finally got around to it and I underestimated this workout yet again, just like the others. I got done and immediately started Abs. I feel great now. Tomorrow I'm taking off because I really can't because of too many other things, but I'm going to make it my off day and just do my Kempo on Sunday.

Way to go on getting it done today when you didn't feel it! My schedule is full tomorrow with golf and a birthday party so Kenpo will be on Sunday right after another round of golf. At least I get a 1400 cal burn playing 36 holes on weekends.

-Courtland

keeping a journal is a good motivator for me. by posting your daily progress you assume ownership thus effectively creating accountability for daily workout.

Week 2
I just finished chest and back and abs. I could see a HUGE improvement from last week in my push ups and today I actually did all 50 mason twists at the end of abs. I hadn't seen my girlfriend in a week and saw her saturday and she said she is already seeing a change in my abs. Also, the scale says I've lost 4 lbs. I dont see it and I dont know where it came from but its nice hearing that other people see results
round 2 for plyo tomorrow. Hopeflly it wont kick my ass as bad this time

Good job with the mason twist, I wish i could say i do the bonus

Day 9 Plyo
Wow that was one of the best workouts I've ever had. I almost thing it was harder than the 1st plyo I did last week, but I think I was just motivated more and tried to finish every exercise right. I actually finished all of those 1 foot hop things. I didn't think I could but I'm liking this more and more everyday. My brother was watching the infomercial yesterday and I told him thats what I've been doing in the other room. He started his Day 1 Chest & Back about an hour later and loved it.

edit:
I have a question. I'm going out of town on Thursday and won't be back till Monday, so I'm gonna miss Friday (Legs&Back/Abs), Saturday (Kenpo), Sunday(Rest). Should I go ahead and do my Shoulders&Arms/Abs tonight and Legs&Back tomorrow. Then do Kenpo and/or Yoga on Thursday?