P90X question page

[alexa85]

i have been primal for exactly one month now. i am also in week 8 of P90X.
in the beginning i was following P90X religiously. i tried the nutrition program but felt hungry all the time and couldn't find enough things to eat to fill me up. i was noticing muscle gains, but not a real difference in the scale. i also started running out of gas during the workouts (something that's completely turned around since going primal!) that's when i found the primal lifestyle. i firmly believe that the results i've had would not have been the same without eating primally. i've noticed the decline in fat around my belly (still working on it but can feel those lil muscles under there!) and increase in lean muscle.
but, as i've read the primal blueprint i find myself more and more reluctant to follow the P90X program with it's regimentation. i still intend to complete the program, but i agree with the idea that you should work out according to your energy levels and not because it's tuesday i do plyo...
has anyone else run into this same issue?

[Dryden]

Yes. I also discovered PB through Mark's link in the P90x program, and since getting more entrenched in primal nutrition and the lifestyle Mark encourages I have found myself skipping P90x days more frequently, and not due to a lack of motivation or energy. Regardless, I'm still seeing incredible gains in body composition despite the fact the needle on the scale hasn't budged in two months. All the fat around my belly is becoming muscle in my chest, back, shoulders and arms, and I couldn't be happier about that.

I think one element to consider with P90x though is that 15 minutes of the workout is normally warmup and cooldown, plus there is a lot of lost time throughout each workout where Tony explains each exercise. We need to learn to better motivate ourselves and stop relying on Tony Horton and our DVD players to do that for us. I mean, eventually you shouldn't need a video to step you through eight variations of pull ups and eight variations of push ups. After two months of watching all 12 P90x DVDs six or seven times each you can pretty much roll out of bed and hammer out 16 bodyweight exercises to failure in 20 minutes bookended by 5 minutes of warmup and cooldown.

This is my undoing anyway. I waste too much time deliberating between doing the P90x DVD workout and watching that nights baseball or basketball playoff game, when I should be watching the sporting event I want to watch and enjoying the leisure time, while intuitively doing the curls and squats and bodyweight exercises Tony has taught me off the top of my head.

[alexa85]

thanks!
that makes me feel better. i think the workouts are great...full body weight bearing multi-joint exercises, but sometimes i don't feel like doing the one i'm supposed to or i don't feel like working out at all.

[MichaelA]

alexa: unless you are a very motivated individual, the "tue is plyo day" will make you do it and that's actually your goal. energy levels are not relative to your day dispositions, they are kinda set and p90x are by far something to finish you up. Train and build up your endurance.

[kungfumike]

Personally I love the structure and the schedule of P90X. As I am new to PB and on my second round of P90X, I am going to finish P90X as is. P90X is a wealth of fitness knowledge, but the poster who said we should not rely on a DVD to guide us is right in the long-run. I agree wholeheartedly, but it's a personal choice. Hmm... food for thought. Nice thread.

[PandorasVise]

I am doing p90x too, week 4. I am also relitivly new to primal. However, I already tried to eat from clean sources and I had cut back on starchy food. The change in food for me was eating fruit and cutting out. I skip some days and I don't feel bad about it. I am a very active person even without p90x. For example, friday, i did legs and back, took a hike with the kids and then that night did a two hour fight training class. Saturday when it was 'kenpo' day, I was still wiped, so I skipped it. I used to just push through the sore, but is it really worth it to overtrain? Today I will do some yoga, just because I like it and it feels good. My enrgy levels are really high since starting primal. I love it.

I have a fight (my second one ever) this saturday. I have such great energy latly that I know I will do well.

[alexa85]

my endurance and strength are great. i was in good shape before starting, p90x but was looking to really firm up and even as a certfied personal trainer i had run out of new ideas. i have no problem with the p90x workouts, michael a. but, i find myself wanting to be outside in this beautiful weather than inside in my living room...
i'm not dogging p90x at all. i'm glad i started the program (and am about to finish it). i've never been able to do pullups before and have never had, depsite being in good shape, a firm tummy. but, i contribute a lot of these body comp results to eating primally along with the workouts. i like the variety of p90x and the way it resembles my past sports training. i agree that it does have a wealth of fitness info and great ideas for making your own workouts.

[Kimcarroll]

I have done 3 rounds of P90X and and then incorporated the P90X + workouts. Last summer I even jumped in and did the Insanity program offered by Beachbody. Great workouts, but the insane part is that unless you are 20 years old, you are likely not going to get enough rest in their regimented training program to recover between workouts. I wound up with tendonitis in my shoulder and wasn't even one pound lighter, although my VOMax did improve dramatically.

I also found Mark and the Daily Apple through my experience with P90X or more specifically my following of Tony Horton's blog and his recommendations,. I bought the book and have become a believer, although I find it is still difficult sometimes. Honestly, I can say that the last 30 days, since I have endeavored to go primal (80-90% of the time) I have felt better than I have in years, inspite of my lifelong relentless effort towards fitness and "eating clean".

I have embraced Mark's philosophy on training, to the level that I can. I am more spontaneous than I used to be, but I still plan out every week. I know that sounds crazy if you are truly primal, but I have a job, a child, a commute and life that doesn't allow me to sleep in and rise without an alarm. Occasionally I get a walk in at lunch, and play with my kid after work, but if I didn't plan it, I wouldn't ever get the chance to work out.

What I have learned is that in addition to P90X, which is great and should absolutely be incorporated into your fitness routine, the WOD on the crossfit website are great workouts. I work out at home alone and like the videos to push me and give me structure. I recently found Cathe STS cardio, which has three really good HIIT workouts and one called core cardio that is a blaster. Also, the Rock Body workouts from the Exercise TV website are great and will give most anyone a 40 minute run for their money. All about variety.

I am also resting more. If I really don't feel rested enough to get up and work out, I don't, without guilt. Wow! What a feeling. The results? Well, after a month, I haven't lost any weight, but my waist is smaller and I haven't had any tummy issues. I used to get a little gas at the end of the day, when I was filling up on steel cut oats. whole grain bread and brown rice. No more of that. Yah! Also, more energy.

My average is still 5 days per week, 2 intense cardio sessions, 2 - 3 weight sessions and once leisurely stoll with some extra core work thrown in, if I get time. Much more manageable.

I love this philosophy, I just wish someone would prepare my meals for me, because it seems like I do a lot more of that now.
KC

[JessicaRunner]

Great thread! I am on my 2nd round of P90X, week 5. I usually skip the kenpo because I teach kickboxing and am a distance runner. I have also been skipping plyo. I never followed the P90X nutrition guide. I tried to my first round, but I was hungry and tired of checking off the daily requirements. I also tried the P90X protein bars back then....bleh! I have been eating 80-90% primal for almost a month now. No noticeable changes yet, but I'm just getting started.

[RednGreen]

I am in week 6 of P90X and have been really pleased with the results. I finished reading PB during week 4 and have decide to forego the carb increase recomended by the p90x nutrition guide. I'm relieved to see this thread, as I was wondering if anyone else was doing the same.

The most recent legs/back workout I did really left me sore and I ended up skipping core synergenics this morning. It doesn't make sense to me to power through it and workout when it seems like my body needs to recover. So to the other p90x'ers, should I move on to cardio and skip the core syn altogether or just pick up where I left off? Thanks for all the great input!!