P90X - Does it Work?

[Dayze]

Ok;. So I’m getting to the point where I’m seeing the gestation of ‘moobs’. I’ve had the love handles for a few years.
In 2006, I remember seeing the scale and it reading “215”. I remember telling my wife, ‘holy crap. I weight 215!”

Well, shit. Now I’m probably 240. I’m about 6’1” and carry the weight pretty well, in that I’m not all floppy/flabby.

I’ve done the Couch to 5K twice, and had success. I’m thinking about doing it yet again, and at the conclusion of the program, looking at P90X.
I’d like to do as much as I can from home. If the P90X program produces results, I may invest in a gym membership at that point.

Has anyone used this, and if so, how did you like it. Did you see results?

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Dayze

all great advice!

I really liked that myfitnesspal website.

and, honestly, I'm nto all that interested in strictly losing weight. If I can gain more muscle in the process and only drop 15 pounds then great.
I guess I'll be more interested in the size of my body rather than weight. I wear a 40-42 waist; so getting down to like a 32 would be awesome I suspect.

hopefully I explained that well enough. I've known people who base everything simply on weight loss; if that mean sacrificing muscle, they didn't care.

Just my .02 but it "strength training" during weight loss efforts is excellent. It helps give you the body you want while making sure your muscles aren't getting shrunk along with your weight.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Given what you have said, I wouldn't start any type of program just yet. Start off by going on walks with your wife. It's a great way to get exercise and spend some quality time talking to each other without all of the day to day distractions.

From there, you can broach the subject of eating better. Just tell her that you want to lose weight and ask if the two of you can start planning healthier meals. There are two keys that I have found for eating better:

1. Plan out your meals in advance. Improvising meals NEVER ends up healthy. It always winds up being convenience food or eating out. Both are terrible for weight loss.

2. Don't buy junk food. It sounds obvious, but the easiest way to avoid eating crap is not to let it in your house in the first place. When you get bored and look through the pantry, then the fridge, back to the pantry (repeat 20 times) scavenging for food, the best thing you can find is nothing. It won't kill you. If you really want an awesome snack, eat a honeycrisp apple with a little peanut butter. That will scratch the sweet and salty itch without crushing your diet. Also, buy a bag of popcorn kernels and some brown paper lunch bags. You can pour the kernels in the bag, pop them in the microwave, and have perfect popcorn. Sprinkle on a little salt to kill your craving, and you're golden.

Once again I agree with Saul 100%. I would suggest a slight modification though. Life is short and while we want to be healthy we don't want to have a boring life.

In my young-single days the plan I followed for food was Monday-Friday was healthy eating. Saturday and Sunday were treat days. Not binge days but that was when if I wante a buger then ok, or a pizza then ok.

Plus this keeps you from getting off your healthy habits.

[warpaint*]

I like it a lot. Very effective program. It is like anything, the harder you work and the better you eat the better the results.

TH is a cheesedick. That is about the only downside.

[Dayze]

yeah; if I can survivie about 6 months / lifestyle change etc, I want to get some weights/bench etc. and I also want a heavy bag. After my gymnastics 'career', I boxed for about a year down at the old KC rec center across/near KU Med. I loved the workouts.

[Omaha]

Originally Posted by petegz28

I could not agree more with this. I don't want to knock the P90X or anything else that works for someone but I have always just viewed these as a gimmick that people never stay with and therefore any results are temporary.

Originally Posted by petegz28

But let me answer the questions you say are fail:

1. why do people not stick with it? Because it's too much of a change, too fast and they are all gung-ho at first them burn out. A lot of people looking for a quck fix, in other words

Originally Posted by petegz28

I never said people "never stick with it". Good for you and those who did this and moved onto other fitness activitives. You have embraced a lifestyle change which was my origninal point.

F to the A to the I to the L!!!!!!!!!

[Omaha]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Right, that's why this country is the most obese on the planet. I know a lot of people who have completed "programs" or "diets" and 6 months later they are right back to where they are. What you are saying is doing nothing but proving my orgininal point is that it is a lifestyle change.

I never said people "never stick with it". Good for you and those who did this and moved onto other fitness activitives. You have embraced a lifestyle change which was my origninal point.

I'm not sure what you think a "lifestyle change" is, but why can't P90X (or any other workout) be that change? I'm not sure why you think this program is such a chore when you have never done it. Some people actually enjoy working out and look forward to it.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Omaha

I'm not sure what you think a "lifestyle change" is, but why can't P90X (or any other workout) be that change? I'm not sure why you think this program is such a chore when you have never done it. Some people actually enjoy working out and look forward to it.

I didn't say it couldn't be. JFC, what are you, 2?

[Chiefnj2]

I did p90x once for about 70 days and then I caught a stomach virus that knocked be for a loop for a few days and then I got sidetracked.

Yes it works. It works because (a) you are probably going from a sedentary lifestyle to working out hard for 60+ minutes and (b) you have to follow the diet advice for it to work well.

However, even if you did your own workout for 60-80 minutes a day and start to eat right, you'll get in shape and feel better. Just pick something you enjoy and stick with it.

[Dayze]

I think I'll save $150, and just start throwing bags of shit at cops to get in my cardio.

[petegz28]

I'd also encourage you to look into juicing for a part of your diet. Especially if you are like me and aren't much of a veggies person. And after a week of proper juicing you will feel better overall. You will just feel "healthy" and like you have energy but in a good way, not like you just drank a pot of coffee.

[MahiMike]

I works but be careful. I blew out my rotator cuff and labrum. Had surgery 3 mos ago. My physical therapist said P90X and insanity workouts are great for business!

[Brock]

I bet it works pretty good. You gotta lift too, though, or you'll never get in fantastic shape.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Brock

I bet it works pretty good. You gotta lift too, though, or you'll never get in fantastic shape.

I think lifting is underrated and gets a bad wrap, particularly for the weight loss crowd. Thus the constant flow of exercise programs that involve little to no lifting.

I know some people are intimidated by lifting. The see it as trying to get all bulked out and only for serious body builders when actually it helps burn fat tremendously in conjunction with cardio.

[Pestilence]

My one problem with the P90x program was that it was ****ing long as hell. On ab days....you were basically working out for like an hour and 20 minutes. Having three kids, a wife and a job....it was tough trying to fit in 1.5 hours for a workout.

Shit works your ass off though.

[EdmontonChiefsFan]

Originally Posted by Dayze

I also need to get a better understanding of a better diet. Something that is sustainable. Not one of those "Eat dirt and grapes for 5 months" etc. Just an overal approach to eating. I honestly have no idea. I've always been a meat and potatoes guy.

I'd say over the course of 6 months, I'd like to be able to lose about 30-40lbs; but I'm not sure if that's too unrealistic or not.

I'm not so much in a hurry to lose it, but just want to have some realistic goals to shoot for.

I don't know if anybody has recommended this to you or not, but you should look into the South Beach diet. You can read the book in a couple hours and then once you get the principles you don't need to go back to the book. It's a diet that's easy, it works and best of all it's a diet that you don't get sick of. I am not fat and never have been, but the rest of my family is pretty big. Everytime I hit over 210 pounds I go on a diet and drop down to 195 or so. I don't diet anymore, I just pretty much stick to the principles in South Beach and the weight doesn't come back.