P90X'ers and Fitness/Diet people... Need Input

RainyDayProphet

Since August I've trimmed most of the flab out of my body, losing over 40 pounds through strict diet and daily walking.

One week ago I started P90X and am dedicated to my new diet, which includes:
Increased protein,
fair amount of fibrous/complex carbs,
low fat,
good hydration

I've nearly DOUBLED my food intake, but even with the jump up to around 2000 calories per day (from about 1200), I'm losing weight. I feel I should be balancing out on the weight lose (or even starting to gain some weight).

Is this simply my body still being in calorie burning mode?

At 2000 Calories, I feel like I'm eating A TON of food. I don't know if I should be force feeding myself more (or if my body could even stuff more food in).

Any Ideas?

Thanks in advance!

YeaILift

Are you eating the calories you burned? Also, your maintenance level for calories might be a little higher than 2000. I would add 100 calories a per day a week until you start gaining weight/maintaining.

Red13

I think the program recommends not going below 1800 calories and for men it's probably a little higher. I would try to get your calories in even though you don't feel like it. Seeing that you're only a week into it, you'll start to need those calories as you go along and your body starts to adjust to your new workouts/schedule. It is a lot of work for your body so you should definitely keep up your energy so you can perform the workouts at your best. Good luck!

RainyDayProphet

At that point is it best to grab those extra calories in the form of a Protein Shake/Bar?

pattysw17

Hi Reihn, how much do you currently weigh?

YeaILift

At that point is it best to grab those extra calories in the form of a Protein Shake/Bar?

Sure, especially if you are having trouble eating more. I would do it with just water for a week (Body Fortress Whey Protein from Walmart is cheap and tasty), and if you are still losing, add some milk for extra calories. It'll work best post workout, but any time is a good time for protein.

RainyDayProphet

@ Pattysw17: Currently I weigh 168 pounds. I've dropping 2 pounds since Starting P90X (on Monday)

mzenzer

I'm at 206 lbs right now and I eat usually between 2500 and 3000 calories. It's not easy, but I usually burn in the neighborhood of 800 calories, sometimes over 1000 calories a day especially now because I do P90X and I'm training for a 10k in April. I pretty much eat all my calories back. That being said, some days it's just hard to make it. I try to pick calorie dense foods or include things that are calorie dense like olive oil. One thing I find that gets me every time, is that if I eat a normal but filling breakfast and lunch, normal snacks, and I'm not paying attention to how low in calories they were I find that by dinner I've still got 1500 calories to go! So, sometimes if I think about it I try to eat a large breakfast and lunch, that way I'm not trying so hard to make up the rest of the calories at night. Also, I eat another "snack" after dinner, usually close to bed. I know most people think you can't do that but calories can't tell time and your body still burns at night, and I work out at 5am before eating. It works for me I'm down from over 230 pounds doing that but opinions vary greatly on the eating before bed thing. For more info on that look up the hibernation diet, I get some of my ideas from it.

All that being said I am still losing weight, or at least inches and my fat percentage is dropping.

I have a great book called "Lean and Hard" by Mackie Shilstone. Mackie is a genuis when it comes to fitness and building muscle so fast on people you would think they were taking steroids. His "trick" really is to workout like a banshee and consume a crazy amount of calories. For a guy my size it could be anywhere between 4500 and 6000 calories. Look him up he's put muscle weight quickly on quite a few celebrities.

pattysw17

According to my calculations you should be eating 2620 calories a day...do youhave the diet program which goes with p90x?

RainyDayProphet

Yes I do Patty, but I've not been able to get anywhere near that amount of food into my body. For the last 3 months I've been eating 1200 per day. I'm working on getting more food in, but I just feel sick when I try.

glfprncs2

One thing that people tend to forget when they're in weight loss mode is that you still need to be sure to fuel your body. You don't say how active you are outside of P90X, but I'm right around the same weight as you (though I'm a woman) and I burn, on average, around 2700 calories/day (I wear a Bodybugg which I feel is quite accurate).

So, if you're an active person and doing P90X, it's quite possible that you do, indeed, need to eat more.

The P90X diet, also, is VERY low carb/high protein in the beginning. It's designed that way so boost fat shredding in the beginning (which for most of us means weight loss). You do NOT have to say in the phase 1 diet for all of phase 1. In fact, I found the phase 2 diet to be much more balanced and realistic for my lifestyle, so after my 30 days in phase 1, I went to phase 2 diet and stayed there for the rest of the round and for the next 2 I did.

I know that you say you feel poorly if you eat more, but you realistically are burning far more than the 1200 you used to eat, and your body is going to start 'ratting' on you if you don't give it the fuel it needs. Try to find foods that are calorie dense, like nuts. Even a small serving of them provides healthy fats, protein, but they pack calories.

hewhoiscd

Also, try to eat more often, not just more at a time. Set your alarm to go off every two hours while you are awake. Every time the alarm goes off, eat or drink something (healthy). Try to eat a lot of healthy carbs in the morning.

yanafit

Hi Reihn,

The best advice that i could share with you is to Listen to your own body. In a case if you are feeling tired, weak after the workouts or during the day and your energy level is low then maybe you need to add some form of protein/complex carbs into your eating routine if you are feeling great then just continue on. I am also on the P90x on my 8th week already and in the beginning tried to follow the nutrition plan but found out for myself it was just too much food for my body. So i modified to fit my needs and the I feel great of course taking vitamins/supplements are very important as well as making sure that you are eating at least every 2-2.5 hours.

hope it helps:)

RainyDayProphet

You've all been quite helpful.

I'm to determined to ever fail at this. Thanks for giving me the added and support I needed.