P90X - Scared

It is an excellent program. 3k calories might seem high, but you'll be burning a LOT during those workouts. You might try eating fewer than 3000 calories, but your body will tell you during the workouts if you're eating enough. One of the big focus points of P90X that most people skip out on are the specific nutritional information covered in the program. It is pretty easy to eat 3k calories when you're eating junk. If you're following good nutritional advice, it might be difficult to eat 3k calories due to being so full with such good food.
Nontheless, I started this program weighing nearly 280 lbs. Good coaching will assure that you scale the workouts accordingly. The first week may be miserable, but I can tell you first-hand that you'll really start feeling better in no time after that.
I wish you the best of luck! Though with enough hard work & dedication in this program, you simply won't need any luck :-)

I'm on my second round of P90X3, starting month 2 - I skipped the last week of the first month. I mostly follow the program, although I have subbed a few workouts from later in the program for workouts that I hate. Seriously, The Warrior can kiss my behind, there's a reason that sucker doesn't appear throughout the program. And I don't hate CVX but I'd rather just do cardio than cardio with a weight, that's just a recipe for disaster for my clumsy self. I would recommend following the schedule if you're doing the program for the first time.

I would also recommend watching the workouts before you do them to get a sense of how the moves are done. Tony is kind of hit or miss with how well he explains the moves and sometimes won't give tips until you've already done 8 reps, plus the workouts can move pretty quickly. He also thinks he's the funniest person he knows and tends to get distracted, which means he misses cues. And yes, that Tracy Morrow chick is some kind of robot. A bouncy, chipper robot. It's ok to want to punch her.

3000 cals sounds like a lot to me for this program. Unless your niece has some training in nutrition, I would run your TDEE to find out how many calories you need. Yes, you'll burn calories, but it's a 30 min workout and none of the workouts are steady-state, you're taking breaks or pauses between movements the entire video. I'm not saying you won't get a workout, I wouldn't waste my time with another round if I didn't feel like I was getting a decent workout, but 3000 seems high.

I would say do what you can. Even if you cant do as many reps as the people on the videos you're still going to get a great workout and over time you will improve

She probably picked everyone who filled the form. That's what coaches do, they say I have 2 spaces left, I need two people, but the reality is they get everyone that reach out to the coach.

With that said, don't feel bad. First, because you're not the only one who has done this. Second, because you're not the only one terrified of P90X. Third, because as hard as it might be, it will get you out and beyond of your comfort zone and that's what causes changes. I'm not saying other form of exercises don't cause changes in our bodies, but many times we just don't push harder because we have a mental limit that won't allow us to to see how much more we can do.

Now, about 3000 calories, I personally believe that is WAY too much. I've done P90X in the past (two and half times), I've done P90X+ and P90X2, and even when I was using it to bulk up a little, my highest calorie intake was around to 2,800 calories. A factor to take into consideration, I am a man. I was burning fat and gaining muscle mass. So even though the P90X calculator was suggesting me to eat around 3000, 2800 was what worked for me.

The coach I was talking to at that time would always say that you would need to eat just a little bit less than what the calculator suggested. I learned that you would need to check every week or two how your body was being affected and start making adjustments based on that.

1700 calories would probably be too little, but 3000 calories is way too much. BeachBody coaches are just regular people who have done P90X with some level of success, and they just use that to make some money with other people, whether they really care that others get healthier or not. They are NOT nutritionists and they are not certified personal trainers. They just tell you what have worked for them and have been told by their coaches.

P90X works, but you need to pay a lot of attention to your meals/calories.

And about not being fit enough, just to as much as you can. Tony Horton says it, don't get disappointed if you can't finish a workout, just do your best and forget the rest. Next week look at what you need the previous week and try to do a little bit more. That's how it works.

I started P90X on Monday too! (I read the original post but not all the comments, so I hope you are doing it)

I feel like my arms are going to fall off at any moment...

I am not counting calories yet. It is hard for me, since I have food allergies and make 90% of what I eat from scratch.

Looking for a buddy, to help keep me encouraged! Hope your plyo workout today was good. My quads just started hurting, but it is bed time, so tylenol and I are going to be good friends the next few weeks.