P90X and nutrition plan

ecp2698
ecp2698 Posts: 267 Member
edited October 4 in Food and Nutrition
I am starting another round of P90X tomorrow and want to follow their nutrition plan. It says I am supposed to eat 1800 cal, does anyone know if that is 1800 net or just 1800 regardless, and not eat back any calories earned from the workouts?

(I tried searching the forums before posting and couldn't find any info on it!) Thanks!

Replies

  • trud72
    trud72 Posts: 1,912 Member
    i just stuck to my "normal" healthy eating plan whilst doing p90x!
    sorry best i can do...
  • Kohadre
    Kohadre Posts: 316
    It's 1800 net with excersise included.

    So if you ate to the nutrition plan without excersising it would be somewhere around 2000-2400 calories roughly.
  • MyCoachNYLA
    MyCoachNYLA Posts: 158 Member
    The 1800 (Level 1) plan already calculates in your expediture on your training, so 1800 is your daily intake according to their recommendations. Eating back calorie intake can sabatoge your goals.
  • hamncheese67
    hamncheese67 Posts: 1,715 Member
    It's 1800 regardless. The nutrition plan tries to simplify things so you either eat 1800, 2400, or 3000 calories per day. The calculation you do factors in 600 calories per day for the P90X exercise.

    Personally, when I did P90X, I first followed the nutrition plan, but then went to figuring out my calories based on what I had been doing on MFP and using my HRM to estimate my exercise calories (trying to eat them back). It just made more sense to me because the P90X nutrition plan painted a pretty broad brush so as to not make things complicated for everyone. Also you don't necessarily burn 600 calories per day with P90X (I didn't), plus what about the rest day? It also depends on whether you are trying to lose weight or not. For some, that number from the nutrition plan is good for maintenance, for others it's a deficit, and for others it's for gain.
  • murf19
    murf19 Posts: 453 Member
    regardless. The first time I did it I followed all 3 phases exact. The second time I only stayed in Phase 1 for 2 weeks and didn't go into phase 3. The 3rd time I did my own diet because by then I was Primal so I limeted my man made carbs.

    I love it and I eat really well so I don't bother following the phases any more. I try to keep my carbs low and try to maintain my body weight in Protien.

    Good luck. I just preordered P90X 2!
  • ecp2698
    ecp2698 Posts: 267 Member
    Thanks everyone! It made sense to eat the 1800 no matter what and not eat back exercise calories. I wear a HRM and keep track of calories burned so I will see how it compares anyway.

    I pre-ordered P90X2, too, I figured I would do a round beforehand to get myself prepared! :)
  • jdeese
    jdeese Posts: 5 Member
    Emmy - do you plan on adjusting your MFP goals? I had planned on doing the P90x eating plan but not sure about keeping up with the # of proteins, carbs, etc. on MFP since it isn't really set up for that.
  • Tyra1976
    Tyra1976 Posts: 21
    Good question. Since my scale never moves just watching my calories and doing P90x, I think I'm going to have to do the P90x meal plan. Wish me luck. I'm going to need it.
  • ecp2698
    ecp2698 Posts: 267 Member
    Yes, Jess, I already did.. 50% protein, 30% carbs and 20% fat for the first phase. However my goal is 188g of protein, which is so high. I have added a protein shake in the morning but I still think I will have a hard time hitting that amount. It is also hard for me to keep my fat at 20%, it adds up quickly some days!

    If I find I am lacking energy with less carbs, I might up it a little.. see how things go!

    I set my calories at 1500, too, with the expectation of burning an average of 300 cal with workouts. So I can log it and eat those calories and it comes out to 1800 cal, kwim?
  • jeniferkcarter
    jeniferkcarter Posts: 2
    Here is my take on it: The calculation is to see which level you fit into, not how many calories you are supposed to eat. The 'energy amount' (page 5 step #3) is what the plan expects you to eat, assuming your daily activity burn is 240 calories (I burn more like 340, based on my regular maintenance diet when I am not working out). It also assumes you burn 600 calories working out (which I don't). So for me: Step 1: 120 lbs x 10 = 1200. Step 2: 1200 + 340 (not the 240 they suggest) = 1540. Step 3: 1200 + 340 + 500 (for me, give or take, depending on the work out for the day) = 2040. I actually aim for ~1940 because I just can't eat that much... even 1940 seems like a lot. I'll adjust as needed. I don't mind losing/gaining a pound or two, but no more. Since I'm not trying to lose weight, or that much fat, I skipped phase 1 and plan to stay with phase 2 the entire time. Only if I start to feel weak will I go to phase 3, or maybe just try it for a week later on to see what happens.

    Oh, and I don't follow their food suggestions. I eat what sounds good to me, but I do stick to the 40%carb/ 40% protein/ 20 % fat ratio pretty religiously. I also try to limit my sugar to 30-40 grams per day. Normally, I stick to 30 or less, but it seems harder with this ratio for some reason. Even the 0% fat cottage cheese has sugar in it. Oh, and forget the p90x protein supplements... way too much sugar. There are plenty of low sugar (and much cheaper) options out there. For my recovery drink, I drink skim chocolate milk! It works for me!
  • smpreston
    smpreston Posts: 262 Member
    The calorie goals of the P90X nutrition plans are a little too general for me. I chose to use MFP and set my ratios per the plan. I don't know if I would go to the 50-30-20 ratio to start since you re on your second round. I would do that if you feel you have a lot of weight to lose. Since you've been doing the program, there is a good bet that you are getting close to your target weight. I would stick with the 40-40-20 ratios. I'm starting my second round 11/28 and plan on doing that.

    Use MFP for your calorie target since it takes into account your personal stats and goals.
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