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If you've spent any time researching various fitness and diet programs out there and especially if you're a fan of late-night infomercials, it's fairly safe to assume that you've run across 'P90X'. P90X is gaining popularity rapidly as many people are jumping on it and seeing great weight loss and muscle defining results.
Most like it because it can be performed strictly in the comfort of your home if you prefer, making it accessible by just about anyone.
But does P90X work? What's the real deal behind this workout program? Here are some of the main points to consider about this system.
Variability
Potentially the single biggest thing that P90X has going for it is a high level of variability. If you're someone who finds they get bored of their workout very quickly and that's what causes you to drop off and stop doing it, P90X has the solution.
If you begin browsing through their workout manuals you find that no two workouts are exactly alike. This will accomplish two things.
First, it will keep your body guessing. Unfortunately the human body is very quick to adapt to a given stimulus, so if something doesn't change, chances are you're going to plateau. Since this program has you doing something completely different each and every time you're doing your workout, you won't be giving it that chance to get comfortable.
Second, because of this variability, you'll maintain interest. With some new combination of exercises every single day, it's hard to get bored while using this approach. Since no workout program will be effective unless you are making sure to actually do each and every workout, this program has this factor really working to its benefit. Now, the drawback to this variability factor however is that because it's changing so much, it can be hard to make progress with a single type of workout.
Generally it's a good idea to give a workout three to four sessions in order to progress on it before changing it up, but with P90X you typically aren't doing this. You may eventually repeat the workout much further down the road, but by then so much time has passed it's not creating the same impact.
Another potential problem with the variability is that there is a wide range of workouts to be performed, some of which individuals may not particularly enjoy. For example, there are entire yoga and stretching workouts called for in the program which can be a hit or miss form of exercise. Some people will love this addition but others who really can't be bothered will more than likely skip those sessions, thus wasting program time.
Stretching and yoga-related types of movements are important for a well rounded approach to fitness, however if you really prefer not to dedicate entire sessions to these, you can always perform them at the end of your regular workout in the last ten minutes or so.
Those who have intense goals of building more muscle mass or losing body fat may be better off putting their time and energy towards workouts that will be more conducive to reaching the goals you have set for yourself.
Community Support
The next nice thing with the P90X program is the community support you will see with it. Those who do make an effort to reach out whether online or in person do tend to stick with their programs better and achieve faster results.
When you join the P90X program you will get online support tools that gives you access to fitness experts as well as support from others who are using the program. This allows you to get fast answers to any questions you may have while also meeting others who are working towards similar goals as yourself.
Nutritional Guidance With Recipes
Another big component of the P90X program itself is the nutritional aspect of it. When you combine workouts with a proper diet program you're always going to get better results than if you hadn't because diet is such a large part of the progress game.
If you aren't watching what you're putting into your body, it's going to be very difficult to see the results you're after, so using the diets the P90X program offers will be to your advantage.
You'll get a large number of recipes to make use of throughout the program so if that's something you've typically struggle with on past weight loss attempts, P90X will solve that issue.
Another nice thing about the diet approach utilized is that it offers three main phases. These phases can be done one after each other, or if you prefer you can just choose the phase that's most applicable to you and stick with that.
The Fat Shredder phase is the one that will be most effective for really cutting body fat and contains a macronutrient ratio of 50% protein, 30% carbohydrates, and 20% fat. Since protein is the most critical element for retaining muscle mass on a diet, it's one you don't want to miss out on.
The second phase of the diet, which is termed the 'Energy Booster' phase contains 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates, and 20% fat. This is a good balanced approach for those who are quite active in their everyday lives and who require slightly more energy.
Many people will do well on this type of nutrient set-up for maintenance purposes as well, so if that's a goal of yours something to definitely consider.
Finally, the third phase of the P90X diet is the 'Endurance Maximizer phase'. This phase divides the macronutrients up into 20% protein, 60% carbohydrates, and 20% dietary fat, making it quite a carbohydrate heavy approach.
This type of set-up typically isn't the best idea for those who are looking for pure weight loss and utilizing lower calorie levels since chances are protein intake will be quite low, but could be good for those who are doing a high volume of exercise, especially endurance work.
Conclusion
So what's the verdict? Does 90X work? The answer is up to you. P90X does provide you with a number of resources you can use to see success and those who make the most if it typically will get the results they are looking for.
Like any program though you should think about what you're doing and why you're doing it and consider making a few revisions so that it meets your own personal needs slightly better. It's always best to personalize your approach rather than taking the cookie cutter approach that typically does not address personal circumstances.
If you can do this with the P90X program, stay committed and work hard, then you should be able to get the results you're looking for.
Most like it because it can be performed strictly in the comfort of your home if you prefer, making it accessible by just about anyone.
But does P90X work? What's the real deal behind this workout program? Here are some of the main points to consider about this system.
Variability
Potentially the single biggest thing that P90X has going for it is a high level of variability. If you're someone who finds they get bored of their workout very quickly and that's what causes you to drop off and stop doing it, P90X has the solution.
If you begin browsing through their workout manuals you find that no two workouts are exactly alike. This will accomplish two things.
First, it will keep your body guessing. Unfortunately the human body is very quick to adapt to a given stimulus, so if something doesn't change, chances are you're going to plateau. Since this program has you doing something completely different each and every time you're doing your workout, you won't be giving it that chance to get comfortable.
Second, because of this variability, you'll maintain interest. With some new combination of exercises every single day, it's hard to get bored while using this approach. Since no workout program will be effective unless you are making sure to actually do each and every workout, this program has this factor really working to its benefit. Now, the drawback to this variability factor however is that because it's changing so much, it can be hard to make progress with a single type of workout.
Generally it's a good idea to give a workout three to four sessions in order to progress on it before changing it up, but with P90X you typically aren't doing this. You may eventually repeat the workout much further down the road, but by then so much time has passed it's not creating the same impact.
Another potential problem with the variability is that there is a wide range of workouts to be performed, some of which individuals may not particularly enjoy. For example, there are entire yoga and stretching workouts called for in the program which can be a hit or miss form of exercise. Some people will love this addition but others who really can't be bothered will more than likely skip those sessions, thus wasting program time.
Stretching and yoga-related types of movements are important for a well rounded approach to fitness, however if you really prefer not to dedicate entire sessions to these, you can always perform them at the end of your regular workout in the last ten minutes or so.
Those who have intense goals of building more muscle mass or losing body fat may be better off putting their time and energy towards workouts that will be more conducive to reaching the goals you have set for yourself.
Community Support
The next nice thing with the P90X program is the community support you will see with it. Those who do make an effort to reach out whether online or in person do tend to stick with their programs better and achieve faster results.
When you join the P90X program you will get online support tools that gives you access to fitness experts as well as support from others who are using the program. This allows you to get fast answers to any questions you may have while also meeting others who are working towards similar goals as yourself.
Nutritional Guidance With Recipes
Another big component of the P90X program itself is the nutritional aspect of it. When you combine workouts with a proper diet program you're always going to get better results than if you hadn't because diet is such a large part of the progress game.
If you aren't watching what you're putting into your body, it's going to be very difficult to see the results you're after, so using the diets the P90X program offers will be to your advantage.
You'll get a large number of recipes to make use of throughout the program so if that's something you've typically struggle with on past weight loss attempts, P90X will solve that issue.
Another nice thing about the diet approach utilized is that it offers three main phases. These phases can be done one after each other, or if you prefer you can just choose the phase that's most applicable to you and stick with that.
The Fat Shredder phase is the one that will be most effective for really cutting body fat and contains a macronutrient ratio of 50% protein, 30% carbohydrates, and 20% fat. Since protein is the most critical element for retaining muscle mass on a diet, it's one you don't want to miss out on.
The second phase of the diet, which is termed the 'Energy Booster' phase contains 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates, and 20% fat. This is a good balanced approach for those who are quite active in their everyday lives and who require slightly more energy.
Many people will do well on this type of nutrient set-up for maintenance purposes as well, so if that's a goal of yours something to definitely consider.
Finally, the third phase of the P90X diet is the 'Endurance Maximizer phase'. This phase divides the macronutrients up into 20% protein, 60% carbohydrates, and 20% dietary fat, making it quite a carbohydrate heavy approach.
This type of set-up typically isn't the best idea for those who are looking for pure weight loss and utilizing lower calorie levels since chances are protein intake will be quite low, but could be good for those who are doing a high volume of exercise, especially endurance work.
Conclusion
So what's the verdict? Does 90X work? The answer is up to you. P90X does provide you with a number of resources you can use to see success and those who make the most if it typically will get the results they are looking for.
Like any program though you should think about what you're doing and why you're doing it and consider making a few revisions so that it meets your own personal needs slightly better. It's always best to personalize your approach rather than taking the cookie cutter approach that typically does not address personal circumstances.
If you can do this with the P90X program, stay committed and work hard, then you should be able to get the results you're looking for.