Will doing P90x 'lazily' nutrition-wise not work?

[SpatiallyAware]

I'm 7 days in on p90x.. I work 60++ hours a week, and finding 1 hour a day is extremely difficult. Following the nutrition guide (with shrimp, turkey burgers, etc for lunch) is not possible at this moment.


I had a buddy tell me that this will -severely- lower the effects of the program, and suggested I instead find a personal trainer. WTF?

I generally eat a banana and fiber bar for breakfast (am now having banana and protein shake instead), a turkey sandwich (whole wheat, no mayo or other fats - usually not even cheese), protein bar for a snack later on. Dinner is usually chicken breast or other lean meat (grilled or baked) w/ veggies


Thoughts?

Also, I need to buy more protein powder. The last time I went to a health store the people there seemed to recommend a ton of stuff I dont need. I'd rather buy this online if possible - any recommendations?


I'm 6 days in and am really enjoying it. I hurt the next day but overall feel and think a lot better. I'm surprisingly already noticing results in my arms and stomach after only a few workouts.

 

[Ksyder]

What are your goals? Do you have lots of bodyfat to lose? Or are you leaner and looking to gain some muscle?

 

[StageLeft]

Rubbish. The nutrition is not magic. It's not got some magical synergy with the workout plan (I know Tony disagrees, but...). If you're doing the one hour/day (and I am completely sympathetic to you, it can be tough to do those workouts each day) and your nutrition is good but just not necessarily Tony-approved, you'll definitely get gains (or loses fat wise).

That said there's a lot you can do with a lunch bag and ice pack or pre-cooked food in insulated containers to get your nutrition where it needs to be.

I use dpsnutrition.com for my protein powder. You go to GSC you pay twice as much and it probably tastes like dried ass anyway.

Did you make it the entire way through plyometrics? Some of the workouts are tough. That one is harsh. Legs and back less so. Chest/back and fine ans shoulders/arms is the easiest I've seen. Plyo is a bear, though.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

What are your goals? Do you have lots of bodyfat to lose? Or are you leaner and looking to gain some muscle?

A bit of both. I have a naturally thicker/muscular frame size and am not fat. I was in shape about 5 years ago but haven't worked at all since. I'd say I'm focusing more on gaining muscle with the reps and weight I'm doing, and the cardio portion should take care of the rest.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Rubbish. The nutrition is not magic. It's not got some magical synergy with the workout plan (I know Tony disagrees, but...). If you're doing the one hour/day (and I am completely sympathetic to you, it can be tough to do those workouts each day) and your nutrition is good but just not necessarily Tony-approved, you'll definitely get gains (or loses fat wise).

That said there's a lot you can do with a lunch bag and ice pack or pre-cooked food in insulated containers to get your nutrition where it needs to be.

I use dpsnutrition.com for my protein powder. You go to GSC you pay twice as much and it probably tastes like dried ass anyway.

Did you make it the entire way through plyometrics? Some of the workouts are tough. That one is harsh. Legs and back less so. Chest/back and fine ans shoulders/arms is the easiest I've seen. Plyo is a bear, though.

I did ok overall.. If they did 15 reps I would do 13. I don't have to stop the video or anything but I need to focus more on my form. I also think it will all come easier once I have tried it a few times, I'm planning to focuse on my form more this second week. I hate the cardio the most, I just get bored out of my mind...

Speaking of - any mat opinions? I've read on the amazon reviews a lot of them tear during p90x type workouts, and to get the $90 manduka or go home. The equipment costs REALLY add up quick.

I hate doing things like protein powder where it could end up being nasty... bleh.. I just need to read a bunch of reviews I guess

 

[Ksyder]

Personally I like omega-3 whole eggs with some sort of meat for breakfast... I could never do the protein shake + banana combo... no matter how much I try to increase the palatability of the shake with some healthy fats, it never does the trick for me. and I end up hungry soon after.

I only say this because I think low-fat dieting is an idea that needs to be buried. And I like to have a little of saturated fat such as the whole eggs and mayo to help support testosterone production naturally. I think anyone who wants to gain muscle should have some fat in their diet.

I have heard of alot of positive benefits of whey, but for me, I just don't use it much, plus I heard Mauro Di Pasquale say that whey is not that great because on a low-carb diet it gets converted to sugar quickly through gluconeogenesis. I don't know whether that is relevant to other diets though.

 

[Whisper]

I only say this because I think low-fat dieting is an idea that needs to be buried. And I like to have a little of saturated fat such as the whole eggs and mayo to help support testosterone production naturally. I think anyone who wants to gain muscle should have some fat in their diet.

Eh, I dunno, the way I see it, even with a low-fat diet, many people will probably get enough fat to not require the addition of something like mayo. And while anecdotal evidence obviously is suspect, I've been following a primarily low-fat diet for about ten years now without any real problems.

Then again, a lot of it all does depend on your personal goals.

 

[Ksyder]

Eh, I dunno, the way I see it, even with a low-fat diet, many people will probably get enough fat to not require the addition of something like mayo. And while anecdotal evidence obviously is suspect, I've been following a primarily low-fat diet for about ten years now without any real problems.

Then again, a lot of it all does depend on your personal goals.

yeah I probably sound pretty stupid suggesting that people eat mayo... especially since its filled with cheap soybean oil and eggs. If anything I'd like to try some of the olive oil variety, its bound to be a little better fat profile in there.

Anyways, I can't really back that statement with any facts, so take it with a grain of salt I guess. I guess that just came to mind as some food item that is looked at as the devil when maybe it does do a little bit of good in some aspect.

 

[Kipper]

Personally I like omega-3 whole eggs with some sort of meat for breakfast... I could never do the protein shake + banana combo... no matter how much I try to increase the palatability of the shake with some healthy fats, it never does the trick for me. and I end up hungry soon after.

I only say this because I think low-fat dieting is an idea that needs to be buried. And I like to have a little of saturated fat such as the whole eggs and mayo to help support testosterone production naturally. I think anyone who wants to gain muscle should have some fat in their diet.

I have heard of alot of positive benefits of whey, but for me, I just don't use it much, plus I heard Mauro Di Pasquale say that whey is not that great because on a low-carb diet it gets converted to sugar quickly through gluconeogenesis. I don't know whether that is relevant to other diets though.

Your body can produce as much saturated fat as it needs. Simply because it is a precursor to cholesterol which can then be converted to testosterone does not mean because you eat more of it that you will have higher testosterone levels. Simply because you buy a ton of bricks does not mean that more houses will be built, does it?

For the purposes of weight loss, time and time again there is research showing that the magic of a diet is your ability to stick to it. People fall off the wagon because the changes they make are too radical, not because the diet didn't work. I myself hate cookie-cutter diets and would prefer instead changes adjusted to meet the person's needs and then go from there. The liberalization is one of the reasons Weight Watchers works so well. Low-fat, low-carb, low-whatever, however you go about inducing a caloric deficit doesn't really matter, in my opinion.

Edit: Mayo doesn't even have that much saturated fat in it.

 

[darkxshade]

What do you plan on doing after 90 days?

 

[Ksyder]

Your body can produce as much saturated fat as it needs. Simply because it is a precursor to cholesterol which can then be converted to testosterone does not mean because you eat more of it that you will have higher testosterone levels. Simply because you buy a ton of bricks does not mean that more houses will be built, does it?

I never said the more you eat, the higher test levels you would have. I said that I like to have a little as opposed to none.

 

[Kipper]

I never said the more you eat, the higher test levels you would have. I said that I like to have a little as opposed to none.

It seemed to be implied. Completely eliminating saturated fat from your diet would require a fat-free diet, which would kill you. SFA are present to some degree in all naturally-occurring fats.

 

[Whisper]

Your body can produce as much saturated fat as it needs. Simply because it is a precursor to cholesterol which can then be converted to testosterone does not mean because you eat more of it that you will have higher testosterone levels. Simply because you buy a ton of bricks does not mean that more houses will be built, does it?

For the purposes of weight loss, time and time again there is research showing that the magic of a diet is your ability to stick to it. People fall off the wagon because the changes they make are too radical, not because the diet didn't work. I myself hate cookie-cutter diets and would prefer instead changes adjusted to meet the person's needs and then go from there. The liberalization is one of the reasons Weight Watchers works so well. Low-fat, low-carb, low-whatever, however you go about inducing a caloric deficit doesn't really matter, in my opinion.

Edit: Mayo doesn't even have that much saturated fat in it.

Agreed; more than anything, when it comes to fitness, consistency really is key. Someone asked me for lifting/dietary advice at the gym the other day, and I said the same thing to him--even if you don't want to go, or you're tired, or you know you'll have a horrible workout, just go in (unless you're injured or feverish, of course).

Even if it's only for 30 minutes, or you're just "going through the motions," sticking to your routine day in, day out is the best way to ensure that it works.

 

[Ksyder]

It seemed to be implied. Completely eliminating saturated fat from your diet would require a fat-free diet, which would kill you. SFA are present to some degree in all naturally-occurring fats.

I understand what you are saying. When I said none I mean more along the lines of "no foods that are real sources of saturated fats." If you read the OP you will see that he is eating lean turkey, chicken, and whey with no mention of red meats or cheeses or any other sources of sat. fats. I was just suggesting that maybe a little fat could be beneficial.

I don't want to turn this into a debate about fats in the diet and their role as there is already enough of that out there, I know I lifted for years on a low fat diet and didn't get very good results. It was only when I started to add a mix of some saturated fats and healthy mono's, etc as a real percentage of the diet is when I saw better gains.

 

[Whisper]

I understand what you are saying. When I said none I mean more along the lines of "no foods that are real sources of saturated fats." If you read the OP you will see that he is eating lean turkey, chicken, and whey with no mention of red meats or cheeses or any other sources of sat. fats. I was just suggesting that maybe a little fat could be beneficial.

I don't want to turn this into a debate about fats in the diet and their role as there is already enough of that out there, I know I lifted for years on a low fat diet and didn't get very good results. It was only when I started to add a mix of some saturated fats and healthy mono's, etc as a real percentage of the diet is when I saw better gains.

Yep, this is one of those topics about which (as far as I know) there is little empirical support one way or another, so most people's opinions are based on anecdotal/personal experience. Like you, I've been on a low-fat diet for years and years, but I've actually noticed very positive results. The biggest changes have occurred once I shifted when I ate as opposed to what I ate. I'd venture that perhaps your improved results were due as much to an increase in caloric intake as to an increase in saturated fats, but that's entirely opinion.

In the end, whatever works for you is what you should do.

 

[Ksyder]

I'd venture that perhaps your improved results were due as much to an increase in caloric intake as to an increase in saturated fats, but that's entirely opinion.

I was thinking the same thing as I wrote that post...

Obviously everyone is different. I only ate lots of carbs all those years because the food pyramid suggested that we need something like 6-9 servings of grains and FATS WILL KILL YOU. Now that there is better information available to the average person, I have been able to find out that I function better on less carbs and more protein and fat. Certainly not Zero carbs, but they are eaten alot more intelligently now.

 

[Whisper]

I was thinking the same thing as I wrote that post...

Obviously everyone is different. I only ate lots of carbs all those years because the food pyramid suggested that we need something like 6-9 servings of grains and FATS WILL KILL YOU. Now that there is better information available to the average person, I have been able to find out that I function better on less carbs and more protein and fat. Certainly not Zero carbs, but they are eaten alot more intelligently now.

It's pretty crazy what some of us will end up doing initially because we think it'll help. I remember when I first started working out, I'd read the factoid that your heart rate (and possibly metabolism) are ramped up for an hour or two after you finish working out...so in an effort to remain lean, I would actually hold off on eating until at least an hour after lifting. As you can imagine, that turned out to be pretty counterproductive.