THERE ARE 3 PHASES TO THE P90X NUTRITION PLAN: 1. Energy Booster 3. Endurance Maximizer This is PHASE 1: FAT SHREDDER Phase 1: FAT SHREDDER A high-protein-based diet designed to help you strengthen muscle while rapidly shedding fat from your body. 50% PROTEIN, 30% CARBOHYDRATE, 20% FAT Those who are reasonably fit. Phase 3- P90X Endurance Maximizer The last phase of your nutrition should fuel your workouts. As such, it demands you consume an athletic diet that primarily revolves around complex carbs and lean proteins. The P90x 'Secret Weapon'. Phase 3: Endurance Maximizer. This phase kicks in near the tail end of the program and consists of complex carbs, lean proteins and reduced fat. It’s focus is in maximizing the fuel available during the last few weeks of the system, helping you avoid plateaus and get chiseled and toned.
Any X’er will tell you, the P90X Nutrition Plan is key to maximizing your results. Just as P90X is NOT a quick fix or miracle fad the nutrition plan is about choosing the foods you WANT to eat and determining the portions that’ll properly fuel you before, during and after each of your workouts.The P90X Nutrition Plan is NOT built around a daily “calorie deficit” for weight loss, like the INSANITY Elite Nutrition Guide. Running a caloric deficit during P90X is risky, and chances are it would lead to overtraining, decreased performance, or perhaps injury or illness.
There are 3 PHASES to the P90X Nutrition Plan. You can follow any phase at any time based on your nutritional level.
I generally always eat similar to Phase 2: Energy Booster
Phase 1: Fat Shredder
Kicking off your P90X workout and diet program, the high-protein-based foods in this phase are designed to strip fat while strengthening your muscles.
Fat Shredder meals should proportionally be: 50% protein, 30% carbohydrates and 20% fat.
This stage is designed to cut down your body fat percentage. It can be extended if you NEED to drop more fat OR it can be shortened if your body fat is already low.
Phase 2: Energy Booster
A healthy mix of protein and carbohydrates with a reduced amount of protein to maximize endurance and provide additional energy for performance (eg, during Plyometrics workouts!).
Meals in this phase are 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates and 20% fat.
This is more of a well-rounded, long-term (Sustainable! This is a lifestyle change, right?), sensible eating plan. This plan can be used as long as you like.
Phase 3: Endurance Maximizer
This phase kicks in near the tail end of the program and consists of complex carbs, lean proteins and reduced fat. It’s focus is in maximizing the fuel available during the last few weeks of the system, helping you avoid plateaus and get chiseled and toned.
It’s heavier on the carbs but if you’re willing to push your body to the limit, your endurance (& results) WILL improve: 20% protein, 60% carbohydrates and 20% fat.
This is an athletic diet and should only be used if you are pushing your body to the limit. If you have hit a plateau, it may be worth trying this diet to break the plateau.
OK, so how many calories should you be eating? Download the Excel spreadsheet that calculates your caloric needs and “Level”(thanks goes to Coach Dave Ward for putting this together). The Excel file also has a daily tracker you can use. If you can print this and laminate it, you can keep track of your portions each 6 days. If not, just print a new page every six days. The daily tracker also has boxes for water and supplements to help remind you to DRINK WATER. This will help you to stay accountable. Additionally, the Phase Shopping Lists in the Excel file can be used for menu/meal planning and shopping.
If you need ANY help just click here! In the weeks to come, I will be posting recipes and meal ideas. Stay tuned.
If you are getting ready to start P90X, don’t forget to check out Your P90X Checklist and make sure you have plenty of the P90X Results and Recovery Formula and Shakeology on hand!
Endurance Maximizer Meal Plan –
Already this year, I have created two sample plans of two weeks’ worth of the sample meals for the Fat Shredder plan and Energy Booster. Fat Shredder with a deficit is the best plan for cutting BF and getting ripped. Energy Booster is often the next step for people as they transition to eating maintenance calories and continue to perfect their results. Endurance Maximizer can still be used to maintain or to add muscle. With Endurance Maximizer you will be upping your carbs to 50%. So you will want to make sure you are bringing it and that your overall calories are in-line with your overall goals.
What’s different about Endurance Maximizer?
The biggest difference you will notice even coming from Energy Booster with Endurance Maximizer is the transition of 10% more of your calories from protein to carbohydrates. This is what gives you that endurance. Carbs are an energy source, so when you eat them you get energy. The reason carbs often get a bad name is because they can more easily be stored as fat — especially simple carbs. Most of the food that we call “bad” is high in simple carbs and fat. That makes that food very calorically dense and easy to eat a lot of. With 50% of your calories coming from carbs, you will have TONS of energy to do a lot of work!You probably remember that when increasing your calories AND decreasing your percentage of protein (shifting from 1900 at 50/30/20 to 2400 at 40/40/20 and now to 3000 at 30/50/20) you’ll still see that your overall grams of protein will stay pretty consistent. Instead of taking 50% of a smaller number of calories to get your needed protein, you’ll be taking 30% of an even LARGER number of calories. This will still give you plenty of protein to build and maintain muscle and get all those good muscle protein synthesis responses.
Get ready to enjoy carbs again! Grains, brown rice, whole wheat breads and pastas … I still feel like I am pigging out when I use Endurance Maximizer because I had gotten so used to strictly limiting the carbs. It’s awesome!
Why 3000 calories?
I picked 3000 calories because that seems to be a good starting surplus for most people to start bulking and then can even be the maintenance mark for use bigger guys. I’m a larger than average person, I actually eat about 3000 to maintain my weight. Finding you maintenance is important. If you want help finding your maintenance calorie need, check out: Finding Your Maintenance Calorie Needs You can see where your calorie total should be for your size by looking at the Dialing It In section.
Who should use Energy Maximizer?
If you are at your BF goal or looking to build some muscle and bulk, Energy Maximizer is a great option. The added carbs give you tons of energy to work really hard during your workouts and also help to build muscle. The overall calories you eat will determine if you maintain or gain. Don’t use it on a deficit. Only taking 30% protein while running a deficit won’t give you an optimal amount of protein to maintain and build muscle. To calculate your calorie need, see the teamRIPPED Calorie Calculator (Use a negative number like -500 to create a surplus).
Here’s what you can do to see my Diary of the 3000 Calorie Energy Booster Diet on MFP
1.) Log into MyFitnessPal.com (OR set up a free account if you are new to MFP).
2.) Search for “coachwayne” under COMMUNITY > FIND MEMBERS.
3.) Don’t add me as a “friend.” Wait what? I am maxed out on friend for MFP – Sorry!! It’s nothing personal. Just click my profile and then VIEW DIARY.
4.) Navigate to the starting day of July 22nd.
By the end of these two weeks you will have a bit more to work with if you are transitioning from Fat Shredder and 1900 calories to Energy Booster and 40/40/20 with 2400 all the way to Endurance Maximizer with 3000 calories as your target. Take that knowledge and build your own nutrition plan. Most people find it extremely beneficial to plan their day the night before. Log all the food you will take with you to work (meals and snacks), get an idea for dinner, be prepared. Remember the R1PP3D Challenge… ’13 is YOUR YEAR! I will again post a summary report and printable log/plan at the end of two weeks.
Need a coach?
This is what I do. I help people get results and use my experience and the experience of thousands of teamRIPPED members to do it. I have been there and done it!P90x Endurance Maximizer Flex
My help costs you $0... NOTHING! So try me. Send me and email or message me on Facebook. I am here to help! All you have to do is sign up below and you will be part of teamRIPPED!My email: coachwayne@teamripped.com
P90x Endurance Maximizer Workout
IG: @wayne_wyatt