P90X One Year Later: Complete Failure

I’m kind of in the same boat.. I’ve done /several/ rounds of P90X, but after getting laid off last year.. my motivation took a steep dive. Getting back into the swing of things has proved to be quite difficult. I have restarted the program several times, and not even completed my first week before giving up. Getting my head straight is my biggest hurdle, I believe. I think I tend to dwell on all the past failed restarts.. I’ve just started to run. I hate running, but I am doing the Couch 2 5K.. It starts out slow.. so each day is a small accomplishment.. My plan is to increase my stamina through running.. then jump back onto p90x.

not all that motivating.. but I can offer a “Goooooooooo Team!”

I stumbled upon your blog and I thought your story gave some good insight. I have been doing P90X for a year and know the importance of eating enough calories. The fact that you recognized that you weren’t eating enough was probably the reason why you had lack of energy and lost motivation. Did you ever get a P90X coach when you did the program? It helped me out tremendously because I had someone to help me stay on track. I liked it so much that I became one myself. Check out my website and let me know if you have any questions going forward.

Good luck!
.-= Sean´s last blog ..Should I work out while I’m Sick? =-.

@Critter – Thanks for the “Go Team!” motivation.

I know what you’re saying about the mental aspect. Not eating enough calories caused me to washout of P90X my first time around, but it’s the mental aspect that’s keeping me from starting it back up again.

I just need to remind myself what Tony Horton keeps saying on the DVDs: “Do your best and forget the rest.”

@Sean – Yes, I got a random coach when I first signed up. However the guy was AWOL, so I found a new coach that was very good at communicating. Unfortunately, my new coach does it as his business, and while he’s a nice guy, he’s more about the marketing for new products than he is about the exercise aspect of it.

I found the Team Beach Body forums to be a much more helpful place for advice and encouragement.

@Jon: The team beachbody forums are great. I have my own topic on there…come by and say hi. http://teambeachbody.com/connect/message-boards/-/message_boards/message/19593569
.-= Sean´s last blog ..Should I work out while I’m Sick? =-.

The amount of workout load in P90X over an extended period of time can play a huge role in fatigue, sickness, what have you…I ended up in the same boat after two rounds of P90X. I didn’t feel like relying on sugary “recovery” drinks, eating every 2 hours, and carbo-loading like the P90X nutrition plan requires, and I got sick of stressing exactly what my nutrient ratios were on a daily basis, so I completely stopped the cycle, stopped P90X and started doing more functional, shorter workouts. I have more energy, I haven’t lost progress, and I don’t have to deal with Tony. The program is good for a 90 “quick fix”, but I think the company and products behind it are becoming very gimmicky and overwhelming. Too many “coaches” and spammers around the boards giving sales pitches instead of reasonable (sensible) advice. And no offense to those that actually do give good advice – but you’re few and far between!

I think if you’d like to continue the workouts, modify them. They’re too long to begin with and the extra length does little to add to the effectiveness. Lift heavy, lift with focus, lift for a shorter time. Go for a walk or a run, do some sprints, play a sport, just lift heavy things around the house! I thank a few posts and advice over at Mark’s Daily Apple (http://www.marksdailyapple.com/) for getting me steered in a more sensible direction with my nutrition and fitness.

There’s a “devil’s advocate” sort of post on P90X that I enjoy here:
http://naturalbias.com/why-the-p90x-exercise-program-is-overrated/

Some of the comments provide even more insight than the article itself.

@Melissa – Thanks for those links. I’ll definitely give them a look. I agree with you about the business end of the coaches.. I’m a coach.. but I’ve only signed up for the discount it provides me. The jump on tactics that can be seen on twitter when /anyone/ mentions #p90x.. seriously disgusts me..

As for the length of the p90x workouts.. I agree with you on that as well. I usually fast forward through all of Tony’s talking, etc… I can get a 56 minute workout down to 36 minutes…

Yeah, no doubt. I was a coach for a while but ended up dropping it because of the goofy tactics and whatnot.

There’s a community of people at Mark’s Daily Apple (forums) that have some good advice on how to modify P90X and other BB workouts to avoid burnout and fatigue. I’d consider picking up the program again if I need some structure built into my workouts (or need more progress/weight loss) but for now I’m pretty content doing more free-form activity.

I too am a coach, but got into it because it was fulfilling. I enjoy helping people get healthy and fit. I am a big reader of Mark’s Daily Apple and I am now reading The Primal Blueprint. I first stumbled upon Mark because he was the main contributor for the supplements that P90X sells.
I am a big believer that health/fitness is all about trial and error. What works for one person might not work for the next. I am glad that you all have found things that work. The most important thing is continuing to live a healthy active lifestyle. I was disappointed that the author of the article you listed thinks that there is no way you can be “healthy” doing P90X. I would disagree. That being said, for me, P90X was a stepping stone to learning more about my own health and fitness.
.-= Sean´s last blog ..Should I work out while I’m Sick? =-.

@Melissa – Thanks for sharing your perspective and also for the links to those other blogs. I just read the post at http://naturalbias.com/why-the-p90x-exercise-program-is-overrated/ and it has definitely given me a lot to think about.

The first thing that jumped out at me is that I’m not alone. I feel better knowing that.

Personally I do want to increase muscle strength (including arms) because I’m not very strong today. However I don’t want to become a bodybuilder either. So I’m going to look for a way to modify P90X to get strength training benefits. One thing off the top of my head is to just do one set instead of two, and skip specific exercises that are hard or overly strenuous. I’m also going to replace the cardio routines with other activities. Currently that will include 20-30 mile bicycle rides (takes around an hour) as training for the MS Ride later this summer.

I’m also going to completely disregard the P90X nutrition plan because it never worked for me. Guess I need to do my research to determine a better nutrition plan for me.

@Sean – I agree it’s hard to jump to absolute conclusions about P90X. Clearly doing P90X is better than sitting on the couch. That said, there is a lot of marketing hype behind P90X, and I can see where people would feel discouraged or let down if they weren’t able to keep up with the program. Clearly that’s part of the problem I faced. Like you said, it’s “trial and error.” If people are doing P90X and struggling like I was and find this blog post, I hope they know that they’re not alone, and that they should not give up on exercising altogether.

wow amazing info bro.

Hi Sean. I was wondering, since you have done P90X for a year, maybe now more time. Can you plateau by repeating the program? I have been doing it out for a year, a few months ago, I increased my weight, and workouts have become hard, again. I still can’t do Plyo complete… Can I plateau by repeating the program over and over? I change the order from round to round though.

Thanks for your help!

@Isol: Funny you should ask. I was just thinking about that. I really haven’t plateaued at all from over a year of P90X. What I did was stick to the phase system. I also incorporated some of the One on One dvds as well as P90X plus to keep things fresh. I still get sore from the P90X workouts, I still improve my numbers and add more strength. I haven’t done Legs/Back in 3 weeks and I just did it this last Friday. I don’t think I have ever been that sore since I first started. Its funny how these workouts have so much variety that you can keep doing them as long as you stick to the phase system.
.-= Sean´s last blog ..P90X and Recovery =-.

As long you don’t let Doug Gottlieb find out, you should be good. I hate disappointing Gottlieb.

LOL good point.

Hi,
I just stumbled across your blog because I just started P90X yesterday. I am doing the lean program. I found your post interesting and it is helpful to realize just how important eating enough is. I do not need to lose weight, so therefore I am not getting too strict about following certain % of protein, carbs and fat. I typically eat pretty low fat and I do NOT do well when I cut carbs back so far like Phase 1 says to do. So, I am just focusing on eating as healthy as I can and eating when I am hungry. I am hoping that I will be able to get through the program if I listen to my body and eat enough. Today, I have been hungry about every 2-3 hours so I’m thinking that is good

Good luck to you!
Kimberly

I will have to say to everyone that variety is definitely the key. Several months ago, I was able to convince my fiancee to give P90X a try. I also bought her Tony’s Ten Minute Workout DVD’s. Those workouts have been a tremendous alternative to doing P90 every day. We alternate between doing half a P90, to a full P90, to two Ten Minute Workout, to going for runs around the neighborhood. It has kept the fat burning without us getting bored by routine. I will just say to every one “Stick With It!!!!” The results will come. Also on the food thing, I cut down on fatty foods just by buying lowfat items of the things I love to eat (mostly cheese and using wheat or whole grain pasta/tortillas). This has been an extreme help and to be honest with you, I don’t even taste the difference anymore. I am an ice cream feign, so I started buying frozen yogurt, sherberts, and sorbets. Its just little changes that will make the difference. I can’t do the Michi’s thing and I’m not even gonna try.

Hi Sean!! Now I saw your response. I really thought you never answered jajaja Well, you know I keep doing P90X, I just love it. But I have added other work outs, because the ladies need a little extra work in the legs, you know. I do a lot of things with my workouts. Some times I take a tony work out and I do it in circuits, I press pause, and do cardio for a minute. Excelent! My results are great, for a year I did it exactly as the program says, Is know that I have added other programs. I am getting a little bit skinny so I started adding protein and more calories. But I’m soy pleased with the results. I have some pics in facebook. Thanks for answering.

I agree with Quincy, I added Hip Hop Abs and Zumba instead of some of the dvds I don’t like such as Yoga (which hurts my wrists the way they change positions so quickly) and Plyometric (bad knees)… I find myself sticking with it because I do the activities I enjoy rather than what I feel is a chore. I love lifting weights and I love dancing therefore, my routine now works for me. The key with Hip Hop Abs is to do 2 dvds back to back with arm weights, really feel it in the core then. Zumba comes with toning sticks that are light hand weights. 90 minutes of physical activity a day (i.e. walking, playing sports, etc..) + 30 mins or more of cardio and 3x a week of resistance training or weightlifting and eating clean is what helps the most.

I’ve talked to a lot of people who have tried and failed p90x. I’ve noted a common theme: too much, too fast. Take it easy, do what you can and understand that it takes time to work up to these workouts. I’m on my 3rd round. Before I started the 1st round, I did the EA Active for Wii 30 day fitness challenge. Without that, I couldn’t have done p90x. At the end of my first week, I pulled an ab. I took a week off and started over, but was very careful. I was terrified of another injury. I spent a lot of time resting and stretching during the workouts. I used light weights with high reps. By the end of the first 90 days, I worked up to the point where I could do almost every exercise. And people who had not seen me in months were blown away. I did not make radical diet changes right away. I eased into that too. Eventually, I made permanent behavior changes. I laugh when I go to the grocery store because I never thought I’d be one of those people who can only buy healthy food. I once went grocery shopping and bought nothing but a months worth of ice cream. I don’t even think about it now.

Go slow and be kind to yourself. You can do it.

Just Push Play! Eat right to get the right amount of energy so you dont crash! if you eat 5x a day, your energy should stay up!

-Tyler

We started P90X and stopped as I think the workouts are way too long and 6 days a week is not realistic for a full-time workign parents with two small children. I am a big believe in beachbody and my husband just became a coach. Personally, I can’t say enough about Chalean Extreme and Insanity. They are both AWESOME workouts that are no more than 45 minutes and 5 days a week. WAY MORE REALISTIC! I saw kuddos for those who actually finish P90X and who can tolerant Tony I actually do think some of the workouts are great but simply too long.

Look dude, I am gonna be honest with you, they are tiring, and the diets are extremely tough, and often times I cheat, and sneak in a couple of chocolate bars, some Ice-Cream and what not, I have been in and out of gym workouts, and this is the best workout I have ever done, I shed a lot of fat and weight, the problem was that I in the beginning felt rundown, but I added a few supplements to my diet, some Liquid Amino, post workout, mixed with Protein, you can have some caffeine pre-workout, like an espresso or something small

I have been feeling great, really confident, of how my body looks right now, after the second round, I am doing the one on one right now, and really happy, never felt more comfortable, with my health, I count calories most of the time, and appreciate the every now and again cheat, so if you give up now then you are not going feel, how you are supposed to feel after you finish, which is a combination of pride, happiness, and confidence. So get up and start working, if the diet is too strenuous, i suggest you workout your own diet, but at the same time be moderate, and bit by bit try to control what you eat. Whenever you feel washed out, a spoon of honey will do the trick you can take it before working out, or after, a teaspoon.

I was in decent shape early/mid 2010, but was hired to work on a pretty strenuous campaign during the late summer and fall. I lacked any time to work out (and really any personal time, for that matter) and ate LIKE GARBAGE (cheese and crackers, sausage/chestnuts/scallops wrapped in bacon, fast-food when time was tight, and eating pretty close to the time I would fall asleep). The change in appearance was negligible, but energy level and overall fitness had gone by the wayside. I’ve been gradually phasing back into my better eating habits as well as a fitness regiment since I finally have a specific schedule to follow. I’m only on day 2 of p90x; I almost passed out yesterday with 29 minutes to go and could only get through 1/2 of Plyometrics tonight.

Point of the story – p90x is intense and is meant to be tried after one finishes the first program, p90 (X is for extreme). Look at it this way: You wouldn’t be able to jump start an old Model-T w/out prepping it to be ready to run. That’s where I’m at. You shouldn’t expect to be able to keep up with Tony in the first run.

Anyways, keep your head up, push through what you can do until you think you’re overexerting yourself. It’s better to leave a little gas in the tank than over train and lose the progress you had already made. I’m pumped to get into the program completely, but right now it’s not necessarily realistic. But I’m confident that with a week or two of tuning up, I’ll be able to complete each disc, to eat right on a regular basis, and to be ready for beach season this summer.

You only have a finite number of days; why not start the journey to be who you’d like to be today?

Yours is the first thread (of many, it seems) I have found on this topic, by searching for “P90X fatigue.” I am almost done with round 4, which has been pretty erratic compared to the previous 3. My results on the fit test post-round 1 were not so impressive (not much improvement), but I had gained an inch on my biceps, and felt generally more fit than before, having recently achieved my goal weight and looking to build some muscle. Since the end of round 1, looking back at my journal, I have been gaining weight, which would not be such a concern if I was not also gaining belly fat. So much for ripped abs. Again, on the positive side, my legs look great, arms are not bulging but still look good, but I am gaining body fat. Also, I am tired all the time.

I just picked up Tony’s new book at his first tour stop on Long Island. Close enough to my one year P90X anniversary to make a change. Maybe if I focus on more nights of good sleep and some changes to my diet, which is good but maybe not great, I will be able to pull out of this zombie-like state.

Thanks for the encouragement of knowing I am not alone! I am still a fan of Tony, because I realize that my problems are more related to inadequate rest and maybe some dietary issues. It is difficult to go full force into P90X with a job and family, given the time commitment. “Modify, modify, if you need to.”

If you follow the P90X Nutrition Plan, you shouldn’t have this problem. Also, join a group on the message board, keep in touch with your Coach, and join a local Beachbody Fit Club. The accountability to others you gain will keep you going, as will the encouragement and answers you get. But only YOU can decide to do it, and if you’re going to do it, do it right. The Nutrition aspect is at least 60% of the battle. You have to “bring it” in both your workout area and your kitchen. I hope you try again and succeed. It has been a HUGE success for me and started me toward a new lifestyle.

I am a husband, father,friend,son,nephew, God son,God father,carpenter, firechief,EMT and most important one who serves Jesus.
Remember our bodies sometimes fail they are only human
But are spirits are ongoing. Sometimes we just simply need to try again.
Here’s a goofy saying I have on my desk that encouraged me hope it helps you on your path.
“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed …every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle … when the sun comes up, you better be running.”

Thank you for your shopping list and your honesty about p90x I hope you find peace and encouragement. I am about to start p90x and your posts have helped me.

Modify, modify, modify. Basically that’s what my coach tells me all the time. P90X works but is better if you have a coach by your side. I’ve learn a lot about my body and how P90X can drain you, it’s all good if you have good company.

I agree with you that you were not getting enough food. I felt the same way. I went back to eating normal, except cutting back on sweets and drinking more water, and I’ve had great results. I feel good all week and the exercises have gotten easier.( I still hate yoga!) Don’t give up on it just modify and eat healthy but enough. It’s tough but can be done.

I don’t think you are a failure I do think you can do P90X & need to take a few steps back. I’m on Week 7 of my third time doing p90x. I had a similar experience as you in which by the end of the week I would give up & make excuses to miss work out. I took a step back & ended up doing a pre P90 workout for 3 weeks. All I did was Kenpo, core, & cardio X. After 3 weeks I was more ready cardiovascularlh to give my all to the program. Maybe this is something you can do.

Good luck! Sounds like you have a busy lifestyle but it can be done i work two jobs 8am- noon then I do p90x from 12.30-2 and work from 3-11pm i lost 30lbs the first 30 days… follow the diet plan if you want but the key is to eat until your not hungry not until your full.. smaller more frequent meals.

If you’re out of shape and want to do a program like this, the original Power 90, then Power 90 Master Series are the place to start. P90x is not designed for people who are at poor fitness levels. And yes, workouts like these will burn off hundreds of calories which must be replaced with good nutrition, which with muscle building workouts like these should include at least one gram of protein for every pound of body weight. That’s not easy to do, but it will definitely aid in building muscle. Try to get your protein from lean cuts of chicken, turkey, and beef rather than protein bars and shakes.

thanks for sharing, I will try P90X and take it slow since I don’t want to fail

  I had the same experience when I first tried P90X, in fact my wife and I both did.  We had no energy and we just dragged through the workout’s.  Then we went back through the diet, calculated our calorie intake and discovered we were starving ourselves.  It’s hard to make yourself believe that your going to lose weight and fat by eating more, but it works.

I’ve been the  Kettleworx its only 20min’s 3 times a week and it really works, You can change and get FIT! 

You’re not getting enough rest or you’re eating the wrong foods.  I used to feel the same way until I increased the protein/carbs and rested more.  If you need 2 rest days instead of 1, then give yourself 2 days.  Not everybody builds muscle the same.  Most bodybuilders and athletes rest 2 days a week, not 1.

Mate stop being a baby and listen to your body. I’m a fat, alcoholic, workaholic, lazy prick and I’m making it work. Man up and keep going. Rich x

1 – Did you follow the food intake guide? I’m ~6feet tall, 180lbs male & I am consuming around 2800 calories a day, eating every few hours. Diet’s just as important as the workouts.

2 – you’re not supposed to be able to do everything in the videos right away. take your time, pause and go at your own pace. 

then only drawback ive found to p90x is that it takes forever to finish a video

Your self assessment is right on and you can do it!!! More than likely someone has already said this but here’s some advice.

- When you think you might need more food, eat a little more. P90xs’ diet program is only an estimate do not follow it exactly, adjust it for your bodys needs.
- Slow down and break more during your workouts. Never be afraid to take a break even when they’re not on the video, no matter how early in the workout it is. You know your body so please listen to it.
- KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE, this is extreme and you’re testing the waters.
 
As a dad myself P90 is very hard to fit in my schedule but I make it work on some days I actually outperfom all of them in regards to reps and weight…yet on others even the ladies seem to kick my tail! But thats ok because its better than sitting around. Dont be afraid to take an extra day or even 2 off to allow yourself to recouperate. When you and come back to the workout…you’re gonna destroy it!!!! Best of my luck my friend i know you can do it

Look folks.   What happens when you are done?  You can’t live that way forever.  I’d like to recommend the following podcast.  These guys have some great advice and will give you a real program that will last a lifetime.
http://www.fat2fitradio.com/

I discovered this podcast in iTunes a few weeks ago, and I agree that they have a great approach and lots of useful information. I would say “You can’t live that way forever” is an overstatement. Maybe P90X is a jumpstart, and the way you live long-term is by keeping up the good habits of exercise and healthy eating without being “extreme.”

Wow, it is good to hear that someone had the same experience as me. I started P90X in January 2010. I was slightly overweight and had 20pounds to lose. In my first attempt, I lasted 6 weeks and stopped. I was also not eating enough and had no energy, was feeling sick also and thought what is the point of going through this. I did lose weight, but put it back on so quickly becuase I was not eating right.
So… I didn’t give up and gave it another go. I increased my food intake and based it on the P90X eating plan, but with my own take on it.
Now October 2011, I have never been as fit in my life and have not gone a week without doing a workout.
I have finished P90X, P90X+ and am now more into Insanity and have even given The Asylum a go. But have decided to stick to Insanity as the results I achieved on this are far greater than any program. And it’s all done in a 40 min workout not an hour.
So where do you go from here. Give it another go, increase your food intake and keep track of your workouts & food intake DAILY. I can now look back to 2010 and see what worked and what didnt and even when I went off the rails with the food. You can’t hide from anythign if you record it all.
Do it for your kids, your wife but most importantly do it for you!

I stopped reading when I saw ”
one who serves Jesus.”…