If there was ever an open-ended question, it is “How much weight can I lose doing P90X?”
The reason that this question is difficult to answer is because there are too many variables to consider. A 140lb female may not lose as much weight as a 300lb male, but all things considered, the female may have had more success with P90X than her counterpart.
How can you predict how much weight you’ll lose with P90X? You really can’t. You can look at other peoples success stories to get an estimate, but there is no way to know until you jump into P90X and do it.
Here are the variables that go into the weight loss equation.
Male or Female
Males and females have completely different body types. In general, females tend to have a higher body fat percentage than men. It’s unfortunate, but that is the way nature made it. This means that females will hold onto more fat on their bodies (as opposed to muscle), than men.
Consider a male and female with equal body fat percentages (20% for example). After a full 90 days on P90X, the male may end up at 10% body fat while the female may go down to 13%. Obviously there are a number of factors to consider, but if the end goal is a great, sexy body, the female can do it at a higher body fat percentage than the male.
Athletic or Sedentary
An athletic person with a history of exercise and good nutrition will not lose as much weight as a sedentary person with no experience. But for most athletes, whether they are active or have been in a slump, the goal is not losing just pounds. It’s about getting back in to “fighting” shape with P90X.
Whether the pounds come off or not is not important. Athletes want to condition their bodies for their sport. This means training with P90X to increase muscle and improve endurance.
A sedentary person is someone without major knowledge of being fit. Generally a sedentary person will be overweight or obese, and can lose a lot more weight than an athlete (because they have more to give.) Overweight and obese people can certainly lose a lot of weight with P90X, but the ultimate goal should be improvement in quality of life.
Body Type
Human beings fall into 3 major body types: endomorphs, ectomorphs, and mesomorphs. For a better understanding of the 3 types, see this article.
Depending on your body type, you may lose weight faster or slower than average. There are just some factors that are hereditary that we cannot change. Some people will have an easier time losing weight with P90X than others (everything else being equal.)
Diet and Nutrition
Your diet will be the key to weight loss on P90X. While most diets restrict calories or severely limit you to what you can eat, the P90X diet is designed for training hard. Without the proper nutrients in your body, you will not be able to commit to P90X 100%.
A person who sticks to the P90X diet 24/7 will perform much better than a person who follow the diet every other day and not on weekends or Tuesdays. When it comes to weight loss, diet will account for 70% of your results.
Intensity
The intensity of your workouts will play a big role in your weight loss. If you push yourself harder than normal, you will lose more weight simply because you are burning more calories.
If you are doing the exercises outlined in P90X half-assed, don’t expect serious weight loss. You may see improvements, but life-changing weight loss happens when you push yourself out of your comfort zone.
Determination
Do you have the willpower to get out of bed every morning and do P90X? Do you have the determination to say no to birthday cake at the office party? Or saying no to a handful of candy when your friend offers you some at the movies?
If you want to completely change your body with P90X, then you will need determination. You can’t skip workouts and you can’t slack on your diet. The small “lapses” in determination will add up over time and you will end up nowhere near your weight loss goals.
Focus on Body Fat Percentage
If you want to succeed on P90X, avoid the little things that will only make you crazy. This means weighing yourself every 2 hours to see if you lost weight.
Because of the intensity of the P90X program, most people, especially sedentary people, will lose fat and gain muscle. Muscle is more dense than fat and weighs more, so while you may be getting more fit, then scale may actually go up.
You can get discouraged focusing on the little things, even though you are actually making progress. Instead of focusing on the pounds, focus on body fat percentage. Because body fat percentage changes much more gradually than total weight, you only need to measure your body fat once a month. This means you can focus on what matters – doing the exercises and following the diet in P90X.
Focus on How You Feel
More important than anything else is how you feel. If you do not see results instantly, do not give up. Weight loss takes time and getting a great body takes even longer.
If you only lost 10lbs but feel 20 times better, doesn’t that make it worth it?
Your quality of life is more important than your weight or body fat percentage. Pounds and percentages are superficial units of measurement that shouldn’t affect your daily life.
Can you achieve your goal of finishing a marathon? Can you feel confident showing off your body at the local pool? Or is it something more rewarding like being able to take your children to the park every day?
You must always be thinking about your goals. Ask yourself, “How much can I improve my life?” rather than “How much weight can I lose with P90X?”
