what comprises the p90x pack?

the only supplements i take are a generic multi-v, fish oil, creatine mono and whey protein as needed. Not too worried about a high quality/liquid multi-v for better absorption

100x multi-V - $4(wal-mart)
240x fish oil - $6(wal-mart)
80x whey servings - $35(musclegauge.com)
100x creatine servings - $10(nutraplanet.com)

really the creatine isn't necessary if you consume a fair amount of red meat weekly. I really don't eat much beef only because chicken and eggs are cheaper. I'd live off steak if I could afford it. I don't think adding it would make or break any workout or diet plan either. If you eat fish daily, you probably don't need to take fish oil either.

@Solinari Yea, I'm not knocking the products inside, I'm just shocked at the sheer amount they cram into 1 small bar. Is it really necessary to have that many foods comprise only 85g of calories? Its all healthy yes, but what is the advantage of all those "superfoods" at once? Will small amounts of 10 different "superfoods" provide the benefits these "superfoods" promote or do you need to eat more than just a few grams of each. Convenience is really the only benefit that _I_ would see for something like that...For a healthy carb/fat source though, I feel I could make a better choice. Keep in mind, I'm very frugal(I shouldn't say cheap) so I may be biased towards bars that cost $2 when my food budget is around $20 weekly lol.

7/8/2010 9:00:57 AM

Quote :

"whey protein as needed"

as needed?

come on man be honest with these folk!!!!

7/8/2010 9:03:27 AM

^^I don't eat beef because for the most part... it doesn't offer the same lean protein that poultry and seafood do; that's why I take creatine pre-workout.

[Edited on July 8, 2010 at 9:06 AM. Reason : ^Solinari, come on mannn]

7/8/2010 9:04:52 AM

There are a lot of people who haven't posted in awhile. Either updates or (more notably) photos.

7/8/2010 9:05:51 AM

^I said I'm posting on Friday, which I will.

7/8/2010 9:06:52 AM

Quote :

". that sounds bad. I rarely had/have pain in that region. It sounds like you are at least able to eat. Do i get to see you this weekend ?"

yeah but i don't really want to eat because then the pain intensifies

unfortunately no. i am heading to wilmington tomorrow for my best friend's birthday festivities. you will see Mark though.

7/8/2010 9:07:18 AM

Quote :

"what comprises the p90x pack? "

http://www.beachbody.com/text/products/supplements/p90xpeakhealthformula/P90X_Peak_Health_Formula_08_23-07.pdf


that's the nutrition label/info.

7/8/2010 9:30:34 AM

Last night I had grand plans of going to the gym for an hour and a half after seeing pictures of me from this weekend .... then, of course, I got one of the worst tension headaches I've ever had. I took 3 ibuprofen and a vicodin pill, passed out by 10... But then I got up at 6 feeling refreshed with 40 minutes to kill so I did the Jillian Michaels 25 min workout. Then I'm going to weight lift tonight for an hour.


I just looked at the UAB Rec Center's fitness classes... I can get a monthly spin class pass for $5!!! And they have Zumba, water aerobics, and dance classes..

[Edited on July 8, 2010 at 10:03 AM. Reason : .]

7/8/2010 9:34:54 AM

Can anyone give me a good idea of how much protein to get? I run daily and just started doing muscle training 2-3 times a week.

I've heard differing opinions from doctors/trainers/researchers about protein intake. I've read numerous articles like this:

http://www.livescience.com/health/protein-supplements-100202.html

Quote :

"“No studies have identified definitively short-term health problems from excess protein, but this has been associated with kidney failure, osteoporosis and heart disease. The reason is that unused protein cycles through the blood and ultimately breaks down into urea and acidic byproducts. These byproducts strain the kidneys as they filter through and likely trigger bone to release calcium. Very recent studies reveal how protein causes inflammation and increases the risk of clogged arteries.”"

In which all the recent studies are disproving the old myth about taking like twice the daily RDA of protein (200+ i guess) and how in fact some studies suggest that weight trainers with varying protein intake (low-mid-high) have actually no effect on lean body mass suggesting taking so much protein is bad on top of too much protein being bad for your heart:

Quote :

"“What if you're trying to build more muscle? Shouldn't you eat even more protein? Not necessarily. There's been evidence that bodybuilders, much like exercisers or athletes, do require more protein but that any more than double the RDA won't necessarily help you build more muscle. In one study, experts studied three groups of weight lifters: A low protein group (0.86 g/kg), a moderate protein group (1.40 g/kg) and a high protein group (2.40 g/kg) and found that, "There were no effects of varying protein intake on indexes of lean body mass."”"

Also i'm trying to keep my sodium and cholesterol low. Eating only egg whites etc. Partically because my mom's side of the family has a history of heart disease and there's been a lot of studies on body builders dying of heart disease because they take way too much protein in and as a result sodium and cholesterol.

For example my cousins a vegan and a rock climber. She's ripped and in great shape and rarely takes in over the recommened RDA of protein for an average female of her age. According to historic weight training equations she should be taking in like twice the protein she's taking in to get the muscle mass she has.

[Edited on July 8, 2010 at 10:38 AM. Reason : k]

7/8/2010 10:35:16 AM

yesterday i had a double-header in kickball so that doesn't REALLY count...but we WERE outside in the 100 degree weather sweating our asses off.

tonight i'm going to the gym for a cardio sculpt class. first time doing this one so we'll see how it goes then i'm going for a walk later.

i need to get back on with abs in the am...since the 4th i just haven't been able to get my tush out of bed early!

7/8/2010 10:38:01 AM

Do you have abs yet?

Stop working on your abs and lift weights.

7/8/2010 10:49:27 AM

obviously you don't pay much attention, sir...i DO lift weights. i do an ab routine in the mornings and stick with cardio and lifting after work.

believe it or not i actually know what works for me (for the most part) when it comes to getting into shape. i was just incredibly slack for about 8 months.

however, i'm always open to suggestions.

7/8/2010 11:15:15 AM

Quote :

"come on man be honest with these folk!!!!"

ok when I have funds, I prefer whole foods, but because I'm poor and admittedly thoroughly enjoy the flavor and texture of the whey I use, I do usually have 4-5 shakes/day. I won't advocate it though, I am better off with chicken or fish, but some times the whey is more portable and just dirt cheap. As far as me and ground beef....still avoiding...no real reason, it's more or less the same as eggs with its fat content, I just don't like it I suppose? Hot dogs and other meats with nitrates added....I'd rather eat my usual box of pop tarts.

^4

As far as protein, I just go on the 1g per 1lb target body weight and same for calories...10 calories per 1lb target body weight(for cutting). If I'm maintaining...1.5:15...If I'm bulking, 2:20 or more. I just listen to my body more than anything. If I go to the gym with a clear and stress free mind and do not put up the weights I put up last time, I should probably eat some more calories. I really don't look in to the why's and how's of dieting....I enjoy the general concept that the world is a giant energy equation and we use food and our bodies to balance it.

My mom's side of the family also has high blood pressure and the men in the family also don't seem to last very long. My parents are also both obese and not looking too hot for late 40s/early 50s. I think vanity is the downfall of most people's weight loss plans. Most will be unhappy with their appearance, no matter how good other's think they look. You should really lose weight for more important reasons.

I do not fear dietary cholesterol. I eat whole eggs at what may appear to be an unhealthy rate. Dietary cholesterol != serum cholesterol. Your dietary fats are what control your serum cholesterol. You could eat a very low cholesterol diet yet high in saturated fats and have terrible cholesterol levels. I eat enough mono/poly unsaturated fats to help offset the saturated fats I consume. Do note, foods often high in cholesterol are usually high(er) in saturated fats as well. Animal fats make up the bulk of the saturated fats I consume...and cholesterol is only found in animal products. Any bodybuilder is going to be very educated in nutrition. I doubt many follow a diet plan blindly. I'd imagine you'd have to have some sort of nutrition passion if you were taking the sport and lifestyle seriously enough to be competitive.

Want to look like a caveman, eat like one

7/8/2010 11:32:25 AM

Thanks! I just started weight training in addition to running and I'm tracking my diet the first couple weeks just to get an idea of portion sizes/calories/etc.

7/8/2010 11:49:49 AM

I have been working out more
more swimming, although not that much
but less eating bad stuff with Arab. I never realized how much junk he ate until I couldn't

I haven't had any desserts yet! The wedding dress is fitting better, but mostly it is an issue with my huugge rib cage
and like the seamstress said you can't get rid of rib-cage.

7/8/2010 11:51:44 AM

Quote :

"Want to look like a caveman, eat like one"

This is basically what I have been told is the easiest and one of the healthiest ways to eat without having to worry too much about counting calories and all that stuff. Our bodies are a product of evolution and do not adjust at the rapid rate at which the food we eat has changed over the past hundred or so years.

Basically if it's not something a caveman could/would have eaten its gonna have some adverse effect on your body. So basically stick to fruits/vegetables, nuts/berries, natural fed animal products and if you do that all you have to do is eat when you are hungry because your body knows how to work with those foods. The hardest part of this diet for me was the fact it said basically processed grains should be avoided along with any type of corn product.

I have tried to at least use this as a semi guideline for changing my diet and I have noticed about an 8 lb weight loss with admittedly a very slack workout routine over the past few weeks. A total move to this was impossible for me, but Im taking steps at a time until I get to a point I feel I'm happy with.

7/8/2010 12:07:58 PM

I'm old-school, but when you're bulking, high protein is the way to go without question.

When I'm bulking, it's really pretty simple: Eat a big ole breakfast when i wake up, follow it up with a decent meal 3 hours later, and repeat every 3 hours til i crash. I avoid caffeine, processed junk, simple sugars and excessively greasy foods, but that's it. I cook up a bunch of pasta, sweet potatoes, rice, etc in the start of the week so that it'll be there waiting for me when its time to feed. You should be able to get in 5 or 6 meals over the course of a day. The trick is that sometimes you're not gonna be hungry 3 hours after your last meal, so you gotta have foods on hand that you love, and sometimes you gotta shove them down your throat.

I supplement with:

fish oil caps
gummy multi-vites
1 pre-workout pump type shake
1 post-workout protein shake
1 casein shake before bed

7/8/2010 12:10:59 PM

Quote :

". Convenience is really the only benefit that _I_ would see for something like that...For a healthy carb/fat source though, I feel I could make a better choice. Keep in mind, I'm very frugal(I shouldn't say cheap) so I may be biased towards bars that cost $2 when my food budget is around $20 weekly lol."

Well, that was all I was getting at... I said, "for those having a hard time keeping up their calories"... I have noticed that on a very healthy diet, I'm sometimes only about about 1500 calories at the end of the day. Not all the time, but usually one or two times a week. I don't want to cook anything at that point, so a bar like this which is full of whole foods and easy to just eat is great. Cost is also not an issue for me, so I understand it is a little expensive.

7/8/2010 12:14:58 PM

Okay. I was supposed to upload a picture and I haven't taken one until now.

Yeah... I need to even out that farmer's tan... lol.. Plus I don't know how to pose, regardless, here I am





For an update, I'm working HEAVILY on my breathing for my swimming. It is definitely the reason for my bad time 1/4 mile time yesterday. I swam about 1/4mi total in short sprints of mostly 50 yards, but I also included a few 25 yd and one 100 yard.

God I love swimming.



[Edited on July 8, 2010 at 12:29 PM. Reason : .]

7/8/2010 12:26:46 PM

i bet we weigh the exact same amount smores, hahaha ~150-155lbs?

7/8/2010 1:10:51 PM

I think if I poked Stephen in the stomach with my finger I could bruise his liver!

7/8/2010 1:34:15 PM

turns out that my ideal weight is 164

i still have some work to do


but I do fall into the "normal" range for BMI

7/8/2010 1:52:12 PM

ibtFUCKBMI

7/8/2010 2:01:15 PM

i dont like it either. just posting that to make myself feel better about myself. good to know i'm "normal" at something....

7/8/2010 2:02:42 PM

Quote :

"i bet we weigh the exact same amount smores, hahaha ~150-155lbs?"

Haha, spot on friend...

Quote :

"I think if I poked Stephen in the stomach with my finger I could bruise his liver!"

I think if you poke me in the stomach, you'll have a glock pointed at your head with a serious WTF look on my face, SON.

Sorry, I had a SaabTurbo moment

7/8/2010 2:33:12 PM

Quote :

"ThePeter: ok since we're on the subject of food how about these 50cent for 2 salami things. i translated the label: Ingredients: pork, pork fat, iodine-containing salt, dextrose, spices, herbs, preservative: sodium nitrate, antioxidant: sodium ascorbate, spices, extracts, smoke. 100g salami was prepared with 151g pork 100g contains: 1905 kJ / 460 kcal 24g protein 1g carbohydrates 40 fat each salami stick is 25g, so per stick: 115 calories (because wtf at 460,000 cal, must be wrong) 6g protein 0.25g carbs 10g fat"

*********************************************************

It is no secret that I hate processed meat, because it is so bad for you. This one takes the cake; 40% fat by weight (~80% by calories), and I bet most of that is saturated fat.

BTW, that 460 kcals is correct. Most people don't realize this, but when a food item has 50 "calories", it is actually 50,000 calories, in other words 50 kcals.

So, just a gram of protein has 4,000 calories And you ate 2 MILLION calories yesterday, not 2,000!


[Edited on July 8, 2010 at 4:10 PM. Reason : ]

7/8/2010 4:05:02 PM

Ran an interval mile on the elliptical

3x8x100 dead lift
3x8x20 single arm swing
1x4x60, 3x8x55 clean and press

I'm embarrassed with how little I lifted this morning. I went on an empty stomach (see if I could pull a joie. I fail) and I was sooooooo exhausted after the dead lift. I tried to up all the weights. I only failed on the clean and press and I barely finished the 55lb sets I did do. >_<

7/8/2010 4:14:47 PM

i have people absolutely think im crazy for limiting my cheese intake. (excluding feta and cottage)
i hear..."but its great for protein!"

isn't that a cop-out though? isn't it loaded with saturated fat?


correct me if im wrong.

7/8/2010 4:38:24 PM

are you opposed to Fat-Free cottage cheese? i eat that stuff by the gallon

oh, misread the "excluding cottage" part

[Edited on July 8, 2010 at 4:41 PM. Reason : a]

7/8/2010 4:40:40 PM

^i freaking LOVE cottage cheese!

7/8/2010 4:43:05 PM

do you eat the heavy-duty stuff?

7/8/2010 4:47:54 PM

you mean full fat?


nawwww

7/8/2010 4:49:32 PM

feta and cottage cheese (and ricotta) are also high in [saturated] fat, not as high hard cheeses, but still high.

(unless you get the low fat or fat free versions)

7/8/2010 4:50:56 PM

Quote :

"I think if you poke me in the stomach, you'll have a glock pointed at your head with a serious WTF look on my face, SON."

Now you're not getting your garage fan back

7/8/2010 4:52:45 PM

I'm bringing you one of my cake batter whey protein shakes with sprinkles added for your pull(chin) up party

7/8/2010 4:52:52 PM

^HELL YES

7/8/2010 4:53:20 PM

I believe I will be going for a light jog.

7/8/2010 7:58:02 PM

Quote :

"unfortunately no. i am heading to wilmington tomorrow for my best friend's birthday festivities. you will see Mark though. "

So I go to your birthday party, but you don't come to mine? Alright sister, you and me? We're done. Find yourself another Egyptian

7/8/2010 8:02:25 PM

RAAAAARRRR that vicodin last night made me so refreshed today I was in a work out frenzy

Jillian Michaels circuit thingy this a.m.

tonight:

3x8x7 (the level) incline shoulder press
3x8-10-10x8-11 (levels) cross cable punch/pull
3x8x40 wide-narrow-regular bicep curls
3x8x110 dead lift
3x8-4-4x155-165-165 squats
3x8x225 (1st set) 315 (2nd and 3rd sets) leg press... then 405 4x
3x8-8-5x85 bench press
3x15 dips
3x15 jackknife on stability ball

7/8/2010 8:31:55 PM

Quote :

"It is no secret that I hate processed meat, because it is so bad for you. This one takes the cake; 40% fat by weight (~80% by calories), and I bet most of that is saturated fat."

Quote :

"i have people absolutely think im crazy for limiting my cheese intake. (excluding feta and cottage) i hear..."but its great for protein!" isn't that a cop-out though? isn't it loaded with saturated fat?"

Quote :

"feta and cottage cheese (and ricotta) are also high in [saturated] fat, not as high hard cheeses, but still high."

0EPII1 and Joie among others, the obsession with dietary fats and particularly saturated fats is kind of ridiculous in the face of the last decade of research, which has failed time and time again to find a correlation between saturated fats and heart disease. Now Trans-fats are bad for you, but the myth that saturated fats will kill you was perpetrated by a flawed study by Ancil Keys back in 1970, and repeated so many times that people believe it to be true. In fact, the correlation between fats consumed and body fat levels is tenuous at best. Here is a synopsis I just stumbled upon which summarizes it better than I can:

Quote :

" Dietary fat does not automatically and directly get deposited in your pudgy and unsightly areas.Yes, the fat in your unsightly areas is basically the same substance that is in the delicious parts of the animal remains you just ate (or the dairy product or plant oil in your food) but fats are biochemically interchangeable with carbohydrates (various sugars) via several common intermediates. Essentially, fat and carbs are just different forms of the same thing: energy. Much of our dietary fat is broken down in the liver into sugars to be used in the body for energy. When the total dietary caloric intake (from both carbs and fats) exceeds the metabolic energy demands of the body, the excess is converted by the liver into fat and stored in adipose tissue in places such as the abdominal wall, the thighs and buttocks, and the ankles when all the other spaces are filled up. The reason for this is biochemical. Fat can store more energy at lower weight than glucose. ... With all of this biochemical interchangeability, it makes no sense to believe that your body fat levels are mainly dependent on how much dietary fat you eat. Neither does it make much sense to suggest that your cholesterol levels are directly dependent on how much cholesterol you eat since, like fats, cholesterol is also biochemically interchangeable with glucose. What does determine your fat and cholesterol levels? Ah, this is where it is not longer complicated. These are determined by your diet and activity levels. This why you can become enormous and develop high cholesterol levels by avoiding eggs, red meat, fatty foods, and exercise and eating a ton of foods rich in carbohydrates (breads, cereals, rice, potatoes). This is why it is perfectly possible for a highly trained athlete have less than 1% body fat and very low cholesterol levels despite a diet high in meats, fats, and eggs. Why then does your doctor and government dietary guidelines always talk about a “low fat diet”? There is some indirect truth in avoiding a fatty diet. Fat tastes so good because it is high in energy and so may more easily lead to excessive caloric intake. But the real reason is that this simplistic “eating fat makes you fat” mantra took hold decades ago before medical science had really figured out what was going on. By the time the scientists pieced it together, the fat myth had become a convenient part of our obesity denial culture. It’s easier to believe that we can avoid obesity and eat all the donuts and ice cream we want just so long as we avoid dietary fat*. It’s also easier for doctors who never bothered to pay attention in medical school biochemistry to keep this myth going than to take the time to re-educate their patients."

http://rangelmd.com/2010/03/reminder-dietary-fat-does-not-obesity/

Animal fats have been maligned for so long that the American Health Association was in denial when a study came out in March this year aggregating 21 prior studies on saturated fats and incorporating 348,000 adults, which simply could not find a correlation between saturated fats and increased risk to heart disease or stroke. The head of the AHA cautioned against "over-interpreting the results", but the evidence is clear: Saturated fats are not the culprit in the "diabesity" epidemic that we see in America. Simple sugars and processed foods with a high glycemic index are the ones you need to limit. Dr Andrew Weil wrote quite a bit on this subject recently, but he summarizes as thus:

Quote :

"-Dietary fat, whether saturated or not, is not a cause of obesity, heart disease or any other chronic disease of civilization. -The problem is the carbohydrates in the diet, their effect on insulin secretion, and thus the hormonal regulation of homeostasis -- the entire harmonic ensemble of the human body. The more easily digestible and refined the carbohydrates, the greater the effect on our health, weight and well-being. -Sugars -- sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup specifically -- are particularly harmful, probably because the combination of fructose and glucose simultaneously elevates insulin levels while overloading the liver with carbohydrates. -Through their direct effects on insulin and blood sugar, refined carbohydrates, starches and sugars are the dietary cause of coronary heart disease and diabetes. They are the most likely dietary causes of cancer, Alzheimer's disease and other chronic diseases of modern civilization. My point here is not to promote meat consumption. I've written here previously about humanitarian and ecological reasons to avoid a meat-centric diet, especially if the meat comes from factory-farmed animals. Instead, my purpose is to emphasize that we would be much healthier as a nation if we stopped worrying so much about fats, and instead made a concerted effort to avoid processed, quick-digesting carbohydrates -- especially added sugars."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-weil-md/healthy-eating_b_629422.html

[Edited on July 8, 2010 at 8:49 PM. Reason : 2]

7/8/2010 8:48:42 PM

^that was actually talked about earlier in the thread.


but thanks!!

[Edited on July 8, 2010 at 9:40 PM. Reason : speaking of fat i'm gonna slice up an avocado ]

7/8/2010 9:38:23 PM

sorry, I'm a newcomer to this thread.

I'll try to speed-read the other 53 pages

7/8/2010 9:43:03 PM

lol.

youre fine!

its totally pertinent information!

[Edited on July 8, 2010 at 9:47 PM. Reason : no need to speed read. ]

7/8/2010 9:45:21 PM

I don't know what I did to my shoulder blade. I didn't have any problem getting through a decent back workout yesterday, but I got crippled by holding the squat bar today. I tried to tough it out, but after about 6 reps I had to rack the weights back. I dropped the weights about 20% and tried again, but it was even worse. I ended up switching to front squats.

Maybe I pulled a rhomboid? it feels like a sharp pain deep underneath the lower part of my shoulder blade.

7/8/2010 10:01:42 PM

^ I did the exact same thing to myself on Wednesday. Not so much the how but the pain and what not.

It's finally feeling better tonight after some serious stretching and a hot tub

7/8/2010 10:31:02 PM

invest in a lacrosse ball.


lay on said lacrosse ball (on the ground - right on the spot where the knot is). You can rest on it, but also try moving your arm in a diagonal pattern (from opposite hip to overhead press position to reach the floor).

stretch your scalenes and sternocleidomastoid as well (google) - these won't seem as obvious, but trust me

also do some shoulder dislocates

[Edited on July 8, 2010 at 10:56 PM. Reason : ]

7/8/2010 10:55:47 PM

Today was legs, shoulders, and upper pecs... I leg pressed 540 twice today; I didn't know I could do it. I wanted to go for 630, but I'll do that the next leg day (Sunday).

7/8/2010 11:03:32 PM

yo

still here, just haven't checked in for a while

I've been really busy with the new job so I haven't made it to the gym to weigh myself (no scale at home), but I have been doing some circuits in the living room for quick workouts in between sleeping and working

I'm definitely going tomorrow so I'll report back how it goes

[Edited on July 9, 2010 at 12:19 AM. Reason : kinda scared! ]

7/9/2010 12:18:26 AM

^im gonna come visit you one day next week :-*



and i got done with my first training session with PackMan92.
holy shit. im having a rough time typing right now


he showed me some kick ass stuff and i think the pull up party may be in the near future.

(ps mike-i expect you to keep my bp measurement under wraps [lesson children, dont chug a ton of caffeine on an empty stomach ] )

i will report back tomorrow on my soreness, or lack thereof (which i doubt).

7/9/2010 9:22:04 AM

post it

7/9/2010 9:25:01 AM