Paleo-Friendly P90X Nutrition Guide
There is no doubt that P90X has changed my life, and I continue to incorporate P90X workouts into my cross-training. What I love about P90X workouts is the flexibility, and the P90X Nutrition Guide is no different. There are three phases in the P90X Nutrition Guide: the Fat Shredder, the Energy Booster, and the Endurance Maximizer. You can follow it in phases, or choose you specific phase depending on your goals. The foods that you choose is also up to you. This can mean vegan or vegetarian, raw foods, or even Paleo.
I have a ton of friends who follow the Paleo lifestyle, and although I am not 100% paleo, I do incorporate it into the mix to hit certain goals. It's simple, and it works.
P90X Creator Tony Horton is big on plant-based proteins and eating, but if you look into it, plant-based and paleo ethos are pretty similar in that they both use fresh, nutrient rich, and whole foods, so they have the same core values.
The Science Behind P90X2
The tricky part is is mostly the exclusion of grains and dairy, and the increased amount of fats and protein, but it is definitely doable. Some Paleo athletes who are looking for more carbs to increase sports performance might eat legumes (beans and peas), so you'll notice that in the nutrition plan below, an (*) asterisk is placed by these items so you can remove them if you'd like. There is also quite a bit of fruit in there for carb-based energy, but you can always replace this with more fat and protein.
The Paleo-Friendly P90X Plans (the numbers represent servings)
1800 Calorie Fat Shredder
Protein: 7
Fruit: 1
Veg: 4
Fat: 2
Leg/Tub: 1
Cond: 1
Snacks: 2
Fruit: 1
Veg: 4
Fat: 2
Leg/Tub: 1
Cond: 1
Snacks: 2
1800 Calorie Energy Booster
Protein: 6
Fruit: 1
Veg: 6
Fat: 2
Leg/Tub: 1
Cond: 1
Snacks: 2
Protein: 6
Fruit: 1
Veg: 6
Fat: 2
Leg/Tub: 1
Cond: 1
Snacks: 2
1800 Calorie Endurance Maximizer
Protein: 3
Fruit: 2
Veg: 7
Fat: 2
Leg/Tub: 1
Cond: 2
Snacks: 2
2400 Calorie Fat Shredder
Protein: 9
Fruit: 1
Veg: 6
Fat: 3
Leg/Tub: 1
Cond: 2
Snacks: 2+1
2400 Calorie Energy Booster
Protein: 7
Fruit: 2
Veg: 8
Fat: 4
Leg/Tub: 1
Cond: 1
Snacks: 2
2400 Calorie Endurance Maximizer
Protein: 5
Fruit: 3
Veg: 10
Fat: 4
Leg/Tub: 1
Cond: 1
Snacks: 2
3000 Calorie Fat Shredder
Protein: 11
Fruit: 2
Veg: 8
Fat: 4
Leg/Tub: 1
Cond: 2
Snacks: 3
3000 Calorie Energy Booster
Protein: 9
Fruit: 2
Veg: 10
Fat: 4
Gr: 0
Leg/Tub: 1
Cond: 3
Snacks: 4
3000 Calorie Endurance Maximizer
Protein: 6
Fruit: 3
Veg: 12
Fat: 4
Gr: 0
Leg/Tub: 2
Cond: 3
Snacks: 3
Food Lists
Fats
Avocado – 3 ounces
Olive oil – 1 tablespoon
Olives – 4 ounces
Raw Nuts – 1 ounce
Flaxseed – 3 tablespoons
Coconut oil – 1 tablespoon
Protein
Chicken or turkey – 3 ounces
Eggs – 1 whole egg or 6 whites
Fish or shellfish – 3 ounces
Pork tenderloin – 3 ounces
Red meat, lean – 3 ounces
Tempeh* – 2 ounces
Tofu* – 3 ounces
Venison – 3 ounces
* This is a legume. Many Paleos avoid legumes.
Legumes and Tubers
Beans* – 1 cup
Edamame* – 1 cup
Lentils* – 1 cup
Parsnip – 2 cups
Peas* – ½ cup
Potato – 1 medium
Sweet Potato – 1 large
Yam – 1 medium
* This is a legume. Many Paleos avoid legumes.
Fruit
Apple
Avocado
Blackberries
Papaya
Peaches
Plums
Mango
Lychee
Bluberries
Grapes
Lemon
Strawberries
Watermelon
Pineapple guava
Lime
Raspberries
Cantaloupe
Tangerine
Figs
Oranges
Bananas
Vegetables
Asparagus
Avocado
Artichoke Hearts
Brussel Sprouts
Carrots
Spinach
Celery
Broccoli
Zucchini
Cabbage
Peppers (all kinds)
Cauliflower
Parsley
Eggplant
Green Onions
Condiments
Each serving = 50 calories
Due to the avoidance of sugar and legumes, condiments can be tricky. These condiment-like foods are approved by many Paleo experts:
Lemon juice
Vinegar (except balsamic)
Extra virgin olive oil
Tahini
Maple syrup
Honey
SnacksLemon juice
Vinegar (except balsamic)
Extra virgin olive oil
Tahini
Maple syrup
Honey
Each serving = 100 calories
Unsweetened dried fruit – 1 once
Fruit – 1 medium piece
Seaweed – 10 ounces
Pumpkin seeds – 1 ounce
Raw nuts – ½ ounce
Baked kale chips – 2 cups
Celery and nut butter – 5 medium stalks and 2 tsp. nut butter
Unsweetened dried fruit – 1 once
Fruit – 1 medium piece
Seaweed – 10 ounces
Pumpkin seeds – 1 ounce
Raw nuts – ½ ounce
Baked kale chips – 2 cups
Celery and nut butter – 5 medium stalks and 2 tsp. nut butter
Because most protein bars, as well as Beachbody Results & Recovery Formula don’t adhere to Paleo standards, we’ve incorporated their calories and macronutrients into the plan elsewhere. And, Admittedly, this is a thin list, so we encourage you to explore healthy Paleo-friendly snack recipes.
Check out this complete Paleo Food List here.
And there you have it. Enjoy Cave People =)
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