Insanity vs. P90X

[Yukari]

I am in a relatively good shape. I do not have a "beer belly", but I feel my abs needs a little work. I want the six-pack abs. I run 5-7 miles a day, 3 times a week and work out with weight (mostly for upper body strength), and swim a couple of days a week.

I've seen Insanity and P90X commercials and and interested in trying one of the two. Which is better? Also, what is the best way to get the six-pack abs?

[deronsizemore]

I am in a relatively good shape. I do not have a "beer belly", but I feel my abs needs a little work. I want the six-pack abs. I run 5-7 miles a day, 3 times a week and work out with weight (mostly for upper body strength), and swim a couple of days a week.

Cardio is the best way to start to see your abs. You have to burn fat if you want to see the muscle under the fat. If you're running 5-7 miles, three times per week and working out with weights and swimming a couple days per week, I'd have to guess your diet isn't good if you still can't see any abs because that's a lot of cardio.

What does your diet look like right now?

[TN94z]

I am in a relatively good shape. I do not have a "beer belly", but I feel my abs needs a little work. I want the six-pack abs. I run 5-7 miles a day, 3 times a week and work out with weight (mostly for upper body strength), and swim a couple of days a week.

How many calories are you taking in doing all of that?

[Yukari]

Perhaps I need to change my diet. Usually I have a large muffin, an apple, and a large coffee for breakfast during the week. During lunch typically Chipotle burrito or a couple of slices of pizza or a hamburger, with fries, of course. Dinner is usually the largest meal, typically steak, fried chicken or pasta with some alcohol. Oh, I usually snack on fruits during the day.

I think I need to cut out all the alcohol and reduce the meal size for dinner. I also think I need more protein during the day, perhaps.

[TN94z]

Perhaps I need to change my diet. Usually I have a large muffin, an apple, and a large coffee for breakfast during the week. During lunch typically Chipotle burrito or a couple of slices of pizza or a hamburger, with fries, of course. Dinner is usually the largest meal, typically steak, fried chicken or pasta with some alcohol. Oh, I usually snack on fruits during the day.

When you have alcohol in your system, your body will use it as it's primary fuel source. This means that whatever you eat during this time, will likely be stored as fat. I would log my caloric intake on fitday.com and just see how many calories you are taking in and what your percentages p/c/f are. You will probably be surprised. I would do this before I reduced any meal sizes. If you are doing that much stuff, you need a lot of calories.

[saevel25]

What you need to do is cut out all that processed crap, its nice to have pizza or a burger every once in a while, but the amount you have it you wont gain anything from it. The concept you can eat anything you want if you work out is a huge myth. Definitely need to adjust the diet.

Pizza = about 600-800 calories a slice, got knows what a chipotle buritto has, burger can easily be amount as once slice of pizza. You add in fries, which can be up there to, your looking at over half calorie for normal person just for lunch. Most of it is in fat.

[Leftygolfer]

Abs are all diet. You can't target train and for most men if they have any fat that is where they have it. If you eat like that I don't care what you do (unless your a freak with a ultra fast metabolism). You seem plenty active enough. I've seen a diet guy and this is where I got my info. Here's his website: Wiefit.com Your good protein is too low, not eating enough throughout the day. If you want to see my diet I posted it on another thread. It was 2200 calories and I lost 5% fat in 3 months. Search for it and it should be pretty easy to find.

But in terms of both I like insanity better. The non-equipment is great. It is insanely difficult.

[TN94z]

Abs are all diet. You can't target train and for most men if they have any fat that is where they have it. If you eat like that I don't care what you do (unless your a freak with a ultra fast metabolism). You seem plenty active enough. I've seen a diet guy and this is where I got my info. Here's his website: Wiefit.com Your good protein is too low, not eating enough throughout the day. If you want to see my diet I posted it on another thread. It was 2200 calories and I lost 5% fat in 3 months. Search for it and it should be pretty easy to find.

You can reference his diet, but don't go by it. More than likely you will need a lot more than 2200 calories. I ate more than that working out and trying to lose and I didn't burn near as many as you obviously do. It's dependent on the person.

[Yukari]

Abs are all diet. You can't target train and for most men if they have any fat that is where they have it. If you eat like that I don't care what you do (unless your a freak with a ultra fast metabolism). You seem plenty active enough. I've seen a diet guy and this is where I got my info. Here's his website: Wiefit.com Your good protein is too low, not eating enough throughout the day. If you want to see my diet I posted it on another thread. It was 2200 calories and I lost 5% fat in 3 months. Search for it and it should be pretty easy to find.

Thanks, Leftygolfer. I found your diet post:

http://thesandtrap.com/forum/threads...ht=#post557605 I will give it a try (or something similar to it). I knew it had to be my diet, as I am very active and I have some what of the six-pack definition, but nothing like those guys you see on TV doing Insanity or P90X. I will try it for a month and will let you know.

[TN94z]

Thanks, Leftygolfer. I found your diet post:

You should really figure out what you need. If his diet doesn't give you enough calories, your body will go into starvation mode and store what you eat. Then your metabolism will drop accordingly. Just throwing that out there so you don't head down the wrong road

[Yukari]

I understand what you are saying. But given your weight at around 190, I don't think I have that problem. I am 5'8 and currently weigh 170. I am not fat nor am I skinny. I am what they call athletically built. Broad shoulders (from my swimming/water polo days in high school and college), no beer belly. But I can tell there is a layer of fat on my belly that is preventing me from getting the six-pack abs I want. With my current work out regimen, I can easily eat 4000 calories per day without much problem. I want to get rid of body fat while adding more weight training to build up more lean mass.

[enis750]

there has been some good advice in here so far

but i will add to it

1. your diet is sh*t....it really is. Do some google searching on meal plans etc. but 100% you need to change your diet to see muscle definition, especially in your abs. You eat more crap in your diet than I do in a month! supper shouldnt be your 'largest" meal either. They should be equally sized w snacks in between to keep energy levels up. Usually u should be eating 5-6 times a day.

2. your cardio regimine seems good and like your doing a lot of it. Wanna see abs? keep this cardio up

3. dont focus too much on weight training itself to burn fat and see muscle definition. weight training will add size and not always definition. Combined w cardio and BODY WEIGHT traning is where you will see the quickest and BEST results. a half hour of hard core body weight training w cardio mixed in 3 times a week will do wonders.

P90X and insanity will have some of this incorporated in it

[gwlee7]

I have done both programs and have been doing P90x for three years come the middle of January.  I like p90x better because at 48 years old now, Insanity is too hard on my joints becuse it is very high impact.

If it's just abs you really want, Insanity will be the way to go since it is nothing but intense cardio and only uses body weight resistance.

[Par Fore]

Smart post here.....diet is the key to great abs.....along with a good, balanced workout, hardcore abs 3 days a week, and rest/sleep......

Love P90X.....my back is finally starting to heal, I just started back and am on day 6 today (highly modified to avoid injury)....I would highly recommend the program....not only does it include a balanced workout, that changes to keep your muscles guessing, but it has a kickbutt ab program, as well as a book on diet.....it's worth it IMHO....

Quote:

there has been some good advice in here so far

but i will add to it

1. your diet is sh*t....it really is. Do some google searching on meal plans etc. but 100% you need to change your diet to see muscle definition, especially in your abs. You eat more crap in your diet than I do in a month! supper shouldnt be your 'largest" meal either. They should be equally sized w snacks in between to keep energy levels up. Usually u should be eating 5-6 times a day.

2. your cardio regimine seems good and like your doing a lot of it. Wanna see abs? keep this cardio up

3. dont focus too much on weight training itself to burn fat and see muscle definition. weight training will add size and not always definition. Combined w cardio and BODY WEIGHT traning is where you will see the quickest and BEST results. a half hour of hard core body weight training w cardio mixed in 3 times a week will do wonders.

P90X and insanity will have some of this incorporated in it

[Yukari]

Originally Posted by enis750

there has been some good advice in here so far

but i will add to it

1. your diet is sh*t....it really is. Do some google searching on meal plans etc. but 100% you need to change your diet to see muscle definition, especially in your abs. You eat more crap in your diet than I do in a month! supper shouldnt be your 'largest" meal either. They should be equally sized w snacks in between to keep energy levels up. Usually u should be eating 5-6 times a day.

2. your cardio regimine seems good and like your doing a lot of it. Wanna see abs? keep this cardio up

3. dont focus too much on weight training itself to burn fat and see muscle definition. weight training will add size and not always definition. Combined w cardio and BODY WEIGHT traning is where you will see the quickest and BEST results. a half hour of hard core body weight training w cardio mixed in 3 times a week will do wonders.

P90X and insanity will have some of this incorporated in it

LOL!!!  I agree, my diet is sh!t.  I went to fitday.com and typed in my typical meal.  Holy crap!!!  No wonder I'm just spinning my wheels!  Even though I have some abs definition, it is not like those firm washboard type, which is what I want.

I began a new diet yesterday.  Not really keeping track, but being careful of what I eat and eating 6 small meals throughout the day.  Also I cut out the alcohols cold turkey.

Hopefully, I will see some results by the end of January.

[TN94z]

Originally Posted by Yukari

Quote:

Originally Posted by enis750

there has been some good advice in here so far

but i will add to it

1. your diet is sh*t....it really is. Do some google searching on meal plans etc. but 100% you need to change your diet to see muscle definition, especially in your abs. You eat more crap in your diet than I do in a month! supper shouldnt be your 'largest" meal either. They should be equally sized w snacks in between to keep energy levels up. Usually u should be eating 5-6 times a day.

2. your cardio regimine seems good and like your doing a lot of it. Wanna see abs? keep this cardio up

3. dont focus too much on weight training itself to burn fat and see muscle definition. weight training will add size and not always definition. Combined w cardio and BODY WEIGHT traning is where you will see the quickest and BEST results. a half hour of hard core body weight training w cardio mixed in 3 times a week will do wonders.

P90X and insanity will have some of this incorporated in it

LOL!!!  I agree, my diet is sh!t.  I went to fitday.com and typed in my typical meal.  Holy crap!!!  No wonder I'm just spinning my wheels!  Even though I have some abs definition, it is not like those firm washboard type, which is what I want.

I began a new diet yesterday.  Not really keeping track, but being careful of what I eat and eating 6 small meals throughout the day.  Also I cut out the alcohols cold turkey.

Hopefully, I will see some results by the end of January.

I told you man.  Almost everyone I know that actually tracked what they were eating on Fitday were really amazed. Most people have no idea what kind and how many calories they take in during a day.

[saevel25]

I heard the difference is that if you have bad knees or joints do P90X, because Insanity has a lot of high impact moves, power based moves. But they are totally different routines. Insanity is shorter but more intense, more cardio. While P90X is more or less a complete workout plan, but it takes allot of dedication. If you want to mix and match, i think P90X has more variety than insanity..

[Yukari]

Originally Posted by TN94z

I told you man.  Almost everyone I know that actually tracked what they were eating on Fitday were really amazed. Most people have no idea what kind and how many calories they take in during a day.

Yup, you were right!  I was taking in about 5,000 to 6,000 calories a day.  That's why I was not losing any fat.  Thank goodness I was working out as much as I did so I wasn't gaining any weight either.