You’ve seen the infomercial and wondered if P90X really works or is it just another fly by night program that you will buy and be disappointed in like so many other weight loss and fitness programs. I’m here to tell you that this program works, but it will take commitment and dedication on your part.

The P90X system is unlike any other fitness program out there. This is considered to be an extreme fitness program and it is not for everybody. If you have a serious amount of weight to lose or have not worked out in 10 years or longer this may not be the program for you. When I began the program I was approximately 80 pounds overweight and had made several attempts over the past three years to start a fitness program and get back control over my health. I jumped into the program and it I couldn’t be happier. At the time of this writing I have lost 60 pounds using P90X.

What I loved about this program is the variety of workouts. You will do a different workout everyday and that was exactly what I was looking for. I’ve tried other programs where you do the same workout everyday and maybe two different workouts in a week. The variety was key for me to stick to the program.

P90X was designed around the principle of muscle confusion. Basically you are changing your routine about every three weeks so that your body never gets used to doing the same routine and therefore you never experience the plateau effect and will continue to gain strength over the course of the ninety day program. Depending on which version you want to try you will do three resistance workouts, two cardio workouts, and one yoga workout every week.

As far as equipment you will need to begin P90X, you will need dumbbells or resistance bands, a pull-up bar or a way to simulate pull-ups using the resistance bands, and a yoga mat. People often ask how much weight they will need. This all depends on your strength. I use anywhere from 5-45 pounds and need more weight on a few of the exercises. I favor adjustable dumbbells so I don’t have to invest a lot of space to store all of my weights. The best thing is you can get a world class workout in the comfort of your home.

The program claims you can get ripped in ninety days and to have any chance at accomplishing this you must follow the nutrition plan. Diet is 80% of the program. There is a specific nutrition guide that comes along with P90X. There are three phases to the plan where you change the portions of your food intake approximately every thirty days. You start out with high protein and very low carbohydrates and work your way up to more carbs and less protein.

P90X comes with a fit test to take to see if you are ready for the challenge. Obviously, you don’t want to buy the program and then find out that you are not ready. You can do an internet search for "P90X fit test" and you will find it online. I would also suggest consulting your physician before beginning P90X or any other fitness program.