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Nutrition and diet expert Carrie Wiatt,creator of the P90X Nutrition PLan,has devetoped
an individuatized approach to heatthy eating that has made her a teading Lifestyte
educator in her work as an author, consultant, media personatity, and chef. At
nutrition company,Carrie
Diet Designs,her Los AngeLes-based

I NTRODUCTION

c o m b i n e s f r e s h , u p s c a t ec u i s i n e w i t h t o w - f a t p r e p a r a t i o n ,

portion controt, and personaLizedcounseting.After yearsof practice,Carrie compiled

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her proven techniques in her first book, Eating by Design: The lndividualized Food

Personality Type Nutrition Plan. Her second successful book, Portion Savvy,

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presents a 30-day ptan forcontrotted eating and food management.Wiatt's abitityto

bridge the gap between scienceand food circLeshas made her a sought-after media
expert on heatthy living.
Your body doesn't run on exercise. lt runs on the food you put in your mouth. The goat
of this book is to help you [earn what kinds of food, how much, and when to eat sothat
you can lose fat, Set [ean, and get into incredibte shape. Be warned. lf you want real
r e s u l t s f r o m y o u r e x e r c i s e p r o g r a m ( A N D W E M E A N I N C R E D I B L ER E S U L T S I ) ,

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skippingthis nutrition plan is NOTanoption. Establishingand maintaininSthe right

kind of diet is just as important to your overat[ successas any workout. In fact, some,

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may consider the diet the toughest exercise- but it is absolutety key to achieving
your best resutts.

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Once you incorporate the principles of the P90X Nutrition Ptan into your Life, you wi[[ quickty
begintofeelbetter, tookbetter,and without a doubt,perform better.Yourcravingsfor unheaLthy
foods wiLt be greatty reduced. Bye-bye, Twinkies!

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Because P90X is structured to chatlenge your body through 3 phases, this pLanis designed to

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change right aLongwithyour workout schedute.lts 3-phase system works in tandem with the
P90X routines, providing the right combination offoods to satisryyour body's energy needs every
step of theway, with no unheatthygimmicks.

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P H A S ET
d a Y s 1- 2 8

F A TS H R E D D E R

A high-protein-based diet designed to

help you strengthen muscle while
rapidly shedding fat from your body.

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PHASE2

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days 29-56

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E N E R G YB O O S T E R

A balanced mix of carbohydrates and

protein with a lower amount of fat to
supply additional energy for performance.

PHASE
3
days 57-90

E N D U R A N CM
E AXIMIZER

An athletic diet of complex carbohydrates, lean

proteins, and lower fat with an emphasis on more
carbohydrates. You'll need this combination of foods
as fuel to get the most out of your final training
block and truly get in the best shape of your lif e!

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Keep in mind that there are basicalty three types of peopLewhen it comes to

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fottowing a nutrition pLan:those who adhere to the guidelinesand fotlow the

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plan to a tee; those who foUow onLythe basics,etiminatingfoods that are high

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in fat and sodium; and those who read these words and then continue to eat

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the way they're accustomedto. lf this tast group describes you, now is the
time to make a change.Yourcommitment to getting in the best shapeof your
tife dependson it. Just take comfort in knowingthat the fundamentaLsof this
ptan are simple and easy to foLtow, and that you can atways go back to your

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otd habits after the 90 days. (Doubt you wiL[, thoughl)

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There are two diet approachespresented in the P90X Nutrition Ptan.The choice
is yours as to which one wiL[ work best for you. Keep in mind that you can stick
with one ptan throughout the entire 90 days,or atternate the ptansto adjust to
your Lifestyle and maximize your resuLts.

ral

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T HE P O R T I O N
PLAN

This plan is designed for those who don't have a lot of

time or patience to prepare a meal that involves more
than one or two steps. lt is definitely better suited to

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those who don't like to cook and follow recioes.

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THEMEAL
PLAN

By following the daily meal plans,you'll not only take the guesswork out
of your daily food preparation, but you'll also enjoy a variety of delicious,

healthy,and low-fat recipes that will provide you with the proper amount

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of nutrition and energy to get the rnost out of your P90X workouts.

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PLeasetake a few moments to record your current body

fat percentageand determine your nutrition Leve[.The

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data you provide witt determine how much food you

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P R O G R E SASS S E S S M E N T

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n e e d ( a n dh o w m u c h y o u d o n ' t n e e d )
white you go through P90X.

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ATHLETERANGE

FIT RANGE

MEN

14-17o/o

r0-r3%

WOMEN

21-24o/o

16.20%

ELITEATHLETERANGE

BODYFATTARGET

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Loweringyour body fat and increasinglean muscle massis

e s s e n t i a lt o y o u r o v e r a t Ls u c c e s s .B e c a u s eo f t h i s , i t i s

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important to track your progressthroughout this program

by measuringand recording your body fat percentage at the
end of eachohase.

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To get started, use the body fat measurement you assessed

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prior to taking your Fit Test (seethe P90X Prep sectionof the

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P90X Fitness Guidel , or simpLy use a body fat catiper

(avaitableat Beachbody.com)
and record your results here.

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D E T E R M I NYEO U RN U T R I T I O NL E V E L
Yournutrition Level is basedon the daity amount of caloriesyour body needsfor
optimaLheaLthand performanceduringthis extreme fitness program.

To determineyour nutrition teveL,simply compLetethe following 4 steps.

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_Catcutate your restint matabotlc rate
(RMR).This is basicalty the number of
calories you need to breathe, pump
bl.ood,grow hair, blink-be a[ive.

YOURBODYWEIGHT

RMR0NCALORTES)

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-Cal.culateyour dail.yactivity bum, the calories

required for daily movementapart fTornexercise.
Keep in mind that a[[ [ifestytes aren't created
equal. A construction worker witl have a hlgher

DAILYACNW|Y BURN

YOURRMR

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daity burn rate than a computer protrammer, so

this figure shou[d be treated as a ballpark
estimate. Youwilt probably need to do some
personal adjustingto 8et it perfect. Don't worry,
this wi[[ become more obviousthan you think

once you get going.

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_Add the calories required for your exercise

yoURRMR

,::::,i:::#H".:::l:tedat600carories
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DAILYACNVTYBURN

Add it all up and you've tot your enerty amount.

ENERGYAMOUNT

+600=
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_Now useyour enerSyamount to detemine your

nutrition levet in tfie tabl.e betow.

YOUR
ENERGY
AMOUNT NUTRITIONLEVEL

A 6-foot, 180-poundman
Exampl.e:
=
RMR 180 body weight in poundslx l0='l8fi)
Daily activity bum- 1800RMil x 2OVo=360
Exerciseexpenditure = 6(X) ..
Energyamount= 1800+360 +6O0=2760
Nurition Ueve[=ll

YO U RN U T R IT IONL E V E L=

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Like the P90X exercise protram, the P90X Nutrition P[an is divided into 3
progressive phases calibrated to move from fast, efficient fat loss (PhaseI )
to peak energy Phase 2l to tasting success (Phase 3). The proportions of

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The nutritional proportions for each of the 3 phases are as fotlows.

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PHASE

P H A S E1
P H A S E2
P H A S E3

PROTEIN

CARBOHYDRATE
FAT

E E E
E E E
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Researchshows that one of the most powerfut ways to successfutlychangeyour

eating habits is to keep a daiLyjournat. By Loggingyour food intake and exercise,

keeping a daily journal

you keep yourself accountablewhite atso creating a space to express your

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GENERAL

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GUIDELINES

t h o u g h t as n df e e L i n gY
s 'o u ' [nLo L o n g ehra v et o
rememberwhat workedandwhat didn't.Youcan

Lookback on your log to track yourjourney and fine-tune your fitness pLanto

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your personatexperienceand needs.You'dbe surprisedhow often you find

that bad moods are associatedwith bad foods.
You'tlfind a daity journal for each week of P90X includedat the backof this
book. Try to carry your current journat page with you so you can track meaLs
as you eat them and jot down thoughts as they arise.

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W H Y D I E TM A T T E R S

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T h e P 9 0 X N u t r i t i o n P L a ni s d e s i g n e dt o o p t i m i z e e n e r g y a n d f a t L o s sw h i t e w o r k i n g w i t h y o u r
e x e r c i s e p t a n t o b u i L ds t r e n g t h a n d t e a n m u s c L em a s s .T h i s d r a m a t i c c h a n g ei n y o u r p h y s i c a L

wHAT REsuLTs ro

ExpEcr -

c o - m p o s i t im
o ne a n st h a t v o u m i g h tn o t s e ea b i 8
difference on the scate because you'tl be trading fat for

lean, strong muscle-andyou wiLLnot only see, but you wiLLdefiniteLyfeel the difference in your
bldy. Untike other diets that focus on the reLatively meaninglessmeasureof weight, you'LLuse
body fat percentageand self-perceivedenergyto guideyou to your goaL.This Programis for rea[.

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The number one obstacLeto successis underestimatingPortion

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size.Ca[oriesDO count in the energyequation,andsma[Lerrorscan

add up to big disappointments.lt's very imPortant to measure

THE NUMBER oNE oBsrAcLE

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e a c hp o r t i o na c c u r a t eal vt
every meaL, the waY we've

outtined here. lt might soundtike a Lot of work, but after 90 days

it witL be secondnature. after 90 days you wiLLknow how to eat.

T h i n k o f t h i s p [ a n a s a g r a d u a t ed e g r e e i n e a t i n g , a n d y o u ' L L
graduatein onLythree months.
O T H E R" D O N ' T s "T H A TC A N
D E R A I LY O U RD I E TI N C L U D E :
_ Skippingmeals and eating off scheduLe.
_ F o l t o w i n gf a d s a n d t r e n d s , s u c h a s o v e r certainfood groupsand excluding
emphasizing
(can
you say "Athins"?).
others
_ Not planningaheadwith your food choices.
_ Skimpingon fruits and vegetables, your
natural supply of anti-agingnutrients.

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D R I N KW A T E R

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Researchshows that one of the most powerfuL ways to successfultychangeyour
eating habits is to keep a daity journat. By toggingyour food intake and exercise,

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keeping a daily journal

you keep yoursetf accountabLewhite also creating a space to express your

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GEN ERAL GU I DELI N Es

t h o u t h t sa n df e e L i n g sY' o u ' [nLo L o n g ehr a v et o

rememberwhat workedandwhat didn't.Youcan

[ook back on your Logto track your journey and fine-tune your fitness ptan to

your personal experienceand needs.You'dbe surprisedhow often you find

that bad moods are associatedwith bad foods.

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You'[Lfind a daily journa[ for each week of P90X incLudedat the back of this
book. Try to carry your current journal page with you so you can track meaLs
as you eat them and jot down thoughts as they arise.

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W H Y D I E TM A T T E R S

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The P90X Nutrition P[an is designedt o o p t i m i z e e n e r g y a n d f a t t o s s w h i L ew o r k i n gw i t h y o u r
e x e r c i s e p l a n t o b u i L ds t r e n g t h a n d L e a nm u s c l e m a s s .T h i s d r a m a t i c c h a n g ei n y o u r p h y s i c a l

WHATRESULTT
SO E X P E C T

composition meansthat you might not see a big

difference on the scaLebecauseyou'Ll be trading fat for

Lean,strong musc[e-andyou wiLLnot onLysee, but you wiL[ definiteLyfeeL the difference in your
btdy. Untike other diets that focus on the retativeLymeaningtessmeasureof weight, you'tl use
body fat percentageand self-perceivedenergyto guideyou to your goaL.This programis for rea[.

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The number one obstacLeto successis underestimatingportion

size.CaloriesDO count in the energyequation,andsmatLerrorscan
add up to big disappointments.lt's very important to measure

THE NUMBER oNE oBsrAcLE

e a c hp o r t i o na c c u r a t eaLtv
every meaL, the way we've

outlined here. lt might soundlike a lot of work, but after 90 days

it wiLt be secondnature. after 90 days you wiL[ know how to eat.
T h i n k o f t h i s p [ a n a s a g r a d u a t ed e g r e e i n e a t i n g ,a n d y o u ' L L
graduatein onLythree months.
O T H E R" D O N ' T S "T H A TC A N
D E R A I LY O U RD I E TI N C T U D E :
_ SkippingmeaLsand eating off schedute.
_ F o L L o w i n fga d s a n d t r e n d s , s u c h a s o v e r emphasizingcertain food groupsand excLuding
others (canyou say "Athins"?).
_ Not planningaheadwith your food choices.
_ Skimpingon fruits and vegetabLes,your
naturaLsuppLyof anti-agingnutrients.

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It is important to foLlow a reguLareating scheduLe.First, it keeps your bLoodsugarstable

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i n s t e a do f p e a k i n ga n d c r a s h i n gw
, h i c h c a n L e a dt o o v e r e a t i n ga n d a g e n e r a Ip o o r f e e l i n g .

WHEN

TO

EAT

S e c o n d r, e g u [ a rm e a l s w i L Ls p e e d u p y o u r m e t a b L o i s mb y
chaLLenging
it to keep processingcaLories,rather than storing

them in a game of "feast and famine."

T h e c o n c e p t o f t i m e i s c r u c i a lt o e v e r y t h i n g i n L i f e - i t k e e p s u s o n t r a c k , a n d t h i s i s
especia[Lytrue when it comesto eating.Successin P90X comesto those who eat early and
often. Youshouldbe eating every few hourswhite you're awake,favoringsmall meaLsand
snacks.Try to finish your Lastsnackapproximately three hours before you hit the sack.
This wilL heLpkeep undigestedcarbs from being stored as fat. lf you do need to break this
rule, a small protein shakewouLdbe the snackof choice before bed, as it can he[p your

$$,

recovery duringsteep.

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C U S T O M I Z I N GT H E P H A S E S
7

While P90X is designed as a 90-day program, there are

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PHASE,I
-especially

will affect people differently.Those who are reasonably fit and have more body fat can
extend this phase more easily than someone who is quite fit and doesn't have a lot of excessbody
fat to lose. This stage is designed to cut down your body fat percentage, and as this happens, your

available energy should also decrease.Therefore, Phase 1 should only be extended if you need

to drop more fat and also feel like you have ample energy to push hard during your workouts.
Conversely, this phase could be shortened by a week or two if your body fat is already low and

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you feel like you don't have the necessary energy to get the most out of your workouts.

PHASE
2

is more of a well-rounded eating plan, and there shouldn't

be too much trouble once you get here.This stage can also
be extended if you're feeling great, have plenty of energy,
and it seems like you're making overall progress.

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PHASE

- should be earned. !t's an athleticdiet and you'll only need it if you are
pushing your body to the timit, which you should be if you keep your
promise to "Bring lt." Of note is that Phase 3 should be tried at some
point,even if you feel good in Phase 2.We've seen many people hesitate
to move back to this more carb-heavy phase for fear that they'll gain
weight, but surprise !They found that once they did, they had more
energy, worked out even harden and had better results.This is important
to keep in mind. Athletes eat more carbs, and there is a reason that
they do. We wouldn't put it in the plan if it weren't proven.

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Before determining which foods to incorporate into your seLected eatint

p l a n , n o w w o u l d b e a g o o d t i m e t o g e t r i d o f a L Lt h e j u n k f o o d c u r r e n t [ y i n
v o u r p o s s e s s i o n 'F o o d s h i g h i n s a t u r a t e d
TOSS

TH

E J U N K!

and trans fats, sodium. and sugar

shouLdbe the first to be thrown out (i.e.,cookies, pastries, candy,

processed meats, potato chips, soda, high-sodium frozen foods, canned
s o u p s , e t c . ) . Y o u k n o w t h e m . Y o ut h i n k y o u L o v e t h e m . T h e y a r e t h e p r o b l e m .
Throw them away, and don't Let anyone give you more. Don't be nice. Don't
t a k e a b i t e . S a y : " T h a n k s ,b u t l ' m n o t e a t i n g t h a t k i n d o f s t u f f f o r 9 0 d a y s . "
And by the way, congratulationsl You're taking this program seriously, and
just remember-

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if you think it's junk food, it probably is.