If you’re in the “Fat Shredding” phase of P90X (or any other workout program) you should be eating foods that:
1. Keep you feeling full.
2. Don’t make you feel hungry all the time.
3. Provide all the nutrients your body needs.
4. Keep your metabolism going strong.
That’s ONE tall order dont’cha think?!
Remember that the FAT SHREDDER plan from the P90X nutrition guide calls for 50% protein, 30% carbs, and 20% fat. You should stay on the fat shredder plan as long as you want to keep shredding fat. That’s why they call it the FAT SHREDDER. 🙂 Some people who have a lot of weight to lose will stay on the fat shredder plan for the entire 90 days or more.
You might not have a lot of excess energy but you should have enough energy to maintain your muscle mass while losing body fat and make it through your workouts without bonking. Once your body gets CLOSE to where you want it to be, you can then transition to ENERGY BOOSTER percentages (40% protein, 40% carbs, 20% fat) to give the muscles a little extra fuel. At this point even though you’re changing the percentage of macronutrients you consume, you should keep the daily calorie total the same for the entire 90 days. (NOTE: the P90X nutrition guide overestimates calories a bit because it was not created to be a weight loss program so feel free to adjust accordingly).
If you’re not tracking your calories and portion sizes YOU NEED TO START. People who DON’T track their calories will consume 50 PERCENT more than those who do!! It will seem bothersome and time-consuming at first, but after a while you’ll get the feel for what certain measurements look and feel like and it will become second-nature. Use whatever tool is most convenient for you, whether it be a small notebook, a phone app (I heard the iPhone app ‘Tap and Track’ works well), or websites like MyDailyPlate and MyFitnessPal.
Be aware that you may find yourself making some drastic changes in your eating habits. But just do what you can and if you make a mistake, forget about it and just MOVE ON. Even so, there’s a lot of great Fat Shredding foods out there that should be a part of everyone’s long-term nutrition plan. Here’s some of my favorites (PLUS we’ll talk about some foods you should avoid…at least for now) :
1. Egg Whites–Egg whites pack a lot of protein into very few calories. Use them just like regular eggs and scramble some up with veggies. Or boil up a dozen one day and eat them as snacks throughout the week (I just toss the yolk). Easy!
2. Apples–Apples have a lot of fiber which is important when you’re trying to feel full. They also have a nice crunchy texture which can make a good substitute if your body is craving chips. Just be sure to eat the skin too!!
3. Greek Yogurt–I’ve recently fallen head over heels in love with Greek yogurt. My favorite brand is Chobani and I love the peach and strawberry flavors. It’s a little more expensive than regular yogurt but is totally worth it in my opinion. Compared to regular and other varieties of “light” yogurt, Greek yogurt is higher in protein, has good carbs and no fat. Perfect-o!
4. Berries–I always stock up on berries when they’re on sale! They are superfoods packed with nutrients and antioxidants. My favorites are raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries but blackberries are good for you too!
5. Turkey Jerky–I know it probably sounds weird, but Jack Links makes a pretty mean turkey jerky. Sure, jerky is a little high in sodium and has MSG but as long as you’re drinking plenty of water you should be fine. Obviously, you don’t want to eat the whole bag, but one serving has 80 calories, 15g of protein, and only 1g of carb and less than 1g of fat.
6. Lean meats–You should stick with lean meats like chicken, turkey, and fish. Red meat is OK as long as you pick lean cuts. You will need these protein sources to fuel your muscles for recovery and growth while giving your body very little to store as fat.
7. Veggies–I know, veggies are sort of a no-brainer but they will fill you up (from the fiber) and give you lots of nutrients at a very low calorie level. Baby carrots make a great snack (as long as you don’t dip them in ranch dressing!!). And you should get in the habit of having steamed veggies with most of your dinners (like broccoli, green beans, etc.) sans the butter! 🙂 Celery (like apples) also has a nice crunchy texture and is VERY filling!
8. Low-fat cottage cheese–Another great source of protein if you don’t mind the texture. Great for late-night snacking before bed.
9. Sugar Free Jello–I’m not a huge fan of jello (artificial sweeteners) but it satisfies the sweet tooth after dinner with no guilt and is only 10 calories.
10. Pure Protein Bars–Protein bars in general make good snack choices when you’re at work or on the run. BUT, during the fat shredding phase you should only be eating protein bars that are REALLY low in sugar (less than 5g or so). Unfortunately, the best-tasting protein bars (like the Clif Builder Bar and P90X bars are higher in sugar). You can find ‘Pure Protein’ bars at Walmart or Meijer. They are super-low in sugar (2g), low in calories (180), and high in protein (20g). Definitely not the best-tasting bars on the planet but you’re on a mission…RIGHT?! I definitely DON’T recommend the Chocolate Deluxe but the Chocolate Peanut Butter and S’Mores flavors aren’t too bad. NOTE: Pure Protein bars contain maltitol (a sugar alcohol) which can cause some digestive upset…mainly in the form of gas. Schwing!
11. Whey Protein–Protein fills you up and gives you a sustained energy level without spiking your insulin. You need to eat protein at several points all throughout the day but sometimes eating lean meats just isn’t an option. Whey protein is a great way to make sure your body gets all the protein it needs.
12. PB2–This product comes in powder-form and is simply peanuts that have been dried and crushed with the fat removed. Two tablespoons only contains 45 calories and even puts NATURAL peanut butter to shame which contains 200 calories in two tablespoons. You can mix it with water to create a peanut butter consistency, but it’s best when added to shakes. You can search the company’s website http://www.bellplantation.com to see if there’s a store near you that sells it, otherwise http://www.netrition.com seems to have the most economical price online.
12. Shakeology–Yes, last but definitely not least is our great friend Shakeology. This nutrient-dense superfood packs pretty much all the nutrients your body needs into 150 calories. If you’re a petite woman like me, you might even find that half-serving (75 calories) is enough to satisfy your needs. Since it has a complete nutritional profile, it stops the cravings, keeps you feeling full, and keeps your body running at 100% even while you’re running on fewer calories. Perfect-o! I love Shakeology, both as a way to aid in weight loss, or as a supplement to my current diet because of the complete nutritional balance it gives me. Shakeology has a low-glycemic index, with a certfied GI rating of 24. That’s lower than some fruits and vegetables! If you don’t know what that means and how it can help you reach your goals, be sure to watch the video below:
That being said, there’s a few foods that you should probably avoid during the FAT SHREDDER phase, not because they’re unhealthy, but simply because they will hinder the fat shredding process. You have to try and keep ALL carbs (even the good ones) under 30% of your daily total calorie intake. Some foods to avoid/limit include nuts, light string cheese (or cheese of any kind), P90X protein bars or any protein bar with more than 5-10g sugar, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, wheat bread, oatmeal and wheat cereals. Again, these are all GREAT foods, but they aren’t FAT SHREDDER foods so if you use them in your diet, use them in moderation! It’s fine to eat them, but only if you aren’t going over your daily intake of percentages and calories.
Comments
54 responses to “The Best Fat Shredding Foods for P90X”
I am trying to lose 35lbs. How long would you recommend I stay on the Fat Shredder phase?
Thanks!
Hey Michael, you can stay on the Fat Shredder phase until you reach a more desirable body fat percentage…some people stay on it for the entire 90 days. As long as you feel like you have enough energy you should be fine. It’s not a long-term plan though…so after 90 days you will probably want to switch things up a bit.
Hi Amanda,
Thanks for putting up the list of Fat Shredding foods. I have started my P90X this week and just finished my Yoga today.
Since I workout in the morning, I take a pre-work out shake (25g carbs). Immediately following the workout, I take a post-workout shake (3g Carbs, 24g Protein) and Oatmeal.Since you have mentioned Oats as one of the foods to be used in moderation, what substitute would you suggest?
Thanks!
I eat oatmeal in the morning before a workout. The rest of the day im eating meals with protein and lots of greens 🙂
Hey Samantha! Yeah it’s smart to eat your carbs early in the day! I’m a big fan of oatmeal. too….esp baked oatmeal with egg whites. YUM!!
great tips… short and concise. thanks!
You are very welcome! 🙂
Hi,
I am trying to determine what a more proper diet is as I am trying to build muscle (and lose a small amount of fat), and I am wondering how you count 50% protein, 30% carbs, and 20% fat. i.e., when I am looking at the nutrition label of foods to figure out how to proportion what I am eating, how do I translate that into a number? (i.e., how do I turn grams to % ?) Lets say for the sake of example that I am trying to do a 2000 cal. diet. Can you tell me how to calculate this?
Thanks
The best way to do that is with some type of nutrition tracking software or app like MyDailyPlate.com MyFitnessPal.com , Tap and Track etc. You simply enter what food you eat and it keeps track of all the macronutrients for you! 🙂
here is my fat shreddar diet
breakfast- 1 scoop of whey protien, with one table spoon P.B and 2 eggs.
Snack- 1 scoop of protien powder ans banana
Lunch-chicken breast with lettice,cucumber and tomatoes.
snack- 1 scoop of protien powder
dinner- chicken brest with kidney beans
post workout-protien powder
calories per day between 1800 to 2100 depending on the cravings
want to know if this is okay for a fat shredding i started at 176 pounds 18.49%BF after 7 days on p90x 17.6% and weighed 176, so i probably lost some fat and gained s0me muscle
Hi amanda,
thanks for the great tips. i have a quick question. im doing the fat shredder and am only allowed one serving of carbs and i usually get that from a cup of oatmeal or 2 slices of whole wheat bread. my concern is i eat plain no fat organic stonyfield yogurt as a dairy and that has 15g of carbs. should i count that out of my diet or is it safe? thanks a lot!!
Hi I’m going to be starting the p90x this week, I want to be having eggs for breakfast, probly sandwiches for lunch and chicken/fish with vegetables for dinner. My first question is when is the best time to have the protein bars and a shake? Also I won’t be able to exercise until about 8pm so when would be ideal to have my dinner, before or after I exercise. And lastly will I be able to eat any kind of junk food, ie cakes/chocolate/deserts or are these totally band? Many thanks
Tom in Manchester England
Have you tried Supreme Protein Bars? The caramel nut chocolate is carb conscious, has 5g sugar, 200 calories, 15g protein, 18g carbs/14g sugar alcohol. I hope this is a bar that I can have around 8:30 at night? It curbs my sweet tooth. I am trying to accomplish fat shredding also – have about 30 lbs to lose and don’t want this to slow me down. Please let me know what you think.+
Hey Fran I’ve not heard of those but as long as it fits in with your daily fat shredding macros it should be fine. Late night snacking every once in a while probably won’t make or break your results but I probably wouldn’t make it a habit.
Hi, you mentioned that WHEY is acceptable to take for protein. But as a woman how much of the WHEY should i be taking? I dont want to bulk up. Also should i get the Whey protein that is 52g of protein or the one that is 25g of protein?
Hi Patricia! I’m not a nutritional expert but the general rule of thumb is one gram per pound of body weight daily. Don’t worry, unless you take steroids you’re not gonna bulk up. 😉 I would check the serving sizes on the whey protein you’re looking at. 52g sounds like two scoops and 25g sounds like one scoop. Women typically only need ~ 25g per serving.
Thank you soooo much! you have been extremely helpful 🙂
I’m just starting the fat shredder portion of p90X. I was told to try to stay at a 1200-1300 calorie diet during this phase. Does that sound right? The nutrition guide has me at 2400 cal. Also, how important is it to eat a snack after dinner? I usually don’t eat after dinner.
Hey Ryan, I think ur yogurt should be fine…just to be safe I would track your nutrition and results for a couple weeks to see if you need to make any adjustments!
wow Stephan I’m really not a nutritionist! I would track your nutrition using an online tool like MyFitnessPal or MyDailyPlate and make adjustments as needed when you compare what you’re eating with your results.
This day one of the program and I need help with menu ideas for the fat shredder menu?
Hi
i just started p90x i weigh well’ lets say alot, is it okay for me to be drinking a whey protein shake for breakfast if i want to lose weight.
p.s. my protein powder is 56g for 2 scoops
A protein shake is fine for breakfast but don’t forget you also have to eat healthy and clean for the rest of the day! I recommend tracking your nutrition with an online tool or app like MyFitnessPal to help you stay focused and on track!
HI Amanda .
Great Article ..
My wife and I just started p90x . and she’s still confussed on a few ‘food’ items protiens etc.. she signed up and asked her ‘coach’ but she hasn’t heard back from her. seems to be an un-going issue recently with folks .. I guess a person can only answer the same questions so many times before they give up LOL ..
But she wanted to know stuff like .. if you have a protien bar for a snack . Do you mark it off as a snack? a protien? or One of each?? stuff like that ..
thanks
Frank
Hey Frank, I found it’s practically impossible to follow the “portion” approach for this very reason. Another example, if you have Greek yogurt for a snack does it count as a protein or dairy? Who knows for sure right?! For that reason I recommend just sticking to your calorie and macronutrient goals for the day and don’t worry about “portions” otherwise you will drive yourself crazy. If you use a tool like MyFitnessPal that should be fairly easy to do. I hope that helps and keep pressing play!! 🙂
hey amanda
im 17 and i currently weigh 314 pounds. iv been doing p90x for three weeks and iv lost 7 pounds…not bad. but last summer i did p90x for 3 weeks and lost 20 pounds…..i didnt even have to keep going.
my problem is that the first time i did p90x i wasnt really eating very much at all, and it was all protein. it seemed to work well. this time around im following the plan much better and im eating more but still much below the recomended amount (around 800 calorie deficit per day) im wondering if i should eat even less or stay where im at…or even eat a bit more….thank you
just to point out i weigh 214 not 314…typo
Hi Dan, I think it’s important to keep in mind that P90X is not just about losing weight, it’s about creating good habits that last a lifetime. Starving yourself just so you can reach a weight loss goal is not a long-term solution. You need to eat enough so that you still have enough energy to get through your workouts. If you hit a plateau or start feeling drained, you will probably need to increase your calories. I would not eat any less than where you are right now.
Hi Amanda, I’m a 24 year old guy currently on my day 18 of P90X. I was researching about which protein bars to take and came across the pure protein bars. I was wondering if taking one bar of the pure protein bars after the p90x workout would be effective for fat loss? I have good eating habits and right now I’m consuming around 5 to 6 small meals with a high protein, low carb and low fat diet but don’t really know if the bars are helping or not.
Hey Andre! Honestly, eating one protein bar everyday (or not) will not make or break your success with the program. What’s more important is that you are consistent with your workouts everyday, get enough sleep and eating clean for 90 days. It sounds like you’re doing a great job so far! A protein bar is going to be pretty insignificant when you take into account the big picture. If they don’t seem to be bothering you with the sugar alcohol, then they probably aren’t hurting your progress. Maybe you could try not eating them for a week just to see if you notice a difference? I wouldn’t eat them everyday for the rest of your life, but just see how it goes while you do P90X. Keep up the good work and please keep me posted. Hang in there!
Tigers? P90X? Ron Paul? This girl is alright (though I support Gary Johnson). Also, I’m starting Day 1 of P90X tonight and I’m trying to find foods to eat for this. I don’t have much fat on my body at all so how long should I stick on the fat shredder? I don’t eat fast food very often and when I do it’s usually Subway.
Hey Jeff, thanks for stopping by! 🙂 Well, do you have the P90X nutrition guide? That’s a good place to start! You don’t have to do the Fat Shredder phase if you don’t think it’s necessary…you just might want to try it for a couple weeks to see how your body reacts to it. I recommend sticking to whole foods (vegetables, fruit, etc.) as much as possible and avoiding processed food which doesn’t have a very high nutrient density. I’m actually transitioning to a plant-based diet now which is something I never thought I would do…but I ate a lot of chicken, ground turkey, eggs, tuna, salmon, etc. when I did P90X. I hope that helps! Good luck on your first workout!! 🙂
hey amanda, i seem to be loosing weight and tightening up everywhere but my mid section. i see significant changes in my arms, legs, chest, and even back. but my stomach is being difficult. any suggestions?
Sorry Ryan, but despite what all the fitness ads tell you, there’s no way to target fat loss. If fat was like water your body is a swimming pool and your stomach is the deep end. When you drain out the swimming pool, the deep end is the last to go. Obviously whatever you’re doing is having an effect, so the best thing you can do is keep doing that and eat as many as whole foods as possible.
Hi Amanda, I’m 5’0 and have about 5 lbs of fat to lose. Do you recommend the fat shredder diet? I’m also going to be starting p90x2 today. Should it be 50/30/20 for every meal or just the day? Seems very hard to get it exactly every meal.
It is for the day. Try not to stress over it too much, if you concentrate on eating whole foods that aren’t processed the rest will fall into place. If you haven’t read the book Eat to Live by Dr. Fuhrman I highly recommend it. It will simplify nutrition for you. 😉
Amanda,
Regarding 50% protein, 30% carbs, 20%fat, are the carbs net carbs or total carbs (fiber, suger, sugar alcohol,etc.)?
Joseph
Hello Joseph! Yes that includes all carbs including those you get from fruit, veggies, sugar, grains, sugar, alcohol, etc. Does that help answer your question?
So where do the single snacks and the double snacks fit in? Are they for calorie purposes?
Hi Joshua, are you talking about the single and double snacks from the nutrition guide? I didn’t follow that 100% so I would try to stick to your calorie and macronutrient goals as best as possible and not worry about how they lay out the portions/snacks in the guide…too confusing. I prefer to keep it simple!
Hi Amanda,I am 153lb weigh and I want to loose at least 15-20lb.I work out at least 1 hour for 3-4 days in a week.Could you please tell me what should I do to getrid of this fat?
Thanks,
Shila
Yes, track your nutrition (calories, macros, etc) and adjust as needed!
Hey there,
Just completed week one of p90x and like it a lot however I didn’t follow the nutrition guide (due to lack of funding) (and ate tons of protein and tracked calories but didn’t really eat snacks.
Now week two has begun and I have the money to follow it, but do I have to have snacks or can I just keep it to three square meals?
Also I was getting enough protein with good carb and fat percentages from my food. do I need whey protein still if Im doing this without already?
thank you for your time,
Vicki
hi, is it ok to eat oat meal on lunch or dinner?
thanks!
It’s all about your personal preferences Victoria, everyone is different. If you are happy with your calories and macros without the whey protein then you can leave it out. I prefer to have snacks in between meals but if three meals works for you then I would stick with that.
Sure, you can eat oatmeal whenever you want! Just make sure to log it if you are tracking your calories, macronutrients, etc.
I am looking for a little advice. In my 20’s eating right worked like it should to shred fat. Now healthy foods don’t seem to work anymore, they do the exact opposite. My girlfriend will eat the exact same meals every day for weeks and lose weight gain muscle. Fiber and protein just works to make me super hungry, add weight and gain fat!. Now days I struggle to choke down tuna, cottage cheese, whey, egg whites, and vegetables. They were always bland and tasteless. No combination of different seasonings can cover it up. It wasn’t so bad when they worked towards my goal, but really makes me depressed if I eat perfectly the same thing she does and my fat percentage and weight go up fast every week during p90x for 2 months. When I’m on the program I never cheat, never miss a workout, but this has been the 5th time in 3 years I’ve gone 2 months and quit because I can’t stand the excessive weight/fat gain. Eating burgers, taco bell and pizza generally make me lose that 20-30lbs afterwards back down to where I started before eating right. I use the withings weight/fat scale to record my gains. Checked at the doctors office. My doctor just insists I’m cheating with snickers bars or something which just irritates me. Any ideas on what could be wrong or what I should do?
Hi Joe, I’m not a nutritionist so I can only share what’s worked in my own personal experience. We are all so different when it comes to food and what works for your girlfriend probably isn’t going to work for you. Keep in mind that you can still eat “healthy” food and gain weight. I would recommend tracking your calories and macronutrients very carefully if you’re not already doing that. You might also want to consider seeking the advice of someone who specializes in sports nutrition.
Hi, I am in the no sugar, gluten free stage of the fat shredder phase and I was wondering if carob was allowed? Or, honey and agave? T would be nice to see a list of foods what aren’t allowed in the last few weeks of the fat shredder phase. Thanks!
Hi Alison, try not to look at it like certain foods are “allowed” and others aren’t. If you are adding things honey, carob, and agave just for the taste then only you can decide if that’s worth the extra calories or not. The nutrition guide is a great place to start. You just need to track everything that you eat to make sure you are hitting your targets on a daily basis.