I take my health to heart, and am always looking for interesting and fun new ways go get and stay fit. Last week when my friend Joel told me about how using P90X could help P90X “eradicate every fat cell in the body” I decided it was time I try it out for myself.

So far P90X is fun, and intense. The video recommends taking “before” pictures when you start, so I did, and I have included them in this post.

P90X does not confuse the fact that fitness is part exercise, and part healthy eating, although it focuses on the former.  Due to this truism of fitness I will be fighting a battle to improve my health on two fronts over the next three months.

The Goal

My goal from this fitness experiment is to attain an undeniable six-pack.

Exercise Plan

My exercise plan for P90X is to use the videos, or hit the gym, at least 6 times a week. and stick to an entirely healthy diet, with no exceptions. If food does not advance my health I will not put it in my body.

Any day that I go to the gym I will not worry about completing a video. I’ll allow myself one day of rest a week. Although the P90X program is intense, I still feel that I get more from hitting the gym, and being surrounded by other people working out. When I do hit the gym, my plan is to do at least 30 minutes of cardio while I am there.

Healthy Eating Plan

P90X makes it quite clear that healthy eating is a part of a healthy exercise plan, and towards this initiative my goal is to eliminate sugar wherever possible (without substituting for aspartame) and to also eliminate fatty, fast, and junk foods altogether.

When eating on the go I plan to eat almost exclusively either a sub or a pita. Despite eating several of these a week already, I find that there is enough variety to keep me from getting bored. I love subs and have often considered going on a subway diet of sorts. It worked for Jared!

I am going to avoid soda with no exceptions. My plan is to drink mainly plain H2O, or vitamin water. I carry a stainless steel water canister so that I can stay hydrated wherever I am. I drink plenty of coffee and I recently bought a Mr. Coffee espresso maker for under $70. The best part of this machine is that is has a milk steamer on the side. Coffee with steamed milk is divine. Not only does adding steamed milk to coffee make it taste much better, it also removes the need for sugar!

Here are my before pictures. I’ll be posting again in 90 days (April 21st) with my after pictures, and my thoughts about the effectiveness of this P90X fitness experiment.