Many people who follow Weight Watchers, whether they started yesterday or have been doing it for a while, want to incorporate some type of exercise routine into their weight loss program. Because P90X and Insanity are so popular (most people have seen the infomercials), it’s common to see questions about them on the Weight Watchers forums. Here I will address the most common questions regarding Weight Watchers tracking while doing the P90X or Insanity programs:
Q: Can I do P90X or Insanity while on Weight Watchers?
A: Sure you can! In fact, it was through the Weight Watchers message boards that I discovered P90X. I had seen the infomercials, but was skeptical. Let’s face it: many if not most products advertised that way are overpriced rubbish. But then I put several people on Weight Watchers boards who had gone through the program with fantastic results. I decided to take a chance and buy a copy… and never looked back. I loved my results so much that I later decided to try Insanity. I have had nothing but positive results when combining these exercise programs with Weight Watchers.
Q: How do I calculate Activity Points (AP) for P90X or Insanity workouts? I don’t see them listed on the AP calculator.
A: These are the methods that have worked well for me. By calculating my AP this way, I can eat every point that comes my way and still lose weight:
P90X and Ab Ripper Strength Workouts: keep track of your total time, then choose “Weightlifting, Universal Type (vigorous effort).” As a side note, this will give you the same amount of AP as if you were to use the manual calculator set to “moderate”.
P90X Yoga X and X Stretch: Track your total time, then choose “Hatha Yoga.”
P90X Cardio X and Core Synergistics: Track your total time, then use the manual calculator set to “moderate.”
P90X Plyometrics and all Insanity Workouts: To be conservative, I don’t count all the time as “high” intensity. Let’s be honest: you probably weren’t going full throttle every second of the workout. For these workouts, I keep track of my total time, then count half as “moderate” and half as “hard,” using the hand calculator.
Q: You said “total” time. Should I subtract time for breaks?
A: I don’t worry about subtracting for breaks unless I’m taking significant rest, which means plenty of time for my muscles to cool down…and you shouldn’t be doing that anyway, because you risk injury if you take too long a break. , then jump back in without going through another warm-up.
Q: What about the Nutrition Guide I received with my training discs? Should I stick with that or stay with Weight Watchers?
A: If you read the Nutrition Guide, you’ll notice that many of the tips in it are in sync with the tips in the Weight Watchers plan materials: eat smaller meals; move toward whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; stay away from nasty junk food; do not do “Exercise for Cookies”. Michi’s Ladder is actually very similar to the old Weight Watchers Basic Plan (now called “the Simply Filling technique”). In addition, the recipes in the Nutrition Guide are low in calories and therefore very easy to use. I use the information in the Nutrition Guide to supplement the advice from Weight Watchers.
Q: What is the best time within the Weight Watchers program to start P90X or Insanity?
A: Anytime! You can start the same day you join Weight Watchers, or you can start months or a year later. Up to you.
Q: I’m very big, I’ve never exercised in my life, and I don’t know if I’m ready for P90X or Insanity. Are there any Beachbody programs that are more for beginners?
A: Yes, there are. For example, Power 90 (P90) is a very popular program for beginning exercisers who still have a lot of weight to lose, as is 10-Minute Trainer.
