Celebrity Weight Loss Programs: Is P90X Truly a Celeb Savior?

It seems lately that every celebrity, young and old, is extolling the benefits of the P90X workout program. This program has purportedly helped Usher keep his dance grooves moving, while Taylor Lautner swears P90X allowed him to bare his totally buff chest in those vampire flicks. The real question is, can P90X help you pursue your weight loss goals?

[Lautner credits P90X for his buff bod....are these results you could live with? 'Cause I totally can!]

What IS p90X?

P90X, also known as Power 90 Extreme, is a weight loss program designed for home use. The claim made by P90X creator Tony Horton is that this weight loss program will improve overall physical fitness in…90 days! Sounds good, right?

Well many things sound good, but with a combination of stretching, cardio, yoga, and strength training, P90X will surely get you fit. Their additional focus on nutrition and diet had me intrigued enough to keep digging.

With a slogan like “regular to ripped in just 90 days”, you can be sure hundreds of celebs all over the globe go to this quick fat loss program.

What’s GOOD?

What’s good about P90X is that the workout plan consists of 12 different exercise regimens, allowing you to target all problem areas without getting bored.

Their theory of muscle confusion was especially interesting, and I think every dieter who has rushed home from the gym only to discover the scale says the same thing it said 3 weeks ago, will agree. Muscle confusion means doing a bunch of different exercises throughout each workout routine to keep your muscles multi-tasking, and therefore confused and unable to get used to the workout movements.

The best thing about this ultra rigorous weight loss program is that each video features a variety of exercise models performing each exercise in varying degrees of difficulty. This allows practically all users to follow the exercise regimen as instructed.

P90X is a fitness program that those who need a very strict diet plan to follow for weight loss. The 90-day program comes with the exercise DVDs, a nutrition guide, calendar, and a fitness plan to make sure you have all the tools you need to get healthy and in shape.

With a (90 day) money back guarantee, it sounds worth a shot.

[For many celebrities this logo can take them from 'has-been' to 'comeback kid', but is it the weight loss program for you?]

What’s Not-So-GOOD?

While P90X and its celebrity endorsers have me sold in the physical and some nutritional aspects of this weight loss program, the price seems made for the rich. With 3 payments of $40 each plus shipping and handling, your bill will be about $140. It’s true that’s a small price to pay for great health and a rockin’ bod, but you still need other exercise equipment to complete the DVDs.

Phase 1 of the nutrition program focuses on high protein and low carbs to emphasize how carbs affect energy level, and that’s a good thing. I just think it encourages that ‘Atkins’ frame of mind.

P90X requires users to workout 6 days each week, resting only one day. Millions of users swear by its effectiveness so who am I to question this wisdom, but it does seem a lot to ask of someone with problems getting motivated to workout.

Again, the cost. With dumbbells, resistance ropes, and a pull up bar plus the costs of protein bars ($23.95), recovery formula ($45.95) and multivitamins ($42.95), this program costs well over $300. Awesome if you have a celebrity bank account, less awesome if you’re on a budget.

This isn’t a negative per se, but P90X is a VERY strenuous workout….VERY. If you are extremely out of shape and that means out of shape, not just overweight, you should take it easy during the first few weeks. If you have injuries or weight-related health problems ask your physician how to ease into P90X.

The Verdict

Well celebrities swear by anything that helps them look good on stage, in a particular role, in a specific outfit, or even on a list of Hollywood fashion disasters, so how can we really trust them?

Usher looks great. Pink looks great. Sheryl Crow looks great. Matt Diaz of the Braves looks great. And everybody knows how great Ashton & Demi looks so do we really need to say whether or not P90X works?

[Results are never typical for these weight loss programs, but these photos have you picturing yourself looking a feeling a whole lot better...right?]

Of course we do. The program is incredibly promising. If you can survive the first couple of weeks of this intense weight loss program, you will quite probably witness a noticeable change in your overall health and appearance. Sure the cost is definitely something to think about, but the nutritional supplements are totally optional…and you have the expert weight loss wisdom of TFLA to help you with all food related quandries!