As 2012 began, I started P90X2. I had done P90X a couple of times, Insanity by itself and a hybrid of P90X/Insanity just prior, so I felt fairly well prepared to do battle with P90X2 as my next chapter with a Vegan Athlete Diet.
Since I’d heard that the P90X2 nutrition guide was going to better accommodate both vegetarians and vegans, I figured 2012 would be a great time to take the next step of going from vegetarian to vegan! It also helped that Beachbody was to release their new Vegan Shakeology Formula, Tropical Strawberry, in February. I love it when a plan comes together!
The nutrition transition was surprisingly easy since I was not eating that much dairy or eggs as 2011 ended. I also had read in a number of articles that one of the advantages to being a vegan is that those food choices help reduce overall inflammation in the body which also aids in muscle recovery. P90X2 was going to put that to the test.
Nutrition effects?
– I quickly found that to be true for me. I was hitting the workouts HARD but I recovered very quickly. Much more quickly than before. I also noticed my overall energy was even better as I got both more into the vegan nutrition changes and started up with the Vegan Shakeology Formula. I’ve always loved the taste of Chocolate Shakeology, I still do, but there’s no question for me that the new vegan formula has an overall edge that I feel.
– Getting enough protein? I won’t even go there as any vegan or vegetarian hears this all the time. The bottom line is that if you’re eating plenty of healthy whole foods at the caloric level for you physical activity, you get plenty of protein as either a vegan or a vegetarian. And the same has always been true for me.
Strength & overall results?
– Very pleased with them from P90X2. I had the chance to do an alternate workout from P90X I’d not done in a while and was shocked. Certain exercises/moves that had been difficult before? I totally blasted through them towards the end of P90X2.
Physical Real World results?
– Not obviously dramatic but I started off rather lean and in good shape. I did lose some fat, gained a bit of muscle and visibly leaned out in the abs. The biggest part I’ve felt is that my overall functional strength out in the real world is much greater. P90X2 is not about gaining huge biceps at the expense of actually being able to use them. It really is about functional fitness that you feel and notice in the real world. Mission accomplished!
It felt great to tackle a couple of new things at once as the year started, including my focus on learning & sharing from my own Vegan Athlete Diet.
by Sean O’Meara 