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The question I kept on asking myself before trying to decide between the INSANITY and P90X workout programs was, “oh my gosh, when did I get so fat?!” I knew it made my heart race to walk up a few flights of stairs, but when did I gain nearly thirty pounds?!
Yes, I was over 150 lbs when I made the decision to get back in shape again, so I wouldn’t be self-conscious about getting in a bathing suit. This is when I began comparing INSANITY vs P90X. I saw enough of the infomercials on TV, so I was intrigued.
As a woman, my goals were to lose weight and tone up without getting a professional bodybuilder look. Unfortunately, most of the real reviews I was able to find online about either program were written by men. My problem with that was men lose fat quicker than women, and men tend to like different types of workouts than women.
Anyways, below is my comparison of the top two at-home workout programs from a woman’s perspective.
And this is post is a comparison with the original P90X, I’d suggest reading my P90X Generation Next review which came out in 2026 befroe deciding whihc program is the best for you.
The Two Key Differences Between INSANITY and P90X
If I were to answer the questions, “What is P90X?” and “What is INSANITY?” in one sentence answers, this is what I would say this:
INSANITY is a 60-day intense workout program that is primarily a weight loss program where the workouts are performed 6 times a week and are 30-45 minute in length.
P90X is a 90-day total body workout program that consists of weight training workouts, cardiovascular exercise, and Yoga to help you not only lose weight, but also build lean muscle.
INSANITY vs P90X Comparison Chart
Being an art major(grad), I have always found it easier to take in information when presented visually, so I figured my chart comparing INSANITY vs P90X would be an easy way for you to see key differences between the programs and which is better at achieving which result:
| Fitness Info | P90X | INSANITY |
| Weight Loss | X | |
| Muscle Toning | X | |
| Abs | X | |
| Cardiovascular Health | X | |
| Flexibility | X | |
| Muscle Endurance | X | |
| Workout Variety | X | |
| P90X | INSANITY | |
| Fitness Trainer | Tony Horton | Shaun T |
| Schedule Length | 90 Days | 60 Days |
| Average Workout Length | 60 Minutes | 45 Minutes |
| # of Workouts per Week | 6 Days | 6 Days |
| Equipment Needed | Weights or Bands, Yoga Mat | None |
| Recommended Equipment | Above plus Chin-Up Bar, Yoga Blocks, Plyometric Mat, Heart Rate Monitor, Push-Up Bars | Plyometric Mat, Heart Rate Monitor |
| Diet | 3 Phase Nutrition Plan | Balanced Diet Plan |
| # of Workouts | 12 DVDs | 10 DVDs |
| Training Principle | “Muscle Confusion” | “Max Interval Training” |
| Workout Calendar | Included | Included |
| Workout/Fitness Guide | Included | Included |
| Effective | Yes | Yes |
| Guarantee | 90-Day Money Back Guarantee | 60-Day Money Back Guarantee |
| Price | $119.85 – Order Here | $119.85 – Order Here |
What Are the P90X and INSANITY Workouts Like?
The INSANITY workout program is based on something known as “Max Interval Training”, which is long-bursts of full blown cardiovascular exercise followed by shorter and lower intensity intervals of cardiovascular exercise. All of the INSANITY workouts will get your heart rate up and leave you pretty much drenched in sweat.
P90X bases its workouts around a training principle known as “muscle confusion”. The theory behind this principle is that, when you change up exercise order, workout order and even your diet, you don’t allow the body enough time to adapt to the training. This keeps you always moving forward with your health and fitness and not plateauing.
How the Workouts are Different
INSANITY workouts are high-intensity cardiovacular workouts that are not dance orienteted. You will be left in a puddle of sweat after these workouts from the plyometric moves that they incorporate with other physically demanding body weight only movements. Insanity workouts are done 6 times a week with no weights.
P90X workouts are also done six times a week. The program features three days of weight training, a plyometric workout, Kenpo(kickboxing) workout, and sweat inducing Yoga workout. The workouts are cycled in three week phases so you will not get bored with the workouts.
How the Diets Differ
The INSANITY diet plan is an easy-to-follow diet where you eat 40% carbs, 40% protein, and 20% fat. This diet is well-balanced and easy to stick with. Everything is detailed in the INSANITY diet plan, which includes a step-by-step guide to calculating your calories and a bunch of easy-to-follow recipes that won’t keep you in the kitchen all day.
The P90X diet is more complicated than the INSANITY diet. The P90X diet plan is a 3 phase nutrition plan. In phase 1 of the P90X diet, which is called the Fat-Shredder phase, you eat a diet high in protein, low in fat, and low in carbohydrates. During the first phase of the P90X diet, people often notice significant loss of energy from the lower carbohydrates, but also significant weight loss. The second phase of the P90X diet is called the Energy Booster and is similar to the Insanity diet of 40% carbs, 40% protein, and 20% fat. The third phase of the P90X diet is called the Endurance Maximizer and is nicknamed an athletic diet for this reason: unless you have extremely low body-fat levels, you should avoid this phase of the diet entirely and stick to the Energy Booster phase or you’ll likely add unwanted body fat.
What Equipment You Need for P90X or INSANITY
What I like most about the INSANITY workout program is the fact that it requires no workout equipment. This means I can just move my coffee table to the side, throw in a DVD, and start working out it minutes. You may want to add a heart-rate monitor to your workouts to make sure you stay in your target heart range.
On the other end of the spectrum, P90X requires lots of equipment if you want to get the most out of the program. While it is recommended you have at least resistance bands and a yoga mat to do P90X, you will really need a few more pieces of equipment. Pull-ups and chin-up variations are major exercises in P90X, which means you’ll need a chin-up bar, plus likely a chair to help give you a boost until you’re strong enough. You’ll also want dumbbells up to thirty pounds, push-up bars, a yoga block, and a heart rate monitor is always very handy to have. The only good thing is that weights up to thirty pounds, yoga mat and heart rate monitor are something you will always be able to use down the road, so think of them as more of an investment in your health overall.
P90X vs INSANITY – Which Program is Harder?
For one reason or another, people always want to know which program is harder when comparing Insanity to P9oX. I can tell you this: both programs are extremely difficult, and both programs if followed properly are extremely rewarding. They will whip you into shape in 60 or 90 days and start you on track to a new and healthier lifestyle. However after trying both programs, I believe INSANITY is the harder of the two programs if you were to go all out with either.
Price Point – Where to Get p90X or INSANITY for the Lowest Prices
The good news is you do not have to let price be the deciding factor when choosing between INSANITY and P90X. Why? Because they both cost the same!
The lowest price for INSANITY and P90X is $119.88 plus shipping. But, if you order through a Team Beachbody store, you get free bonus workouts that are not available anywhere else.
If you order P90X through the link below, you get two free bonus workouts: Fountain of Youth Yoga and Mammoth UML, which is an upper body workout. And, as of writing this, you will also receive P90X Plus (4 DVDs – 5 workouts) for free, which is a $130 value alone.
Ordering INSANITY through the link below will also get you a free bonus workout called the Fast and Furious workout. I love this workout, and the fact it is only 20-minutes long makes an awesome addition to my workout line-up…especially on those days when I am short on time.
Try Both Without Risk
March 2015, Beachbody created the Beachbody On Demand media library allowing you to stream some of there at home workouts to Internet capable devices.
This service is part of the Team Beachbody Club membership. Here is the link to a 14-day no obligation trial(scroll down to the bottom right for the offer), that if you have not had a Club account before you can use to try all of the Beachbody workout programs ever produced.
P90X vs INSANITY Results
INSANITY and P90X will undoubtedly get you real results. Both programs will help you lose weight, tone-up, and improve your cardiovascular health.
- For weight loss, I would give INSANITY five stars and P90X four stars.
- For toning up, I would give P90X five stars and INSANITY four stars.
- For cardiovascular health, I would give INSANITY five stars and P90X four stars.
The Simple Way to Decide
If I had to put it into simplest terms, if you like weight training, lots of pull-ups and push-ups then P90X is for you. If you do not like weight training and love high-intensity cardio INSANITY is your better option.
Still Need Help Deciding?
If you read this article and still are having difficulty figuring out which program is the one for you, please leave me a comment below. The more information you give about your goals and current fitness levels will help me figure out the right program for you.
Hi Bethany,
I’m a college student, 22 years old, I’m 5 feet 9 inches tall and 170 pounds. This puts my BMI right off the edge into overweight. I had spent my whole life being rail thin compared my height and weighed in at 127 pounds before starting college. Over the years I have gained this weight and well let’s just say I’m not enjoying it and it has taken a toll on my self esteem, I really want to lose weight and hopefully be anywhere between 130-135 pounds again. Due to my height I’m not too concerned about being any lower than 130 because my fat distributes evenly at least. I’d say I’m in a healthy enough state that I can keep up with hard workouts as when I workout and eat right I tend to drop weight fast. My main issue is time and school taking up a lot of my day leaving me lazy for the rest of it. I also would really like to be toned in the way that you can see slight muscle definition, I have no need to be super muscly. I would also like to complete my 35-40 pound weight loss within 3 months if at all possible. Which workout do you think would be best for me? PS I live in an apartment with a gym if that helps with the decision.
Hi Ray, Both of these programs are pretty intense and for people who have completed another program or are at an intermediate/advanced level. I would suggest looking at more of a beginner program like 21 Day Fix, T25, or P90 that focuses on building a solid foundation. I have reviews for most of these programs on my site if you select the category drop down menu were you can find a lot of info. And do not be afraid to take advantage of the Beachbody On Demand 14-day membership trial(link at the bottom of the blog post) to see which program workouts you like best and would stick with. Bethany
As a woman who lifts heavy weights regularly, I was excited to find the first review of Insanity v P90X written by a woman for women. However, I was immediately turned off by your reference to the “icky” bodybuilder body. While I understand if having defined muscle is not your cup of tea, you may want to reconsider your word choices in order to not alienate readers just looking for an honest review.
Hi Amy, I have reworded the post. I was just trying to share that my goal was not to build the body of Mr. or Ms. Olympia, which you are not going to do naturally with either of these two programs. Sometimes words written don’t portray what I was trying to get across or portray in my mind or what I think people would think and I apologize if I offended you or anyone else. I loved defined muscles on men or women!
Hi. I am 37 ,157 cm and 55kg. BMI 22.3. I am in quite ok form just that I have some belly fat to get rid off. Which program do you think will be best for me? Many thanks. Z
Hi Zita, It depends, if you are looking at a cardio/bodyweight only program then Insanity. But, if you want to incorporate traditional strength training then P90X would be a better option. You can always try both(and all other bEachbody programs) with the 14-day streaming trial to Beachbody On Demand, there is a link in the post before deciding which is right for you. Bethany
Hi Bethany,
Thank you for your detailed article. I’m 36 years old, 165 lbs, and 5’2″. I lost about 55 pounds over the past 5 months because I had a gastric bypass surgery done. I am losing weight, but I’m scared of ending up with a ton of saggy loose skin. To be honest, I haven’t been working out much lately. I do some yoga, but that’s about it. About 10 years ago, I used to be a gym rat, going to the gym 4 to 6 times a week, anywhere from 1 to 3 hours per session, doing both cardio and strength training. So I know I am capable let of it, but I have a hard time staying focused and dedicated. Which program do you think would be best for me? Thanks!
Hi Sabrina, With you just getting back into it and all, I would recommend checking out T25. It is 25 minutes, 5 day a week workout program from Shaun T. A good mixture of cardio and strength training makes this workout one of the best programs if you have been out the game for a while. I also have support groups via Facebook or the Beachbody Challenge tracker app if you are looking for some extra accountability, you can contact me via the contact form in the website header tab to learn more. Bethany
Hi Bethany !
I just want to say I love all the comments and support that I am seeing on your page. I just wanted to let you know that I will be starting p90x today as well as my husband. I am 23 currently 5’2 and weigh 186 , I use to weigh 198 about 6 months ago and since then am determined to keep going. I want to lose several more pounds I would like to get down to 130. . This time around I am committed I want to transform I have never been through a transformation in where I look different and feel great what would you recommend. should I begin with p90x?
Hi Jackeline, I would start with either P90X3 or P90 then move up to the original P90X workouts. The original P90X is a pretty hardcore workout program that can easily lead to overtraining especially when just starting out. Since the new releases in the P90X series I suggest people start with one of these before the original. I do plan to cover them more in depth on the blog in the future. Bethany
I gave birth a little over a year ago and Im still holding onto 40lbs of my pregnancy weight. I would like to thin out/tone up plus lose this awful spare tire/muffin top. Im a beginner when it comes to working out. Which program will help me lose weight in my midsection the best? Also I dont want to get overly muscular/bulky anything I need to watch out for?
Hi Katrina, You can’t spot reduce weight loss, you’ll lose weight from everywhere no matter what program you do. I would suggest a beginners program like T25 or the 21 Day Fix. Insanity and P90X are more for people who have finished a Beachbody program and are pretty advanced. And, you don’t really have to worry about getting to muscular as a woman our testosterone levels are so much lower it is extremely difficult to get bulky muscles. Bethany