I don't want to have large muscles like a man. P90X is too tough for me. I can't do all those pull ups and push ups. These are the thoughts women have when seeing P90X. Well, I'm here to squash those thoughts, so that you can get on the path to the look you want.

I was no fitness guru before I started this program. In fact, I hated to exercise. I was always trying to lose weight without exercising or by doing just enough to meet the 30 minute requirement. I had the same fears as most women when I saw the P90X program, but something, I guess frustration with failure, pushed me to move forward.

I had the same concern about the large, burly look. However, my husband helped me to understand that this concern was silly. Think about it, do you really think that you can go from 30 pounds overweight to a body builder in 90 days? People take years to build that type of muscle and a woman's body is not designed to gain muscle in that way as easily. I have done P90X for 8 months now and while I have muscles and a toned look, it is nowhere near the look of a man or a body builder.

P90X has two programs, classic and lean. I have chosen to do the classic version and that is what I recommend you start with. However, if you are still concerned about the look you will get, the lean version may be for you. That version is more cardio oriented with a smaller amount of resistance training. However, if you do choose to go with the classic version, Tony Horton recommends that you decrease the weight and increase the number of reps you do of each move. This will give you a leaner, more toned look. Each resistance training video features a woman doing the increased reps, so you will have someone to identify with.

Don't feel intimidated by the entire fitness routine. Tony Horton's phrase throughout the videos is "Do your best and forget the rest." Hold true to this and do what you can. Do push ups on your knees and only do as many as you can. Replace pull ups with the resistance bands. Only do as much of the video as you feel comfortable with. If you do 15 minutes of the video the first week, push to 20 minutes the second week. Keep this up until you are completing the entire series. When I started, I could only do about 20 minutes of each video. I am now doing the entire strength training video and the Ab Ripper X video in one sitting.

Is P90X for women? Yes. It is absolutely for women. Resistance training combined with cardio burns more fat and helps to increase your metabolism. Resistance training can give a firm, toned look and you can take it one step at a time. Many women, from all areas of life, have found success with the P90X program and so will you!