Before you dive into the 75 Hard challenge, check out this list of mistakes and advice to make it the most transformational opportunity!
For full transparency, I did not complete the challenge. It may seem ironic that I am even sharing my experience even though I wasn’t “successful”. I sincerely hope you can learn from my mistakes and set yourself up for success before tackling the challenge!
If you are reading this post, researching, and thinking ahead before the challenge then you are most likely going to crush it!
Use this post as gentle guidance and let us know in the comments if you have attempted the 75 hard challenge and how it went for you!
This post is all about the best 75 hard tips.
What is the 75 Hard Challenge?
The 75 Hard Challenge is a transformative mental toughness program. It is essentially a combination of a fitness program mixed with a mental health program and a healthy eating plan all wrapped up into one. It challenges you to be mindful of and commit to your physical health and mental health. It was originally created by the entrepreneur Andy Frisella in 2019 and since then has gained popularity all over social media. There have also been other variations of 75 hard including 75 soft, 75 medium, 31 modified and more!
What are the official rules of the 75 Hard Program?
- Stick to a diet of your choosing or healthy eating plan. Whatever diet you want! Just any balanced diet that helps you to feel good and fuel your body and mind.
- Drink a gallon of water every day
- No cheat meals or alcohol
- Two 45-minute workouts every day. One session has to be outside
- Read 10 pages of a nonfiction book every day
- Take a progress picture every day
6 Helpful 75 Hard Tips
1. It’s called 75 HARD for a reason
Before starting the 75 Hard challenge I was a pretty active person who ate healthy, read books regularly, etc. I thought I could just add on the extra tasks of the challenge and be ok but man was I surprised!
The 75 HARD challenge is called hard for a reason! At times I felt like I was training for the Olympics or going through boot camp rather than just doing a healthy living challenge.
Just be ready to work!
2. Consider the 75 soft challenge (a modified fitness challenge)
If you read through the rules of the 75 Hard challenge and were excited about it but are now having second thoughts you could always start with the 75 soft challenge!
The 75 soft challenge is still a physical and mental challenge but the intensity is turned down a bit and you have more flexibility.
It is helpful that with the 75 soft challenge, you can customize it a bit to your preferences. For example, instead of taking progress pics, I decided to make little videos of me working on the challenge. If you already do not drink alcohol you could add in drinking green juice weekly.
I like the flexibility that this challenge offers that way you can still reach your goals while pushing yourself to your unique limits.
3. Be prepared and organized since it is a big time commitment
Getting in two workouts per day, prioritizing cooking healthy foods and reading is basically adding a part-time job to your already busy schedule! It is a great job that will help you immensely in the long run but it still takes more of a time commitment.
Some things you can plan ahead of starting the 75 hard challenge:
- Meal prepping
- Planning out when your workout sessions will be
- Signing up for workout classes in advance
- Make a list of books you will read
- Prepping your water bottle the night before
- Letting family/friends know you are doing the challenge so your schedule might change a bit
{RECOMMENDED POST: 6 Inspiring Personal Development Books For The 75 Hard Challenge or 75 Soft Challenge}
4. Join a community to make it more manageable
Many goals are easier to maintain when you are not doing it alone. My number one tip for this category would be to find someone who would want to commit to the 75 hard challenge with you!
If you can’t convince anyone to join this wild challenge, your next best bet is probably heading to social media and finding inspiration and community there!
The 75 hard challenge really is a unique experience so finding others that are making such a big commitment can help you to feel less alone.
5. This may be obvious but there are no rest days
This challenge is not just a physical challenge but also a mental toughness challenge.
Part of that means “no days off” which is obviously really difficult!! I think most active people would agree that a day off here and there is important.
Being creative and flexible with things can help you to add in “off days” but still stay committed to the challenge.
For example, adding in workouts/activities like walks, yoga, swimming, and bowling rather than hitting the gym every day. The way I interpret the 45 min workout is just staying active (;
The 75 hard challenge rules are pretty strict so be mindful of that when deciding if it is the right fitness program for you.
{RECOMMENDED POST: Steal These Workout Motivation Tips For When You Don’t Feel Like Working Out}
6. It isn’t a long term solution for healthy living for most
The quote “This too shall pass” comes to mind which feels like a blessing and a curse while completing this challenge. Doing the 75 Hard challenge is a great way to jump-start your fitness journey but I wouldn’t say that is a long-term method for staying healthy.
It is a challenge and it is intense for a reason. If you feel good and want to continue then that is wonderful but if you want to just treat it as a season then that is admirable as well!
What are some of the benefits of doing the 75 Hard Challenge?
Again, I hope this post comes across as motivational and simply offering insight as to how to be successful rather than deterring you from giving 75 hard a try!
So here are a few benefits I found from the 75 hard challenge:
- Teaches you to fully commit to healthy habits
- Physical changes and mental health improvements which can improve body image
- Increases mental fortitude. If you can tackle this challenge then you will have the confidence to tackle most everything. It’s hard!
- Daily tasks such as daily workouts can give you a sense of purpose
- Better mood from prioritizing your physical and mental health
- Can help you get off the hamster wheel of fad diets and create a healthy lifestyle. Even if you don’t continue with all of the 75 hard rules, you will still walk away with lasting habits
Does walking count for 75 Hard?
Yes! Walking is an incredible form of cardio. Especially if you make it an outdoor walk! Part of the 75 Hard Challenge is to well, challenge yourself, but it is also important to find ways to make it sustainable and realistic for you.
Making walking outside helps you to get your kids to be more active or give your dog a chance to stretch their legs. I have also seen some people use walking pads during their work day to increase their step count. Walking is a great compliment to your more intense 45 min. Workout.
Is 75 Hard good for beginners?
I think everyone should at least give the challenge a try! What’s the worst that can happen? Even if you fail (like I did, ha!) you are still bound to reap some benefit to attempting it.
Realistically though, if you don’t currently make your health a priority then it could be helpful to start with the 75 soft challenge. Then as you progress you can tackle the 75 Hard Challenge. Tune into where you’re at, what your unique goals are, and what your doctor says is best for you.
Have you attempted the 75 hard challenge? Are you planning on trying it out? Let us know in the comments below! I would love to hear your experiences and learn from you as well.
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Stay well,
Maggie
This post was all about the helpful 75 hard tips for completing the challenge.
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