I’ve been in the fitness and nutrition industry for years, and I’ve done many of the diet plans like Paleo and Whole 30, low carb and more. Ultimately I’ve found that eating clean, whole foods most of the time consistently, rather than doing a 30-day program is the best, but I actually love the concept of the 75 Hard Challenge. I think that it takes longer than 30-60 days to really build a habit, which is what you want for long-term, sustainable change. The 75 Hard Challenge also gives a lot of freedom within the strict rules, which allows people to choose their path. It’s kind of like a choose-your-own direction book wihin the confines of the program guidelines. Let’s get into what this 75 Hard Challenge is, andif you should give it a try!
What is this 75 Hard Challenge?
The 75 Hard Challenge was created by Andy Frisella. I think it is really important to learn a little about who the person behind the challenge is.
Andy Frisella is an entrepreneur, speaker, and author known for his work in the fields of business, self-improvement, and motivation. He is the co-founder of several successful companies, including 1st Phorm International and the supplement superstore chain Supplement Superstores. These are large stores, and I think we can agree that Andy Frisella has accomplished a lot. He’s probably accomplished these businesses by living in a way that is like the 75 Hard Challenge.
Frisella also gained widespread recognition for his podcast, “The MFCEO Project” (The Mother F***ing CEO Project), where he shares insights on entrepreneurship, personal development, and success mindset. Through his podcast and social media presence, he has amassed a large following and has become a respected figure in the self-help and business communities. I didn’t know about this podcast until researching him, so I have yet to listen to it, but I have a feeling I am going to love it.
One of Frisella’s notable contributions is the creation of the “75 Hard Challenge,” a rigorous self-improvement program aimed at developing mental toughness and discipline. This challenge has garnered significant attention and has inspired countless individuals to pursue personal growth and transformation. Ultimately, I think Frisella has learned and achieved a lot, so if we want to be anything like him, then this challenge he created might be a great start!
75 Hard Challenge Overview + Rules:
It is designed to cultivate mental toughness, discipline, and resilience through a series of daily tasks. The challenge typically involves the following rules:
- Follow a strict diet: Participants are required to adhere to a diet without any cheat meals or alcohol for the duration of the challenge. The specific diet may vary based on individual preferences or goals.
- Exercise twice a day: Each day, participants must complete two workouts, each at least 45 minutes long. One of these workouts must be outdoors, regardless of the weather conditions.
- Drink a gallon of water: Participants are required to drink at least one gallon (approximately 3.8 liters) of water per day.
- Read 10 pages of a non-fiction book: Every day, participants must read at least 10 pages of a non-fiction book aimed at personal or professional development.
- Take a progress photo: Participants must take a daily progress photo to track their physical transformation throughout the challenge.
- No cheat days: There are no days off or cheat days allowed during the 75-day period. If any of the daily tasks are not completed, participants must restart the challenge from day one.
The 75 Hard Challenge is intended to push individuals out of their comfort zones, develop mental toughness, and instill positive habits for long-term success. It has gained popularity on social media platforms and has inspired many people to embark on their own journey of self-improvement.
Make sure to grab: Peloton Summer Shred Workout Plan
My Favorite Aspects of the 75 Hard Challenge:
75 Hard Challenge Targets The Mental Game of Fitness:
Anyone who’s been helping people get fit, lose weight or fix their nutrition like me knows that 80% of it is a mental game. This is one of the biggest reasons I love the idea of the 75 Hard Challenge. It helps people overcome their mental road blocks, that are usually the main reason they can’t lose weight in the first place. I can’t even count the number of clients and women I’ve given all the tools and resources too, but they couldn’t overcome their bad habits, negative thoughts, or just feeling tired. Sometimes, to achieve the goals you have set for yourself, you have to do things different, tired, or just plain throw a tantrum while you do it.
One of my favorite Peloton instructors, Jess Sims, pretty much always gives some space for a little tantrum before the workout. Some space to really let your feelings out about not really wanting to work hard. I have some great, free Peloton workout plans if you are a Peloton fan! You can also follow me on Peloton @sweatlylife!
Anyways, 75 Hard is HARD, for a reason. It pushes you to be mentally stronger, which is ultimately going to positively affect the rest of your life. When life gets hard, it will be easier to keep your healthy habits because you worked so hard to develop them.
Also read: Spring Workout Sets To Motivate Your Summer Goals
75 Hard Gives You Control:
One of the best aspects of this program is that you can choose which diet plan you want to follow. You can choose low carb, keto, paleo, whole 30, vegan, vegetarian….whatever you want to do, you can do it. The point is not the actual diet that you hooose, but the fact that you actually stick to ifor 75 days WITHOUT CHEATING. There are no cheat days. You make a commitment to yourself for 75 days, and you don’t waver from that commitment at all. This is a big step for many people. How many of us said we are gonna eat healthy all week? Even one day is hard at first, and this program pushes you past day after day, and it forces you to overcome challenges. No matter what healthy diet plan you come up with, something in life is gonna make you think you have to stop or cheat. In this program, you learn to think ahead, overcome the challenge, and just not give in.
Of course there are a lot of great diet plans you can choose from. If you are a volume eater, and you like larger meals, then an eating clean program is a good choice. You can eat higher volumes of fruits, vegetables and lean proteins for lower calories. Filling up on low calorie but high-nutrient-dense foods will give you that full feeling without eating too many calories.
If you have high blood sugar, struggle with sugar cravings, or are sensitive to carbohydrates, then a lower carb diet with intermittent fasting is a great choice. Intermittent fasting is amazing for regulating blood sugar and insulin levels, and then you can keep those levels low with higher protein, lower carb meals. This means focusing usually on vegetables and protein most of the time. A few berries and lower sugar fruits are great for dessert.
If you tend to like cardio and more aerobic exercise, you will probably function better on a higher carbohydrate, lower fat diet. Typically aerobic exercise burns through more glucose, so your body will prefer that for fuel. You can still lose weight eating carbs and doing cardio, as long as you don’t overeat the heavier carbs.
If you are more into strength training, then typically a lower carb and higher protein diet will be better. This is because your body will want more protein to put to building those muscles. You also don’t burn as much glucose while weight lifting, so you aren’t gonna crave those carbs quite as much, and any stored glucose can go to building muscle, which means your body will take that stored glucose from fat cells.
You also have control of your workout regimine. You get to choose how you want to workout, but it needs to be 2, 45 min sessions with one outside.
Here are: 30-Day Clean Eats for Effective Weight Loss
Or: 20 High-Protein Skinny Meal Prep Recipes
75 Hard Let’s You Move How You Want And Takes You Outisde:
I love that you can choose exactly how you want to workout. You aren’t forced into an intense weight lifting program, or a HIIT-style bootcamp to burn as many calories as possible in as little time as possible. The goal of this program is to get you moving twice a day, for 45 minutes. The idea is to create the habit and carve out the time for movement and exercise. You can start by just walking for 45 minutes twice a day. Even just doing that, you are building time, space and a habit. As you progress in the habit, you can change your activity based on your fitness level. So if you start with walking, soon you might want to add jogging into that walk, which later could turn into running for 45 minutes. If you prefer weight lifting, you can slowly build more and more strength by lifting heavier weights during that time. All exercise is good exercise. All exercise requires time and commitment. By giving you the freedom to choose what you want to do, I would of course choose the Peloton workouts, then you are more motivated to build the time and space for your activity.
Getting outside for 45 minutes a day is harder for some people. Depending on the weather where you live, there will probably be days that getting outside isn’t feasible, but I would think most days are. And, you can always choose to start the program when you know the weather will be consistent. Living in South Florida, I’m outside a lot, and most days I can get outside, but I may not start this program during hurricane season or late summer when it is really hot and humid. Overall, there are rain jackets, snow jackets, hats, gloves and eyewear to help you get outside, so make sure if you don’t make it outside the weather is actually dangerous. I would assume on those days, you can do your second workout inside.
Getting outside every day and moving every day is definitely unique to the 75 Hard Challenge. I haven’t seen other programs that require two 45 minutes workouts, one being outside. Many programs pride themselves on just a 20-30 min workout each day, but this program goes farther and I’m here for it. I think we all need to move more throughout the day, rather than trying to cram in as much fitness as possible in a few minutes.
Grab this: Free Peloton Workout Plan + Nutrition Guide For Weightloss in 2024
The 75 Hard Challenge Just Works:
I love that this works if you can do it. It makes you strong, comitted and healthier all in one. If you can committ to following an eating plan and exercising for 75 days straight, no cheating, you can do anything. I think that is the main point of the program overall. If you can do this, you can do whatever you want.
Following any eating plan that is clean and nutrient-dense for 75 days should result in weight losswithout exercise, if it’s something you haven’t been consistently doing. If you’ve been eating okay, but not really focusing on eating the best, then just small changes in your diet will make a huge difference. Add in two workouts a day, even if its just walking, and I think the fast results will really motivate you to keep going.
Positive Outcomes and Testimonials
When I embarked on the 75 Hard Challenge, skeptics were many. They questioned the mental health implications and scoffed at the daily gallons of water and stringent no cheat meals rule. Yet, here I am, a testament to the transformative power of this hard program. My journey was broadcasted on social media, where I documented each of the 45-minute workouts, every daily task, and the healthy habits cultivated over consecutive days. The challenge wasn’t just a fitness challenge; it was a transformative mental toughness program. There were no rest days, and the requirement to take a progress picture every single day seemed daunting at first. The strict rules prescribed by a certified personal trainer ensured no lapses in my long-term goals. It was an incredible journey of personal development, pushing me outside my comfort zone every single day. The physical changes were evident, but the mental fortitude, the resilience, and the discipline I gained were the real victories. Each gallon of water, every soft challenge faced head-on, and the new habits formed have set me on a healthier lifestyle path for the long run. From an average person to someone embodying the fitness level and routine of aspirations, the transformation was beyond physical—it was deeply personal and profoundly impactful.
Planning for Post-Challenge Sustainability
Diving into the 75 Hard Challenge turned out to be a transformative journey for me – a whirlwind of discipline, mental fortitude, and physical exertion that reshaped not just my body, but my entire outlook on personal development and health. But, as the final day dawned, a critical question lingered: how do I sustain these newfound habits in the long run?
I realized early on that the key lies in moderation and making balanced lifestyle adjustments. For instance, while the challenge demanded daily workouts without rest days, I’ve learned to listen to my body more keenly, incorporating active recovery days to prevent burnout. The gallon of water a day rule taught me the importance of hydration, but now, I adjust the amount based on my activity level and personal needs, aiming for what makes me feel my best.
Maintaining a healthy diet without the strict ban on cheat meals allows for social occasions and the odd comfort food, fostering a healthier relationship with food that doesn’t teeter on deprivation. My daily tasks now include a mix of physical activity that I love, moments of personal growth, and conscious nutrition planning. This approach has not only made my transition post-challenge smoother but also more enjoyable, embedding these once challenging tasks into my daily routine seamlessly.
In essence, the 75 Hard Challenge has been a cornerstone in my journey towards a healthier lifestyle, teaching me that long-term sustainability hinges on flexibility, balance, and a deep understanding of my individual needs.
75 Hard Challenge Overview:
Imagine a blueprint for transformative mental toughness that doesn’t just promise, but delivers on enhancing your mental health, instilling unbeatable discipline, and significantly bettering your physical health. This is what the 75 Hard Challenge, devised by entrepreneur and motivational speaker Andy Frisella, aims to achieve. It’s not your average fitness challenge; it doesn’t even aim to be one. At its core, it’s a test – a test designed to push you out of your comfort zone, to foster healthy habits through daily tasks that demand consistency and to enrich personal development. Before you plunge into this challenge, understanding its foundation – the hard program rules – is critical. Each rule, from tackling 45-minute workouts to hydrating with a gallon of water every day, is a building block towards achieving not just a physical transformation but a mental revolution and sustainable healthy lifestyle.
Key Takeaways:
- Transformative Focus: The 75 Hard Challenge works beyond physical health, emphasizing mental fortitude and personal growth.
- Discipline and Consistency are at the heart of the challenge, with daily tasks designed to develop long-term, healthy habits.
- Understanding the Rules is vital before embarking on this journey, for they are the pillars upon which the challenge stands.