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You may have heard about the 75-Hr workout challenge. It’s one of the many recent challengesInfluencers in the wellness and health space are presenting their recommendations. Is this a fad that will pass? Probably.
But right now, it’s trending on TikTok and showing up all over social media. The controversial diet, lifestyle and mindset challenge has millions of views. Here’s everything you need to know about the 75 Hard Challenge.
What exactly is the 75 Hard Challenge?
Although the name may suggest it, the 75 Hard challenge does not involve a race. Fitness program. It’s a transformational mental toughness program meant to get you out of the rut and into pursuing your dreams and goals. It is necessary to exercise twice daily but does not require a strict fitness program.
Andy Frisella created this program, a podcast and an audiobook. He is CEO of 1st Phorm International as well as a writer, podcaster, and author.
On his podcast, Frisella interviewed James Lawrence, dubbed the “Iron Cowboy.” Lawrence shared his experience of completing 50 Ironman races in 30 days across all 50 United States.
Frisella developed “75 hard” as a response to James Lawrence’s comment that “you must intentionally put yourself in places that are uncomfortable in order to develop mental fortitude.” That advice inspired the 75 Hard challenge rules.
These are the 75 Hard challenge rules or tasks… “with ZERO compromises & ZERO substitutions”:
- You can follow a structured diet
- Two 45 minute workouts per day (one MUST take place outside).
- Drink one gallon of water every day
- Each day, read 10 pages from a nonfiction book that is educational. (Audiobooks don’t count)
- Every day, take a picture of your progress
You should choose a diet based on what you want to achieve. You must then follow the diet for 75 straight days. No alcohol allowed.
Weight lifting, walking, and even yoga are all options. However, the rule that one workout must be outside has no exceptions – no matter the weather! If you don’t do one of your daily workouts outside you’re back to day one.
Each task was chosen to develop discipline, develop grit or to practice paying attention. This challenge is intense, as you can see! There’s no cheat day and no rest day… for two and a half months straight. You have to start over if you make a mistake. You’re back to day one.
What Are the Benefits of 75 Hard?
The key benefits of 75 Hard revolve around mental toughness and fitness.
- Confidence
- Improvement in self-esteem and belief
- Better self-awareness
- Weight lossImprove your physical condition in general
- Complete daily tasks more efficiently
- Grittiness, fortitude or perseverance strengthened
- Consistency is improved
- Improved time management and better use of every day
- Adopting a regular diet
- Hydration is improved
- Career progress
- Income Increase
- Improved relationships with the people who matter most
- Read 750 Pages
The challenge has many benefits. It’s like a boot camp for getting back to discipline in all areas of life.
What Are the Downsides to 75 Hard?
Frisella does not hold a license as a dietitian, nutritionist or certified personal trainer. The section of the 75-day length comes from Frisella’s instinct and not from scientific research. Additionally…
- The “no cheat meals” rule may lead to an unhealthy relationship with food and potentially a poor body image.
- Overtraining can occur if you exercise for 75 days without rest, depending on your fitness program.
- Lack of flexibility in dealing with sickness, family emergencies and the daily ups-and-downs is a big drawback.
- Perfectionism can be a drain on the body. Mental Health for some people.
It may not be as healthy as it claims to be, even though it stresses health. It’s a very intense program, and it’s not for everyone… including me.
Why I Wouldn’t Do 75 Hard
It’s not something I personally recommend or would even do myself, despite how great it may seem for self-improvement. There really isn’t any guidance for the fitness challenge part of the program, so it leaves Exercises for daily useInterpretation is open. Without clarity on how to work out, it’s difficult to have confidence in the program and anticipate good results.
It is not ideal that busy mothers need to look after their families can only do two 45 minute workouts a day. You must do 75 Hard every day for at least 75 days. It’s just not practical for moms and it’s not great if you’re dealing with Low adrenalA chronic illness or dysfunction.
Many women who have hormonal imbalance or cortisol issues will find that intense exercise can make weight loss difficult. While I was going through an intense healing process from Hashimotos weight loss and Hashimotos I only did gentle movement. I felt that this was an essential part of my healing process and it gave my body the time to recuperate.
I would recommend that anyone going through a healing period avoid doing really intense workouts. Now that my Hashimoto’s is completely in remission and I’ve reached my healthy weight, I’ve added more workouts in. Last year I focused on strengthening, and this coming year’s focus is on speed. All of these things help me stay strong and keep up to my kids.
75 Hard Diet
Another downside to the 75 Hard program is that there’s no guidance on eating. There’s no 75 Hard nutrition plan. You can choose low-carb. Whole30Carnivore, vegan or vegetarian? The fact that he emphasizes “no cheat meals” is also concerning. This view of food can lead to disordered consumption.
Because it really emphasizes the 75 days, it’s not ideal for someone trying to make permanent lifestyle changes. While I enjoy the idea of spending time outside, reading books and enjoying nature, it’s not ideal for someone who wants to make permanent lifestyle changes. Drinking waterThese are the only positives that I can see in this program.
What I would do instead
Why not start small and healthy changes instead of taking on this extreme 75-day test? This idea that you should push your body hard without cheat days or rest can lead to a number of problems. eating disordersLow self-esteem and exhaustion.
Instead, I would commit to adopting healthy habits. I would instead focus on:
I would generally focus on a long-term sustainable diet and lifestyle. I would rather take good care of myself than push my body beyond its limits.
Daily progress photos may be helpful, but I wouldn’t post them on social media. I did better when I stopped weighing me daily and stopped obsessing on the (fluctuating!) When I stopped weighing myself daily and stopped obsessing about the (fluctuating!) Some people may have the same problems if they take a picture every day.
Personally, I’ve found habit stacking to be a great (sustainable) way to adopt new habits. It’s a good idea to use everyday activities to trigger or remind you to adopt a healthy habit. For example, I’ll dry brush while I’m waiting for my shower water to heat up. Dry brushing is triggered by turning on the shower. Read more about my dry brushing technique. Here is a habit stacking page.
Bottom Line
75 Hard may not be a great program for those who are just beginning to improve their health and fitness. For those who are looking to push themselves to the limit, 75 Hard can help. I would still caution that the zero flexibility portion isn’t practical (or helpful) for most.
Check with your doctor before beginning this program.
Have you ever tried 75 Hard before? What did you think? How did it go? Would you recommend it to others? Share your thoughts with us!
