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I’ve recently noticed a lot of posts about the 75 hard challenge going around on TikTok and Instagram, so I had to know all about it!
IMPORTANT: Do not start a new physically intense program before consulting with your doctor first to see if it’s a good fit for you.
If you’re wondering how to get started with the 75 hard challenge, keep reading!
I absolutely love a good fitness or health challenge, and I especially love all things personal development.
When my husband and I started out on our debt free journey, a little over a year ago, I started to realize how life changing setting and achieving big goals can really be!
I started to get really interested in personal development, but I still have a LOT to work on, especially with my health.
I’m a chronic starter and stopper of health and fitness routines.
As a working mom of 3 small kids, I can find any excuse under the sun, on any given day, as to why I can’t eat healthy or workout! (and I do!)
Just a few things that seem to always derail me from improving my health include:
- Stress eating
- Lack of sleep (leading to sugar cravings)
- Eating too much sugar (leading to more sugar cravings)
- Not drinking enough water (thinking I’m hungry, but actually thirsty)
- Exhaustion, which makes me not work out (when I know moving my body would help!)
When I heard about 75 hard, I just had to jump on board…and make a cute printable to track my progress.
You can grab the FREE Printable PDF tracker below if you’re willing to jump in with me!
What is 75 hard?
Although many people start 75 hard in order to get in shape, it’s important to note that this program was not designed as a fitness program.
The program is meant to challenge you on an intense level of personal development, and not necessarily to get you in your best physical shape.
In fact, for the 45 minute workouts required each day, you could do something as simple as walk or ride a bike. It doesn’t need to be anything physically demanding.
What makes the 75 hard challenge so difficult?
It’s hard to do anything for 75 days…for almost all people!
Believe me, I’ve tried and failed at so many different things in my life!
Exercise programs, diet plans, and even something as simple as sticking to a schedule or drinking water daily.
Most people will stick with something for those first few energetic days, and then BAM! Something comes up.
You get sick, or get invited on a girl’s night out, or you forget to pack your lunch, and it completely derails you.
I totally get it, because this happens to me ALL the time!
The 75 hard challenge is meant to break you from the consistent starting and stopping…it gets you to realize that you CAN finish things…difficult things…ANY thing that you want.
Who created the 75 hard challenge?
The 75 hard challenge is a “mental toughness” challenge created by Andy Frisella, a personal development guru.
The challenge is gaining popularity recently on the TikTok app…at least that’s where I keep seeing it!
–> By the way…are you following me on TikTok?! Click here to join the fun!
I had to know what it was, and then I saw a friend post about it on Instagram so I asked her.
She referred me to Andy Frisella’s podcast. He talks about the 75 hard challenge in Episode 14.
(Just warning you, if you are sensitive about strong language he might not be for you, but he will get you fired up for this challenge!)
The podcast explains the daily processes and the reasoning behind them. You can also find out more info on his website here.
I love a challenge, especially in the personal development niche, and so I needed to know more…and obviously if I was going to participate I would need a cute printable.
You can grab this 75 hard printable PDF tracking calendar below and do the challenge with me!
The 75 Hard Challenge Program
The 75 hard challenge is not a fitness program, although you will likely see physical change if you are doing two workouts each day!
The purpose of the program is to develop discipline, self esteem, self worth, and confidence in your ability to start something…AND FINISH!
That being said, here are the tasks that you will complete each day for 75 straight days…no cheating!
75 Hard Challenge Daily Checklist
Drink one gallon of water every day.
This sounds easy, but it is definitely difficult!
To make sure you stick to your water goal, grab a fun water bottle that makes it easy to keep track and stay motivated.
I love this one from Amazon.
Start early each day, and keep a steady pace throughout the day in order to hit this goal without fail!
Stick to a Diet (No Cheat Meals or Alcohol).
You can choose any diet you wish!
The point is to pick a diet and stick to it, no matter what.
This is to prove to yourself that you can finally stick to a plan, without cheating or quitting after a few days.
You can do keto, low carb, count your calories, or whatever you please!
As long as it’s healthy…we aren’t trying to recreate the documentary “Supersize Me” over here. Remember the one where he eats McDonald’s every day for a month?! Gag.
It’s important that you do ZERO cheat meals, not even the smallest handful of chips or candy. If you cheat, you start over at day 1!
Also, no alcohol on this plan.
I’ll be following Kelly Leveque’s “Body Love” plan, which includes her popular Fab 4 Smoothie, and foods low in sugar, and high in fat, fiber, and greens. You can grab her book and read about it here, if you’re interested!
Work out for 45 minutes twice per day (one workout must be outside).
This will be the hardest part of the plan for me to follow.
If I can find an excuse to not work out…I will find it!
I can barely commit to working out twice a week, much less twice a day.
But, I am ready to make a change and show myself that I can commit to improving my health, and stick with it!
I plan to walk/run in the morning outside, and then do a Yoga workout on YouTube in the evenings before bed.
The outdoor workout is supposed to help you stay the course, despite poor conditions.
It’s likely that during one of the 75 days, it will rain or be extra hot or cold…but this teaches us that the conditions are never perfect.
Of course, don’t be running outside during a lightening storm or hurricane or something crazy like that! Be smart, but push outside of your comfort zone.
Read 10 pages of a personal development book every day.
I think that this will be the easiest step for me.
I love to read personal development books, and encourage my friends and family to do the same.
It really helps me to stay motivated on our debt free journey, as well as in business, and personal relationships.
If you haven’t been doing this, you’ll love it!
I keep a running list of my favorite personal development books for women here on my Amazon page.
Make sure you are reading a nonfiction personal development book, and not something for entertainment. This challenge is all about improving and challenging your mind!
Take a progress picture each day.
I am not looking forward to this step AT ALL!
I am not happy with my post baby body, but I do realize how fun it will be to compare day 1 with day 75 when I see it to the end.
Make sure you snap those progress pics! No one has to see it but you!
Of course, being a blogger, I’ll probably muster up the courage to share my pics on my blog and social media, so make sure you are following along.
Is 75 hard healthy?
As a physician, it’s important that I encourage you to never start any type of fitness program without first consulting with your doctor.
The great part about the 75 hard challenge is that it can be scaled to your fitness level and experience.
There are no guidelines for the diet or fitness plan that you choose. You just need to pick something and stick to it!
You could simply decide to stick to a 2,000 calorie diet and walk outdoors for your workouts. You don’t need to starve yourself and train for a marathon at ALL.
If you try to stretch yourself too thin, you won’t be very likely to complete the challenge.
Stick to a realistic diet and fitness plan, and you will see amazing results when you finish.
What are the benefits of the 75 hard challenge?
If you’ve been following along on my blog for a while, you know that we are working toward becoming debt free.
Since starting on our journey, I’ve been obsessed with all things personal development, goal setting, and improving my life in every area!
I love to encourage women to pursue hard things…whether it be financial goals, fitness, or starting a business.
One of the most common struggles that I hear from friends and family are that they want to start budgeting, working out, blogging, etc., but they just can’t stick to it!
That’s why I love the idea of this challenge! It’s helping you to develop mental toughness and discipline. Two very important qualities when tackling any goal!
Andy Frisella says that finishing the program will completely change your life! I believe that, because I know that overcoming mindset and mental blocks is one of the most difficult things to do when starting something challenging and new.
If you’re worried about failing…the beauty of this program is that if you miss a day or cheat on your diet, or something happens…you just start over from day 1.
Yes, even if you’re on day 65, if you grab a handful of chips that was not part of your diet plan, or you forget to finish your gallon of water…you are starting back at day 1.
When you finish the 75 days, you will KNOW that you did it and you were able to be disciplined enough to finally complete something BIG.
This will translate to any and every area of your life. You will know that you can do hard things, and your confidence in yourself will improve!
I’m super excited to get started! Are you in?!
Make sure you grab my free printable below (because a cute printable makes everything more enjoyable, right?!), and you can get more info on the challenge here.
You might also like:
- Affordable self care ideas for busy moms
- How set SMART financial goals
- How to stay motivated when paying off large debt
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hi! I'm shannon
I’m a wife, mom of three, doctor, and blogger! In 2018, I decided to turn my mom blog, into a personal finance blog so others could follow along on our journey to pay off over HALF a MILLION dollars in student loan and practice start up debt. I hope you enjoy following along, and maybe even find some inspiration along the way.
Hi Shannon! I just read an article about #75Hard on Medium, then read Andy’s page, then found your printables., thank you very much! I will point out that Andy ‘s page says to read NONFICTION, he does not specify “self-help” That for me is a deal breaker!
.I am definitely going to do this & thanks for the printables!
Jan
Author
Thank you! I’m glad you like the printable! Good luck!
Curious what he advises to do on Day 76.