First off, I want to make it clear that I am not sponsored, endorsed, paid, yada yada by Andy Frisella (the creator of 75 Hard) or any of the companies he owns or has business with. This post is based off of my own opinion and personal experience. As a health coach, this is something that I share with everybody!
But why, if I’m so big on bio-individuality and every-body-different would I ever suggest such a taxing, high-level program for basically anyone???
Fair question!
And my answer is simple:
This program is more than just a way to lose weight, and anyone can do it.
IF they’re willing to put their mind to it.
what is 75 hard?
If you’ve never at least heard mention of 75 Hard, then I’m going to suggest that you change who you hang out with. If you lack people with any sort of ambition or big, wonderful, terrifying goals in life, then you aren’t going to get anywhere in life, either (Sorry, not sorry).
75 Hard was designed as a mental toughness building program and has taken the world by storm since it’s conception in 2015 because of the incredible, undeniable success rate of taking people from the average existence they occupied into a 100x level up version of themselves.
But let’s get something straight right out of the gate by discussing a few key points.
What 75 Hard is NOT:
- 75 Hard is NOT a weight loss challenge.
- 75 Hard is NOT something to be done casually (I’ll explain more about this later).
- 75 Hard is NOT one of those “make it fit my current lifestyle and schedule” kinda things.
- 75 Hard in NOT like anything you have ever done before.
Now on to what 75 Hard IS:
- 75 Hard IS one of the most difficult things you will ever do.
- 75 Hard IS one of the most rewarding things you can ever accomplish.
- 75 Hard IS life changing; when you do it right.
- 75 Hard IS the difference between where you currently sit and the most powerful version of yourself.
If you’ve completed the 75 Hard program, I am certain that you’d add a few things to the above lists, and good on ya! I’m just trying to keep this straightforward and simple for clarity’s sake for any newbies to the 75 Hard crowd. π
And before we go any further, I just want you to know that if you’ve “done” 75 Hard and it didn’t work, you weren’t doing 75 Hard.
And if you cheated (more explanation later) and claim you’ve done it, anyone–and I mean anyone–who has truly completed 75 Hard will know you’re full of sh*t. And chances are, you’re gonna look real dumb and get absolutely roasted.
Because you see, above everything else, 75 Hard IS a modern lifestyle, mentality, excuse making CLEANSE of the highest order.
It is impossible to properly complete 75 Hard without coming out the other side a changed human that is now functioning at elite levels of success and mental toughness.
IF you did it right and followed the rules with exactness.
Now before we hop into the tasks and rules, I want to reassure you that “success” looks different for everyone. I’m not saying that in order to do 75 Hard you have to be some sort of C-suite exec or that you’ll suddenly become Batman or Wonder Woman.
You don’t have to be in the NFL, NBA, WNBA, or an Olympian gold medalist.
Success looks different for everyone, so if you want to be the most kickass stay at home supermom who homeschools, runs a profitable homestead, and has cleverly named your 35 chickens, then you can use 75 Hard to become the most kickass stay at home supermom with all the chickens!
At the same time, if you’re a full-time student working two jobs to pay the bills, I can promise you (from personal experience) that 75 Hard will support your endeavors to get your degree while still being an awesome employee.
But what about retirees? Take this time to create the kind of retirement that you’ve actually dreamed of! I haven’t reached retirement age yet (even if my body sometimes says otherwise), but when I look into my distant future of not having to work, I want to be vibrant, full of energy, and brimming with a no B.S. attitude. I don’t want to worry about my bones crumbling, heart disease, or feeling like a lonely shut-in because I’m too tired or sick to go out and do things with the people I love. I mean, the goal of grandkids are the reason why you’re own teenagers make it to adulthood, right? π
This is what I mean when I say that 75 Hard is for anyone and everyone. Regardless of where you are in life; what the scale says you currently weigh; whatever prescriptions or illegal drugs you’re addicted to; however busy you are; how much you travel; how far in the negative your bank account is… whatever excuse you think you have for not going all in on 75 Hard, you’re wrong.
Because someone with less time, worse addictions, more bankruptcies, fewer years, more years, missing limbs, more children, etc. has already done it.
And probably more than once.
75 Hard Rules & Tasks
Now before I go on, I probably should mention something about going to your doctor to get permission before starting any exercise program to ensure that you are healthy enough to complete the requirements or whatever. So count this paragraph as my legal statement that you can’t come for me if anything happens to you. I am a certified health coach, not a healthcare professional or dietician.
Anyway, let’s dive into the components of 75 Hard and what makes it the mental toughness building machine that it truly is:
Rules
- ALL tasks must be completed between the time you wake up for the day (or night for the graveyard workers out there!) and the time you go to bed.
- One thing that I appreciate Andy saying about this is: If you climb into bed, then remember you forgot a task, then you can get your butt back out of bed and complete the task, you didn’t fail. (Personally, and just the other night in fact, I’ve gotten all warm and cozy, then remembered I forgot to read).
- Make sure you PUSH yourself!
- If you’re already a 5AM runner, then up the game! Run faster. Choose a more difficult route. Carry a ruck sack or weighted backpack, etc. Whatever you do, make sure it’s something that’s harder than you’re currently doing and that you can keep making harder as time passes. Remember, this is supposed to be HARD!
- Before starting, make a plan.
- Okay, I’m not positive if this is one of Andy’s rules or if it’s something that I’ve incorporated and added, but because 75 Hard is supposed to be hard, you have to have a plan to execute! Know what your goals are over the next 75 days. Decide what diet you’re going to follow. Make a list of books that you’ll read so you don’t miss a day because you didn’t have one already lined up on the shelf. Get a big ol’ water bottle to help you hit the gallon goal, etc. You know where you’ll struggle, so set yourself up for success by developing a game plan to win every day!
- NO COMPROMISE, NO EXCUSES
- The most powerful thing about 75 Hard, in my opinion, is the way it forces you to call out all the crap you tell yourself everyday that keeps you mired in your current situation. This is by design! To build mental toughness, you have to exercise your ability to tell that little voice in your head to bugger off. You know the voice. It’s the one that makes all the excuses, that says “it’s fine, no one will know,” “you deserve a little treat,” or complains all the time. You’ll get to learn how to say: NOPE. NOT TODAY. I’M IN CHARGE, NOT YOU!
- Straight up friend, if you’re having trouble with self-esteem, it’s because that voice–as Andy calls it the Bitch Voice–has been running your life for a long time. It’s time to kick it to the curb because it’s just a big, fat liar and you don’t need liars in your life, let alone in your head!
- Embrace the boredom
- One of the things that makes 75 Hard more successful than ANYTHING else you’ve tried is the fact that your days will look very much the same day in and day out. While there’s a lot of personalization available in the program, you’re going to have to complete the same five critical tasks and eat a lot of the same foods every day, over and over and over again. And it does get boring. That’s the point. It’s 75 Hard, remember?
Okay, I think I have all the rules. If I missed one, I’m sure someone will let me know, and I’m okay with that! The 75 Hard team is a legit community, and we push each other to always be better. So help me be better! π
I also recommend you listening to the Real AF Episode that dives deeper into 75 Hard and the Live Hard Programs from the creator himself! It’s on audio only, but you can listen here.
75 Hard Critical Tasks
Now let’s dive into the WHAT.
There’s a good chance that you’ve scrolled down to “cut to the chase” to read the tasks. I’m going to invite you to scroll right back up and read the previous section right now, if that’s the case!
Why?
I promise it isn’t because I like to hear myself “talk” (so to speak), but because the following will mean and do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for you if you don’t understand the WHY before the WHAT.
Last chance to make sure you understand the program before you get ready to start…
Okay. I’m trusting you. If you think you can get away with making a quick list and succeeding when you didn’t get the background info first, then you’re failure is on you.
Critical Task #1: Drink 1 Gallon of water every day
Lately, there’s been a whole lotta B.S. spreading about how a gallon of water is “too much” and “unhealthy”. Yeah that’s false. That info comes from people and organizations who most definitely DO NOT have your good health and best interests in mind.
Let this be the first chance you get to go toe-to-toe with your Bitch Voice!
- You CAN drink a gallon of water a day
- You CAN drink a gallon of water daily for the long-term
- You CAN reap the rewards of a hydrated, cleansed body by giving it the clean, pure water it needs to survive at optimal levels
- And yes, you can even survive drinking plain, old, boring water without ice or any flavorings–natural or otherwise–and not die
I’m mentioning that last one because 1. I love me some doTERRA Lemon Oil in my water and 2. this is one of the dumbass excuses your Bitch Voice has more than likely tried to use on you already. If not, I can promise that a week or two into the program it will!
As a quick note about the “no ice” rule, I’m not saying your water needs to warm. If you have a water cooler like I do, then get you a good bottle that will keep your cold water super cold for several hours and enjoy it! I like my water cold, but the ice will take up the volume of your gallon and you will fail. If you don’t have a water cooler, I’m certain you have access to a refrigerator, so your excuse is invalid.
Trust me. It isn’t worth it. Just drink the plain water. Don’t be a b*tch.
But why an entire gallon?
Andy goes into depth about this on his podcast episode talking about 75 Hard and the Live Hard program, as well as “The Book on Mental Toughness,” so I’ll be brief in my own explanation.
You have to use your daytime hours wisely and plan ahead.
If you don’t already drink loads of water a day, you’re gonna have to get used to more frequent bathroom trips. Not only will you be flushing the water you’re taking in, but it will be flushing the water you carry on your body out, as well. So that means a lot of pee breaks throughout the day.
Also, if you don’t pay attention and make sure you’re drinking water frequently enough, then you’re going to have to chug whatever you have left before getting into bed that night, or you will fail. And believe me you, having done this a couple of times my first round of 75 Hard, this is exceptionally unpleasant for so many reasons. π
There’s a lesson in 75 Hard, and that’s to pay attention to and focus on your goals ALL DAY, and drinking a gallon of water helps you to do that!
How I complete this task: I’ve used half gallon jugs, 16oz water bottles, and fancy metal bottles of different sizes. Whatever bottle I’m using, I try to break up my gallon into three parts. First 40+ oz by noon. Second 40+ oz by 4PM. Last 40+ by the time I complete my evening workout. 1+ cup of water with my night supplements.
Critical Task #2: Take a Progress picture every day
Do you want to know where most people fail 75 Hard? It’s this one: Take a Progress Picture Every Day. It sounds simple. But let me tell you that I’ve had to climb out of bed a couple of times to snap a pic because I didn’t take one earlier in the day.
But Talaina, I hate pictures!
Same. If you looked at my phone you’d find a gazillion photos of my pets, rainbows or cool clouds, honey bees on flowers, and random memes I send to friends an family all the time. What you won’t find is a bunch of selfies.
How do I combat this?
Personally, this is one of my favorite things about the 75 Hard App (again, not a sponsor!). It not only lists the tasks every day, as well as keeps track of the calendar, but you can take your progress photo in the app and it stays there! No awkwardly accidently sending a picture of my mostly naked self to someone unintentionally.
On the flip side, if you’re already a master selfie-taker, cool beans! Just know that these pictures are a little different.
Instructions: Every day, take as much of a full-body pic of yourself that you can (this can be tricky in a mirror or if you don’t have someone to take the photo for you). You’re goal is to get as much of your body in the photo as possible, so take your pic in your gym shorts or boxers (fellas) or your bra and undies or gym shorts (ladies).
But why?
Not only will you have a real-time chronicle of your physical progress throughout the 75 Hard program, but more importantly, you’re going to learn how to pay attention to the smallest of details.
Yep. This is the real, honest to goodness reason for the progress picture.
Remember how 75 Hard is about building mental toughness?
If you can’t remember the small details, or don’t consider them “important” enough to prioritize, you will never succeed in life. Period.
Sounds a little dramatic, but just check out the routines of the most successful people you know.
Do you think Elon Musk doesn’t bother with small details for his businesses?
What about President Donald Trump?
How about the homeschooling mother who helps her children graduate early with honors? She certainly was making sure that she did her darndest to give her kids the best education and training she could!
Who else do you know that’s highly successful and a powerhouse of an achiever? I’m willing to bet that they don’t let much get past them, so don’t let this critical task sink you!
How I complete this task: I typically take my progress picture before heading outside for my morning ruck. This way I’m unlikely to forget about it later in the day!
Critical Task #3: Complete two 45+ Minute workouts daily
Speaking of paying attention to the little details, the first time I attempted 75 Hard, I made it to about day 21 before failing.
But the truth was, I’d failed much sooner than that.
You see, my brother told me about the program, so I listened to the podcast, and I thought I’d written down the critical tasks correctly. However…
I forgot that one workout MUST be done OUTSIDE every day.
So don’t be like me! Pay attention to the workout rules:
- One 45+ minute OUTDOOR workout
- One 45+ minute workout
- Must be a MINIMUM of 3 hours apart
Why the time spread? Why not just do a 1.5 hour workout each day?
Well, if you haven’t caught on yet, the 75 Hard program is about inconvenience, as well as paying attention to the details. It’s easy to plan a gym visit for 1.5 early in the morning or after work. It’s Hard to fit two good chunks of time out to exercise and shower in your day.
Okay, then why outside?
Because there are a lot of things you can’t control in life, one of which is the weather.
Completing 75 Hard is going to train your brain and body how to do things you don’t want to do. And going outside every single day regardless of the weather is one of the best ways to train your mental toughness.
What this looks like is less important than the fact that you push yourself during your workouts and make sure you get outside at least once a day.
The greatest part of this critical task?
It is 100% scalable!
If you’ve always been a runner, but hate weight training, here’s your chance to do the hard thing you don’t like and add a little weight training into your schedule!
On the other side, if you’re a weights guy or gal but cardio is your bane, take this opportunity to get yourself a pair of real running shoes and get your butt outside for some cardio!
If you have an injury or amputation, then now’s the time to learn your limits and turn them into strengths!
If you’re morbidly obese and haven’t done any physical activity outside of walking to the fridge or bathroom for years, then guess what? This program is especially for you! Your workouts could look as simple as taking a chair outside to stand and sit over and over, then superset with some lighter dumbbells for bicep curls, shoulder presses, etc.
You see? It doesn’t matter where you are now because the program is going to push you into become a better, stronger, more mentally and physically tough version of you!
The program isn’t going to tell you what to do. And that’s another part of the challenge! You’re going to learn to be honest with yourself. When you aren’t pushing as hard as you know you can, you’ll know it. When it’s time to up the weights or increase the distance, you’ll know it.
Holding yourself back only cheats yourself, so don’t cheat yourself!
Embrace the soreness.
Welcome the exhaustion.
Push yourself to the limits again and again so that every night you go to bed satisfied in that you really did the work and no one else made you do it. You chose the hard thing. And you’re growing because of it.
How I complete this task: Typically, I do my outdoor workout first thing in the morning, wearing a weighted Ruck Sack. I increase the weight by 5 pounds when it starts to feel easy (usually every two weeks or so). My goal isn’t necessarily speed (yet), but climbing the hills and keeping my heartrate up by pacing while waiting for lights to change to cross large roads. My second workout is usually weights or yoga. When I get really sore or the muscle fatigue is dangerous to push with weights, I’ll take a “rest” with a fast-paced walk/jog outdoors. My goal is to breathe hard and sweat! If I’m not sweating or a phone conversation is too easy, I know I’m not pushing hard enough.
Critical Task #4: read 10 pages every day
One of the greatest critical tasks in 75 Hard (in my nerdy opinion) is getting to read 10 pages of a business, personal development, or other non-fiction book. I love reading, so this is probably the easiest task for me (most days). There are a TON of really great books out there that are full of inspirational, true life stories; sound business advice; realistic methods to better oneself; and more.
I’ll admit that I definitely prefer fantasy and sci-fi novels for entertainment, but the focus that comes from reading business advice from true winners like David Goggins, Ed Mylett, Brene Brown… gosh I feel like my list could be a mile long and I’d forget someone!
If you’re not a big reader, here’s your chance to fall in love with reading! Okay, maybe you’ll always have a love-hate relationship with the written word, but if you’re going to become mentally tough, you HAVE to do hard things. And this is one task that really gets into your brain to help you flex your mental muscles as you learn about something or someone new.
As I mentioned before, it may be helpful to research what books you’ll read during 75 Hard so you don’t miss a day because you weren’t prepared. Check out your local library if you’re not interested in collecting books, but be sure to have a notebook handy to take notes on the content you’re reading.
Because this task isn’t just about getting through ten pages daily. You’re goal here is to learn something that will make you, your relationships, your business, or your life better! You have to participate in “active reading,” which means you’re paying attention.
You’re looking for the golden nugget that sparks your new business idea.
You’re seeking inspiration on ways to connect with your spouse or children better.
You’re diving deep within the pages, taking notes, knowing that even if you only get one statement, sentence, or paragraph out of a particular book it will have been worthwhile. Because you pushed through when things got hard.
How I complete this task: I usually read my pages after breakfast and before starting work to make sure that I get my pages in. As much as I enjoy reading, life gets real busy real quick, so prioritizing my reading early in the day has helped me to keep on top of my 75 Hard tasks.
Critical Task #5: No alcohol
In all truth, this one isn’t hard for me. I’ve had alcohol a handful of times throughout my life and frankly, I just don’t like it. I don’t go out to places where alcohol is being served and don’t have many friends who drink. Working as a banquet server at a super high end hotel serving drinks only cemented the fact that drinking alcohol isn’t my thing. So… I really can’t say much about this task except:
Don’t drink alcohol!
I can promise that you will lose weight (if you’re a regular drinker–alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, which is just under fat with 9 calories per gram), your mind will clear up because alcohol is a drug and depressant, and you’re going to see so many ways to succeed bigger in life when you learn to say “no” in tricky social situations.
There is one single caveat that Andy himself has laid out: alcohol for religious purposes is okay.
What he means is for communion or the Sacrament or similar circumstances, not that drinking a glass or two of wine at a religious party is okay. So use some sense here when deciding if this exception actually applies to you and a specific situation.
Most churches nowadays don’t use real wine with their communion anyway due to risk of safety for pregnant women, minors, and people with certain health conditions in the congregation, so it probably isn’t that big of a deal regardless.
Now, if you’re an alcoholic, guess what? 75 Hard is absolutely possible! There have been hundreds of people struggling with alcohol addiction that have used it as a springboard to go–and more importantly stay–sober. Maybe this is your call to join your local AA meetings and start the shift of a whole new life for yourself and everyone you care about! π
I am not a health professional and I do not have any formal education or certifications regarding addiction, but as a health coach, and hopefully a friend by this point, I have faith that you CAN conquer any addiction with the right support system, focus, and mental toughness. You are more than your weakness, and 75 Hard is here to prove that to you.
How I complete this task: I mean, I just don’t drink alcohol anyway, so if you’re worried, find someone who does drink that has completed 75 Hard or is currently doing the program to learn how they handle social situations. π
Critical Rule: Pick a diet that supports your goals – and stick to it!
This isn’t necessarily a task, but it is important to supporting the 75 Hard program. It can also be one of the trickiest because–like the workouts–the 75 Hard program doesn’t tell you what dietary theory to follow.
The important part is that you choose something that 1. supports your long-term health goals and 2. is sustainable for you right now.
Again, that’s a little vague, and honestly this can be one of the deciding factors for your level of success. So use some common sense here!
If you have a lot of weight to lose and have been eating 3000 calories of junk a day, then deciding to drop your calories to 500 a day is stupid. You won’t do it because you can’t. You’ll starve and fail within the first couple of days. You’re body cannot healthfully handle that huge of a shift without a lot of other changes first!
Start by making health promoting, sustainable changes.
Here’s an example of a recommendation I would give to someone who is significantly overweight, lives a sedentary lifestyle, and who is new to their health journey (or has been away for a while!)
- No soda
- 2000 calories per day
- Protein with every meal
Why would I recommend changes like these for pretty much anyone new to meal planning?
- The amount of sugar, chemicals, and empty calories in soda will IMMEDIATELY sabotage ANY health goal you have. End of discussion.
- Maybe cutting out soda isn’t one of your goals, so change to Diet or Zero sugar options. One warning here, though: soda/carbonation will dehydrate you and make you NOT want to drink your gallon of water. There’s science behind this that I won’t get into, but honestly, once you get into the habit of drinking water, the extra liquid of soda is really inconvenient! I’d advise to just say no, but if you want to keep your soda, at least don’t let the sugars ruin your 75 Hard wins and waste your daily caloric intake.
- 2000 calories per day is what Nutritional Facts labels (in the U.S.) are based off of.
- If you’re new to reading labels and have eaten way more calories than you actually need for a long time, STARTING with 2000 calories per day is usually a pretty safe and easy place to begin. You’ll need to track your food, and once you realize what an actual serving size is, you’ll learn quickly how to manage your goals and will start to see results!
- Protein with EVERY MEAL
- Now that you’re working out twice a day, your body is going to need a LOT of protein to support proper recovery and weight loss or weight management. I’ll spare you the science once more, but I recommend this rule of thumb for knowing how much protein you really need to shoot for each day:
- Your goal weight in pounds = the number of grams of protein to eat daily
- NOTE: This one takes some planning and often prep, but a pouch of tuna fish is one of my favorite, convenient and quick ways to get in some protein in a pinch!
- Now that you’re working out twice a day, your body is going to need a LOT of protein to support proper recovery and weight loss or weight management. I’ll spare you the science once more, but I recommend this rule of thumb for knowing how much protein you really need to shoot for each day:
Your body is unique and every one will have their own goals, but other than the calorie intake, I’m still strongly passionate about the no soda and protein guidelines.
Other dietary recommendations:
- Paleo
- I recommend this one because it supports clean eating, includes lots of protein, green veggies for micronutrients, and zero sugar and simple carbohydrates.
- Simple carbs include breads, doughnuts, cereals, packaged foods, pasta, and most fruits.
- I’ll do another post discussing the Paleo diet and lifestyle because I feel like it is the best fit for most people looking to live a healthier lifestyle. It is also one of the more affordable and flexible dietary options popular today.
- I recommend this one because it supports clean eating, includes lots of protein, green veggies for micronutrients, and zero sugar and simple carbohydrates.
- Whole30
- This one is similar to a Paleo approach, but is more flexible in some ways while being more strict in others. You will cut out sugars and simple carbs as well, but more veggies and fruits are available to you in this diet.
- If you like to cook at home, this is a great option! There are a number of really good cookbooks on the market, namely by the creators of Whole30, that I’ve used myself and wholeheartedly recommend.
- I’ll do another post on this as well for more information. π
- Macro
- This one is the most flexible while at the same time being one of the more difficult methods to follow. In short, you will have a set daily allotment of your macronutrients (hence the name) of calories, protein, carbs, and fats.
- You will need some form of macro counting app to succeed, and a paid app with a barcode reading library will be best.
- The danger of this one is the ability to cheat yourself of progress. Technically, you can fit a doughnut or pint of ice cream into your macros, but these aren’t really supporting your goals.
- I recommend a Macro diet to people who have a solid understanding of nutrition, have practiced choosing the “best” option, and are intermediate to experienced with intentional dieting. This diet plan requires a TON of self control to succeed at 75 Hard, and frankly most people will fail by making excuses all the time by working in “cheat meals” or snacks because “they fit my macros”.
- If you’re new to taking health and wellness into your own hands, then I would advise you do NOT choose a Macro plan until you have successfully completed 75 Hard at least once!
- Carnivore
- I’ll be honest with you here: personally, I’m rather skeptical about this choice of diet. I’ll openly admit that I haven’t spent a lot of time researching it on my own just yet (it’s on my list!), but there are a number of things that raise red flags in my brain.
- Primarily–and from my understanding–the carnivore diet is a zero carb, all animal meat product type of plan. Now, I’m no vegetarian and love me a good steak, but the amount of fats found in a lot of red meats can build up in your bloodstream really fast if you don’t have the proper amount of soluble fibers to break it down.
- Secondly, carbohydrates are what your body–especially your brain!–uses for energy. And guess what? Your body needs a lot of energy to simply keep your heart beating and lungs pumping air! So this is a major red flag for me, even though I typically follow a lower-carb diet.
- NOTE: there’s a chance that I update this section once I am able to do my own research, but this is my honest opinion based off of years of dietary theory research as well as personal experience experimenting with different types of dietary theories over the past decade.
- I’ll be honest with you here: personally, I’m rather skeptical about this choice of diet. I’ll openly admit that I haven’t spent a lot of time researching it on my own just yet (it’s on my list!), but there are a number of things that raise red flags in my brain.
- Keto
- This diet includes high protein, high fat, and extremely low to no carbs.
- This is another one I hesitate to mention. The media has picked this diet up and ran wild with it, and it isn’t a good fit for everyone! The high fat required can and will build up if you aren’t working out HARD every single day or getting enough fiber to break it down and push it through your bloodstream.
- Fun fact: this diet was actually created by a doctor to help people with epilepsy. I would definitely include a trusted healthcare professional in your decision to follow this diet, even if you are doing your two workouts a day with 75 Hard.
I’ve tried to address some of the more popular options that are buzzing around on the internet right now that you may of heard of. I’m not a healthcare professional or a dietician, so I cannot tell you how to run your diet from that perspective. But as a health coach who has diligently studied and even personally tried many of the most popular dietary theories, I have shared my personal opinion with you to give you an idea or two on where to start when you plan your diet for 75 Hard.
Rule of thumb: choose clean, unprocessed, whole foods as often as you can!
How I complete this task: The first time I did 75 Hard I chose to follow the Paleo Diet. It’s amazing and probably my favorite since I have an extreme reaction to gluten and often cannot handle lactose. I’ve also done Whole30 which I found great as well. In some ways it became tricky, but I appreciate the variety of recipes available. I’ve even purchased three of the founders books! π This round of 75 Hard I decided to push myself with a Macro diet. I bought an app and am following their training plan as best I can, but I’m also following my instincts. As I mentioned, this one is really tricky if you’re being honest with yourself, but I’m discovering a lot of mental toughness because of the ability to personalize so many of my options.
Thoughts on 75 “soft”
There have been some people out there saying that 75 Hard is “too extreme” or “unsustainable”, so they’ve highjacked the idea to make it their own thing, often calling it 75 Soft. (I’ve even seen 75 Medium because it’s “most” of the tasks, just not all of them.)
Um, yeah. The millions of people who have safely, sustainably, and repeatedly completed 75 Hard without deviation prove otherwise. People are weak. The program is next level living that most people simply can’t fathom.
Let me be clear: 75 Hard was not designed so that anyone can tweak, soften, or “make your own” in a way that stops you from building mental toughness.
Anything that isn’t 75 Hard will NOT give you the changes or benefits of the program.
And here’s my hard truth:
If you don’t follow 75 Hard with the exactness the program demands, you’re selling yourself short.
You’re missing the opportunity of a lifetime.
You will not become the best version of yourself.
You will not be able to beat down the Bitch Voice.
You will go back to your old habits, weight, low self-esteem, lame job, nobody existence that you’ve always had.
That being said, I get that 75 Hard is a HUGE change for 100% of people. Even elite athletes who think to themselves, “This is easy! I already do all the things. I got this,” fail quickly because they didn’t follow the program to a T.
So if you choose to follow some variation or “soft” version, I’m going to try really hard to be compassionate and understanding, but… you’re straight up missing the point.
And I feel sorry for you.
I get that some people choose a different version to help start the habits, and that’s fine, so long as you don’t allow yourself to stay there.
Honestly, if you want to do a soft version to form habits, don’t get stuck for more than two weeks. You should have a pretty good idea of what you need to do by then, so just pull your head out of your backside, stop being a wimp, and start 75 Hard!
Don’t let your Bitch Voice win!
Anything other than 75 Hard is your Bitch Voice winning!
Remember that.
If you change anything about the 75 Hard program or don’t follow it with exactness, you’re losing.
If you cheat or change anything, the Bitch Voice wins.
And you become a Weak Ass Bitch for the rest of your life.
Wrap up
This has been a really long post, but it’s something that I’m passionate about. The 75 Hard program has legitimately changed the way I look at life, the confidence I have in myself, my goals for the future, and so much more!
I seriously, from the bottom of my heart, encourage you start.
Right now.
And if it’s bedtime, or you need to throw out a bunch of garbage food and go grocery shopping, start tomorrow.
Set your alarm clock early and get up to get your first workout in.
Start drinking your gallon of water NOW.
Take your progress picture.
Do yourself, your family, your community a favor and put your entire heart into completing the 75 Hard program!
You won’t regret it!
I promise.
Recommended resources for success:
- 75 Hard App
- The Book on Mental Toughness by Andy Frisella
- Real AF Episode 208: #75HARD + #LIVEHARD: Winning the War Within and Unlocking Your Full Potential (Audio Only)
Once again, I am not an affiliate or sponsored by Andy Frisella, Real AF, 75 Hard, or any other business associated with their creator. I am simply a huge fan who appreciates what the 75 Hard Program has done for me and want to share my experiences and thoughts on the potential it has to change your life for the better, as it has mine. As a health coach, this is my responsibility and I take helping others to better their lives in meaningful ways seriously.
