A friend recently posted about the Hard 75 challenge and asked whether I’d ever done it. From a certain perspective, it looks up my alley. I like challenges, and I’m not averse to doing hard things.
What is it?
The 75 Hard challenge rules
- If you skip a day, you must start over. If you miss a task, you must start over at day one. …
- Pick a diet to follow, with no alcohol or cheat meals. …
- Drink a gallon of water daily. …
- Complete two daily workouts. …
- Read 10 pages per day of a nonfiction book. …
- Take a progress photo every day.
Here’s a somewhat critical description of it from the Cleveland Health Clinic,
“The 75 Hard Challenge was started in 2019 by Andy Frisella, podcaster, entrepreneur and CEO of the supplement company 1st Phorm. One part-fitness program, one-part-nutritional plan, the 75 Hard Challenge centers around the idea of “mental toughness”: That you have to push past your comfort zone and challenge yourself to the extreme in the effort to make long-term lasting improvement on your mind, body and overall outlook on life. “This is another one of those fad lifestyle plans,” states Dr. Sacco. “On the surface, it’s very much about your willpower and your ability to push yourself and stick to something very rigidly.” For anyone who has a tough time sticking to new routines and lifestyle changes (like eating healthier or exercising five days a week), change can be difficult. But the 75 Hard mentality has one overarching golden rule designed to get you to avoid cheat meals and quitting on your goals: You must participate and complete every aspect of the five-rule challenge every single day for 75 days; if you fail to deliver, you start all over, and attempt another shot at completing each daily task for another 75 days. Although Frisella and 75 Hard fanatics swear by their own personal experiences that the program is life-changing, much of its promise is anecdotal. There’s little-to-no scientific evidence the program itself is beneficial, says Dr. Sacco, even when individual parts of the program stem from healthy ideas about forming healthy habits.”
I mentioned that the rules seemed too strict to me. What felt harsh was the requirement to start over if you missed a day or a task. I work out and read most days, but I don’t feel bad about taking a break. I also don’t follow a strict diet; although I drink lots of water, I never measure it.
Oh, also, I don’t like this, “Take a progress photo every day.” Like, why? Who cares what I look like? Who thinks progress is measured by what you look like? Not me.
Anyway, all of this is just to say it’s not my kind of challenge. I’m a “you do you” sort of person. Somebody else might get something out of it, but the whole idea makes me grumpy.
I’m the sort of person who rebels against pointless rules even though I take serious rules very seriously. Years ago, I decided I could never live in a neighbourhood with homeowners association rules. The regulations about allowable colours of paint, flowers you’re not allowed to plant, and whether clotheslines are permissable would immediately have me thinking of workarounds.
We’re not all alike. Hard 75 might be motivational for someone else.
So I’m cheering on friends who are doing it but also giving it a hard pass for me. It did get me thinking, though, if I did do this sort of challenge, what sorts of things would I aim to do everyday?
Maybe writing, knee physio, bike riding, walking outside, and decluttering.
But definitely no photos, no dieting , and no starting over if I miss a day.
How about you?
Our conversation continues here.
