The 75 Hard Challenge: A Complete Guide

The 75 Hard Challenge has become an extremely popular fitness and self-improvement program in recent years. This intense challenge pushes participants mentally and physically for 75 days straight.

The rules are simple, but committing to them for over two months is certainly not easy. If you’re considering taking on this challenge or just want to learn more about it, this complete guide covers everything you need to know.

The Definitive Guide to the 75 Hard Challenge: Rules, Diet Plan, and Benefits:

What is the 75 Hard Challenge?

The 75 Hard Challenge is a rigorous self-improvement program created by Andy Frisella, founder of the popular 1% Better clothing brand. It requires following a strict set of rules for 75 days in a row, with no cheat days allowed.

The challenge focuses on five main areas: diet, exercise, reading, self-development, and taking progress photos. Participants must complete two 45-minute workouts per day, follow a diet, read 10 pages of a nonfiction book, drink a gallon of water, and take one progress photo every day for 75 days straight.

The overarching goal is to build extreme mental toughness and unbreakable habits. Completing such a demanding challenge proves to yourself that you can accomplish whatever you put your mind to.

75 Hard Challenge Rules

The 75 Hard Challenge has precise rules that must be followed every single day for 75 days. Here are the key rules:

Complete two 45-minute workouts per day – One workout must be outdoors. All workouts must be done back-to-back with no rest period in between.

75 Hard Challenge – workout

Follow a diet – No cheat meals allowed. You choose a diet and stick to it. Common options are keto, paleo, calorie counting, intermittent fasting, etc.

75 Hard Challenge – follow diet

Drink a gallon of water per day – No other beverages count toward this gallon.

75 Hard Challenge – drink gallon of water per day

Read 10 pages of a self-help book per day – This book must be physical, not audio. Books on topics like business, finance, philosophy, etc. qualify.

75 Hard Challenge – read books

Take one progress photo per day – The photo must demonstrate your progress clearly.

75 Hard Challenge – Take one progress photo per day

No alcohol – For the duration of the 75 days.

75 Hard Challenge – no alcohol

Post publicly on social media each day – To hold yourself accountable and log your journey.

No slip-ups allowed – One slight rule break means starting the challenge completely over from Day 1.

Origins of the 75 Hard Challenge

The 75 Hard Challenge was created by Andy Frisella, a fitness entrepreneur and host of the popular podcast The MFCEO Project.

Andy came up with the initial concept for the challenge while on a 75-day trip. He stuck to a rigorous daily routine of early morning workouts, cold showers, reading, and more. This experience showed him the power of commitment.

After tweaking the daily tasks and duration, Andy officially launched the 75 Hard Challenge as part of his company 1% Better. He promotes it to this day as the ultimate test of self-discipline.

Andy also published the book “75 Hard: A Tactical Guide to Winning the War With Yourself” explaining the rules and benefits of the challenge in depth.

Benefits of Completing the 75 Hard Challenge

Completing this intense 75-day challenge provides a wide range of physical, mental, and emotional benefits:

Weight loss – Most participants shed significant weight by pairing diet and heavy exercise.
Improved fitness level – Two daily 45-minute workouts quickly build strength and cardiovascular endurance.
Better habits – Forming positive daily habits in fitness, diet, reading, etc. that become ingrained.
Mental toughness – Pushing through 75 days of difficult tasks builds grit and resilience.
Accountability – Committing publicly keeps you focused on the end goal.
More discipline – Following the strict rules each day develops incredible self-control.
Confidence – Overcoming such a challenge gives an enormous confidence boost.
Focus – The intensity and duration of the challenge require strong focus.
Preparation for other goals – If you can complete 75 Hard, you can strive for your biggest goals and dreams.

The overall impact is a complete shift in your daily habits, mindset, and confidence in your abilities. It proves you have the discipline to truly accomplish whatever is on your mind.

Tips for Completing the 75 Hard Challenge

Here are some useful tips to successfully complete this intense 75-day challenge:

Choose your workouts in advance – Plan what your two daily 45-minute workouts will be to ensure you actually do them. Mix up cardio, weights, sports, etc.
Meal prep on Sundays – Make all your meals for the week ahead of time so your diet is easy to stick to each day.
Find an accountability partner – Share your challenge with a friend or partner to go through the experience together.
Read before bed – Knock out your 10 pages of reading right before going to sleep when your mind is winding down.
Track your measurements – Beyond progress photos, track weight, body fat %, inches, etc. to quantify progress.
Plan rest and recovery – With so much exercise, ensure you plan occasional light days to let your body recover.
Stay motivated – Keep inspiring photos and quotes around to stay focused as the challenge gets difficult around Day 50.

Modifications to Make the Challenge Easier

The standard 75 Hard Challenge is extremely rigorous. Here are some modifications you can make to scale it down if needed:

Reduce exercise to 1 workout per day rather than 2
Make workouts only 30 minutes instead of 45 minutes
Read just 5 pages per day rather than 10 pages
Drink only half a gallon (64 oz) of water rather than a full gallon (128 oz)
Post your progress every few days rather than daily
Choose a less intense diet rather than an extreme calorie restriction
Only take progress photos every week or two instead of daily

Frequently Asked Questions: 75 Hard Challenge

Here are answers to some common questions about the 75 Hard Challenge:

What if I miss a day or break a rule?

You must start over from Day 1 if you break any rule or miss completing the required tasks for a day.

Can I still drink coffee or tea?

Yes, the gallon of water is in addition to any coffee, tea, sparkling water, etc. that you drink.

Can I repeat workouts?

Yes, you can repeat the same workout more than once, as long as you complete two 45-minute workouts each day.

Can I take rest days?

No rest days are allowed during the 75 days. You must workout twice every single day.

Can I workout more than 90 minutes?

Yes, you can complete additional exercise beyond the required 90 minutes (two 45-minute sessions).

What diet should I choose?

Any diet that restricts full cheat meals works, like paleo, keto, calorie counting, intermittent fasting, etc.

Can I follow the challenge if I have an injury?

You will likely need to modify or scale back the workouts. Check with your doctor.

Can I drink alcohol after completing 75 days?

Yes, the alcohol restriction is just for the 75 days. Afterwards you can drink again if you choose.

Ideal Healthy Meal Plan for the 75 Hard Challenge

75 Hard Challenge – Healthy meal plan

Choosing the right diet is crucial for successfully completing the 75 Hard Challenge. Focus on high protein, healthy fat, and smart carbs. Here is a sample meal plan for each day:

Breakfast: Omelet with spinach and tomatoes, avocado, and Greek yogurt

Lunch: Grilled chicken breast, brown rice, and mixed vegetables

Dinner: Salmon, quinoa, and arugula salad

Snacks: Fruits, nuts, protein bar

Avoid empty calories and aim for whole foods. Make sure to eat enough calories to fuel your workouts. Meal prep each week to ensure sticking to the meal plan daily.

Workout Plan for Maximum Results

Completing two 45-minute workouts daily for 75 days straight will transform your fitness level. Mix up your workout plan to hit every muscle group. Here is a sample schedule:

Day 1: Outdoor hike, indoor HIIT cardio

Day 2: Weightlifting session, outdoor run

Day 3: Outdoor swim, indoor bodyweight circuit

Day 4: Outdoor bike ride, indoor pilates

Day 5: Outdoor rock climbing, indoor rowing session

Day 6: Rest and recovery day, do light yoga/stretching only

Aim to increase workout intensity and challenge yourself more each week. Proper rest days are still important to avoid injury or burnout.

75 Hard Challenge – Workout Plan for Maximum Results

Tracking Your Progress with a Measurement Chart

Tracking measurements throughout the 75 days will clearly show your results. Monitor weight, body fat, inches, clothing size, photos, and more.

Here is a sample progress chart:

Measurement	Day 1	Day 30	Day 60	Day 75
Weight	165 lbs	160 lbs	155 lbs	150 lbs
Body Fat %	18%	16%	13%	12%
Waist Inches	35 inches	33 inches	31 inches	30 inches
Push-Ups in a Row	15	30	40	50

Seeing quantifiable changes will keep you motivated to stick to the intense challenge. Share photos privately or publicly to see your physical transformation.

Key Takeaways from the 75 Hard Challenge

Taking on the 75 Hard Challenge requires extreme mental toughness and discipline. But the lessons learned and habits formed transform your life permanently.

Here are the key takeaways:

Following strict rules for 75 days builds remarkable self-control and willpower.
Forming consistent positive habits around diet, fitness, learning, and self-care sticks with you long term.
Pushing yourself for 75 days gives you an enormous confidence boost to your abilities.
Overcoming such a difficult challenge proves you can now accomplish the goals and dreams you set your mind to.
Commiting publicly and finding an accountability partner is crucial to stay the course when it gets difficult.
Quantifying your results by tracking measurements motivates you to keep improving and completing the challenge.

Conclusion

The 75 Hard Challenge is not meant to be easy. It pushes participants to their absolute limits mentally and physically for 75 days straight. But the lessons learned, habits formed, and mental toughness built changes lives permanently.

If you implement smart strategies for workout and meal planning, stay motivated, and power through every single day for 10 weeks, you will transform yourself in incredible ways. Completing 75 Hard gives you the confidence to pursue your biggest goals and dreams.

So commit fully, stick to the rules, and be part of the small percentage of people disciplined enough to successfully complete this life-changing challenge. You will prove to yourself that you can achieve anything you put your mind to.

Images from – Pexels

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