What Is the 75-Hard Challenge All About?

If the word “challenge” makes you feel competitive within, there are probably a few social media fitness fads that have caught your attention. However, before beginning any program, including the currently popular 75 Hard Challenge, you should do your study.

You wonder, “What is the 75 Hard Challenge?” The strategy consists of a set of guidelines developed by author, motivational speaker, and owner of a supplement firm Andy Frisella. (Notably absent from that list are the designations of licensed therapist, certified trainer, and R.D. The only program that may permanently alter your life, according to the 75 Hard site , is 75 Hard. This includes your way of thinking and the amount of discipline you apply to each task you have in front of you. Frisella emphasizes that the challenge is about “mental toughness” more than athleticism.

Many people have been captivated by the concept. On TikTok, the hashtags #75HardChallenge and #75Hard have amassed more than 1.1 billion views combined.

Are participants on to something, and is it even feasible for them to achieve the “discipline” Frisella claims they will? To learn what professionals have to say about the 75 Hard Challenge, continue reading.

WHAT ARE THE RULES OF THE 75 HARD CHALLENGE? The six rules of the 75 Hard Challenge must be adhered to for, you guessed it, 75 days nonstop.

Keep to a single diet and no other. “I built 75 HARD to run in-line with your existing diet program…no matter what it is,” Frisella explains on the website. No booze or indulgent dinners (although it is unclear what constitutes a “cheat meal”). Photograph your daily advancement. Each day, consume one gallon of water. Two 45-minute workouts should be completed each day, one of which must be outside. Each day, read 10 pages of a book on self-improvement or motivation. Did you disregard a rule? Skip your allocated reading or only drink eight glasses of water each day rather than the full gallon? Did you come to the conclusion that documenting your daily progress wasn’t in keeping with your wellness philosophies? Unfortunately, the regulations demand that you restart at the beginning. (Yeah, even if you disobey a commandment on Day 74.)

Rachel Miklya, R.D. , a licensed personal trainer at Strength in Nutrition, strongly disagrees with that. The primary cause? She claims that “it’s physically taxing and not sustainable for most individuals.”

THE 75 HARD CHALLENGE’S POSSIBLE PHYSICAL IMPACT Sustainability is important for leading a healthy lifestyle, and Miklya argues that working out for 45 minutes twice a day is not sustainable for most individuals. Although Frisella explicitly states on the website for the 75 Hard Challenge that you can choose your activities based on your level of fitness, even if that means taking two walks, But individuals who choose to test themselves by forcing themselves through two exhausting 45-minute workouts each day are setting themselves up for problems. “Injuries are likely to occur if people perform 45 minutes of strenuous exercise every day throughout the challenge,” predicts Miklya.

Even if you select workouts that are adequate for your fitness level, Miklya warns that exercising nonstop for 75 days without a break will be too stressful on your body, especially if you’re a beginner.

According to Miklya, the challenge may seem enticing to someone looking for a “fast fix” because 75 Hard promises instant effects when followed. But, she continues, “this short-term, quick-fix approach does not support long-term behavior change.” “What occurs following a diet? People usually revert to their old habits, which causes unhealthy behaviors to recur.” Participants will eventually experience burnout since “bodies require rest to mend,” according to Miklya.

THE 75 HARD CHALLENGE’S POSSIBLE MENTAL IMPACT According to Julie Landry, Psy.D. , the founder of Halycon Therapy Group, a task that is all-or-nothing, like the 75 Hard Challenge, can be “mentally taxing.”

According to Landry, the challenge appears to be a set of arbitrary rules. To my knowledge, neither the combined components of the proposals nor, in certain cases, the individual components, are supported by any scientific evidence.

Landry further emphasizes that the challenge’s one-size-fits-all methodology disregards the demands of certain individuals. The notion that “you’re either mentally tough and able to stay to the challenge or you’re failing,” she adds, can also cause additional problems.

The challenge is intended to increase self-worth, but Landry warns that it can backfire. The idea of a diet in and of itself is normally not a good idea; a better strategy is to adopt a generally healthier lifestyle that is sustainable. “And” it could harm the participant’s connection with food.

THE CONCLUSION Finding a plan that is “really sustainable for the long term” is the best course of action if you still want to change up your exercise routine or establish some health goals.

She emphasizes the significance of finishing strength and cardiovascular training and including rest days. “Fitness should be tailored to each individual.” According to Miklya, good weekly goals often consist of two days of cardio, three days of strength training, and a couple of rest days. For the majority of non-competitive athletes, workouts should last 30 to 60 minutes, but if someone only has 15 minutes to spare, a 15-minute workout is still preferable to doing nothing.

The 75 Hard Challenge has gone viral on social media, and it definitely sounds alluring given the promise of improved mental toughness. In the end, though, a flexible, well-balanced strategy will be more successful and long-lasting than a binary one.

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