Trying 75 Hard

This year has been pretty hectic for me. I finished up my college degree, I got a job, I left the country on four different occasions for at least a week at a time, I graduated and I moved out. A lot to happen in a very short space of time! But one of the things I did complete, and am fairly proud of myself for doing so, is 75 hard. My final year of college saw me pile on over 10 kg in weight. From all the sitting in lectures (and work) to the late night snacking and copious sugary snacks to burst through as much work as possible during library hours, it was inevitable. One thing I was fairly adamant about though, was fitting back into a dress size 10 by the time graduation swung around. So August 16th, I set about starting 75 hard. The premise of the challenge is:

– 2x 45 min workouts a day with one outside

– A gallon of water a day

– 10 pages of a self-improvement book a day

– Strict diet

– A daily progress picture

– No cheat meals

– No alcohol.

All for 75 straight days. And let me tell you, it was not easy.

When I got back from America in August, I had arranged to start back up with my personal trainer who I had used during my third year of college. Thankfully, her plan lined up very closely to 75 hard which allowed me to focus on the goals she set me rather than trying to complete the challenge solo. As there was no restriction on how intense the workouts needed to be, I was able to make one of them a walk (getting me outside) and it meant that I was hitting my step target for my PT. But what did I actually think of the challenge and do I recommend it?

In short, the answer is no. The challenge was written by a man – Andy Frisella – and I don’t believe that it suits a female 28 day cycle. It is definitely more suited to men who have a 24 hour cycle. I struggled at certain times of the month and pushing through probably did more harm than good in some cases. Also, I work on shift. Fitting in 2 x 45min workouts plus an irregular sleep pattern? Not the easiest. My social life also took a nose dive because most of my friends would go out for dinner or for drinks, as is customary in Irish culture. But I didn’t want to be around people who were eating meals I couldn’t or drinking when I was staying off it. So to avoid temptation, I basically avoided plans for the 2.5 months. If you read his book, he doesn’t recommend that. As 75 hard is classed as a mental toughness challenge, he encourages people to put themselves in those environments. I think I did twice throughout the entire challenge and it was torture. T-O-R-T-U-R-E. 

But there were also benefits that I can’t ignore. In total I lost over 10 kg on the plan. 10.3kg to be specific. My skin, hair and nails all improved and I found I was struggling less with bloating than normal. I was able to not only fit into my graduation dress but also a good 70% of my wardrobe which opened up a whole host of new outfits for me. 

If I were to give anyone advice going into the challenge, it would be this: 

• Be extremely realistic about what you can accomplish. Don’t do two intense workouts per day and schedule at least one day a week where both workouts are low intensity to give your body some kind of rest. For example, every Saturday I would do 2x 45 minute walks which still met the requirement but allowed my muscles to recover.
• Start your water early in the day. I can’t tell you how many times I got to my bedtime with still a litre of water left to drink. A gallon is a lot of fluid so start getting it into you as early as you can in the day. And be prepared to pee. Like a lot.
• Meal prep is about to be your best friend. I’ve found the only way I can stick to a strict diet is if I meal prep. There is not a single other way that I will stick to it. And believe me, I’ve tried many options over the years.
• Take your picture first thing in the morning and try to stick to similar clothes or at least the same outfits each week. This way you’ll have direct comparisons to look at. For example, I wore the same pink gym set on my first picture and then every 7th day and the last day of the challenge. It helped me see an exact before and after comparison.
• Lastly, don’t lie to yourself. During the challenge people would say things like “who is going to know” or “you deserve a break/treat”. They aren’t wrong, and once all 75 days are behind you – TREAT YOURSELF. But whilst you’re in the challenge, follow the rules. Including going back to day 1 if you miss anything on your daily checklist. You’re only cheating yourself at the end of the day.

Ultimately, I can’t recommend a challenge that is this intense. I wouldn’t have the medical expertise to. I would definitely advise anyone who does start it to monitor how they feel and consult a doctor if anything seems out of the ordinary.

If you’ve tried this challenge before, I would love to hear another take on it!

Keep dreaming!