75 Hard Challenge: A Complete Guide to This Viral Trend

Challenging oneself and improving life through these challenges has become increasingly popular. Challenging oneself is the mainstay of fitness and improvement. Motivating oneself to face these challenges helps in following these 75 hard challenge rules. The present blog delves into what is 75 hard challenges, what are 75 hard rules and how to follow them.  

Who created 75 hard challenges:

The 75 hard challenge is a transformational mental toughness program. It was created by the CEO of 1st Phorm International, Andy Frisella, a supplement company. Andy is an entrepreneur, author, podcaster, consultant, public speaker, and industry-leading expert. Frisella created the 75 hard challenge rules program in 2019 but it was improved by 2020.  

What is the 75 Hard Challenge program:

The 75 hard challenge program is a combination of a one-part fitness program and a one-part nutritional plan. The 75 hard challenge rules center around mental toughness and rigidity as the main goal. The idea is to push beyond the comfort zone, challenge oneself to the extreme, and obtain a long-lasting improvement in the mind body, and overall health.  

Advantages:

The advantages of 75 hard challenge are multifold as it has the immense potential to improve fitness and mental health. They are:

• It boosts confidence in oneself  
• It improves self-esteem due to the changes it brings  
• It shows the self-worth  
• It gives self-belief  
• It enhances fortitude, discipline, and grittiness.  
• As one follows a specific diet and workouts there will be good results in terms of weight loss and fitness.  
• As one reads many books during this challenge it improves mental health.  
• It helps to improve knowledge, improve skills, and motivate people.  
• Tracking the challenge by photographs helps to improve recomposition changes.  

Rules of 75 hard program:

The 75 hard challenge rules target physical fitness, emotional resilience, and mental insight. The challenge is that one should carry on with this when they face indecision, pain, or discomfort. Five vital tasks are provided in the challenge that has to be followed and completed in 75 days.  

Nutrition plan:  

One can follow any nutrition plan but they have to stick to the same plan for the next 75 days. One has to strictly follow the nutrition plan without any cheat days as per the 75 hard rules. Before deciding on any diet plan one has to take advice from their physician to rule out any health conditions. One has to start again if there is any break in the nutritional plan. The diet one chooses can be any of the following like:

• Mediterranean diet which is the most recommended, all round, and healthy for the heart based on plant-based and healthy fat diets.  
• Keto diet is a high-fat and low-carbohydrate diet to improve metabolism and muscle.
• A vegan diet is a plant-based diet that avoids animal sources of food.  
• A Flexitarian diet is a combination of vegan and vegetarian diets but added with animal products.  
• A paleo diet includes everything from fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, eggs, and seeds.  
• A pegan diet is a combination of paleo and vegan diet with the majority focusing on plants.  
• A DASH diet reduces the risk of high blood pressure by reducing the intake of sodium.  
• The Whole 30 diet is an elimination diet that includes fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, fats, and nuts.  

Workout plan:  

One must indulge in moderate-intensity exercise for half an hour a day and five days a week. This helps improve blood flow and metabolism and provides benefits to the heart. It also helps prevent metabolic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and depression. One can do several exercises that range from cardio exercises, swimming, cycling, running, yoga, pilates, and strength training exercises as part of the 75 hard challenge. One should be committed enough to carry on exercises without exerting oneself.  

Hydration:

Keep yourself hydrated by consuming plenty of water. It is advisable to drink 2.7 liters of water in women and 3.7 liters of water in men. This amount of water intake varies again on activity level, metabolism, and body type. Immense workouts increase the body's demand for hydration. Water should replace soda and any other sugar drinks in the 75 hard rules.

Reading:  

Involving oneself in reading improves mental health. It is important to know that both physical and mental health are important for self-care. Reading stimulates the brain and keeps the brain going. It relaxes the brain as it keeps the individual grounded when a lot of things are going on in the brain. Reading also slows down the mind and relaxes as believed in the 75 hard challenge rules.  

Maintenance:  

Track the progress by taking pictures. The progress can be slow and one may not see immediate results but target long-term goals.  

Disadvantages of the challenge:

Despite its popular name, trend in social media, and multiple benefits. There are some downsides associated with this procedure. They are:

• Extreme changes for a particular period of days. These extreme lifestyle changes can be very demanding to individuals who are juggling between job, family, and kids with a tight schedule to follow the 75 hard challenge. It can be draining physically and mentally. There is also no guarantee after 75 days as there is a high chance of reverting to old habits after the challenge is done.  
• There is no specificity on the type of dirt to be followed, the type of exercise to do, and the books to read except for the specific number of days to be followed. It is a highly generic program that is centered around self-improvement with no clarity on the type of physical exercise and diet to be followed.  
• The activities are limited to some generic exercises that have to be done but do not involve active time that includes family time, pet time, and other activities done apart from the exercises in the 75 hard rules. This can be challenging for those individuals who have a busy schedule, managing a business, managing a huge family.  
• The 75 hard challenge is not backed scientifically. Research shows that the guidelines for physical activity vary highly between children, adolescents, and those with metabolic diseases. Adults need muscle-strengthening exercises that ensure optimal health. There are also no specific guidelines for the various diets or the type of physical exercise to be carried out. It does not mention about supplementing the diet.  
• There is no flexibility on the number of days. The 75 hard challenge period is a large window that can throw individuals at lot of risks. If one cannot follow any of the challenges during this period one has to restart the program again. This can be unsustainable to individuals as it demands starting over again. One can even feel trapped in the cycle without any improvement. It can also be exhausting due to disturbances that one can face during this long period of 75 days.  
• The 75 hard challenge rules can be a very useful program for those who can stick to the challenge and desire some changes in their lifestyle. However, as there is no guidance one has to work on the type of diet, physical exercises, and books to read. However, it may not be very possible for those with tight schedules throughout the day unless one is very determined.