75 Hard Challenge: What is the 75 Hard Diet Plan?

75 Hard Challenge can give a big push to your comfort zone (Image via Unsplash/Clark Tibbs)
75 Hard Challenge can give a big push to your comfort zone (Image via Unsplash/Clark Tibbs)

The 75 Hard Diet Plan has been a very popular trend in TikTok with major celebrities adding it to their fitness regime. With over two billion views on #75HardChallenge, this has become a growing internet sensation.

Do you know the 75 Hard Diet Plan was created by the fitness icon, motivational speaker, author, podcaster, and supplement company owner Andy Frisella back in 2019? It was crafted for his "transformational mental toughness training program" and was published in his book named "75 Hard: A Tactical Guide To Winning The War With Yourself" in 2020.

In his book, he says that whoever manages to complete this plan, will transform into a new person entirely. They will, according to the book, have an unbreakable level of self-control and discipline, and will experience significant changes in their body and in the way they think.

Though his website claims that till now more than 100,000 people have succeeded in completing the challenge, is the 75 Hard Diet Plan and the challenge as easy as it appears in the videos?

Let's dive into it.


What are its Rules?

Before telling you the rules, it should be kept in mind that all of these rules are entirely non-negotiable, and had to be done consistently without a single-day gap for 75 days straight. Does it feel difficult already? Let us tell you the rules.

1) Stick to any Nutritional Plan Consistently (You Choose)

Stick to a consistent diet plan (Image via Unsplash/Jasmin Schreiber)
Stick to a consistent diet plan (Image via Unsplash/Jasmin Schreiber)

You can choose any diet that you want, from paleo, keto, vegan, and even Mediterranean diet, but you have to eat the same food every day for 75 days. That's the only rule; In the 75 Hard Diet Plan, there are no cheat meals and absolutely no deviations.

Along with improving our dietary habits, and improving our physical health, this plan is structured to build inside of us a strong sense of self-discipline. The 75 Hard Diet Plan might look easy in the beginning, but it will be challenging in the long run, and overcoming that barrier is the key.

2) Two 45-minute Workout Sessions Everyday (No Rest Days)

Workout two times every day (Image via Unsplash/Boxed Water Is Better)
Workout two times every day (Image via Unsplash/Boxed Water Is Better)

You must complete two workout sessions every single day. There are no boundaries to the exercises that you choose, but just one of the two sessions should be done in the open, no matter what the weather is. It is generally preferred to involve one session of weight training, while the other one in low-intensity exercises such as Zone 2 Cardio, and yoga. It should be seven days a week, with no rest days (doubtful).

3) Drink a Gallon (4.5 liters) of Water Each Day

Finish a Gallon of water (Image via Unsplash/engin akyurt)
Finish a Gallon of water (Image via Unsplash/engin akyurt)

It can be little sips throughout or finishing an entire bottle in a single sitting, but by the end of the day, you have to end up drinking a gallon of water, even if you are feeling full. This will keep you hydrated throughout the day, saving you from headaches and zoning out in between work.

It will also bring visible positive changes in our skin and heart's health as the body does not get enough water it needs because of our tendency to ignore it, especially on busy days.

4) Read 10 Pages of Non-Fiction Daily (No Audiobooks)

Reading can make a big difference (Image via Unsplash/Alexandra Fuller)
Reading can make a big difference (Image via Unsplash/Alexandra Fuller)

Reading is one of the best habits that you can ever develop. Non-fictional books and educational books especially, are a man's life worth crumbled into pages. It develops a sense of patience inside of us, which is more than necessary in today's world. If you read 10 pages a day, then by the end of the challenge, you will have finished 750 pages, and that's a large chunk of knowledge!

5) Every take a photo of yourself (Progress)

Document your progress (Image via Unsplash/MAHDI HAJIZADE)
Document your progress (Image via Unsplash/MAHDI HAJIZADE)

Taking a picture of you every single day is tracking the changes that this challenge is creating in your body, in detail. This might feel annoying, especially when you feel like your body looks the same every day.

However, in the long run, when you go back to the earlier photos, you will be shocked to look at the changes. If your workout and nutritional program stays consistent, you will soon see your body shredding fat and muscles showing up.


75 Hard Diet Plan: What to Choose?

Choose your 75 Hard Diet Plan precisely (Image via Unsplash/Dan Gold)
Choose your 75 Hard Diet Plan precisely (Image via Unsplash/Dan Gold)

After reading the rules, if you are still ready to take this challenge, then congratulations, you are already one step in the right direction. Shaping a proper 75 Hard Diet Plan personalized for you will not only help you be consistent and end this challenge, but you will also start to see significant transformations in your body and mind.

There is no specific diet prescribed for the 75 Hard Diet Plan and it mostly aligns with your health goals and the current state of your body (height, weight, body fat percentage, etc). It is always prescribed to choose a diet that you can sustain eating for 75 days straight. However, one thing that to keep in mind is there cannot be any junk food, or cheat meals throughout the program.

Here are a few diet options that you can consider:

1) Mediterranean Diet:

Eat more fruits and veggies (Image via Unsplash/Jez Timms)
Eat more fruits and veggies (Image via Unsplash/Jez Timms)

The Mediterranean diet involves consuming more fruits, veggies, nuts, healthy fats, and moderate amounts of protein, which restricts processed foods and refined sugars.

2) Keto-Diet:

Keto Diet can be challenging sometimes (Image via Unsplash/Total Shape)
Keto Diet can be challenging sometimes (Image via Unsplash/Total Shape)

A Ketogenic diet involves consuming less amount of carbohydrates and replacing them with healthy fats for the body to burn and produce more energy. It is highly beneficial for weight loss and mental clarity, but difficult to sustain.

3) Intermittent Fasting:

Fasting is a great way for weight loss (Image via Unsplash/Jack Sharp)
Fasting is a great way for weight loss (Image via Unsplash/Jack Sharp)

Intermittent fasting involves restricting your eating window to a particular time frame in the day, and you avoid eating anything except water the rest of the time. Intermittent fasting is seen as very effective in maintaining blood sugar levels and people with diabetes.

4) Eating Clean:

Eating clean is the key to the 75 Hard Diet Plan (Image via Unsplash/Sam Moghadam Khamseh)
Eating clean is the key to the 75 Hard Diet Plan (Image via Unsplash/Sam Moghadam Khamseh)

Eating unprocessed foods such as lean proteins, fruits, veggies, whole grains, and healthy fats is probably one of the best things that you can involve in your diet plan. This super-healthy regime will give your body all the nutrition that it needs to do the rest of the tasks.

5) Vegan Diet:

A vegan diet is a good option as the 75 Hard Diet plan for vegetarians (Image via Unsplash/Anna Pelzer)
A vegan diet is a good option as the 75 Hard Diet plan for vegetarians (Image via Unsplash/Anna Pelzer)

Eating a plant-based diet that is rich in fruits, veggies, and whole grains and avoiding animal products will help in quick digestion, as animal products need more time to break down. This is also very sustainable for the environment, and best for people who are vegetarians.

6) Tracking Calories:

Tracking calories is essential for the 75 Hard Diet Plan
Tracking calories is essential for the 75 Hard Diet Plan

When you are trying to lose weight, it's best to eat on a calorie deficit. Tracking what you eat throughout the day and maintaining the calorie intake for each meal can be very effective.


Your happiness is the most important thing (Image via Unsplash/KAL VISUALS)
Your happiness is the most important thing (Image via Unsplash/KAL VISUALS)

The 75 Hard Challenge if done dedicatedly till the end can give you several rewards. It can lead to the growth of your confidence, and self-worth, and make you mentally unshakeable, but is not that easy to follow.

The 75 Hard Diet Plan will improve your body structure, you will find yourself approaching your day with more confidence. You will develop the habit of eating good food and staying hydrated throughout the day. While structuring our diet, our prime motive should be to lose fat, which should be burning more than we consume.

However, there are certain downsides to it. There is no scientific evidence behind these extreme rules. This forces a significant change to your lifestyle all at once and that can often lead to irritation and distress. Doctors have strictly rejected the idea of not taking any rest days. Rest is very important for muscle recovery and overworking can cause fatigue and even serious injuries.

That is why, it's always best to consult a physician before deciding to undergo such an intense regime. To start off, you can consider a low-intensity challenge like the 30-Day Challenge and eventually progress to the 75 Hard Diet Plan. Take little steps, and you will succeed.

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