On August 14th, 2024 - my husband and I started our 75-hard workout challenge. It was the day after his birthday, and we decided to commit to this date because we wanted to celebrate his birthday properly. We wanted to eat and drink without restrictions, but knowing that tomorrow, we decided to commit.
What is the 75-Hard Challenge?
If you’re not familiar with the 75-hard challenge, here are the rules:
Two workouts per day, at least 45 minutes each, and one must be outside regardless of the weather. (Sidenote: Florida had two back-to-back hurricanes, and we had to figure out how to get our outside workout during those times.)
Pick a diet and stick to it; there are no cheat days.
Drink a gallon of water per day.
Take a progress picture every day.
No alcohol.
If you miss ANY of the steps on any day, you start over from day one.
The 75-hard website says, “This is not a fitness challenge. 75 Hard is a transformative mental toughness program.” They are not kidding; I will discuss this in more detail below.
The website also explains why each rule matters and what it’s supposed to help you with.
Why Did I Want to Do This Challenge?
I’ve been on a health journey this year—physically, spiritually, and mentally. I wrote earlier this year about how I didn’t like how I saw myself in the mirror, and I decided to do something about it. In January, I started my weight loss journey by simply walking 20 minutes a day. Eventually, I added more exercises to the routine and started to see progress in losing weight.
But then, during the summer, I went to Michigan and Ohio. While on vacation, I didn’t restrict myself when it came to food, and I gained some weight. I tried my best to exercise still while on vacation, but I wasn’t as consistent. Once I got back from vacation, it took me a few weeks to get back into the workout routine and eat right. I was craving sugar again and didn’t want to move my body.
So, I told my husband about the 75-hard challenge and asked him if he wanted to join me. He said yes, and we decided to start on August 14th. My initial goal was to gain discipline and lose weight. At this time of year, I had lost 18 lbs but gained 3 on vacation, and I needed 8 lbs to reach my yearly goal. In my mind, by doing 75-hard, I would reach my weight goal.
The Challenges at First
In the first few weeks, the main challenge was pushing through the muscle soreness and working out. I remember walking in the morning and my legs being in so much pain that sometimes they gave out, and I would almost trip and fall. It was a crazy feeling.
Another challenge was drinking a gallon of water every day. My husband and I each bought a water bottle that holds a gallon, so it was easier to measure, but drinking that much water was hard. You feel full all day and constantly go to the bathroom until your body adjusts. And at the end of the day, you don’t want to hear the word water anymore when you're done drinking.
The last thing that was super challenging initially was being tired all the time from the workouts. Yes, exercising gives you energy, but not at first, especially when you’re adding not just one workout to your routine but two! So, in total, you’re working out for 90 minutes per day.
We decided to follow Shawn T's Dig Deeper 12-week program - he is the creator of Insanity. These workouts are challenging, but you feel better after completing them.
But Here’s What I Learned
As the website says, this is a mental toughness challenge rather than a physical challenge, and during this journey, I understand the saying, “Mindset is everything.” Because it’s your mind that tells you that you’re tired, it’s your mind that tells you it’s too tough, it’s your mind that tells you to quit, it’s your mind that tells you it’s not worth it, it’s your mind that tells you you’re too sore to workout, and if you can overcome those thoughts, you can overcome anything!
I’ve learned that body transformation is tough! Initially, I was moody, cranky, had no patience, and was snapping at everyone. While talking to my therapist about it, she explained that I was giving shocks to my body, and that’s how my mind was coping with it. Usually, it’s best to introduce one change to the body at a time and, after 30 days, introduce another change, but I was doing multiple changes simultaneously. This is something to remember when you start something new: your mood will be affected, probably not in the best way, until your body gets used to it. I also sometimes felt overwhelmed because I didn’t pause all the work I’d been doing with the podcast, writing, and my business. So, at times, I felt like I was juggling too much.
Lastly, I learned not to focus on the number on the scale but rather on the other progress I was making. As I said above, my initial goal for this challenge was to lose weight and reach my weight goal for 2024. However, as the weeks went by, my weight did not drop! Actually, I gained some weight during this process, and I was so confused as to what was going on. I was getting completely discouraged because I was having the opposite effect that I wanted, and I was ready to quit.
But after speaking with my husband and a friend who also went through the process, I shifted my focus, and my mindset changed. I eventually started praying to God and thanking Him for the ability to actually do this challenge because I realized that was a blessing in itself.
As I continued with the process, I noticed the changes in my body. I noticed how much better I was feeling and how my clothes were fitting better, and eventually, I lost the weight.
So, yes, I am happy to report that on the LAST DAY of 75-hard, I reached my yearly weight loss goal.
Would I Do It Again?
I’m not sure I would. But is it worth it? 100 percent! I hope to continue working out every day, although I’ll take one day to rest. I hope to continue drinking a gallon of water a day and eating clean. Those are the things I hope to continue since I’m on the other side of 75-hard.
This challenge shows you that you can do anything you put your mind to—you just have to overcome the negative thoughts that come along the way, which is why they say mindset is everything. If you can’t overcome the negative thoughts, I’d suggest seeking professional help from a therapist to understand why you have these negative beliefs.
I hope this encourages anyone looking to do a transformative challenge like 75-hard to do it- because it can be done!
If there are any questions I didn’t answer, please message me or leave them in the comments!
With Love, Heidy
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