If you don’t know what 75 Hard is, scroll to the bottom of this post to see the rules and how I implemented them (which diet, what workouts, etc). I threw myself into the challenge on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, which was two weeks ago tomorrow. So why am I writing about my first week? Well, because I failed during my first week. I had “plans” during the weekend and told myself that I’d start the challenge and “see how it goes” on the weekend, when I was out for a music festival on Friday and a brunch with friends on Sunday. I should’ve known what “see how it goes” meant. I kept up with the diet, the workouts, the reading, and even the water, but failed the alcohol challenge on both Friday night and Sunday afternoon. I had to start all over again on Monday, March 4, 2024. I’m not super proud of myself, but that’s what happened.
Choosing to do 75 Hard was almost a whim…a whim that I had thought A LOT about. For at least a couple years. To me it seemed like an impossible thing, like running a marathon. It was the double workouts and the no alcohol part that always scared me and stopped me from the commitment. I knew I was going to do it one day, but couldn’t think about when the best time would be. I was literally trying to look at the calendar to see when I could handle this for 10+ weeks. Finally, I forgot about it, until someone reminded me… hey, uh, when are you gonna do that 75 Hard you were talking about? Oh shit…no time like the present (or 5 days from that present as it turned out…)
As I said, I did jump into the challenge, but by my redo on Monday, I was definitely in a groove, though I might’ve been slightly hungover on my first day (it’s hard to drink anything and not feel bad these days). So as Andy Frisella says, with “zero deviation, zero compromise,” I started.
A few weeks before I started, I was turned onto a book called The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter. The book talks about how each generation is getting softer and I knew I needed my own challenge. I hadn’t done anything for quite awhile. The two challenges that I could think of were a marathon in 2012 and a couple of 5-day water fasts in 2022 and 2023. Definitely time for another! 75 Hard was really the hardest one I could think of and it scared me, sounds like the right one.
Like I said, on Day One I was a little hungover…just getting through the morning workout was enough. I also traveled partway to Taos that night stopping in a small hotel in Gallup, NM. I was really dragging by my nighttime walk with the dogs (workout 2, outdoors) around and around the parking lot and it was cold! Day Two, I woke up and working out in the small hotel fitness room, grateful to have it! I did elliptical that day because I literally never do that so what the heck? Traveling and working out, not so bad so far! The drinking water part though… wow, I hate stopping during road trips, but a gallon a day had me stopping to pee quite a bit. Finally, I made it to Taos and got outside for a walk. Unfortunately, I wasn’t too impressed with my first trip to Taos but that’s another story. I was there to snowboard, not walk around.
Day Three, I had to work online and see clients. So, I got a Peloton yoga workout done in the morning and a walk again at night. I was anxious to snowboard the next day…until I found out my Ikon base pass no longer works in Taos Ski Valley. Oops. I HAD looked it up, but didn’t have a clue that there were different levels to the Ikon pass. A 5-day trip to New Mexico and I wasn’t about to pay more money for another pass. I felt better after hearing the conditions weren’t great but I was bummed. Onto plan number 2.
Day Four, I relied on another Peloton yoga session for the first 45. Later that day, I went out to the Rio Grande gorge and walked a 6-mile path, taking around 1-1/2 hours. Drinking the water was proving to be the hardest thing to manage, as I had to pee twice just off the path.
Day Five, I did an online kettlebell workout (I brought kettlebell with me) and another Peloton yoga workout for the first 45…then set out for a mountainous 2-1/2 hour hike. It was hot, then cold, then muddy and slippery with snow, but it was a good workout. I was worried that my workouts weren’t going to be far enough apart, but I just made the timing in the end. Workouts have to be spaced about 3 hours apart preventing someone from knocking out both workouts in a 90-minute period.
Day Six, I got up for another yoga workout and then hit the road for the long drive back to Scottsdale, stopping many, many times along the way for bathroom breaks. Once I got home, I took the dogs out for their 45-min walk. They are really enjoying all the extra walking time and I usually take them to a park to run prior to launching into the walk…this way, they don’t pull so much on the leash. Otherwise, these longer walks can be a little annoying.
Day Seven and I’m back in the groove at home…as it’s a leisurely Sunday morning, I took the dogs walking first. Later on, I did a Peloton bike ride and actually got my first PR in almost 4 years. It has definitely gotten easier after only a week.
Takeaways from the week: I had to plan everything in my day at first…my workouts, my food, my reading time, but especially the gallon of water! There were days when I didn’t finish drinking until the evening and I had to get up in the middle of the night. I set a goal in the first couple days to finish by 6pm, but now, I am getting done closer to 4pm. In the evening, I might drink some plain sparkling water once my plain water goal is complete. Overall, like Andy says, I do feel that I have more time in my day oddly. I’m finding that the “bitch voice” he talks about has calmed down. I don’t whine to myself about cleaning up the kitchen at night quite like I used to…or worse, not do it at all. I’m excited and motivated to keep going. I listen to his podcasts with people who have done the challenge to hear what they have gained…I dream about the future and the changes that I will be implementing. I’m excited to continue!
Just a quick rundown of the RULES and the choices I’ve made for #75Hard:
- Drinking a gallon of water a day…hands down, one of the hardest for me. I have to pee all the time now. Apparently this might level out, we’ll see. I have added some electrolytes after my plain gallon of water is done so I’m not stripping minerals too quickly.
- Two 45-minute workouts a day (one must be outside). Normally this will be a 45-min Peloton ride in the morning and a 45-min intentional walk outside with dogs.
- Reading 10 pages a day…by far the easiest and my favorite. I finished up The Eye of the I by David Hawkins and now I’m reading The Cosmic Serpent by
- Must be on a diet. Though I enjoy a good variety of foods, I have really taken to simplifying what I eat for this challenge. I’m eating an Animal-based diet, most notably talked about by Paul Saladino. It includes lots of grassfed meat, eggs, raw or A2 dairy, avocado, fruit, and occasional white rice, sweet potatoes and honey as well as Heart & Soil organ supplements. It tends to get a little boring, but it definitely sustains me through the workouts and my day. I have considered more of a carnivore diet, but feel like fruit helps me with the energy needed.
- No cheat meals or alcohol! This is interesting as I’ve not given up alcohol for longer than 6 weeks (except during my 4 pregnancies.)
- Take a progress pic everyday…my advice is to purchase the 75 Hard app and this will remind you. I’ve heard of people failing the challenge only because they forgot the picture.
