What is the 75 Hard Challenge?

For 75 consecutive days, participants must follow these rules (if you fail any of these, you must start over again!)

Follow a diet.
No alcohol.
Complete two 45-minute workouts, one of which must be outdoors.
Take a progress picture.
Drink 1 gallon of water.
Read 10 pages of a non-fiction book (audiobooks not included).

Why I chose to do the challenge:

I have never really done any competitions growing up— I was never on any sports teams, I never won trophies or medals, nor had I ever really challenged myself much physically… so I just more or less wanted to see if I could do it. I knew I could— I just needed a good kick in the pants to actually see it through.

Self-accountability is extremely difficult. It’s very easy to give into excuses, comfort zones, and to make up stories as to why you shouldn’t do something… but that’s part of what this challenge is to me. It’s not just meant to be a physical transformation, it’s supposed to be a mental one, too. Build some grit. Get shit done even if it sucks. And carry on one step at a time to improve yourself slowly.

Cancer really does kick you when you’re down, over and over again, so by picking a challenge like this (despite it being difficult), gave me the power to take back control of my life…

I kept seeing the challenge pop up on my YouTube recommendations and so after watching a dozen videos on it, I figured, why not give it a go? It’ll get me out of my winter funk, force me to do more for myself, try new things, push my limits… so on Wednesday March 1st, I began…

My Results:

I wouldn’t say my results are terribly noticeable physically. I wasn’t trying to cut weight, like most participants do. For me, I wanted to focus on routine, build strength, and find more movement and energy in my day. And I’d say I accomplished that.

Some things I achieved:

3 bodyweight chin-ups from a dead hang
10 good form pushups
2 minute plank with solid form
3 pistol squats per leg (ass to grass)
4 plates a side on the leg press
145lb barbell squat for 1x3 reps (I haven’t lifted over 1 plate on squats since well before cancer!)
175lb conventional deadlift for 3x6 reps
265lb hip thrusts for 3x6 reps (I used to always just stick to my 1 plate…)
60lb Bulgarian split squats (pure evil ha)

I read 4 books on diet, finances, and management/leadership.

I chose an 80/20 rule for my diet; sticking to a calorie range and protein target.

So really, I did have ‘cheat meals’ so long as they fit my calorie/protein goals. One thing I did though, was avoid my weakness— ice cream.

So I suppose some people would look at my 75 days and tell me I failed. That’s fine. I stuck by my perceived version of the rules though and saw it through. Could I do it again and better? Possibly. But there’s no need for that (I’ll get into that more below). It’s time to just keep up with the momentum, living a balanced routine that works for me— that makes me feel my best!

Kombucha was my “alcohol alternative” of choice!

Pros/What I achieved:

I learned a lot through reading
I got stronger and more confident in the gym
I didn’t have any alcohol; so I saved money going out and had zero hangovers
I got outdoors a lot; walked my dog and enjoyed more fresh air

Cons/What Felt like a Setback:

Recovery felt like it was lacking; over time there were days where all I wanted to do was lie down and nap. My sleep began to unravel, I definitely experienced bloating and water retention, and overall just felt lethargic by the end of the challenge.
No rest days; I think everyone needs a full rest day at least once weekly. And cancer patients and survivors, even more so! One outdoor walk on the rest day, sure. But having to do 2 45 minute workouts every single day?! Ruthless.
Weather; some days I’d be outside walking in pouring rain, freezing cold sleet, or marching through crunchy snow with a dripping booger-y face and numb hands. Not ideal, but I suppose I survived, ha.
Menstrual cycle; on specific days of my cycle I was so out of it. I could barely complete two 45-minute walks on those days. I knew I was giving it my all and it still didn’t feel like enough, so guilt would creep in…
Makes travelling/socializing very difficult; you have to be a planner to make this work for you. If you’re going out at night, be sure to get your workouts done early by setting an alarm even on the weekends. Maybe check out menus at the places you’re going to ahead of time as well. If you’re travelling, plan ahead so there are gyms near you (or good walking areas, whatever).

Would I recommend the challenge to others?

I think if you already have somewhat of a routine when it comes to health and fitness, sure. If you don’t, I think it’s a bit much— it’s the equivalent of going 0-100, cold turkey, balls to the wall. There are 75 Soft and Medium versions of this challenge that you could try first. Or hire an actual fitness coach to support you. Really, it’s about the consistency, the healthy habits, and longterm benefits… so if the challenge is making you feel the opposite, it’s not really worth it, is it?

As a cancer survivor, you need to know your limits as well. Recovery and cardio for me now, are terrible, so that’s why I chose to walk as my outdoor activity. My body holds on to inflammation if I go too hard. Even the drinking of 1 gallon of water in this challenge sounds great, but diluted me of a lot of healthy minerals and just isn’t necessary. I believe doing too much is detrimental and resting would’ve been more beneficial some days. Too much movement on not enough sleep and not eating enough of the right foods (if you’re not savvy with nutrition), can be damaging. So bear that in mind, too!

Overall though, I am proud of myself for completing it.

Would you try the #75HardChallenge? Why or why not? And if you have, how did it go?!

Thank you for reading! Feel free to leave me a comment, shoot me an email, or come find me and follow along my journey on Instagram @shestaysstrongblog

XO Steph

#shestaysstrong