WORTH THE HYPE? WEIGHING THE BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS OF THE 75 DAY CHALLENGE
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Sony Sherpa (MBBS) - August 9, 2024
The 75 Day Challenge is a popular self-improvement program designed to push you to new limits, facilitating the personal transformation of mind and body. While the challenge has strict rules, many people claim to have benefited immensely. On the other hand, health experts critique the harshness of such a challenge, questioning its efficacy to improve overall well-being.
The blog below explains the 75 Day Challenge rules, its benefits and potential risks, and tips for completing it successfully for those keen to try it.
What is the 75 Day Challenge?
The 75 Day Challenge is a mental and physical transformation program created in 2019 by Andy Frisella, the CEO of 1st Phorm, a supplement company. The challenge aims to push individuals out of their comfort zones and help them develop mental fortitude, discipline, and a healthier lifestyle.[1]
The Rules of the 75 Day Challenge
The rules of the 75 Day Challenge are simple but challenging. Participants must follow these guidelines for 75 consecutive days:
- Follow a strict healthy diet plan with no cheat meals, such as going vegan, paleo, or the whole30 diet
- Drink at least one gallon of water per day (3.78 liters)
- Exercise twice a day for at least 45 minutes each session (one session must be outdoors)
- Read ten pages of a non-fiction book per day
- Take a progress photo every day
- No alcohol or cheat days
- If you fail to complete any of the tasks, you must start over from day one
As the rules of the original challenge (the 75-day hard challenge) were too demanding for many, Frisella created the 75-day soft challenge in 2021.
The 75 days soft rules are a watered-down version of the 75 days hard challenge:
- Eat a generally healthy diet
- Drink 0.79 of a gallon or 3 liters of water per day
- Exercise for 45 minutes for six days each week and take one day of rest
- Read ten pages a day from any book
The Science Behind the 75 Day Challenge
There is no scientific basis for the challenge. Frisella created the challenge based on personal experience. There is no official trial or study that can vouch for its effectiveness.
However, there is some evidence to support that it has the potential to promote a healthy lifestyle moving forward. Here's how:
New Habits Take at Least 66 Days
According to science, the idea that it takes 21 days to break an old habit is outdated. The time varies and is dependent on individual circumstances.
Studies indicate that it can take approximately 66 days to incorporate a simple healthy change in one's routine, such as drinking a glass of water every morning, consuming a piece of fruit after a meal, or going for a walk at a set time of the day.[2]
Some studies show that for some people, this change becomes permanent in as little as 18 days, while for others, it may take up to 90 days.
This understanding is what can make the 75 day challenge compelling. By leading a strict, healthy lifestyle for a little over 66 days, the core rules of the challenge can integrate into your routine and ultimately change your entire life.
75 Hard Challenge Prevents Habit Plateaus, Ensuring Long-Term Success
Despite the shared short-term benefits, the 75 hard challenge offers more potential for long-lasting personal transformation than the 75 soft challenge.
Sixty-six days is typically enough to develop a simple habit, yet complex activities, like making a daily exercise routine a habit, may take six months or more. Studies show that habits tend to plateau, making it easier to start yet more challenging to maintain consistently over time.[3]
The 75 day takes advantage of the tendency to plateau when forming habits by pushing participants at a much higher intensity. Exercising twice daily for 45 minutes without breaks is too intense to maintain indefinitely. However, after 75 days, daily exercise becomes a priority, increasing the chances of sustaining an optimal physical activity level.
The same applies to all other aspects of the challenge. After completing the 75 hard challenge, you will likely continue to stay hydrated, read a little each day, be health-conscious, and eat a more balanced meal.
Benefits of the 75 Day Challenge
The 75 Day Challenge is about physical and mental transformation, encouraging participants to develop mental strength, discipline, and healthy lifestyle habits.
By following the rules and completing the challenge, participants can experience the immediate benefits:
- Improved physical health and fitness
- Promotes muscle building and weight loss
- Potentially reduces disease risk and extends lifespan
- Increased mental strength and discipline
- Better time management skills
- Increased self-confidence and self-esteem
- Improved focus and productivity
- Accomplishing something life-changing and positive
The long-term benefits of completing such a challenge are more valuable, as these shape one's perspective and attitude moving forward in life. By setting goals, overcoming obstacles, and pushing beyond one's comfort zone, participants can experience increased self-awareness, personal growth, and a sense of accomplishment.
The challenge also opens avenues of exploration to the participant, allowing for a better sense of direction for setting future goals regarding self-development.
Challenges and Obstacles
The 75 Day Challenge is demanding, and participants face many challenges and obstacles. Some common challenges include:
- Cravings for unhealthy foods
- Unrealistic goals and expectations
- Lack of motivation
- Time constraints
- Weather conditions for outdoor workouts
- Peer pressure at social engagements to cheat
- Missing out on social gatherings or other activities to exercise and read
- Feeling stressed or pressured to perform at a higher intensity level
Identifying challenges beforehand is pivotal to overcoming the 75 day challenge. Working with them and reducing their impact by planning ahead is crucial, as stress undermines the benefit of the challenge.
Solutions may include:
- Committing firmly to a time and place for each activity in the challenge
- Finding or calculating a structured daily menu and meal prepping ahead of time
- Undertaking the 75 day with a friend who wants to do the challenge with you
- Joining an online community that is participating in the challenge
- Adjusting workout times to fit your schedule
- Organizing outdoor and indoor physical activities to suit weather conditions beforehand
- Lining up 750 pages worth of reading material oriented towards self-development
- Carrying a refillable water bottle with you during the day
Risks and Modifications
It is also crucial to consider whether you can realistically accomplish the challenge, even with proper provisions.
The challenge is critiqued by experts for being too strict, unrealistic for beginners, and potentially unhealthy, especially for those predisposed to health problems. The challenge can raise the risk of overuse injuries and promote a stressful relationship with food.[4]
For those who might battle, modifying the challenge can still see benefits over trying the 75 soft challenge. One might want to consider:
- Committing to two 30-40 minute workouts per day
- Exercising indoors twice that day if weather conditions are unsuitable
- Allowing for one cheat meal a week
- Adding one day of rest from exercise
- Meditating or journaling for one of the workout sessions if you are unable to perform a lot of exercise for medical reasons
- Taking progress photos every week instead of every day
- Reading for an extended time, such as 30 minutes instead of 10 pages
If this still needs to be improved for your current level of fitness and well-being, you might prefer the 75 soft and work towards completing the 75 hard.
It is vital to find what works best for you and make modifications as needed to ensure success and sustainability.
The 75-Day Diet
The 75 Day Challenge diet is a strict, structured meal plan focusing on whole, unprocessed foods. As mentioned, you can follow any healthy diet with proven benefits. There are no cheat meals or alcohol. Participants are encouraged to track their macros (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) to ensure they get enough nutrients.
While the 75-day diet may be effective for weight loss and building muscle, it may only be sustainable for some in the long-term. It is practical to listen to your body and make modifications as needed to maintain a healthy and balanced diet.
The 75 day Workout Routine
Working out twice a day for 45 minutes each session might be a stretch for many.
Also, the challenge does not specify the exercise type or intensity. Hence, gentle exercises, such as walking or doing stretches or pilates might be considered as well. It is best to split these workouts by performing one in the morning and another in the afternoon or early evening.
There are many exercise options to consider:
- Yoga
- Dance
- HIIT (high-intensity interval training)
- Resistance training (muscle-building exercises)
- Tai-chi
- Chair workouts
- Cycling
- Jogging
- Swimming
To save time, combine tasks like walking to work, walking the dog, and doing daily chores.
Increase the intensity and duration to meet the challenge's exercise requirements.
Plan for rain or cold weather by finding a sheltered area or using protective gear.
Misconceptions About the 75 Day Challenge
Many misconceptions about the 75 Day Challenge may stand in the way of success. A few of the most common include:
The Challenge is Only for Fitness Enthusiasts
The challenge is for anyone looking to push themselves and make positive changes in their life. It is not just for fitness enthusiasts, and participants can make modifications to accommodate their fitness levels and abilities.
The 75 Hard is also about developing mental strength and discipline. One needs to read content daily that emphasizes self-development and constantly focus on the challenge's end goal by sharing progress photos and making it a social endeavor.
It is a Quick Fix for an Unhealthy Lifestyle
Unlike other fad diets or trending health challenges, 75 days is a substantial period that can change your daily habits. Yet this change requires dedication and consistency to maintain after the challenge ends. Long-term success beyond the 75 day challenge rests on making healthy choices.
Moving Beyond the 75 Days
The intention behind the 75 Day Challenge is to start a lifelong journey towards maintaining a lifestyle that stimulates one mentally and physically. It is also important to retain the practice and discipline you develop during the challenge to maintain a healthy lifestyle in the long run.
Consider implementing these tips:
- Continue tracking your progress and setting new goals
- Find a workout routine that you enjoy and can stick to
- Experiment with a healthy diet plan that works best for you if the one you followed was not satisfactory
- Apply the concept to learning new skills
- Surround yourself with a supportive, health-oriented community
- Prioritize self-care and mental health
- Remember that progress is not always linear, and be patient with yourself
Conclusion
The 75 Day Challenge is a popular program that was visualized to help individuals transform their minds and bodies through discipline and consistency. By following the rules and modifying as needed, participants can experience numerous benefits and develop a healthier lifestyle beyond the 75 days. Remember to listen to your body, make modifications as needed, and prioritize your overall well-being.
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