75 Hard – The Ultimate Mental & Physical Transformation

It was either late Summer or early Fall. One of my girlfriends was telling me about this challenge called 75 Hard. It required 2 workouts – one inside, one outside. I laughed, and called her crazy. “I could NEVER workout outside” I exclaimed to her. She then recommended to me a podcast called MFCEO by Andy Frisella. I listened to him often, but I didn’t realize this guy Andy was the same person who came up with this psychotic 75 day challenge until months later on..

So, let’s fast forward to mid-late January (3 weeks ago). I was extremely happy with where I was physically, but I wanted to push my limits a little further. I was just mindlessly looking through Youtube when I found a video of this girl talking about 75 Hard, and the effect it had on her life. Her results were exactly what I was looking for. 

Here are the rules.

75 days. No alcohol. No cheat meals. Follow a diet (your personal choice) One gallon of water a day. Read 10 pages of a business or self help book every day. 2 workouts – one indoors, one outdoors, at least 45 minutes each (doesn’t matter what type of workout). And lastly, 1 progress picture everyday. If you miss a workout, cheat on your diet, skip reading, etc. back to day 1 you go! 

“There’s Literally No Way I Could do It..”

At first, I thought, no way. There’s literally no way I could do it. I just turned 21 a month ago! Why would I torture myself like this?! But after about 5 minutes of visualizing myself doing it, and thinking of how good I might feel, I thought.. ok .. Maybe.

I texted a few of my older mentor-like friends to see what they thought- if it was realistic, if it was stupid, if they thought I could do it. I got mixed reviews, but in my gut, I knew it was something I had to do. 

Day 0 of 75 Hard..

The night before day 1 of 75, I was NERVOUS. I mean, absolutely terrified. I don’t even know why. Fear of failure, not succeeding, not being able to push myself? I spent all night trying to make a schedule of every workout, yet all I was really doing was psyching myself out. Then, I remembered something that a great friend of mine told me months ago. “Take it one day at a time.”

So I shut my laptop off, shut my brain off, and decided to take this challenge on- day by day.

All night I listened to Andy’s podcasts religiously, feeling like he was a friend pumping me up to run in 25 degree NY sh%t weather the next day. As soon as I woke up, I played his podcasts some more. I told you I was scared, I wasn’t lying…..

Day 1 of 75 : The Outdoor Workout ..

Day 1 was interesting. I was feeling extremely motivated, less nervous, and oddly excited for the outdoor workout. A bit ambitious you could say..

I didn’t have a clue of what to wear because I rarely run, let alone run in the cold. I passionately hate cardio and weather under 70 degrees... let’s just say if I could do it, you could do it.

Day 1 outside workout was a nightmare.. and no, not even because my hands were numb and my nose was profusely running. My phone stopped working 10 minutes in because of the cold, so I had no timer, no music, nothing. I also definitely didn’t dress properly, because my body was frozen the whole time. I didnt want to bring my phone inside because I didnt know if that would count as cheating… so I just prayed that my phone wasn’t broken, and my mom would eventually come outside so I could ask her for the time.

I looked at this workout as a sign that if I could get through this one, I’ll get through the others.

From there, each day became more exciting than the next, and I was getting into a rhythm. I also learned a whole lot…

My top outdoor workout tips ; stretch and pee before you go, wear gloves, charge your headphones / phone, bring a tissue (lots of snot and tears from the cold air), wear comfortable gear that keeps you warm for the first few minutes, own a pair of cheap sneakers for rain or mud or snow, and lastly, bring pepper spray (just in case..)

Tired, Sore, and Peeing Every 5 Minutes

As I’m writing this, I’m on day 16. Days 1-9 were nothing but exctiement. I was full of energy, I felt like a million bucks, and every night I was so pumped to wake up and do it all over again. 

Then, day 10 hit. It was the first day I snoozed my alarm. All I wanted to do was go back to sleep and sit in an epsom salt bath. My body was sore. Everywhere. I desperately wanted some chocolate. I didnt want to workout, especially twice. Chugging a gallon of water was also the last thing on my mind. That is exactly why 75 Hard is a CHALLENGE. Its a mind game.

I thought that drinking a gallon a day would be the easiest part. WRONG. This gallon of water has become the enemy! Every night I find myself chugging until I’m drowning only an hour before bed. My only advice for this would be to keep drinking throughout the day. Don’t follow my footsteps and wait until you’re two coffees deep at 1pm to start drinking.

The Hard Days ..

While I am tired most of the time, I’m more physically tired, than mentally. I know that 75 Hard has been pushing past my limits, and because of that, I feel extremely proud of myself, and it fills me with happiness. However, my body is constantly run down, and it is exhausting.

In regards to the hard days, you can’t give into your wants, rather look at it as something you have no choice but to do. It will suck in the moment, your body will be hurting, and every second will feel longer than the next. Put on some music or a podcast, and zone in. Ask a friend to join you for a workout. Distract yourself, let time go by while you do what you have to do.

When I know my body is too sore to do much, I’ll spend my indoor workout doing active mobility, and my outdoor workout walking. Even these days can be tough, especially because walking in the cold does not make you sweat. Like I said, distract yourself, and let the time go by.

Transforming Daily – Mentally & Physically

During 75 Hard you have to take a progress picture every day. This is the easy part, all you have to do is stand in the mirror and take a picture. But that’s the thing… it’s so easy that it might just slip your mind! Do it first thing in the morning and get it out of the way.

With these progress pictures, I’ve noticed my body changing everyday. New muscles showing in some places, less body fat in other places. Meanwhile, my diet and training has remained the same – the only differences are the outdoor cardio, 1 gallon a day, and no cheat meals.

The funny thing about 75 Hard is that it is NOT about the physical transformation. That’s just the benefit! The challenge is 100% mental. Self discipline, self control, and mental toughness. The weight you lose and the strength you gain is just the advantage of it all!

Progress

With daily workouts, I feel myself getting stronger, and more skilled in moves I’ve practiced for months. As my endurance increases, and my body fat decreases, movements I’ve struggled with for weeks are becoming easier and easier. Not to mention, I have no choice but to stretch everyday, so my mobility has increased as well.

The self discipline required for some of my biggest challenges has made other small responsibilities so easy to complete without procrastinating and making excuses.

I’ve picked up on old habits I put to the side as well. I’m journaling more, listening to podcasts almost daily, meditating more often, spreading more gratitude, drinking more tea, waking up at 4:30am-5:30am daily, and going to bed at a decent hour- consistently. I’m eating more vegetables and less crap, and just caring more and more about my overall wellness. 

Confidence and Happiness

Seeing the boundaries I’ve pushed my mind and body through so far has filled me with so much confidence and even more happiness. Despite me being a trainer, I was slacking a bit. I love going out and drinking, and I love cake even more. I hate cardio, I hate the cold, I – without a doubt – was drinking more coffee than water, and I practically haven’t read a book since High School.

I dont know if saying “its changed my life” is dramatic, as its only been 2 weeks, but I can definitely say I FEEL myself transitioning into someone I’ve always wanted to be. The confidence I’ve gained from overcoming the mental hurdles have bled into confidence in my body and my strength as well. Keep in mind I am only 16 days in and I feel this way…. I still have 59 days to go..

Excuses..

Enough with the excuses. Spend just a couple minutes imagining the transformation you could experience. 75 Hard sounds crazy, maybe even impossible to some, I laughed when I first heard about it. Now I’m 2 weeks in, feeling the best I have ever felt mentally and physically.

The majority who hear about me enduring 75 Hard call me psychotic or lame, or give me their excuses- they love wine too much, they hate the cold, no time, etc. I love wine and I hate the cold too. Trust me. I’m just like anyone else, but when I first heard of the challenge, I took those 5 minutes to visualize how I’d feel during, and after. I learned everything there was to know about it, I prepared- mentally and physically. I made sure that if I was to do this, I’d do it right, and I wouldn’t let myself down.

I’m a big believer in mental strength/health, and I knew 75 Hard would help me get to that next level that I was aiming for. Who’s to say it cant do the same for you?