I started a mental toughness challenge on January 2nd, 2020 called the 75 Hard.
For those of you who don’t know about this challenge, here are the rules.
The 75 Hard Challenge Rules
- Drink a gallon of water every day
- Exercise twice per day for 45 mins each (one has to be outside)
- Read 10 pages a day of a non-fiction growth-oriented book
- Take a progress picture of your body every day
- Pick a diet and follow it with zero cheat meals and no alcohol
- This challenge must go on for 75 days in a row.
But Krista it has been more than 75 days.
Yes, I know, It has been 115 days. I screwed up the challenge on day 40 and had to start over at day one.
This challenge started at the perfect time for me. I was switching careers from being a full-time fitness coach to starting my own business.
I had very clear intentions for what I wanted to achieve during this challenge.
My goals for the challenge were to:
- Create discipline and routine in my life (I was inconsistent)
- Build a strong aerobic system (I wasn’t doing hardy any cardio)
- Have 10 active clients (I had zero)
- Never binge eat again (I was still struggling with this a little bit)
- Spend more time cooking (I was eatin
- g only Snap Kitchen)
- Read a book on habits, money, relationships, and business (I told myself that I only liked audiobooks because I was a slow reader)
The Results
- I completed the challenge after 115 days! I only had to start over once!
- My cardio is on point! I am now sprinting several times per week.
- My body did change
- I dropped an inch in my waist and my hips (I didn’t weigh myself)
- I look less inflamed
- Skin texture improved
- Digestion improved
- Energy levels improved
- As of right now, I have 15 clients
- I haven’t had a binge eating episode in months
- I cook 95% of my meals
- I read now. I’ve read seven books this year so far 🙂
The Most Rewarding Part
- The friendships I made with the people who did the challenge with me.
- Looking at my finances and seeing that I didn’t spend a dime on booze or drinking-related expenses like Ubers and Lyfts.
- I enjoy reading now! I am a fast reader and enjoy reading physical books now more than audio.
- I have increased confidence from sticking to something and finishing it out!
- The lifestyle I created. I honestly won’t stop doing most of the daily tasks (except for taking a picture every day).
The Easiest Part
Drinking water. I don’t know how I lived without drinking a gallon a day. It’s so easy (especially when working out twice a day).
The Hardest Part
Prioritizing workouts. Sometimes I only had 40 minutes to complete a workout before going to work. Which means I didn’t have time and would have to do it later. How you do one thing in life is how you do everything!
Would I do it again?
I will absolutely do this challenge again!
This challenge helped me build habits that I’ll take advantage of for the rest of my life.
I can guarantee that I wouldn’t have as many clients as I do without completing this challenge. The challenge kept me focused on what matters – keeping my body primed, my mind sharp, and growing every single day!
Tips for Completing a Hard 75
- Do it with a friend or group
- Have three books that you rotate at once. One easy, one medium, and one harder read. The easy reads are key for the nights when you are exhausted and don’t want to read.
- Create a checklist so you don’t forget one of the tasks like I did.
- Take your photo at the same time every day!
- Drink out of a half-gallon jug so it is easier to track your water intake.
- Mix in recovery with harder workouts. I did a lot of walking during the challenge. No way my body would have been able to do two hard workouts per day.
The Take-Away
There is no way I could run a successful business without walking the walk. I talk to people about building good habits, exercise, drinking water, eating well, following through and staying consistent all day every day. I would be a hypocrite to not do it myself.
I went from being somewhat consistent to a machine and it is all thanks to the compounding effect of taking action every single day!
These habits will stick to me for a lifetime!
I hope this post has inspired you to want to do this challenge or just be consistent with something in your life!
Krista
PS. Want to change your life by changing your habits? I am a nutritionist that specializes in habit and lifestyle change! Send me a reply and schedule a free consult to work with me 1 x 1. https://livinglargewellness.com