“It’s not luck, it’s not magic, it’s not circumstances. It’s developing a great plan and executing on it, day in and day out until the visions in your head become your reality.” -Andy Frisella
The above quote is from self-made entrepreneur Andy Frisella. Frisella is the CEO of a health supplement company, 1stPhorm, as well as an influencer and motivator on social media. Recently, Frisella’s “75 Hard” challenge has become popular online due to the intensity and dedication that it demands. I decided to take part in this challenge in hopes to master self-discipline and change my body for the better. Below are the challenge rules to follow every day for 75 days.
- Strict Diet – No Cheating, not even one bite, and No Alcohol!
- Two Workouts per Day – At least one outside and both at least 45 minutes each
- Drink One Gallon of Water per Day – Nothing but clear, plain water counts
- Read Ten Pages per Day – Non-Fiction self help or business book
- Take a Progress Picture Every Day
I am on day 23 of this challenge but wanted to share my reflections thus far. I recommend this challenge to someone who enjoys competition, wants to exercise more, is seeking something to commit to, or anyone who loves self-improvement. This challenge is teaching me the importance of a holistic approach to health. A holistic approach focuses on a variety of interconnected aspects that influence one’s health–such as physical, mental, and spiritual factors. Solely focusing on external factors is not healthy–you have to focus on what food you are fueling yourself with, how much sleep you’re getting at night, as well as what books you are reading to better your mindset. This challenge changed my perspective on health for the better, and I encourage you to reflect on your own definition of health…and drink some water while you’re at it!
Below are some take-aways I have so far from the challenge, and these may help anyone who is looking to start “75 Hard”:
- You will “run out” of time to exercise if you don’t plan ahead. It is easy to get distracted from work or school and then suddenly it’s 9 PM and you haven’t even moved your body. Plan ahead what you will exercise, and schedule it on your planner…your body deserves it!
- A gallon of water is really not that much. It sounds intimidating, and at first, it was! I walked around with my 32 oz. bottle worried I looked like a gym rat carrying a HUGE jug. But a gallon is only four 32 ounce bottles! I aim for 2 bottles down by lunch, and another 2 done by dinner–and then I’m finished with my gallon!
- Progress pics are an amazing tool for documenting physical change. Most people HATE scales with passion. I don’t blame them! We attach certain values and feelings with numbers on a scale. Using pictures to track progress can shift your perspective to focus on the positive; we focus on the changes in our pictures that are good, rather than criticizing the change (or lack thereof) on the scale.