Dangerous Fitness: Unveiling the 75-Day Hard Challenge

The 75-Day Hard Challenge has surged as a notorious fitness trend across social media platforms, amassing a staggering 44.7 million views on TikTok. This challenge demands strict adherence to a series of rules over 75 days — but is it truly worth it? What exactly is the 75-Day Hard Challenge?

Over the years, thousands have taken part in the 75-Day Hard Challenge, showcasing their transformations on social media, notably TikTok. Often simply referred to as 75 Hard, this challenge purportedly aims to enhance mental resilience and mindfulness.

Participants of the challenge must rigorously follow a set of rules continuously for 75 days. Any deviation from the routine requires them to restart the challenge from day one. While the severity of 75 Hard may deter many, others believe daily participation in the challenge is the quickest way to form positive habits. The challenge revolves around five core rules:

Adhering to a strict diet
Participants choose their own diet focused on physical improvement. Throughout the challenge, cheat meals (any deviation from the diet) or alcohol are strictly prohibited.

Completing two 45-minute workouts daily
The challenge dictates that one of these workouts must be conducted outdoors.

Drinking one gallon of water daily
While health authorities recommend consuming about 1.2 liters of water per day, the challenge requires participants to drink nearly four liters.

Taking progress photos daily
As the primary goal is physical transformation, participants must take daily progress photos throughout the challenge. Many share these photos on social media platforms, including TikTok.

Reading at least ten pages of a book daily
To enhance mental well-being, the challenge mandates participants to read at least ten pages of a book daily. While the choice of book is left to the participant, audiobooks are not considered.

What are the benefits of the 75-Day Hard Challenge?

75 Hard focuses on instilling positive habits into one's lifestyle and revolves around physical activity, allowing many participants to witness physical transformations over the course of 75 days. This challenge can serve as an intensive period of "rebooting," prompting individuals to reflect on their habits and prioritize their health.

Following the challenge sequence is an excellent way to stay on track towards achieving fitness goals, as participants may find certain aspects of the challenge becoming easier day by day. However, it's important to note that 75 Hard may come with its own risks and hurdles on the path to your fitness goals.

What are the risks of the challenge?

Like many viral challenges, the 75-Day Hard Challenge has significant drawbacks that are crucial to understand before committing to all 75 days.

Strict diet adherence
While healthy eating is a crucial component of mental well-being, adhering strictly to a diet has many downsides, including fostering unhealthy relationships with food. Ultimately, this challenge promotes calorie counting, which can lead to unintended consequences. Developing unhealthy relationships with food is particularly concerning for younger and more vulnerable challenge participants who may have seen the physical transformations of 75 Hard on TikTok.

Completing two 45-minute workouts
Exercises and daily movement are essential parts of a healthy lifestyle, but two 45-minute workouts per day may be excessive for some individuals. This aspect of the challenge doesn't account for other commitments and activities, such as work or childcare.

Choosing shorter exercises could be a positive alternative to daily 90-minute intensive workouts. The 75 Hard challenge may make participants feel guilty if they fail to achieve their goal, ultimately creating a negative attitude towards exercise.

Consuming one gallon of water
While drinking water is extremely important for your physical health, sometimes there may be side effects from consuming large amounts of water in a short period of time. In some rare cases, excessive water consumption can lower electrolyte levels in the body, risking symptoms such as fatigue and nausea.

Just as with strict diets and 90-minute daily workouts, it's important not to take challenge specifications at face value.

Is it worth participating in the challenge?

Like most viral fitness trends, the 75 Hard Challenge has its drawbacks — making it crucial to explore the issue before deciding to participate in viral fitness challenges. As mentioned earlier, 75 Hard may not be suitable for younger individuals (especially teenagers who see this trend on TikTok) — largely due to strict rules regarding diet and exercise.

Ultimately, the 75 Hard challenge can subject participants to excessive pressure, causing them to give up and completely lose their way in their fitness journey. Participating in viral challenges is often a great way to motivate yourself, but short-term fitness trends rarely work in the long run. Instead, it's important to focus on developing habits that can be sustained.

If you still want to challenge yourself, it's worth approaching exercises more cautiously. For example, if you're currently taking 5000 steps a day, you may aim to increase that to 6000 steps a day. Setting more manageable goals is a much more realistic approach to fitness. You may often find that you exceed these goals, further boosting your motivation — a much more positive alternative to feeling overwhelmed by unrealistic goals.