The Scary AF 75 Hard Challenge All Over Social Media.
Why I'm taking on 75 Hard, just to prove a point to myself.
Hello there.
I’m starting 75 Hard. I’m either on the verge of something great or a mental breakdown.
Before anyone starts, I know the guy who designed this program is a Trump supporter, and no, I am not - I think Trumps a c*nt as much as the next normal human being. However, the program looks to have some benefits for my mental and physical health and so I decided to give it a go.
So no nasty comments please.
What is 75 Hard?
75 Hard is a challenge that aims to make you stronger in body and mind. For 75 days you:
Follow a healthy and structured diet of your choosing (I’m going for Vegan wholefoods)
Take two 45 minute exercise sessions (one must be outside)
Drink a gallon of water throughout the day
Read 10 pages of something that is non-fiction, educational, and can be used to improve any area of your life.
Take a daily progress picture
If you cock up, or miss even 5 minutes of exercise or a page of a book … even if you are on day 73 out of 75 … you must start back at day one.
Why do 75 Hard?
Having already quit drugs, alcohol, smoking cigarettes, meat, dairy, eggs and more in my life, I know I’m no stranger to having a bit of willpower. But over the years, I have evolved into a less active, less fit, sugar junkie, caffeinated lump who is on the larger end of a healthy weight.
At 44, if I don’t get myself in check, I never will, and I will be destined to be a human donut, wobbling into my old age. So yesterday I decided on a whim (how I make all my best decisions) to do something about it. I bought a mahooosive 2.25l water bottle (2 of those makes a gallon,) and a skipping rope, plus some fruit and some salad, and announced to the world that today shall be my day one.
Along with the physical benefits, the mental effects that are promised sound great if they come to fruition. I shall become a more productive, mentally strong, gritty, more confident version of myself. Which is not hard, granted. I do have quite low opinions of myself in general. Anything that gives me a self-esteem boost will be a winner in my book.
That and I wouldn’t mind losing a couple of stone. Currently I’m weighing in at almost 11 stone, when ideally I’d like to be more like 9 or 9.5 stone.
Accountability
I HATE exercise. If there is one thing I will fail at (besides the not eating crap part) it will be the exercise. To be honest, I walk the dog, and she’s got her 50 miles for Samaritans challenge this month so the outdoors 45 minutes is not too hard as I almost do that anyway. But the 45 minutes of indoor exercise is going to take some serious willpower.
What I hate more than exercise is failing in public. I get embarrassed easily. I have imposter syndrome, and fear failing in most areas of my life. I hate that people might find out I’m really just winging it at all times. So, if I keep myself accountable by telling the whole world what I’m doing, then I’m far more likely to stick to it.
Peer pressure, even when it is just coming from my internal haters, is a powerful thing.
Perhaps that is one more thing I wish to gain from the experience. A way to shut the inner shitty committee up. Let the miserable little shits know I CAN do things still, and I do still have lots of mental strength and willpower.
I’ll chuck a note out every single day by way of public accountability. If I miss one, feel free to point, laugh and call me a lazy, middle-aged loser.
Flipping heck I had a smaller belly when I was pregnant than I do these days! This photo alone should be enough to make me sort myself out.
Have you done 75 Hard?
Or are you halfway through it? Or thinking about it?
Let me know in the comments.