New Year Health Check
75 Hard
By: Denise Fuchs
We all tend to create New Years Resolutions, but how often do we lose track, lose interest, or lack motivation to make it a new way of life? It’s so easy to say you will do something but an entirely different thing to dedicate yourself to making it happen.
Last year we committed to completing 75 Hard. 75 Hard is a mental, physical and emotional challenge, forcing you to turn your daily routine upside down. If you have never heard of 75 Hard, it is a life changing program created by an alpha male, Andy Frisella. His full breakdown is available to listen to on his podcast, but I will give you a quick rundown.
For 75 days the new daily rules are to drink one gallon of water, read a minimum of 10 pages of a non-fiction book, complete two non-consecutive 45-minute workouts, one of which must be outside, take a daily progress photo of yourself, no alcohol consumption, and commit to a diet of your choosing. For my diet, I choose to eat a salad every day, no fast food, and no candy or processed sugars. If you forget one of any of the above, you must start the program over.
I did have to start the program over twice, once because I forgot to take my daily progress picture and the second was because I had to have my appendix removed. My third time was a success and boy did it feel good to commit to changing my daily lifestyle for the better. After I completed the challenge, I was exhausted from adding so much to my daily life that I wanted a break. When I thought about it, I said why? Why do I want to stop doing what helped me change my daily life? It made me work harder and smarter with a much clearer head to process daily struggles or challenges. Of course, not all steps of 75 Hard are meant for daily life but it is important to understand what you can take away from it. Maybe drinking more water or not eating out as much, collecting a deeper appreciation for reading, not drinking alcohol, or just being able to finish something you started that is uncomfortable but healthy, there is so much that any human can take from doing the 75 Hard challenges.
So, what am I trying to get to in this blog? Try the 75 Hard program, you may find something you didn’t know about yourself. Determination? Drive? An appreciation for reading? At the end of the day, a true appreciation for yourself is the most important. Remember to take care of yourself, physically and mentally. We only get one life, enjoy it, prioritize it and take it where you want to go.