Nobody can deny it, #75HARD has been taking the world by storm over the last few years. And with good reason: It is THE BEST mental toughness program in the world. And I know, I've done it multiple times (I'm doing it right now). And every time I get better results.
But the question many people ask: "What diet can I do on 75HARD?"
That's one of the answers you will get in this post, and at the same time, you'll learn everything you need to get the most out of 75HARD and set yourself up for success.
What is 75 HARD?
75 HARD is a program created by Andy Frisella (Aka the MFCEO) where you perform a series of daily tasks for 75 days in a row, without fail (failing 1 task, no matter what or where you are in the program means you start back at day 1).
Sounds quite simple right? It is not... In this program, you will test your mental toughness limits multiple times, which will result in you building a massive amount of discipline and self-confidence.
This is NOT a fitness program, and it definitely is not something you are just "going to try". You either do it, like hundreds of thousands in the last years, or you don't.
Scared? No need to be, since everyone can (and probably should) do this program with the right mindset and by learning the tips and trips in the next paragraphs.
What are the daily tasks of 75HARD?
Every day, you complete the following tasks:
Take a progress picture (yeah, that simple, but so easy to forget or ignore the small details)
Read 10 pages of a self-development book (no audiobook, no fiction...)
Do a 45-minute workout (indoor or outdoor)
Do a non-consecutive second 45-minute workout outdoor (even if it rains or snows)
Drink a gallon of water (4Liters) - coffee does not count as water ;)
Choose a diet, and commit to it. No cheat meals or alcohol.
Fail at one task at any point in time (like a 43-minute workout, or reading only 9 pages) you restart at day 1 the next day.
What results will I have after completion?
The most obvious result is how you will look, even though this is not what the program is about. You will also feel much stronger physically and will have just more physical energy.
But now the most important results, which you will only get when you truly do the program without cheating yourself. And this is important since if you cheat, you will actually have the opposite of the following results:
An immense self-confidence and belief that you can do everything you set your mind to
A massive momentum that, if you keep it up, will allow you to build and achieve greatness
You will no longer have tolerance for time wasters negativity
You'll be a massive influence of positivity for the people around you
A completely new way of looking at the world and at yourself (believe me, it's better)
And every time you do the program, you will strengthen these perishable skills and bring them to new levels.
What diet or food regimen can I do on 75HARD?
75HARD, by design, does not come with a diet or food regimen, so it is really up to you to choose the "rules" you want to abide by.
For most people without a deep understanding of good nutrition, however, this can be tricky. Especially since by doing all these workouts, you will need the proper fuel to recover from your workouts, prevent overuse injuries, and stay energized during your long days.
That is also why we are not a big fan of the word "diet" since it implies it is something you do temporarily to lose weight, without having your health or long-term goals in mind. Instead, we want to choose a way of eating for life, following a set of nutritional guidelines that are proven AND work for your unique body.
"So, what should I do?" you might ask. Well, first, ask yourself what your goal is. Are you trying to lose weight, build more muscle mass? Get enough fuel to be strong throughout the 75 days? The answer to that question will mainly influence the amount of food to eat.
Second, we recommend experimenting with one (or more) of the following protocols to see what works well for you (since we are all slightly different):
Intermittent fasting (For example 16/8 means you eat all your meals in 8 hours and fast during the other 16 hours)
Elimination protocol: cutting out dairy products and gluten-containing products for 2-3 weeks and reintroducing them to see how it impacts your gut, your energy and your recovery
Low carb: reducing (not fully removing them!) carbs from your meals to allow your body to burn more fat for fuel, while still having carb meals after workouts to fuel and recover your muscles
Keto (no carb, high fat): Not an easy thing to do but works wonders for some people, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose. We recommend to mix keto up after a few weeks with some carb meals to train your metabolic flexibility (Don't worry too much about the technicalities).
Sugarfree: this is the one I loved the most, simply no foods with a sugar content of more than 5g/100g was my rule. The only exception I made is a piece of fruit after my workouts.
The most important rule with any of the above is that you should never be starving! The high volume of workouts you will be doing means you NEED to fuel yourself sufficiently or you will get injured or burned out (I promise).
Now, a little shameless plug: This is where I and my team at Eat better, not perfect can help you out. It's what we are experts at! If you don't know where to start, we are here to help. More details at the end of this post.
Tips to get the most out of 75HARD
While the tasks seem so simple, it's truly something that will take a lot of focus and planning.
Follow these tips to get the most out 75HARD:
Drinking 1 gallon/4L water per day is a lot, start first thing in the morning, so you don't need to drink a lot right before bedtime (I'm serious, you don't want to wake up to pee 3 times per night)
Have a refillable bottle that is minimum 1L, and either have 4 of them or refill it during the day, so you don't need to count glasses you drink. I use 2 1-liter glass bottles and make sure to finish them by 11AM.
If you can, do a strength workout early in the day, and have your outdoor workout in the afternoon/evening if your planning allows. The first workout gives you a drive and energy for the day and the run/walk in the evening is great for winding down your brain.
Scale the workouts to your fitness level. There is no sense in getting injured, so challenge yourself but don't kill yourself. If you never run, go for walks at first.
Set an alarm on your phone 2 hours before bedtime to remind you to check if you finished your tasks. This has saved me multiple times! Maybe set a second alarm 1 hour later, in case you fell asleep reading your book ;)
Join a support group, like the 75hard Facebook group (link) and/or our Eat better, not perfect 75HARD support group (more about that below)
What gear do you need during 75HARD
BIG NOTE: You don't need any of the below gear recommendations. You can do it completely and successfully without having to buy anything! That being said, the below is my recommendation of what I found to make my life "easier" while being in 75HARD:
The 75HARD app will help you in tracking your tasks and allow you to post directly to Instagram. The app does cost $4.99 but I think it is definitely worth it (iOS here, Android here). Alternative: I used to print a schedule out myself, which also worked fine and you can find my templates here (update the dates in the spreadsheet and copy to the doc).
The 75HARD book (link). You don't need it but it gives you a much deeper understanding of the program. I loved reading it (and I bought 5 copies at once!).
Get a refillable bottle that makes tracking the gallon/4L water easy like mentioned before.
To make sure your outdoor walks are tough enough (strolling on the beach or in the park is not challenging enough), get a weight vest. I love my 44lbs/20kg weight vest, but start with a quarter of that and build it up from there. Alternative: fill up a backpack with some water bottles and you're good to go.
Good books, since you will be reading 10 pages per day. My favorites: "Can't hurt me" by David Goggins; "Extreme Ownership" and "The dichotomy of leadership" by Jocko Willink; "Living with a seal" by Jesse Itzler; "Redefine impossible" by James Lawrence; "The magic of thinking big" by David Schwarz; "Relentless" and "W1nning" by Tim Grover; "Delivering Happiness" by Tony Hsieh; "As many reps as possible" by Jason Khalipa; "Good to Great" by Jim Collins; "Customer satisfaction is worthless, customer loyalty is priceless" by Jeffrey Gitomer; and many others :)
How Eat better, not perfect can help you to succeed at 75HARD
Since I know firsthand how much impact this program has made on my life, I and our team want to help you succeed as well in becoming a better version of yourself through 75HARD. This is completely in line with our mission to help millions of people improve their life quality.
Our expertise is in nutrition coaching, and one of my other passions next to nutrition is mentoring people in their mindset. So we decided to combine this into a unique and tailored offering we call the "75HARD Special", which includes:
A 30-minute 75HARD planning session with me, to set you up for success in 75HARD
Membership in a closed Eat better, not perfect 75HARD community
Bi-weekly 1-on-1 check-ins
Enrollment in our 12-week Steady nutrition program (with your personal nutrition coach)
A surprise incentive for when you truly complete 75HARD
Since you'll be working closely with me and with others doing 75HARD, this is application-based only. If you are serious about this, apply for the 75HARD Special package here.
Closing notes
Many people are able to complete 75HARD on their own without any support. If this is you: GREAT! I am 100% convinced that everyone can greatly benefit from doing this program. If you want to do it on your own, check out all the details on www.75hard.com and get started!
A BIG THANK YOU to Andy Frisella for building this amazing program, and all the other things he does to empower people to go to the next level. Be sure to check out the REAL AF podcast here .
I hope this post answered the "What diet can I do on 75HARD" question!
Kevin Clement, Founder Eat better, not perfect.
Eat better, not perfect offers nutrition coaching worldwide, with the majority of our clients being in the United States and Europe.
Questions or suggestions? Let us know at hello@eatbnp.com