If you've spent some time scrolling TikTok, you've probably seen a few videos of users trying something called 75 Hard. Since the original program went viral, there are countless clips of people showing off their 75 Hard transformations. The name doesn't give much away, so you're probably wondering, What is 75 hard, exactly?
It is "a transformative mental toughness program," not a fitness program, according to the 75 Hard website. Another statement on the site reads, "75 Hard is the only program that can permanently change your life, from your way of thinking, to the level of discipline you approach every single task in front of you with."
A little background info: 75 Hard was created in 2019 by Andy Frisella, an entrepreneur who wanted to increase his mental toughness and practice discipline. "It's gaining a lot of momentum and a lot of steam, and the reason is that it works," Frisella explained in one episode of his podcast REAL AF with Andy Frisella. "What would it be worth for you to know when you said you were going to do something you were actually going to follow through?"
The website also claims that over 100,000 people have successfully transformed with the help of 75 Hard. The stats and photos are pretty impressive, but is there any truth behind it? Here's everything you need to know about 75 Hard, from how it works to whether it can actually help you lose weight.
What are the rules of 75 Hard?
There are five basic rules of 75 Hard. If you want to start the plan, you'll have to:
- Choose a diet (if you're not following one already) and stick with it—that means no cheat days. Also, you have to cut out all alcohol.
- Do two 45-minute workouts every day. One must be outside.
- Drink a gallon of water every day.
- Read 10 pages of a motivational nonfiction book every day.
- Take a progress picture of yourself every day.
All five steps must be completed every day for 75 days straight—otherwise, you'll have to start over. It might sound extreme, but Frisella says that's all part of the plan. "You have to follow the program with ZERO compromises. Everything in 75 HARD has a purpose that you will understand once you complete the program," he writes on the 75 Hard website.
Can 75 Hard help you lose weight?
Maybe. It's tough to say for sure, since everyone's body is different and the plan allows you to choose which diet you'd like to follow, notes Bethany Edge, RD, of Riverside Wellness and Fitness Center at Riverside Health System.
She also says it depends on where you are when you start the program. If you eat a pretty healthy diet and then start counting macros or cutting out sugar and alcohol when you start 75 Hard, you probably are going to lose weight. An hour and a half a day is also a lot of exercise—so if you aren't moving around that much now, it's possible you could see some weight loss.
But all of these different factors make it difficult to pin down exactly how much weight you could lose on the program.
What are the pros and cons of 75 Hard?
There are plenty of reasons why 75 Hard might be a good fit for you and your lifestyle. Here are the pros, according to experts.
It's free. Signing up for the website is free, and you can choose any diet you want without having to pay for a specific meal plan to follow, Edge explains. "The free part I think is a big pro for a lot of people because wellness programs can get so expensive," she adds.
It helps you develop healthy habits. 75 Hard isn't so much about what you're eating or how you're exercising, says Edge. Instead, it's also about improving your mind by helping you boost your self-esteem and confidence, and by making you accountable to yourself.
You'll have support from the 75 Hard community online. 75 Hard participants are constantly sharing their progress on social media. If you start the plan, you'll instantly be able to connect with others who are doing it, says Sohee Lee, MS, CSCS, an evidence-based fitness coach, certified sports nutritionist, and the author of Eat. Lift. Thrive. And getting encouragement from others can make 75 Hard much easier to tackle.
You'll feel great when you finish it. Since it's so difficult to stay on track for all 75 days in a row, you'll definitely feel proud of yourself by the end. "Anyone who finishes that, the way they're going to feel about themselves is going to be tremendously accomplished," says Edge.
But there are also a few things to watch out for when considering whether or not to start 75 Hard.
There's not a lot of structure. 75 Hard is pretty customizable, since you eat and work out almost any way you want to. That works well for some people, but not for others, according to Edge. If you're new to dieting, do your research (and maybe consult a professional, like a registered dietician or a nutritionist) before choosing a meal plan. And try not to overdo it in the gym to avoid injuring yourself.
It might be less doable if you're at the beginning of your fitness journey. Edge says that since the program is all or nothing, it probably won't be easy to take on if you're starting from square one. Lee adds that it can feel time-consuming to incorporate all five steps into your daily routine right away. That means you might feel more discouraged if you can't complete the 75 days perfectly on your first try—and it will feel more daunting.
You might not be able to keep your momentum going when you finish the plan. Even if you stick to the full 75 Hard program, there's no guarantee it will be easy to keep up those habits you started building once you've officially finished. "It's not built to be sustainable," says Lee. You could undo all the progress you've made once that motivation to make it to the end of the 75 days isn't there anymore.
It can create obstacles for those recovering from eating disorders. Edge explains that the "no cheat days" rule might be triggering for people who have eating disorders or anyone who's had one in the past. "Feeling like there's this absolute with food—there's 'cheat' foods, there's 'bad' foods—can really reignite that in some people who have entered more of a recovery phase," she says.
75 Hard doesn't include any rest days. Your body needs rest, says Lee: "There's no way you can go 100 percent twice a day, every single day, for 75 days straight." Taking time off to recover can actually help your body bounce back better after an intense sweat sesh. Without any down time, you're also at a higher risk of injuring yourself.
What do women who tried it have to say about it?
Those numbers about the many who have successfully used 75 Hard to transform their lives include Melissa Gardner, who stumbled across the program after having her first baby and decided to give it a try alongside her husband. "From there we told each other that giving up wasn’t an option," she previously told WH.
"During the program I was able to lose the remaining 20 pounds of pregnancy-related weight, find love for my workouts again, eat nutritiously, and recommit to myself as a person who doesn’t quit just because things feel hard," Gardner said.
Once the 75 days ended, she adjusted her diet and workout routine a little, but continued to maintain the healthy habits she built during the program. All in all, she lost 20 pounds.
75 Hard also helped BreYajiah Curry get back into a fitness routine after having a baby. She started the program after giving her diet a low-carb overhaul and liked the structure. "It's super tough and not for everyone (definitely check in with your doctor before trying it), but helped me get back into a routine around fitness," she told WH.
In 10 months, Curry lost 80 pounds. "Don’t give up hope and don’t get discouraged. It may not happen as fast as you expect it to happen. But in order to overcome that fear, you constantly need to kick it to the curb and step out of your comfort zone!"
The final verdict? Edge says she would not necessarily recommend this for someone who's like a beginner in wellness or someone who is really just hoping to get kickstarted on a journey. But if you're already an active person who's intrigued by the challenge, then 75 Hard might be worth giving a shot. Just know that it's not the only way to revamp your workout routine.
The bottom line: 75 Hard can potentially help you develop healthy habits, but it may be hard to retain those habits once the program is over. Plus, it doesn't have any rest days built in. If you're just starting out on your wellness journey, something with more flexibility and structure may be a better fit for your needs.
