- Stick to a diet of your choice – no alcohol, no ‘cheat meals’.
- Do two 45-minute workouts a day – one of them must be outside.
- Drink a gallon (3.8 litres) of water a day.
- Read ten pages of a self-development non-fiction book every day.
- Take a progress picture of your body every day.
Why is the 75 Soft Challenge more realistic than 75 Hard?
The 75 Hard Challenge requires participants to religiously “follow a diet” and drink no alcohol (any diet will do, apparently, without giving any advice or caveats), do two 45 minute workouts a day (one outside, no matter the weather), drink a gallon of water, read 10 pages of inspirational non-fiction a day and take a picture of your body everyday.
For anyone with any sort of disordered relationship with food or exercise, or anyone who leans towards more obsessive behaviour, this could trigger some potentially dangerous habits. And while the challenge states it is for “mental toughness” rather than anything to do with weight loss, the idea of taking daily ‘transformational’ photos certainly suggests a focus on appearance rather than wellbeing.
“I like the overall concept and think the soft 75 is a great starting point for many,” says Alexander. “However, I have concerns about the rule based approach particularly around food, alcohol and exercise. While these rules are more relaxed than hard 75 they may still lead to all or nothing tendencies. For women this can create feelings of failure if they’re not sticking to it perfectly. This may cause them to give up altogether. This could be particularly dangerous for women who already have a challenging relationship with food or their bodies. “
While the 75 Soft Challenge encourages participants to move their body everyday, it incorporates active rest and suggests limiting drinking alcohol rather than removing it completely. The rule of “eating well” is much more expansive, and Stephen’s own meals always include a variety of food groups, rather than anything restrictive.
What are people saying about the viral challenges?
While some people enjoy extreme challenges and the difficult nature of them, others have spoken out about how they felt the 75 Hard Challenge would be triggering, or that the rigidity of the routine is unnecessary.
“While the approach promotes quality nutrition, alcohol reduction, regular exercise, increased hydration and downtime while reading, it overlooks teaching women about the science of healthy eating and how to listen to their bodies,” says Alexander of the technique. “It doesn’t touch on sustainable healthy habits such as eating mindfully so they can eat and exercise in a healthy yet intuitive way. It doesn’t cover the nuances of life such as work pressures, poorly children or illness and could lead to women overextending themselves when their bodies are crying out for rest.”
“When you want to do it but you have ADHD and a history of eating disorders so it’s probs a bad idea and you’ll forget you’re even doing the challenge,” one TikTok user commented under a viral video on the 75 Hard Challenge. Another responded: “Or… enjoy things in moderation and get long term results.”
Others have noted how difficult it is to incorporate certain elements of the 75 Hard into their jobs and schedules. One TikToker, who is a teacher, noted that she only gets a certain amount of toilet breaks during her day – and so the water intake goal was just too much.
Of the 75 Soft Challenge, however, many are loving it as a way to kickstart a routine without feeling it’s being taken to restrictive or extreme behaviours. “Ah, yes. Finally, [a] SUSTAINABLE challenge that is realistically attainable!” one commented.
Others have created their own versions of the challenge, incorporating journaling or mindfulness instead of any control when it comes to food – and some have even introduced a ‘75 medium’ challenge, which falls in between the Hard and the Soft.
