If you want to get fitter and healthier but struggle to find the motivation and discipline, following a fitness program can be a great way to get started. Considering trying the 75 Hard Challenge? The 75 Soft Challenge might be a better choice if you want to commit to creating new habits that don’t involve extreme lifestyle changes in college.
If you haven’t heard about the viral 75 Hard Challenge that has taken TikTok by storm, it’s a hardcore daily routine that was created by entrepreneur Andy Frisella to “build mental strength and discipline.”
Instead, the 75 Soft Challenge is a more accessible alternative to the trend, encouraging users to stick to some healthy habits for 75 days, but with far less restriction. Here’s what VALLEY knows:
What is the 75 Soft Challenge?
Fitness influencer Stephen Gallagher came up with a TikTok version of the 75 Soft Challenge that appealed to those who found 75 Hard too restrictive. The 75 Soft Challenge is appropriate for college students because the end goal is achievable.
The 75 Soft Challenge has four rules, which are to be followed for 75 days as well:
- Eat well and only drink on social occasions
- Train for 45 minutes per day and include one day of active recovery per week
- Drink three liters of water per day
- Read 10 pages of any book each day
Patricia Kolsea, MS, RDN, a clinical dietitian at Hackensack Meridian Health in New Jersey, said she wouldn’t necessarily recommend either version of the 75 Challenge, although the 75 Soft is more flexible.
“I think it can definitely help people start creating healthy habits, if they’re in the right mindset for it,” Kolesa said, adding that she has seen people only incorporating one or two rules into their routine.
How Can I Set Myself Up for Success?
Like any diet or exercise plan, the best way to achieve success is to be prepared and make the process as seamless as possible from the start.
Before you begin your 75 days, make sure you have some healthy ingredients or meals ready to go, a book picked out to read and some workout routines lined up so you won’t have to scramble each day.
Tweet us, @VALLEYmag, with your reactions to the 75 Soft Challenge.
