I'm a man in my 50s who completed 75 HARD for the first time in 2025. 75 HARD for those not familiar is a challenge developed by gym owner and podcaster Andy Frisella. It’s a seventy-five day training regimen or “challenge” which consists of half a dozen tasks that must be carried out every single day. To miss a one would mean going back to the very beginning at day one.
In short, each day’s agenda include: no alcohol, read ten pages of a non-fiction book, drink a gallon of water, a daily progress picture and two 45-minute exercise sessions, one of which must be outside and a diet of your choice. Straight-forward, but definitely hard.
Not just physically, but mentally. The entire concept can be discouraging because one busy day can send you right back to Day One. Most people don’t try again. For me, the seventh attempt was the one that took. But those first six attempts were spread out over about a year.
Once, about a week in, I was having a beer with some friends. One of them who had already completed 75 HARD, told me I can’t drink while doing the program. I was paying attention to the things I had to do, not what to avoid: alcohol. She must have seen the disappointment on my face, because she immediately said, “but don’t worry, no one will know.” Only I would know and I am the only one I have to answer to.
One morning, I realized when I woke up I had forgotten to read ten pages of a non-fiction book the night before. The day before was the eleventh one in a streak and I was proud I just made it past the first week. But that morning was Day One all over again. Actually, about a month later was the first day again. I took a few weeks off to be disappointed in myself before trying again.
But once you are about halfway through, you’ll be damned if anything is going to stop you from completing the ordeal. And that’s the beauty of being set back! You learn, or are reminded of, persistence, determination, consistency and sacrifice. I say sacrifice because I gave up time doing other things. But I was not willing to sacrifice the days I already completed by giving up.
At that time, I had lost forty-five pounds! Thank God I packed away clothes years ago when I was smaller. It was like rediscovering a brand new wardrobe. I could finally fit into clothing I hadn’t worn in almost a decade. That’s when success really struck me. But I wonder if I would have felt the self-pride if I had completed all tasks on the first attempt.
Frisella states 75 HARD is not a diet. I am not even certain he considers it a way of life. He claims this is a challenge for people to push themselves beyond their comfort zones. It certainly does that. But most of us do not attempt to take complacency head on. “I’m good!” we say to ourselves. But are we good? Sometimes that's nothing more than analysis paralysis disguised as contentment.
For me, weighing more than a hundred pounds over my ideal weight, and being on several medications for hypertension, I was NOT good. Something had to change. And my mind went back to my old days in the U. S. Army. I resented someone telling me when to wake up, but I did appreciate the free physical training. Every single day. And unless it was raining, I didn’t mind it. I had to uncover that old attitude and do what I needed to do.
During my personal odyssey, I lost about 45 pounds, my blood pressure dropped and of course, I fit into those old clothes. Some of which never fit me but I bought as an aspiration. I never used a GLP-1. Not that I am opposed to that, though. I have often said if you need to add, remove, enlarge or reduce something in order to feel better about yourself, do it! But it’s too expensive and I’m just a real cheap skate.
The challenge changed my priorities and decision-making toward food. Instead of avoiding restaurants or social events, I learned to plan ahead. I will "bank" calories by eating small portions for breakfast and lunch so I can enjoy anything I want when my wife and I go out. I even went to one of those Brazilian meat, all you can eat restaurants. What did I have for the meals leading up to that evening? Nothing!
Many people may consider that extreme. They wouldn’t say that if they had ever been to one these places, though. A vegetarian hell, but I loved it! Also, it goes to what one values in their relationship with food and a bit of stamina, of course.
One thing that surprised me was how useful AI became as an accountability partner. I'd run meal choices by it, estimate restaurant calories, brainstorm workout strategies, and even talk through setbacks. It was like having someone available 24/7 to help me make better decisions in the moment.
As for calculating my calories at an independent restaurant that does not have calories listed on the menu, artificial intelligence has been a great help. Men's Health created a ChatGPT assistant called Harmoni and it’s been a huge help to me! All I have to do is tell the software what I’m eating, take a picture of my plate and put my hand beside it for reference. It will usually give me a range within a couple hundred calories of how much I am consuming.
I had a lot of support from family and friends during my two-and-a-half month adventure. Once I finished Day 75 I had a lot of accolades as well. And one of my friends, the same one who reminded me of alcohol prohibition, asked if I was going to complete phase two. Phase two? There’s a phase two? Yes. Apparently, it’s called LIVING HARD.
LIVING HARD is an extension of the original challenge. It consists of three separate one-month phases spread throughout the year, ending on the anniversary of the day you began the program. Was I up for that? You bet! In fact, I turned one of those new month-long challenges into a whole other 75 HARD challenge!
As I write this, I am on Day 43 of my second go around. So far, I have lost over 15 pounds. In total, it’s just under 70 pounds.
I realized the biggest benefit wasn't simply weight loss. Rather, it was building consistent daily habits. It takes self-discipline, but that determination bleeds into all other aspects of life. I force myself to assess the effectiveness of my work and relationships.
Ironically, the greatest lesson I learned from 75 HARD was not as much about losing weight. It was learning that sometimes losing isn't so bad, provided you're willing to get back up, learn from it and begin again. And now I‘m always on the lookout for new ways of pushing myself out of my comfort zone.
© 2026, Blaine Little is an author, trainer and public speaker and the Founder & CEO of Momentum Seminars Training & Coaching. We help businesses grow by investing in their people. For more on about our programs, visit www.MomentumSeminars.com
This material is an original composition and with the exception of graphics and basic editing, composed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence.