75 Hard: A tactical guide to winning the war with yourself

YoDoug · August 16, 2022, 01:13 PM

A week ago I was handed a book by one of our machinists, 75 Hard: A tactical guide to winning the war with yourself. It is a 75 day challenge that the author claims will give you mental toughness that will allow you succeed in all areas of life. So far three others here have attempted it before me. All three failed with the longest making it 60+ days. The challenge is pretty simple, for 75 days straight there are five daily tasks. No breaks or cheat days. If you fail a day you have to start over at day one. In the book he outlines why each task is designed to challenge a different aspect of life (confidence, perseverance, fortitude, etc.)

1. Two 45 minute workouts per day (one must be outside).
2. Drink a gallon of water a day.
3. Pick a clean healthy diet and stick to it. No alcohol.
4. Read 10 pages of a self help or business book.
5. Take a progress picture.

I'm a week into the challenge. So far I have only had two issues to deal with. The first is the outdoor exercise. You are allowed to pick your own exercise regiment and encouraged to make one intense and one more moderate. For my moderate I have been doing 45 minutes of jogging/fast walking first thing in the morning but my knee is not happy with the jogging. The last two mornings were mostly fast walking, about 3.2 miles in 45 minutes. I may switch to bike riding. The second issue is from drinking all that water. I literally have to pee abut every 45 minutes. For diet I have set a goal of 1900 net calories/day which is forcing me to choose nutrient dense, calorie light foods. I am down about 6 pounds in 7 days.

Link to book https://www.amazon.com/75-HARD-BOOK-FRISELLA-TACTICAL/dp/B0B2TY6KGS

Del. · August 16, 2022, 01:22 PM

Fuck that. Lol

mkd · August 16, 2022, 01:27 PM

gonna need cialis long before 75.

Matthew Hajicek · August 16, 2022, 01:37 PM

An hour and a half of exercise a day is an awful lot, and your body needs at least a day of rest every week. You can get good results from just a few minutes a day, five days a week.

ghuns · August 16, 2022, 01:49 PM

Quote from: Del. on August 16, 2022, 01:22 PMFuck that. Lol

I agree.

My kid is doing it in preparation to run a marathon. I told him I'd handle drinking his share of alcohol for the duration. What can I say? I'm a good dad.

neurosis · August 16, 2022, 02:00 PM

I don't think that I could drink a gallon of water for 75 days straight. I'd never get any sleep.

YoDoug · August 16, 2022, 02:01 PM

Quote from: Matthew Hajicek on August 16, 2022, 01:37 PMAn hour and a half of exercise a day is an awful lot, and your body needs at least a day of rest every week. You can get good results from just a few minutes a day, five days a week.

I don't necessarily agree. If you are eating clean healthy food, getting sleep, are in good shape, and don't overdo your workouts you don't need rest days. For nearly the entire extent of human existence, minus the last few hundred years, people were very active every day. They ate whole foods and worked outside all day.

The author claims that this is not a physical challenge but a mental one. He says there are a million other ways to get fit and healthy but they won't develop the "mental toughness" he claims you will gain.

I personally just like a good difficult challenge so I am going to be the first one here to complete it.

YoDoug · August 16, 2022, 02:11 PM

Quote from: neurosis on August 16, 2022, 02:00 PMI don't think that I could drink a gallon of water for 75 days straight. I'd never get any sleep.

I have been trying to finish my gallon before 2-3pm so I get most of it cleared out by bed time.

Funny story, On the first day I did my lunchtime weightlifting workout and left my outdoor workout for the afternoon. I got home and decided to go for a jog/walk. I also decided to take my dog that likes jogging with. I got about 1.5 miles from the house in a neighborhood when a gallon of water decided it needed to leave my body. New housing development, no trees or fields nearby. I was about a half mile from the grocery store in town but I didn't know what to do with the dog. I called my wife and she jumped in the car to meet me on the way to the grocery store. She waited outside with the dog and then when I got out me and dog finished our jog.

Tim Johnson · August 16, 2022, 02:17 PM

Quote from: YoDoug on August 16, 2022, 01:13 PMA week ago I was handed a book by one of our machinists, 75 Hard: A tactical guide to winning the war with yourself. It is a 75 day challenge that the author claims will give you mental toughness that will allow you succeed in all areas of life. So far three others here have attempted it before me. All three failed with the longest making it 60+ days. The challenge is pretty simple, for 75 days straight there are five daily tasks. No breaks or cheat days. If you fail a day you have to start over at day one. In the book he outlines why each task is designed to challenge a different aspect of life (confidence, perseverance, fortitude, etc.)

1. Two 45 minute workouts per day (one must be outside).
2. Drink a gallon of water a day.
3. Pick a clean healthy diet and stick to it. No alcohol.
4. Read 10 pages of a self help or business book.
5. Take a progress picture.

I'm a week into the challenge. So far I have only had two issues to deal with. The first is the outdoor exercise. You are allowed to pick your own exercise regiment and encouraged to make one intense and one more moderate. For my moderate I have been doing 45 minutes of jogging/fast walking first thing in the morning but my knee is not happy with the jogging. The last two mornings were mostly fast walking, about 3.2 miles in 45 minutes. I may switch to bike riding. The second issue is from drinking all that water. I literally have to pee abut every 45 minutes. For diet I have set a goal of 1900 net calories/day which is forcing me to choose nutrient dense, calorie light foods. I am down about 6 pounds in 7 days.

Link to book https://www.amazon.com/75-HARD-BOOK-FRISELLA-TACTICAL/dp/B0B2TY6KGS

NEVER jog. That's bad for the body. Running is much better for the body.

Note: Joggers usually land on their heels. Runners usually land on the balls of their feet. In either case use good cross training shoes.

YoDoug · August 16, 2022, 02:55 PM

Quote from: Tim Johnson on August 16, 2022, 02:17 PMNEVER jog. That's bad for the body. Running is much better for the body.

Note: Joggers usually land on their heels. Runners usually land on the balls of their feet. In either case use good cross training shoes.

One of the YouTube fitness guys I watch says he hates jogging. Say it is not a great calorie burn and hard on the body. He recommends intervals of sprinting or running and walking instead of jogging. He say sprint for up to a minute, then walk for a couple minutes or long enough to catch your breath.

BrianP. · August 16, 2022, 03:03 PM

My 75 goal is to live 13-1/2 more years till I'm 75. 😁

CNCAppsJames · August 16, 2022, 05:13 PM

Quote from: Matthew Hajicek on August 16, 2022, 01:37 PM...your body needs at least a day of rest every week.

Not true.

Leehound · August 16, 2022, 05:44 PM

My son was doing this challenge. He was a week away from completing it, but got Covid and had to abandon it. He was really upset that he couldn't finish. I don't think he will try again.

pmartin · August 18, 2022, 06:19 AM

A gallon a day? Can I include coffee and wine? (Not at the same time silly.)

YoDoug · August 18, 2022, 06:26 AM

Quote from: pmartin on August 18, 2022, 06:19 AMA gallon a day? Can I include coffee and wine? (Not at the same time silly.)

I don't consider my one cup of morning coffee as part of the water requirement. Anything that my liver/kidneys need to filter I don't consider as part of the water. I don't count my morning smoothie which is 24 oz.

No alcohol allowed during 75 hard. The author says you won't get the full benefit from 75 hard if you are drinking alcohol. He also says if you can't go 75 days without a drink to do this challenge you need to do AA before worrying about 75 hard.