If you’re not happy with your wellness routine, sometimes a fitness or diet change can give you a boost. One of the most popular “reset” trends these days? The 75 Hard Challenge, which requires following several rules including a 75 Hard diet plan, exercising twice a day, and more. But what exactly can you eat on 75 Hard and what does it all entail?
The 75 Hard Challenge was created in 2019 by Andy Frisella and is touted as a “transformative mental toughness program,” according to the official website. The 75 Hard Challenge is based on five main pillars: nutrition, exercise, self-development, hydration, and mental discipline (more on that in a moment). However, a key element of the challenge is the 75 Hard Diet – a meal plan that you can customize to your liking, as long as you stick to it for 75 days.
Whether your goal is to lose weight, give up alcohol (a 75-Hard prerequisite), or commit to a more balanced diet, the 75-Day Challenge can give you the motivational boost you need to get started (though it’s not easy!). Below, nutritionists share everything you need to know about the 75-Hard Diet, plus a beginner-friendly sample meal plan to try.
Meet the experts: Roxana Ehsani, RD, is a dietitian based in Miami, Florida. Bonnie Taub-Dix, RDN, is a nutritionist and author of Read It Before You Eat It: Taking You from Label to Table.
What is 75 Hard?
The 75 Hard Challenge has several components: following a specific diet, completing two 45-minute workouts, taking progress photos, staying hydrated and reading daily, says Miami-based nutritionist Roxana Ehsani, RD. Specifically, there are five basic rules you should follow:
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Stick to a diet for 75 days (no cheat meals or alcohol)
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Drink 4.5 liters of water daily
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Exercise twice a day for 45 minutes (one session must be outdoors).
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Read 10 pages of a book every day
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Take a progress picture every day
You’re probably noticing the common trend here – perhaps the hardest part of the program itself is the rigidity and the requirement for consistency. “If you miss one of these ‘challenges’ one day, you have to start over on day one,” says Ehsani. The 75 Hard website claims the intense challenge will “permanently change your life,” emphasizing discipline and mental toughness above all else.
What is the best 75 hard diet?
75 Hard does not offer an exact meal plan, but rather a “diet plan.” The best meal plan is the one you choose and stick to throughout the challenge. Since the “best” diet is different for everyone, the goal is to choose a routine that supports your lifestyle and training goals.
“The diet you follow shouldn’t be too low in calories or restrict certain micronutrients,” says Ehsani. “It shouldn’t be too low in carbohydrates or too high in protein so that you miss out on other food groups or develop deficiencies in other micronutrients.” If you train hard, the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet could be good options because they are well-researched, non-restrictive, contain macronutrients and are heart-healthy, says Ehsani.
Example of a 75-day diet plan
75 tough meals are hard enough, and figuring out what to eat can be overwhelming too. Looking for a balanced meal plan that will really fill you up? Here are seven full days of meals to try and modify, created by Ehsani. Each day includes a nutritious combination of fruits, vegetables, carbs, and even snacks and sweets to enjoy. Change up the plan as you like and repeat throughout the 75-day challenge.
Monday
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Breakfast: Overnight oats with low-fat milk, berries, almond butter and a latte or a cup of orange juice
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Lunch: Whole grain wrap filled with lettuce, tomatoes, turkey ham and low-fat cheese
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Snacks: Apple and cream cheese
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Dinner: Salmon with roasted broccoli, cauliflower and sweet potatoes
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Dessert: Strawberries dipped or drizzled in melted dark chocolate
Tuesday
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Breakfast: Wholemeal English muffin with scrambled eggs, avocado, spinach and tomatoes
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Lunch: Mixed green salad with grilled chicken and vegetables of your choice (such as peppers, carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers) with quinoa and olive oil-vinegar-based dressing
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Snacks: Wholegrain naan with hummus
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Dinner: Lean turkey chili with beans, vegetables and a slice of whole grain cornbread
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Dessert: Popcorn
Wednesday
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Breakfast: Chia seed pudding made from Greek yoghurt, garnished with bananas, berries and walnuts
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Lunch: Tuna salad with avocado oil-based mayonnaise or mashed avocado, chopped carrots and celery
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Snacks: Guacamole, baby peppers and low sodium tortilla chips.
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Dinner: Fish tacos filled with coleslaw and mixed salad as a side dish
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Dessert: Trail Mix
Thursday
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Breakfast: Smoothie bowl with a protein powder of your choice or Greek yoghurt, baby spinach or kale, banana, strawberries and garnished with muesli, dried fruit and nuts
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Lunch: Chicken tortilla soup with avocado and mixed green salad as a side dish
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Snacks: Pears and cashews
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Dinner: Stir-fried dish with mixed vegetables such as pak choy, sugar snap peas, broccoli, tofu and brown rice
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Dessert: 2-ingredient nice cream made from frozen bananas and cocoa powder
Friday
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Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach with whole grain toast and low-fat cream cheese or avocado
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Lunch: Snack plate consisting of vegetables such as peppers, carrots, Persian cucumbers, hummus, guacamole, almonds or pistachios, whole grain pita bread, hard-boiled eggs and apple slices
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Snacks: Dates and walnuts
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Dinner: Grilled sirloin steak (or other protein source of your choice) with portobello mushrooms, zucchini and corn on the cob
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Dessert: Fruit ice cream on a stick without added sugar
Saturday
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Breakfast: Whole grain bagel with smoked salmon, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, capers and vegetarian low-fat cream cheese
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Lunch: Caesar kale salad with grilled chicken on top and a side of farro
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Snacks: Mixed fruit salad
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Dinner: Lentil soup with wholemeal rolls
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Dessert: Celery sticks dipped in peanut butter
Sunday
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Breakfast: Wholemeal pancakes or waffles topped with nut or sunflower butter and bananas
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Lunch: Grain bowl with brown rice or quinoa, chicken or tofu, avocado and vegetables of your choice
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Snacks: Greek yogurt garnished with berries
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Dinner: Vegetable soup (such as minestrone) and grilled cheese made from wholemeal bread and low-fat cheese
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Dessert: Skyr yoghurt with dark chocolate pieces
Is it safe to follow a 75 hard diet?
While the 75-Hard structure may work for some, it can be limiting—so experts advise caution. “While many of us enjoy a structured diet, the 75-Hard challenge is more like a drill sergeant ordering us to eat a certain way for a certain period of time than a coach guiding us to eat for life,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RDN, a nutritionist and author of Read It Before You Eat It: Taking You from Label to Table. “75 days is (also) a long time without holidays, birthdays, or holiday celebrations where you might reach for your favorite foods,” she says—which is why it’s important to follow balanced meal plans like the ones described above.
Using terms like “cheat days” can be not only limiting but also problematic, as they suggest that deviating from the diet is somehow “bad.” (There are also no clear guidelines from 75 Hard on what constitutes a “cheat meal.”) Additionally, the requirement to take regular photos of yourself during 75 Hard puts the emphasis on changing your physical appearance and making “improvements”—which can be a harmful notion for some people, Taub-Dix says.
Still, there may be benefits to following a specific diet for 75 days—especially if it consists of healthy, filling meals like the ones recommended above. “This diet includes whole grains like beans and legumes, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and lean proteins,” Taub-Dix says. But you may find other plans and foods that seem more realistic to you, she says. It all depends on your nutritional needs and lifestyle, she says.
The bottom line? Aim for balanced meals with macronutrients that will give you energy and help you get through your 75 Hard challenge, no matter how you approach it. And when it comes to your 75 Hard diet, pay attention to what nutrients your body needs to feel its best. “A balanced diet should focus more on how your body feels (on the) inside and show health-related improvements both mentally and physically,” Taub-Dix says.
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