I first heard about 75 Hard through social media. A couple of people I followed were doing it, and I could see their progress. I thought it was awesome—for them—but definitely not my cup of tea.
I liked drinking too much. And honestly, I didn’t think I had the time or energy to follow all those rules.
Developed by Andy Frisella, 75 Hard is a 75-day program focused more on mental toughness than fitness. It comes with a strict set of rules that must be followed every single day:
- No alcohol—none at all.
- Drink one gallon of plain water.
- Complete two 45-minute workouts daily, with at least one of them outdoors (no matter the weather—unless it’s unsafe). The workouts must be at least three hours apart.
- Read 10 pages of a nonfiction self-improvement book.
- Follow any diet—strictly. No cheat meals.
- Take a daily progress photo.
If you miss even one task, you fail—and start over from Day 1.
According to Andy’s website:
“If you’re looking for a new fitness program or challenge, this is not it. This is a program that can change your life… starting from the inside.”
This was my second time doing the program. The first time was back in 2023.
Round One: Physical Transformation
After COVID, my drinking had picked up. I wasn’t obese, but I was definitely overweight and out of shape. I’d try to quit drinking for a few days here and there, but I never made it past a week. I needed structure.
When I started 75 Hard the first time, my only goals were to get in shape and stop drinking. And I did.
I was in the best shape of my life. I hit the gym before work—around 4:45 a.m.—four to six days a week. On off-days, I’d walk or do yoga (which I wasn’t great at, lol) for recovery. I’d walk my dogs for the outdoor workout, and eventually, I started transitioning into running.
Let me say this: I hate running. I always have. It’s boring, and I always get into my own head. My inner voice—the inner bitch, as Andy calls it—would start chirping: You’re too old for this. You’re not a runner. Just stop.
But I started small.
First 3–5 minutes.
Then I pushed to 7.
Then 10.
Eventually, I could run for 20–23 minutes without stopping.
Man, I was proud of myself.
Unexpected Impact
My brother-in-law and sister-in-law noticed my physical transformation and were inspired to start 75 Hard themselves. I created a group chat for us, and we encouraged each other every step of the way.
We all started feeling confident, strong, and energized. When we completed the program, they somehow convinced me to sign up for a 10K. That’s 6.2 miles!
I always thought runners who did that were nuts. There was no way I could run that far without stopping to catch my breath—at least that’s what I told myself.
Then a couple of cousins noticed my progress and wanted in. They decided to run the 10K with us too. I’m competitive so there’s was no way they were going to show me up! I started training seriously—adding time to my runs every week using the Nike Run Club app.
I started setting mileage goals, building up to the full 6.2 miles. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law hit their 10K milestones before I did, and it motivated the hell out of me. I didn’t want to be left behind.
A month before race day, I ran 9 miles.
Nine. Freaking. Miles.
I can’t even explain how emotional that was.
I felt excited.
I felt proud.
I felt strong.
I was a runner.
The following month, we ran our 10K race—and I finished in 56 minutes.
Afterward, I just kept repeating to myself: “You ran a 10K.”
I couldn’t believe it.
Even more surreal? I had inspired others to start their own fitness journey.
More Than I Expected
At first, I only cared about the physical results. The mental side didn’t matter to me.
But I came to realize that 75 Hard gave me more than muscle. It gave me discipline.
I was determined to finish it on my first try, because I knew if I failed, I wouldn’t start over. To me, failure wasn’t an option. I read my 10 pages daily—even though, out of the four books I went through, the only one I remember is The Power of Discipline. That book stuck with me and helped me build better habits.
At the time, I thought discipline was the only mental benefit I got from the program.
But doing 75 Hard a second time—especially while going through unemployment and feeling stuck—I started to see how much more it gave me.
It taught me how much further I can go when I push past my own doubts.
It taught me that the biggest obstacle in front of me was me.
Sometimes, your inner voice is just being a bitch. And you have to ignore it and keep moving. I started 75 hard to change my body. I didn’t expect it to rebuild my mind.