About two and a half months into my layoff, my wife and I made the decision to start 75 Hard again. I planned to follow the same approach that worked for me the first time around: a simple, high-protein diet, cutting out processed foods, and sticking to my two-a-day workout routine.
My plan was to hit the gym early in the morning and walk, run, or hike for my outdoor workout. I had even picked out my first book—The Miracle Morning—and I was feeling ready.
But… we got off to a rough start.
Really rough.
The Cleaver Incident
The day before our planned start date, I injured myself in the most ridiculous way possible.
I was making carne asada for dinner and, channeling my Mexican roots, decided to chop the meat like a taquero—with a big (okay, maybe too big) cleaver. It felt cool in the moment. Not so much later.
That night, as I got ready for bed, I started feeling some pain in my right elbow. I shrugged it off, assuming it was just from overuse. But as I tried to sleep, the pain kept getting worse. I tossed and turned all night, and by morning, my elbow was swollen and tender.
Luckily, I still had an elbow sleeve from a dislocation the year before, so I slipped it on and went to the gym anyway.
Trying to Push Through
That first week, I pushed through the pain—carefully avoiding exercises that put too much pressure on my elbow. On the weekend, I stuck to walking and light jogging, hoping it was just a mild sprain that would heal with rest.
It didn’t.
By week two, my elbow had swelled to nearly three times its normal size. Even the lightest touch had me wincing in pain. I had to stop and take deep breaths just to get through the discomfort.
We didn’t have insurance, so going to the doctor wasn’t an option. I started researching symptoms online and finally came across a likely culprit: elbow bursitis. It’s when the fluid-filled sac in your elbow joint (called the olecranon bursa) gets irritated and inflamed—usually from impact.
I couldn’t remember hitting my elbow, until it finally clicked:
The cleaver.
Of course it was the cleaver.
Adjusting, But Not Quitting
I started icing it regularly, but I wasn’t ready to quit. I told myself what I told myself the first time: Failure is not an option. Not this early into the program.
By week three, I realized I couldn’t keep lifting weights, so I switched to doing outdoor cardio twice a day, and added in occasional yoga sessions—as long as they didn’t involve too much arm movement. It wasn’t ideal, but I was committed.
I also didn’t want to leave my wife hanging. I wasn’t about to let her do this alone—or worse, let her give up because I gave up.
Navigating the Teamwork Side
Early on, we started having small arguments. I was being a little too strict, constantly checking if she was following her diet or completing her workouts. She didn’t love me telling her what she could or couldn’t eat—especially when it came to a diet she chose.
We sat down and talked it out. I backed off and let her hold herself accountable, while staying encouraging and supportive. That conversation made a big difference.
We made it a point to push each other without pressure.
To support each other without control.
To get through the program—not just as individuals, but as a team.
It wasn’t the perfect start, but we were in it together. And that made all the difference.