What is 75 Hard?
Fitness fads are a dime a dozen these days. Every influencer has a challenge that seems to be tied to an eBook or a shortcut crash course to MASSIVE results with MINIMAL effort. The question isn’t are there programs available, it’s are there programs that are physically attainable, mentally sustainable, and abundantly impactful? After 75 of the most challenging days of my adult life, I can say with absolute conviction that 75 Hard not only exceeds the aforementioned criteria, but has the ability to alter the trajectory of one’s life if done correctly with no alterations. Andy Frisella, a dynamic entrepreneur, bestselling author, and highly regarded public speaker, created the program. Additionally, Andy was the host of the #1 business and success podcast in the world called MFCEO Project and is currently topping the charts with his new podcast titled Real AF.
To explain 75 Hard, I must first state that this is not simply a physical transformation challenge based solely on fitness. Instead, this is a transformative and all encompassing mental toughness program that will produce lasting physical and mental improvements. Lasting is the key word here because this is a program that will reshape your habits, and if you can change your habits, you can change your life. So now that you have a basic understanding of what makes this program unique, let’s buckle down and get into the nitty gritty of the program’s expectations.
The rules
For 75 consecutive days with ZERO alterations, you must do the following:
- Drink 1 gallon of water
- Take a progress picture
- Complete two 45 minute workouts (one must be outdoors) and they can’t be done consecutively
- Be on a diet
- Read 10 pages of a non-fiction book (no audiobooks)
- No alcohol or cheat meals
What made me decide to do 75 Hard?
January 8, 2021 vs March 26, 2021
A list like this can be daunting. I remember my first time reading through the rules of the program and feeling the knot in my stomach become increasingly tighter. I know what you are thinking… “this is nuts and so are you!” Part of life and growth is leaning into the uncomfortable and getting close to what scares you. Imagine what your life would look like if you were never able to disregard your initial fear.
I recently got engaged over the summer and it was hands down the best decision I have ever made. Like any normal person, I was filled with fear prior to asking the big question. Do you think I would be as happy if I let the fear of the moment prevent me from getting down on one knee? Absolutely not! Fear in most instances is an indicator that something incredible is on the horizon, so get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable and lean into that fear. The impact that this simple tactic will have on your life will be more than you can imagine.
Reason 1:
Now I want to tell you why I decided to take on the 75 Hard program. There are two reasons for my commitment: I realized that although I had always made physical fitness a point of emphasis, I had never put much effort into my mental fitness. I started to come to the realization that the mind was like any other muscle and if it was not exercised, it could not grow or develop.
The pandemic prevented us all from doing a lot over the past year, but it expedited my need to make a change to my overall fitness. I was tired of being a version of myself that I wasn’t proud of. I was not the friend, son, brother, or fiancé I wanted to be, and I reached the point where it was no longer acceptable for me to enable mediocrity. 75 Hard was my opportunity to regain control over my life and my actions. Through the grit, determination and self-confidence that 75 Hard would develop, I knew that I could get myself back on track to becoming the man I wanted to be. A man that I am proud of and more importantly, a man that the people I love are proud of.
Reason 2:
My faith, which has always played a significant role in my life, is another reason. I am an adamant believer that there are no coincidences and that we were all put on this earth to serve a purpose. This has always given me direction and motivation, but it has also created fear within me. I have been afraid of snakes for my entire life, but nothing scares me more than the fear of not fulfilling my fullest potential. I believe that I am here to unconditionally inspire others to be better people, live better lives, and be happier. Making the impact that I intend to make requires my relentless commitment to becoming the best version of myself.
The 75 Hard program was an avenue to improve all areas of myself and come out stronger in every sense of the word. Additionally, I believe that if others see my commitment to improve that it could inspire them to take the first step toward bettering themselves. My mom watched me walk in the snow with a 45 lbs. backpack on every night for 75 consecutive days. Some days it rained, some days it snowed, but each day I wore that backpack. In her eyes if I could do that, then she could finally commit to eating healthier. As a result, she lost 8 lbs. and is continuing to progress each day. 75 Hard is my vehicle to inspire and it is my greatest hope that sharing my story will give you the courage to invest in yourself and take that first step. The first step might not seem like much, but if you keep taking those steps, eventually you will have climbed a mountain.
What was the greatest challenge?
Breakfast: egg whites, chicken sausage and potatoes
75 Hard was challenging in many ways, but if I had to choose just one, I would have to say that the hardest part was the dementors! Yes, a reference from “The Office” to start this section. In all seriousness, the hardest aspect of 75 Hard is probably not what most people think it is. As a full time employee working 40+ hours/week, full time Graduate student, and full time owner of an ultra needy French Bulldog, time was obviously a challenge. This is a program that demands a lot, so one needs to be incredibly intentional with how they spend their time to ensure that all areas of the program are achieved on a daily basis. Time efficiency was a challenge, but was it number one? No.
Was it staying strict to a diet while friends and family members are free to eat and drink whatever they like? No.
How about drinking water like a camel? Nope.
Maybe it was working out in the snow, rain, or teeth chattering cold? Negative.
The HARDest part of 75 Hard was actually just starting. I had wanted to do this program for over a year yet I would religiously talk myself out of it. There was always a holiday around the corner, birthday party I didn’t want to miss, or global pandemic that always seemed to provide the perfect excuse to not bet on myself. Similar to every wonderful thing in your life, there is no such thing as perfect timing. You will ALWAYS have something going on that CAN prevent you from pursuing a goal, but the question is WILL you let it deter you?
What was my favorite part?
I can be described in many ways, but a morning person is not one of them. I typically require three cups of coffee and a caffeine IV drip just to make it to the shower. Not one single day of the program passed where I was eager to roll out of bed, walk outside in the frigid cold, drive my car to the gym and workout. Let’s unpack that for a second. That means there were 75 consecutive days where I did not want to do something. 75 days where it would have been so easy to just stay in my warm bed. There was nobody holding me accountable and nobody would ever know if I missed one measly workout. Through all of this, do you know how many morning workouts I missed? Zero.
There it is, my absolute FAVORITE part of 75 Hard! Prior to starting this program I had this grand illusion that suddenly I would just miraculously start finding the hardest tasks to become easy. Sounds great, right? The problem is however that life simply doesn’t work this way. My favorite part of 75 Hard was not that it made hard things easy, but instead it made DOING hard things easier. Every single day I made the decision to do the hard things in life that I knew would make me better. If every responsibility in life were easily accomplished, would anything be worth it?
Eating healthy for an extended period of time is hard. Studying for that test is hard. Telling a person how you genuinely feel is hard. Making that last cold call to an executive is hard. All of these things are hard, but ALL of these things will make you better.
Physical Changes
As a result, I lost 15 lbs. in 75 days.
Bobby shows his transformation in before and after photos.
Mental Changes
I CAN SEE THE LIGHT! Alright maybe that was a tad dramatic, but I needed to get your attention. As you can see above, the physical transformation that I attained over the 75 day window is substantial. I say this with complete conviction when I tell you that the mental transformation that I have attained over the 75 day window has exceeded the physical transformation tenfold.
The most underrated aspect of the program is the daily 10 pages of nonfiction reading. Prior to this program, the last book that I read cover to cover discussed a green breakfast. That’s right folks, I do not like green eggs and ham, I do not like them Sam I am. When tasked with daily reading, I chose to look at this as an opportunity to explore my own interests and gain a better understanding of life’s greatest mystery. What is that mystery you ask? Well it’s simple … who am I? Through this program I discovered my genuine passion for inspiring others and it has pushed me to pursue individual coaching.
Books for self-development
Outside of the internal clarity that this program provided me with, it also helped me to become more present. They say depression is rooted in the past and anxiety stems from thinking about the future. If this is the case, it is probably best that we stay in the here and now. In a weird way, this program has actually made me tactical with my thinking. I now realize adversity in life is inevitable. Let me rephrase that, BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN SOMETIMES. There were days where the weather was bad outside during this program, and days where maybe I wasn’t feeling so great. No matter what the adversity was, I learned to adapt and remain committed to the goal. No panic, no fear, just consistent and persistent pursuit of success.
Would I recommend 75 Hard to others?
Listen, I won’t sugar coat this, 75 Hard is well… hard. You will push yourself each and every day to do things that you did not think that you could do. There is a checklist of items each day that you will complete and for the first time in your life you are going to start keeping the promises that you made to yourself. Do you know what will happen as a result? You are going to have the most self-confidence that you have ever had. Self-confidence stems from our ability to keep the promises we make to ourselves and this program ensures that you develop that habit in abundance.
The funny thing is that when you start 75 hard, 75 days seems like an eternity. Having completed the program, I now realize that the 75 days is only the beginning. Once you feel the daily sense of achievement and witnessed the overwhelming positive transformation in all areas of your life, the 75th day will not be your last, I promise you that. There it is, the beauty of the program. It teaches you to commit to good habits and your good habits will ensure you commit to what got you there. I hope you will be inspired to take the first step in investing in yourself. I promise you, it’s the best investment that you can make. If I can be of service in helping you through your transformation please feel free to check out my Instagram page for motivation or shoot me a message for any help you might need.
-Bobby Rissetto
To be connected with Bobby, please email info@smartlifebites.com
