I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve started over.
I was a Beachbody girl for years (it’s called Bodi now) and worked my way through almost every program they had, including P90X and Focus T25. They’re great programs. But somewhere along the way, I’d always fall off. Sometimes I felt like I was paying for a program that wasn’t working for me. Other times, if I’m being honest, I just wasn’t sticking with it long enough for it to work. Then I’d stop, feel guilty, and eventually start all over again.
Workouts, “eating healthy,” new routines… I’ve started and stopped them all so many times that it started to feel like nothing would ever actually work.
So this time, I’m doing something different. I’m making my own rules.
Today is Day 1 of my 75 Medium Challenge, a more flexible version of the viral 75 Hard Challenge. I’ve already been working out consistently for the past nine weeks, and I’m hoping this challenge will help me keep that momentum going, keep me from getting bored (which is usually when I quit), and get me through the holidays without falling off the wagon.
My goal isn’t to get ripped. I just want to feel better in my clothes, fit into them the way I used to, and stop getting out of breath when I’m running around with my kids. And honestly? I want to stay healthy for a long time so I can watch them grow up.
I’m breaking down:
What Is 75 Hard?
If you’ve spent any time on social media in the last few years, you’ve probably seen someone posting their “Day 47 of 75 Hard” update. (And if you followed along with my 75 Hard Style Challenge earlier this year, you already know I like to put my own spin on it!)
75 Hard was created in 2019 by entrepreneur and podcaster Andy Frisella. He calls it a “transformative mental toughness program” rather than a fitness program. The idea is that if you can stick to a strict set of daily rules for 75 days straight, you’ll build the discipline to take on anything else in your life.
The 75 Hard Rules
Every single day for 75 days, you have to:
- Follow a diet. You pick the diet, but there are no cheat meals and no alcohol.
- Do two 45-minute workouts. One of them has to be outdoors, no matter the weather.
- Drink one gallon of water.
- Read 10 pages of a nonfiction book. It has to be self-improvement or personal development, and audiobooks don’t count.
- Take a progress photo.
The Restart Rule
Here’s the part that makes 75 Hard, well, hard: if you miss anything, even one item on one day, you start over at Day 1.
Forgot to take your photo on Day 52? Back to Day 1. Had a glass of wine at a wedding on Day 68? Day 1. Got sick and skipped your outdoor workout? You guessed it.
Why So Many People Quit
I want to be clear: I think 75 Hard is an incredible challenge, and I have a ton of respect for anyone who finishes it. But it’s also really easy to see why so many people don’t.
- It’s a huge time commitment. Two 45-minute workouts a day adds up to an hour and a half of exercise, plus meal prep, reading, and drinking a gallon of water. That’s a lot for anyone with a full-time job, kids, or both.
- It’s all-or-nothing. There’s no room for sick days, family emergencies, or just plain life happening.
- The restart rule can backfire. For some people, starting over is motivating. For people like me, who have a long history of starting over, it can feed right into the cycle of quitting and restarting that I’m trying to break.
That’s exactly where 75 Medium comes in.
What Is 75 Medium?
75 Medium is a more flexible take on 75 Hard. It started as a social media trend from people who loved the idea of 75 Hard but wanted something that fit into real life. You still commit to daily habits for 75 days. The rules are just more doable.
There’s no official creator or rulebook, so you’ll see a few different versions online. Most of them look something like this:
The Most Common 75 Medium Rules
Every day for 75 days:
- One 45-minute workout. It can be indoors or outdoors, and walking counts.
- Follow a healthy eating plan. Most versions allow some flexibility, like a planned treat or one flex meal a week.
- Drink more water. Usually 3 liters, or half your body weight in ounces, instead of a full gallon.
- Read 10 pages (or listen). Many people allow audiobooks or podcasts.
- Do 10 minutes of something for your mental health. That could be journaling, prayer, meditation, stretching, or just some quiet time.
Some people add extras like limiting alcohol, cutting back on screen time, or taking weekly progress photos instead of daily ones.
The Biggest Difference: Grace
The key difference between 75 Hard and 75 Medium is the restart rule, because most versions of 75 Medium don’t have one. Miss a day, and you get back on track the next day instead of starting over at Day 1.
That might sound like a small change, but for me, it changes everything. 75 Medium is about progress over perfection: building habits you can actually keep, not proving you can survive 75 days of being perfect.
Make It Yours
Because there’s no official rulebook, you can tweak 75 Medium to fit your life, your schedule, and your goals. That’s exactly what I did. I’ll share my rules a little further down, but first, here’s how the two challenges stack up side by side.
75 Hard vs. 75 Medium: Side-by-Side
Here’s a quick look at how the two challenges compare:
| 75 Hard | 75 Medium | |
|---|---|---|
| Workouts | Two 45-minute workouts a day (one outdoors) | One 45-minute workout a day (indoors or out) |
| Diet | Strict diet, no cheat meals | Healthy eating plan with some flexibility |
| Alcohol | None | Usually limited or none (your choice) |
| Water | 1 gallon (128 oz) | About 3 liters, or half your body weight in ounces |
| Reading | 10 pages of a nonfiction book (no audiobooks) | 10 pages or 10 minutes (audiobooks and podcasts often count) |
| Mental Health | Not included | 10 minutes of journaling, prayer, meditation, etc. |
| Progress Photos | Every day | Often weekly (or your choice) |
| Miss a Day? | Start over at Day 1 | Get back on track the next day |
| Daily Time Commitment | About 2–2.5 hours | About 1–1.5 hours |
| Best For | People who thrive on strict, all-or-nothing rules | People balancing work, kids, and real life who want consistency over perfection |
So Which One Is Right for You?
Honestly, it depends on your personality and your season of life.
75 Hard might be a good fit if you love structure, you’re motivated by high stakes, and your schedule has room for two workouts a day. For some people, knowing they’ll have to restart is exactly what keeps them going.
75 Medium might be a better fit if you’re busy, you’re working around an injury, or you’ve been stuck in a cycle of starting and quitting. It gives you the structure of a daily challenge with enough flexibility to keep going when life gets messy.
For me, the choice was pretty clear.
Why I Chose 75 Medium
When I first started looking into these challenges, I’ll admit part of me wanted to go all in on 75 Hard. There’s something appealing about the “go big or go home” mentality. But when I got honest with myself about my life right now, 75 Medium was the clear winner. Here’s why.
1. Two Workouts a Day Just Isn’t Realistic Right Now
Between four kids, school schedules, extracurriculars, and running a business from home, my days are full. Fitting in two separate 45-minute workouts (one of them outside, no matter the weather) would mean either sacrificing sleep or sacrificing time with my family, and I’m not willing to do either.
What I can commit to is one solid workout a day. Right now, that looks like:
- Strength days: 30 minutes of lifting followed by 30 minutes of walking
- Off days from lifting: a 45-minute walk
That’s a routine I’ve already been sticking with for the past nine weeks, and it’s one I know I can keep doing on busy days, tired days, and holiday days.
2. I’m Working Around a Couple of Injuries
I’m currently healing from a quad tear, and I’ve also been dealing with some wrist soreness that flares up during exercises like renegade rows. Both are getting better, but they’re a good reminder that my body needs a little patience right now.
Pushing through two hard workouts a day while healing is a recipe for getting hurt worse (and then quitting altogether). With 75 Medium, I can modify what I need to, count walking as my workout on recovery days, and keep moving forward without risking a setback.
3. The Restart Rule Is My Biggest Trap
This is the big one.
I have spent years in the cycle of starting, slipping, quitting, and starting over again. If I miss one thing on Day 40 of 75 Hard and have to go back to Day 1, I already know what my brain will do: “Well, I blew it. Might as well stop.” That’s exactly the pattern I’m trying to break.
75 Medium lets me give myself grace. If I miss something, I log it, I get right back on track the next day, and I keep going. Because this challenge isn’t about being perfect for 75 days. It’s about progress: proving to myself that I can stick with something all the way to the end.
4. I Want Habits That Last After Day 75
At the end of the day, I don’t want a challenge that I white-knuckle through and then abandon on Day 76. I want habits I can actually keep: moving my body every day, eating well most of the time, drinking enough water, and taking care of my mind. 75 Medium feels like something I can carry into the new year and beyond, not just survive.
My 75 Medium Rules
Because 75 Medium doesn’t come with an official rulebook, I built mine around my real life: my schedule, my goals, and the habits I know I need most. Here’s what I’m doing every day for 75 days:
1. Work Out for 45 Minutes
Strength days count, and walking counts. On lifting days, I do 30 minutes of strength training followed by a 30-minute walk. On rest days (especially while my quad heals), a 45-minute walk is my workout. The goal is to move my body every single day, not to destroy it.
2. Follow My Meal Plan
Breakfast and lunch come straight from our weekly menu board, and dinner is planned ahead of time. I’m following a 90/10 approach: 90% of the time I stick to the plan, and one flex meal a week is totally fine. With the holidays coming up, I know I need some wiggle room, and building it in from the start means a slice of pie isn’t “breaking” the challenge.
3. Drink Half My Body Weight in Water
Instead of chugging a full gallon, I’m aiming for half my body weight in ounces every day. I’ll recalculate it once a month as things (hopefully) change.
4. Read or Listen for 10 Minutes
Ten minutes of personal development, health, business, or faith. Books, audiobooks, and podcasts all count. Some days that’s a few chapters before bed. Other days it’s a podcast during my walk, and that totally counts.
5. No Alcohol
This one’s easy for me: I’ve been alcohol-free for two years, so it’s less of a challenge and more of a lock. But I’m keeping it on the list because it’s part of the foundation, and it’s a win I’m proud of.
6. Take 5 Minutes of Quiet Time
Five minutes of prayer, meditation, or journaling, all by myself. With four kids and dogs, “quiet” is hard to come by, so I literally hide in my closet for this one. No kids, no dogs, just me and a few minutes to breathe and reset.
Bonus: Sleep (Tracked, Not a Rule)
I’m not making sleep an official rule, but I’m paying attention to it. My goal is to go to bed right after the kids go down, and I’ll start tracking my sleep with an Oura ring once it arrives.
The Grace Rule: Never Miss Twice
This is the rule that makes the whole challenge work for me.
One missed day is a slip, not a restart. If I miss something, I log it, and I get right back on track the next day. What I won’t do is miss two days in a row. That’s when a slip turns into quitting, and I know that pattern all too well.
My goal is 68 or more perfect days out of 75. Not 75 out of 75. Just showing up, over and over, even when it’s not perfect.
Why I’m Doing It from October to December
Most people start challenges like this in January, when New Year’s resolutions are fresh and everyone’s motivated. So why am I starting on October 1st?
1. This Is When I Usually Start to Slip
Every year, right around this time, I start to feel sluggish. The days get shorter, the weather gets colder, and I start bundling up in cozy sweaters that hide everything. Workouts get skipped, comfort food shows up on the table more often, and by the time the holidays roll around, I feel slower, more tired, and heavier than I did all year.
This year, I want to get ahead of that instead of waiting for it to happen.
2. The Holidays Are Coming (And So Is All the Good Food)
Between Halloween candy, Thanksgiving dinner, holiday parties, and all the Christmas cookies, the end of the year is basically one long food holiday. I’m not trying to skip any of it, and that’s exactly why my 90/10 rule matters. Having a daily structure during the busiest, most indulgent season of the year means I can enjoy the good stuff without completely falling off the wagon.
3. I’ll Finish Before Christmas
My Day 75 lands on Monday, December 14th, about a week and a half before Christmas. That means I’ll finish strong before the craziest part of the holiday season, instead of trying to white-knuckle my way through Christmas week.
4. I Want to Start the New Year Ahead, Not Starting Over
Instead of making the same “this year will be different” resolution in January, I want to walk into the new year with 75 days of habits already built. No fresh start needed, just keep going.
And honestly? That’s the whole point. I’m tired of starting over. This time, I want to finish.
How I’m Tracking It
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from years of starting over, it’s that what gets tracked gets done. When I can see my progress, even the small stuff, I’m a lot more likely to keep going. So here’s how I’m keeping myself accountable for the next 75 days.
A Printable Daily Tracker
I’m using a printable tracker for the whole challenge, split into three pages (Days 1–25, 26–50, and 51–75). Every day, I check off each of my six habits: workout, meal plan, water, reading, quiet time, and no alcohol.
There’s also a “perfect day” strip across the top with all 75 days. Every time I hit all six habits, I color in a square. It’s a small thing, but watching that strip fill up is so motivating, and it makes my “68+ perfect days” goal feel like something I can actually see.
Each day also has a spot for notes and wins, which is where I’m jotting down how I’m feeling, what went well, and what was hard. (Those notes are going to be the raw material for my check-in posts!)
Weekly Check-Ins on Wednesdays
Since my Day 1 is a Thursday, each challenge week ends on a Wednesday. That’s when I do my weekly check-in:
- Body scan: I use a smart scale to track things like body fat and muscle mass, not just weight.
- Progress photos: front, side, and back, in the same spot, same lighting, and same outfit every week so the comparisons are fair.
- Measurements: waist, hips, chest, thigh, and arm.
Once a week feels like the sweet spot for me. Daily weigh-ins and photos can mess with my head because bodies fluctuate day to day. Weekly gives me enough data to see real trends without obsessing.
A Quick Note on What I’ll Share
I’m keeping my actual numbers private, so you won’t see my weight or measurements here on the blog. What I will share are the changes: things like pounds lost, muscle gained, or inches down. Honestly, I think those are more useful anyway. Your starting point is different from mine, but progress is progress.
Grab Your Own Free Tracker
Want to do your own version of 75 Medium? I made a free printable tracker you can use too. It has blank habit lines so you can fill in your own rules, a spot for weekly check-ins, and the “never miss twice” perfect-day strip.
What’s Next
This is just Day 1, and I’m going to be sharing the whole journey here on the blog. Here’s what’s coming:
- Day 25 (Sunday, October 25): What’s working, what’s hard, and how the first few weeks are really going
- Day 50 (Thursday, November 19): How I’m staying on track (or not!) heading into the holidays
- Day 75 (Monday, December 14): The results: progress photos, the changes, and the biggest lessons I learned
I’ll be honest in every one of them, including the slips. Because if this challenge is about anything, it’s about showing up even when it’s not perfect.
I’ve started over more times than I can count. This time, I’m not trying to be perfect. I’m just trying to finish.
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