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I tried the viral 75 soft fitness challenge – here’s what I learnt
When I first heard about the 75 soft challenge, I thought it sounded doable and was eager to try it. I’m always up for
new wellbeing challenges but I tend to be cautious with viral fitness trends.
While I support anything promoting healthier habits, many online challenges can be unsustainable, hard to fit into a normal routine, or even harmful.
The 75 hard challenge, which went viral on TikTok in 2019 with over 935 million views, was created by entrepreneur Andy Frisella.
It’s meant to build mental strength and discipline through a strict 75-day plan. However, I wasn’t drawn to it. The rules involve following a strict diet, doing two 45-minute workouts a day (one outside), drinking a gallon of water, reading 10 pages of a book, and taking progress pictures.
While movement is important, I found the challenge overly intense and unsustainable, particularly the 90 minutes of daily exercise. Critics have also pointed out the lack of dietary guidance and potential for promoting disordered eating.
The new 75 soft challenge, on the other hand, offers more realistic rules: eat healthily, train 45 minutes daily with one day of active recovery, drink three liters of water, and read 10 pages a day.
This challenge feels more achievable and adaptable to various fitness levels.
For example, you can engage in any form of exercise, from yoga to walking, and the 45-minute duration fits well into busy schedules. An athlete, Rilwan Anibaba, explains that 45 minutes is an ideal workout length – enough for a good session without being too time-consuming.
Active recovery is also emphasized in 75 soft, with Anibaba noting that even elite athletes take rest days to allow muscle repair and improve performance. Overtraining can do more harm than good.
In my own experience with the challenge, I mixed up my workouts with walking, weightlifting, running, and yoga.
Drinking enough water wasn’t difficult for me, and I stuck to my usual eating habits without too many changes. The flexibility in the diet part allows participants to tailor it to their needs.
I also noticed improvements in sleep quality when limiting alcohol, and my fitness tracker confirmed it.
The reading component was a pleasant surprise, helping to build mental fitness and improve focus.
I quickly got into the habit of reading 10 pages in the morning, making it a peaceful start to my day.
Overall, I enjoyed the 75 soft challenge and found it helped me prioritize self-care.
I didn’t follow the suggestion to take progress pictures, as I prefer not to focus too much on body changes, but others may find it helpful for accountability.
Tracking goals on my phone kept me motivated, and I appreciated Anibaba’s advice to start small and gradually increase intensity. The key to success with this challenge is making it fit your lifestyle.
I plan to continue some aspects of the 75 soft challenge beyond the 75 days, especially the reading and daily workouts, but without pressuring myself. Any healthy routine should be about enjoyment, not guilt, and maintaining mental health is essential.
The soft challenge feels like a much more balanced approach to fitness and wellbeing.
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