75 Soft Challenge: A More Forgiving Version of 75 Hard

Over the last 12 months, I’ve started hearing more about the 75 Hard Challenge from random fitness influencers, friends, and even the people I’ve dated!

But I learned about 75 Soft Challenge (75 Hard’s friendlier and more forgiving relative) through TikTok.

Doing the 75 soft challenge would be a great way to ease into 75 Hard because I’ll know what to expect after completing the ‘lighter’ version.

The 75 soft challenge rules are more realistic and sustainable challenges that more people can see through and complete over the 75 days.

I plan to complete one of the 75 challenges in 2023. You can follow my journey on TikTok, where I don’t shut up about any fitness goal I’m trying to achieve

But if you’re looking for a fitness trend with a real challenge you can sustain and complete over the 75 days, here’s everything you need to know about the 75-day soft challenge.

What Is the 75 Soft Challenge?

The 75 Soft Challenge is the vanilla version of Andy Frisella’s 75 Hard Challenge, with the same rules but on a more manageable scale.

You still take on a health and fitness challenge for 75 days that you must complete

But for some people, 75 Soft offers less strict rules that you can follow for this health and fitness challenge.

FOR EXAMPLE:

I am completing one 45-minute workout a day instead of two 45-minute workouts per day.

I can eat healthier overall instead of having to follow a strict diet.

There’s nothing wrong with the 75 Hard challenge, but whether you choose 75 Soft, 75 Medium, or 75 Hard to take on

Choose a 75 challenge that will be the most realistic for YOU to complete.

So that way, you won’t struggle the first two weeks in and then give up, wasting time and energy on that challenge for no accomplishment.

Before we break down the rules, let’s break down the difference between each 75 Challenge.

75 Soft Vs. 75 Medium Vs. 75 Hard

There are three levels of this challenge. All with the same rules but less or more strenuous depending on the challenge you take

75 Hard Challenge

The original challenge involves significant mental and physical strength to WIN THE WAR within YOURSELF.

(I plan to complete it in 2024, check back on this article for my journey on 75 hard)

You must follow all the rules of this challenge to the bone; otherwise, if you mess up even one rule, you must start the 75 days over again.

75 Hard Rules:

1. Follow a Diet with No Cheat Meals and No Alcohol for 75 Days
2. Drink a Gallon of Water Every Day
3. Complete 2 workouts daily
4. Read 10 pages per day of a self-development book
5. Take Progress Photos Every Day

75 Medium Challenge

If you’re ready for a challenge that’s not a piece of cake, like 75 soft, but don’t think you’ll be able to follow all of the 75 hard rules to the bone, 75 Medium is your best bet.

75 Medium not only uses the same rules as 75 Hard but also doesn’t give you too much leniency on how often you can break them.

For example

You must follow your diet, but you get one cheat meal weekly.

75 Medium Rules:

1. Follow a diet you can follow every day of the challenge. One cheat meal is allowed per week.
2. Drink half a gallon of water
3. Read 10 pages per day of a self-development book
4. Take Progress Photos on Day 1 and Day 75
5.  

75 Soft Challenge 

The most beginner-level friendly one. As discussed above, this is the ‘lighter’ version of the 75 Hard and 75 Medium challenge.

You still need to drink a gallon of water daily and complete a 1 x 45-minute workout each day.

But other things are more lenient.

FOR EXAMPLE:

Eat a healthy diet and drink alcohol socially.

Let’s get into the 75 Soft Challenge rules below.

The 75 Soft Challenge Rules

As I’ve already mentioned, the rules for 75 Soft are very similar to the rules for the 75 Hard Challenge.

But less strenuous

You’ll find a few variations of the 75 Soft Challenge Rules on Google, but these are the five you must follow for 75 days straight.

1. One 45-Minute Workout Per Day. One Day May Be an ACTIVE Recovery Day
2. Choose a Healthy Diet to follow
3. Only Drink Socially
4. Drink Three Liters of Water Per Day
5. Read 10 Pages a Day of a Self-Development Book

Rule #1 ONE 45-Minute Workout Per Day. One Day May Be an ACTIVE Recovery Day

What’s a challenge without a workout, right?

Any Frisella shows no mercy in the 75 Hard Challenge, where you are required to complete two daily workouts.

But for the 75 Soft Challenge, you must complete a workout for at least 45 minutes every day of the week. However, one day of that week can be an active recovery day. You can use that day to either hike or walk 5,000-10,000 steps.

Active recovery days are essential for your body when you’re training regularly, so pay attention to them!

Some examples of the workouts can include:

• Weightlifting at the gym
• Taking an F45 Class
• Calisthenics training at your home or the park
• Boxing Class

The options are endless.

Anything that classifies as an exercise activity technically.

So, walking would count as your NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) so save this for your active recovery day.

If you’re struggling to come up with a daily workout routine for the 75 Soft Challenge, here’s an example of my daily workouts for the week

Sunday: Walking 10,000 steps in my neighborhood

Monday: Weightlifting, Upper-body Push Day

Tuesday: Weightlifting, Lower-body Hinge Day

Wednesday: Walking 10,000 steps in my neighborhood

Thursday: Weightlifting, Upper body Pull Day

Friday: Boxing Class

Saturday: Weightlifting, Lower-body Squat Day

 Rule #2 Choose a Healthy Diet to Follow

Regarding 75 Soft, there’s only a little regulation around your diet and how strictly you need to follow it.

They even allow you to drink socially, which I’ll talk in more detail under Rule #3

One of the reasons many people try out the 75 Soft Challenge is the leniency around the diet.

You don’t need to follow a specific diet, but you must eat “healthily” during this challenge.

You are in control of eating what you deem healthy eating and keep you on track throughout this challenge. Everyone should stick to a healthy lifestyle that is good for them and sustainable.

The nutrition side of the challenge being in our control, may have many negative connotations.

On one end of the spectrum, people can eat too healthy and restrict themselves to certain foods that their bodies may need.

On the other end of the spectrum, someone may make many excuses when it comes to the nutrition side of the challenge. One example is alcohol (more on that in Rule #3).

Use your best judgment. Eat clean, and pay attention to certain food groups you may need.

Rule #3 Only Drink Alcohol Socially

Most people would pair alcohol consumption with food consumption (under the dieting rule), but I figured it would be best to tackle this separately.

In the 75 Hard Challenge, ZERO Alcohol consumption is allowed. However, in the 75 Soft Challenge, you are allowed to drink socially.

That means not picking up the bottle of wine for a swig after you clock out of your 9-5 job.

You can drink at social events, another downfall I see to the 75 Soft Challenge.

I like a challenge that’ll give a little leniency (1 drink a week, for example) but allowing you to drink socially on the challenge also presents a lot of loopholes and excuses.

For example, my friends like to get together every Friday-Sunday

And then, I go out to dinner with friends or family at least 1 day during the week.

If you use these “social events” to drink during the 75 Soft Challenge, that’s about 3-4 days or nights of drinking each week, which defeats the purpose.

I recommend that you only “drink socially” during this challenge when there’s a big event.

10% of the challenge or 7-8 days of the 75-day total.

Rule #4 Drink Three Liters of Water Per Day

This is the 2nd reason I want to partake in a 75 Challenge. This rule requires you to drink 3 liters of water per day.

A lot of people struggle to drink more water daily. Many people like this challenge because they can realistically aim to drink 3 liters of water per day vs. drinking a gallon of water daily, which is one of the rules in 75 Hard AND 75 Medium.

Whether the water can be flavored or in the form of powder is up for debate. If you choose to add flavor, carbonated (sparkling), or powders, is you technically not considered cheating since 75 Soft doesn’t specify.

Just drink 3 liters of WATER every day for 75 days straight.

Rule #5 Read 10 pages a day of a Self-Development Book

This is the #1 Reason why I want to partake in a 75 Challenge.

We can all challenge ourselves to read more self-development books to read more self-development books daily. Or even just books in general, daily.

Some say you only need to read five pages of a book for the 75 soft challenge, but most sources confirm ten pages per day.

And what’s a challenge with only five pages per day?

The 75 Hard Challenge requires you to read 10 pages of a self-development or improvement book daily.

In the 75 Soft Challenge rules, it’s preferred but not required, making fiction novels okay too.

I recommend reading a self-development book during the 75 days of this challenge, but what matters is that you get those 10 pages in!

Some argue that this rule is one of the easiest ones. However, this rule is the hardest for others, especially if they don’t enjoy reading.

This rule tests your time management skills since you must get your 10 pages in to avoid starting the 75 days again.

When Is the Best Time to Complete the 75 Soft Challenge?

It doesn’t matter when you complete any of the 75 challenges. They can be done at any time of the year.

Most important is picking the time of year that will work for YOU.

If you love the holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, & Christmas), then October – December is not the right time for you.

If you’re the best man in your brother’s or best friend’s wedding, you should NOT start this challenge around that time. However, you can complete the challenge before all the pre-wedding events begin.

The moral of the story is to pick a time of the year when you don’t have much going on, and you can follow all five rules for 75 days straight.

75 Soft Challenge Pros & Cons 

After breaking down each challenge

Let’s break down the pros and cons of the 75 soft challenge because there are quite a few.

75 Soft Challenge Final Thoughts

Although there is still a significant amount of growth that you can achieve with 75 Soft, this challenge is too easy for me. However, I plan to complete one or two of the 75 challenges in 2023. It all depends on my life events throughout the year.

I like the leniency on social events and alcohol being allowed in the challenge, but I do believe that there should be more restrictions on how often you can drink during 75 Soft to challenge yourself.

Regardless of the Pros & Cons I’ve mentioned with 75 Soft, a challenge is still a challenge, but it’s what you make it! You have the power to challenge yourself further and change your body when it comes to fitness and nutrition.

As with any fitness and nutrition content I discuss on this site, please consult your primary physician to ensure it’s okay for you.