What Helped Me Stay Consistent With The 75-Hard Challenge.

Hello there!

If you clicked on this post, you’re either doing, or thinking of doing the 75-Hard Challenge… and to that I say, WAY TO GO!!!

It was one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself and sparked the biggest and most positive transformation in my life.

You’re also probably wondering how to make this “HARD” challenge EASIER.

I definitely was.

I will say that with consistency, it does get easier over time because you’re learning as you go and strengthening those habit muscles, but there are 3 primary things other than staying consistent that will help you tremendously:

1. Routine

2. Environment Set Up

3. Course Correction
   

Routine

(this is my own personal routine including the “diet” that I chose for the challenge, which was intermittent fasting, no processed sweets [only homemade], no alcohol, and vegetarian)

• Morning

  • Progress Picture

    • first thing in the morning

    • bikini ready to go

  • Water

    • fill up 1/2 gallon jug

    • get some in before morning coffee

    • keep it near all day (help stay full, hydrated, and alert throughout the day)

  • Workout #1

    • attempt 1st outside if possible (in case you can’t with Workout #2)

• Afternoon

  • Diet

    • Intermittent Fasting eating window start: 2:00 (worked my way up to this from 12:00)

  • Workout #2

    • either outside or inside depending on workout #1

  • Water

    • Get it in!!

• Evening

  • Diet

    • Intermittent Fasting eating window stop: 8:00

  • Finish 2nd 1/2 gallon, for the total 1 gallon!

    • the earlier you get it in, the less you’ll have to wake up to go to the bathroom ;)

  • Read 10 Pages

    • will help to wind down and get sleepy

Environment Set Up

There’s a quote I love that I read from an email newsletter from Rian Doris and the Flow Research Collective:

"Determine your environment because your environment determines you."

Setting up your environment for who you want to be and how you want to live is going to make everything so much easier to get where you want to go and set you up for success.

Period.

Here’s some tips I found helpful to set up your environment for a successful 75-Hard Challenge:

• Get 1/2 gallon jug for your water so you only have to fill it twice and only have to count it twice! 1, 2.. and you’re done!

• You don’t necessarily need equipment for a workout unless you want it.. like a yoga mat, weights, resistance bands, etc. All you really need is comfortable workout clothes you can move in and likely a good pair of shoes to walk/run/train in. Have this ready to go, and you’re all set to sweat!

• Keep the fridge stocked with healthy foods and stop buying the temptatious foods you’re trying to avoid. Get healthier alternatives or substitutes.

• Keep healthy options visible like avocado, bananas, apples, etc in bowls on the counter to keep them top of mind and most accessible.

• Food prep what you can, like chopping up fruits and veggies to put in ready-to-go containers for easy snacking and packing. Don’t forget to take them with you when you go out!

• Have a nice calendar or schedule to lay out your routine and plan for the day. Maybe write your routine on paper and put it on the mirror or fridge- somewhere where you can see it easily and often.

• If you know there are challenges or obstacles that are going to come up or are constantly there, now is the time to change them or plan around them. For example, if it’s too easy for you to order pizza from Uber eats and sit on the couch to watch your favorite Netflix series, delete the Uber eats app, buy a healthier version of pizza at the grocery store, add your own veggies, and vow to only watch 1 episode after you’ve finished your workouts. Use it as a reward.

• This really is a transformational challenge. If you’re going for a new you- a new identity, now is also a good time to clean out any clutter in your space associated with the old you. Clothes that don’t make you feel good, items tied to not-so-fond memories, etc. Remove the old clutter and put your favorite items and what you want to highlight about yourself front and center. And as you go, you can begin adding new things that you’re beginning to and want to identify more with!

Course Correction

I love this term.

(I got it from Abraham Hicks.)

You don’t have to worry about getting anything wrong, judge yourself if you didn’t do it perfectly, or if it just didn’t work out the way you wanted it to.

It’s all about learning as we go and making changes and improvements along the way.

It’s the spice of life!

If something doesn’t work out, ask yourself why, what could make it better, and then take note of that (literally, or mentally) and take a more conscious approach to change it next time!

Observe how it works out after the change and keep course correcting as needed.

I’ll also add.. celebrate with a little positive self-talk if it does go better!

You are always getting better :)

Even with setting up your environment.. if you realize there’s something that you wish was easier, ask yourself how you can prep your space, time, etc for making it go smoother.

Course correct that task.

For example, if getting in your outdoor workout seems difficult or daunting and you don’t necessarily want to just do a walk or jog every day, maybe you can find a space outside under a tree, in a beautiful area, take a yoga mat, a kettlebell, or resistance bands, set your interval timer, and do some moves!

Find what works best for you, and then KEEP EXPLORING!

I hope these tips were helpful!

They certainly were for me as I went along in the challenge, and I loved playing with the course correcting and finding ways to make it more enjoyable so I stayed consistent.

Good luck out there :)

Stay FLI!

Mel