The 75-Day Challenge that Changed My Life
On December 21, way back in 2022 (remember 2022?), I shared a few thoughts through an Instagram post about a 75-day challenge I completed. I got so many questions about it and had more thoughts to share, so I’m expanding my comments beyond Instagram to a blog post. I’m not officially endorsing or recommending this challenge, “75 Hard,” but I do think some of my thoughts on community, wellness, and eating can be helpful to many of you.
Every time I write about eating and wellness I get encouraging feedback since these tend to be topics few people write or talk about. And, as many of you know, this has been one of the biggest, if not the biggest, challenges/struggles I’ve faced in my almost 50 years of life. I write this not as a counselor, dietician, exercise physiologist, or even as a physical therapist (my occupation many moons ago), but rather as a struggler along the trail, trying to make it another day, week, month, and year.
Thanks to the encouragement from some great friends, I started 75 Hard on October 7, 2022. You can find out more on your own, but it is appropriately named! It was one of the hardest challenges I’ve ever taken on. For 75 days, you:
Take a selfie/progress picture.
Read 10 pages of a non-fiction book (Audiobooks don’t count, ebooks do).
Drink one gallon of water.
Follow an eating plan of your choice, with no alcohol or cheating.
Work out two times every day for at least 45 minutes. At least one workout must be outside, regardless of rain, cold, etc… You can choose what you do for your workouts.
If you miss anything, you do not complete 75 Hard (and you must start over at Day One if you want to complete the challenge).
I completed the challenge on December 20th and it has been (choosing my words carefully) life-changing. I am so grateful for all the Lord did in my life over the 75 days.
Here are a few lessons I’ve learned.
1. I can do things that are difficult.
I choose comfort and ease. This pushed me out of my comfort zone big time. I don’t have to shy away from challenges. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For the Spirit God have us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.”
A large reason why I’m diabetic, obese, and hated the way I looked and felt was because of many of the decisions I made in my first 49 years of life. This applies to me and me only. I am not making any statement about others as I know this can come across as indicting, shaming, or assumptive. I chose comfort and it’s a big part of why I am dealing with so many health issues.
I can do things that are tough. In the past, I’ve run away from challenges, but for 75 days I took them on! Three times on travel days, I had to get up at 3:00am and get my workout in. I walked outside in pouring rain a few times. I sat through meals where friends and family all ate pizza, ice cream, fries, and/or cake and I ate a salad.
Which leads me to #2.
2. I’m not going to die if everyone else around me eats pizza or ice cream and I don’t.
There are MUCH bigger problems in the world and much bigger problems in my life! 75 Hard helped me gain perspective that my “It’s not fair” problems are not really problems.
3. Everything is better and easier when you’re not alone.
I am so grateful for many friends who encouraged me along the way. Taylor J, Taylor G, and Carson R all did 75 Hard with me. They were each a few weeks ahead of me, but they provided community and prayer partners that I needed. Other friends like Joe D and my son Carson challenged me to take this challenge on and asked me how I was doing along the way. They provided encouragement and tough love when I wanted to quit.
4. My wife is the 🐐.
Kristen carried the rock so many times over the 75 days. She sacrificed so I could take this on, and cheered me on every day. There were days when I fell asleep on the couch at a ridiculously early hour (i.e., 7:00pm), and she let me catch up on sleep. Proverbs 18:22 says, “He who finds a wife finds what is good and received favor from the Lord.” I often say it, but I found what is GOOD!
5. I love walking.
I read some great books, fell in love with walking outside, and listened to many great podcasts. I prayed for neighbors and even met some neighbors. I discovered new podcasts, took notes on ones I really enjoyed, and listened to some audiobooks. I got to read my Kindle while I walked on the treadmill.
Some people like to do weights and hate cardio. I’m the opposite. All I want to do is cardio and I can’t stand doing weights. I know, I know—it’s good for you, it raises your metabolism, and many other things. But, I worked out for 90+ minutes every day. I wanted to enjoy the challenge, and I did.
6. The work is far from done.
I have some serious food/eating issues that needs continual work. Dieting is not the solution. Depriving myself is not the long-term plan. I am continuing to work on my relationship with food. I have more empathy for myself than ever. We all live in a world that feeds us bad information about dieting, food, calories, and much more. I recently started the book Intuitive Eating and it seems to be the most balanced book I’ve ever read on eating.
We need to talk more about food idolatry in the body of Christ. I promise to keep writing about it.
Here are a few questions I got from some of you:
What diet plan did I follow?
I chose to go Keto. It worked well for me although I definitely missed some foods! The closest I came to messing up was that I almost drank a beer one night. I rarely drink and some friends got a beer and I almost mindlessly ordered one. Thankfully I did not!
What did I do for workouts?
I chose to walk for almost every single workout. And I LOVED it. I read my Kindle on the treadmill and I listened to a bazillion podcasts on my walks.
What books did I read?
Among others, I read Do it for a Day by Mark Batterson, Finish by Jon Acuff, Seasons of Sorrow by Tim Challies, and the NPR Podcast Start-up Guide by Mark Wheldon.
Speaking of books, did you read the 75 Hard book from Andy Frisella?
I did. And to be honest, it was not great. It was filled with bad language, is not well-written, and had a bunch of typos. I’d listen to the podcast instead (Episode #14 - 75 Hard: A Tactical Guide to Winning the War With Yourself - RealAF Podcast). Again, you’ll hear lots of bad language, so I can’t endorse it, but it will give you the background you need.
Did you use the 75 hard App?
Yes I did, and I loved it. As much as I disliked the book, I liked the app. I love the satisfaction of checking things off a list, and it kept me accountable every day to get my work done!
What’s next?
75 Hard is part of a bigger program called the Live Hard Program which includes three other 30-day phases (that include the same or more challenges). I’m planning on starting Phase 1 in a few weeks. I’m looking forward to getting back after it!
Did I lose weight?
Yes. I was Class III obesity (formerly known as being morbidly obese), I’m diabetic, and I don’t want to die. I have almost zero control over the number on the scale, but I can control whether or not I was faithful. Much more important than losing weight was my integrity to finish the task and staying faithful to the challenge.
I am dependently and prayerfully moving forward. I don’t want to go back to my old ways. Please pray with me I don’t.