I’m excited to announce I’m embarking on a new challenge on June 1: the 75 Soft Challenge! As many of you know, the past few months (heck, the past two years) have been a rollercoaster. Injuries and illnesses kept me sidelined from running and volleyball, but I’m finally feeling healthy and ready to get back into a solid health and fitness routine.
Yes, I’m listening to my body, which is why the habits I’m tracking are totally reasonable things that I can do beyond 75 days! Keep scrolling for more information about the challenge. I also am taking on the “soft” version of this challenge as opposed to 75 Hard as I find it to be less of a fad/crash diet, and more about focusing on positive lifestyle changes that don’t require me to do anything drastic, and supports my health and fitness goals.
What is The 75 Soft Challenge?
The 75 Soft Challenge is the perfect way to reignite my commitment to health and wellness. It’s a 75-day program designed to build mental strength and discipline through consistent effort in four* key areas:
- Diet: Eating nutrient-dense meals and avoiding alcohol (except for social occasions). This is all about fueling my body with good nutrition to support my workouts and overall health. I’m not much of a drinker, so I’m not worried about that part, but I haven’t been the best about keeping healthy, easy options at home – or cooking, to be honest. I really need to increase my fiber and protein intake and lower my sugar and carb intake. My macros are all over the place!
- Exercise: Moving my body for 45 minutes every day, with at least one active recovery day thrown in each week. This allows me to stay active while giving my body the rest it needs to avoid re-injury. Ideally, I will get back into my routine of taking a minimum of one yoga class per week. I know this might sound strange coming from someone who teaches multiple yoga classes per week, but it’s really important for my personal practice that I be a student at least once a week.
- Hydration: Drinking roughly a gallon (3 liters) of water daily. This is crucial to keep my energy levels up and support all my bodily functions. I’m usually great at staying hydrated, but I’ve been slacking a little because I haven’t been as active. I need to remind myself of my mantra: If you stay hydrated, you don’t have to get hydrated!
- Mental Stimulation: Reading 10 pages of a book every day. This will keep my mind sharp and engaged while keeping me on track with my friend Tikima’s “Reading with the Homies” Challenge.
*some variations of the 75 Soft Challenge have five key areas to track
I’m also planning to take weekly progress photos and resume my daily weigh-ins. It might sound weird to weigh in every morning, but when I got myself in the habit of doing this, I also was more likely to write in my fitness journal, take my medicine first thing in the morning, and even take weekly measurements. For me, it’s not about obsessing over my weight, but more about habit stacking. Nonetheless, I recognize that this might be a trigger for someone with disordered eating, which is why I am not recommending you do this just because I am!
If you want to go a little more in-depth about the various elements of the challenge, you can check out this great post on Sunny Health & Fitness, as well as this article on Health about what you should know before trying it out on your own.
Why 75 Soft and not the 75 Hard Challenge?
As I noted earlier, the beauty of the 75 Soft Challenge lies in its focus on consistency over extremes. It’s about building sustainable habits that I can carry with me long after the 75 days are over.
For me, 75 Hard seems too… hard… and not feasible for me at this point in my journey. Some of the requirements just don’t fit into my schedule as a full-time worker who also teaches fitness and yoga classes. For example, 75 Hard requires two 45-minute workouts daily, and one must be completed outside. I live in the DC Metro Area. It has been raining – sometimes with heavy flooding – a lot lately. Come July/August, the air quality is terrible as the temperatures reach 100 degrees. Plus, winter! I’m assuming this is geared toward people who live in places like Southern California where the weather is pretty much the same year round.
How To Follow My Journey
I’ll be tracking my progress here and on my social media pages (especially my Instagram), sharing the ups and downs, the victories, and the inevitable cravings.
If you’re looking for a way to jumpstart your own health journey, then maybe the 75 Soft Challenge is for you too!
To Get You Started, Save/Print This Free 75 Soft Challenge Tracker!
Stay tuned, and feel free to leave a comment below with any questions or words of encouragement. I got this! You got this! We got this!