75 Hard-er Continues…

It’s now been 23 days since I have consumed or done anything unhealthy for my mind or body thanks to the 75-hard mental toughness program and my gritty self + friends!

Now that I have surpassed the mythical 21-days to create a habit, many people have asked me about my experience and what has been challenging to me. And, I can honestly say, not much. I don’t miss drinking booze. I don’t miss gluten. I don’t miss sleeping in past 4:30 a.m, or anything I had to “give-up” or lean into to become the healthiest, best version of me.

But, I do miss my oldest son who just went to college, every day. And, I do miss being anchored to a job and people I loved for 24 years which as of last week I no longer have. But, as we all know change is the only thing constant in our lives.

I feel so incredibly grateful I was introduced to 75 hard before the proverbial wind (& revenue generator) was removed from my sails. And, for anyone reading this who is also undergoing a new stage in their life, or anything challenging, I strongly recommend welcoming a new habit, or if you are already on a roll, a series of habits, you can “check-off” everyday and be held accountable for by others. It has helped me stay focused, determined, and accountable to doing the best I can through some pretty intense life wallops.

So, if you are intrigued about the 75-hard program, and are considering it, I have outlined my 10 top tips for getting started below.

1. Do a practice 75-hard trial week before officially starting so you can work out the kinks.. ie; how to pace yourself drinking a gallon of water, when you need to wake up to get your 1st workout in and get to work on time, what healthy foods need to be stocked in your frig etc,
2. Buy the Book on Mental Toughness from the creator of the program, Andy Frisella.
3. Buy a 1/2 gallon container with a straw to make planning/drinking your gallon of water a no-brainer! I bought a Civago water bottle on Amazon, but any brand will do.
4. Buy a reflective vest for your outdoor early/late night workout. Again, Amazon, any brand.
5. “”Sell” the program to friends/family and get others to join you. I started the program with my 2 cousins (they committed immediately after their mom’s funeral) and my former co-worker and good friend. And, I am thrilled to say 3 other people have started since! The more people you can have in your dedicated circle of influence, the better!
6. Figure out your diet and be realistic about it. Ask yourself, can I sustain this diet after 75-days? My cousin is on an extremely strict diet (no dairy, gluten etc). I choose a gluten-free, no processed foods (sugar) diet but allow caffeine, small amounts of dairy (1/2 &1/2 for my coffee, cheese) etc.
7. Print out a 2.5 month blank calendar and write the program requirements under each day. I love a good consistent check mark, so my calendar is on my frig and I check off each thing daily! Or, as my guy friend, Phil Gibbs recommends ( he has done this program 2x’s!) .. write the items on your bathroom mirror and check them off with a dry eraser pen before you go to sleep each night.
8. Have something you can see/wear daily that reminds you to stay on target. I made #75 Hard black rubber bracelets for everyone on my team. And, the best part is my youngest son (16 yo) asked if he could have and wear one too. He said he wanted to wear it to support me. How cute is that?
9. Be realistic about your 2 workouts. Due to illness and work circumstances, I could only do 2 long walks for the first couple of weeks. You can get a great workout doing hill walks! So, don’t discredit a good walk. Walks counts for your 2, 45-min workouts and those steps add up… I had something like 22,000 steps one day.
10. Start and continue a text strand with the people you are doing it. We started off by texting struggles, recommended books, podcasts (Mel Robbins is incredible) and have added in a daily pic or video to highlight our days.

My goal is to be more consistent with this blog now that I have a little more time to write and reflect. So, be on the lookout for more book reviews, 75-hard tips and tricks, and life mutterings from me as I begin the next exciting stage in my life!