Five Things To Do Before Starting 75 Hard

I’ve officially finished eight days of the 75 Hard challenge. Even though I still have quite a way to go, I feel like I already have so much knowledge I can share. If you’re thinking about taking on this mental toughness challenge, here are five things I’d recommend you do before you dive into day one.

1. Spend Some Time Getting Prepared for 75 Hard

I know that Andy Frisella, the founder of 75 Hard, says to not waste time thinking about doing the challenge and just jump right in. I totally understand why he would say this, as there never is a perfect time to do it. Plus, more often than not, people are always preparing for the thing – regardless of what that thing is – and not just doing the damn thing! I get that.

But when I decided to do 75 Hard, I picked a date that was just about a month away. My thought was that by picking a start date of February 28th, the Texas weather would be nicer for the duration of the challenge. It’s 37 degrees today, so that clearly turned out to not be the case. But, having a few weeks before I started did give me some time to think through what I needed in order to be successful. For me, that meant getting some half gallon water jugs to help me track my water more conveniently, reading the 75 Hard book so I knew all the rules, and thinking through what I wanted my diet to be. Plus, I started telling some friends that I was going to be doing the challenge, which brings me to…

2. Find (or Make) a 75 Hard Accountability Group

I love connecting people and introducing friends from one part of my life to friends from another. Being in the wedding industry and a wedding planner specifically, my job is all about connections. So when I decided to do 75 Hard, I knew I didn’t want to fly solo but instead wanted to recruit a group of people who could be my accountability partners. I have to say, this has been so rewarding on so many levels.

It’s hard to explain to anyone who isn’t doing the program everything that it entails, both physically and mentally, so it’s nice to have a group of people that truly get it. Plus, it’s been great to get suggestions on everything from workouts to food ideas. We’ve chatted about everything from how often to weigh in without obsessing, how to handle hair washing with so many workouts, and even rallied around each other when one of us is having to work through a late night workout or managing two workouts while traveling. Doing hard things is so much more enjoyable with other people! #highlyrecommend

3. Tell Your Friends and Family You’re Doing 75 Hard

Aside from my accountability group and my close friends, I also told the world that I was going to do 75 Hard through my social media channels, specifically Instagram. While that approach might not be for everyone, I really like to share what I’m doing when it comes to health and fitness, especially if I feel like it might motivate someone else. I also felt like sharing what I was doing publicly would not only keep me more accountable, but would also make it easier to adjust future expectations. As in, I don’t have to feel bad about suggesting a healthy restaurant option or not ordering an adult beverage when we’re out because you already know what I have going on in my life.

While I regularly post the things I have going on in my life on my personal Instagram account, @kimberly.notkim , I decided to start a separate account specifically related to health and fitness, @kimberly.notkim_fitness. My reasoning was that I wanted to post regularly about the challenge without feeling like I was annoying people who really just want to see what outfits I’m wearing or photos of my cute dog. It’s nice to know that the only people who are following that account are there to either cheer me on or get inspired, and I don’t have to worry about turning anyone off with too much health and fitness stuff.

4. Pre-Plan Some Rewards

During my prep phase, I came to realize that I very often use food (and alcohol) as a reward. Had a rough day? Let’s make ourselves feel better with some chips and queso. Had a great day? Let’s celebrate with some chips and queso! During 75 Hard, I knew that I would need to come up with other rewards that weren’t food related and so that I could have something to look forward to.

Before even starting the challenge, I booked a couple of massages for myself, spread a few weeks apart. I absolutely love massages, so having that on the calendar was something to look forward to. It may not be massages for you, but what’s something that you can plan as a reward throughout the challenge – a manicure, a facial, a new outfit? Putting that on the calendar just might be the carrot you need to push through that second workout.

5. Find Activities That Don’t Focus Around Food

Similar to planning some rewards that aren’t food centered, I quickly found that most of my social activities are also focused around food… and alcohol! It’s so common for me to plan a happy hour with a friend or book a dinner reservation at a decadent restaurant with the hubs. And while I could still do all those things but just not drink and make food choices that would comply with my diet, I found that it’s much easier and more enjoyable to instead find new activities.

I love the arts but I haven’t made a lot of effort over the years to take advantage of all that my city has to offer. In an attempt to find entertainment that wasn’t just food, I found a dance performance that the hubs and I went to see as part of a date night. It was wonderful! Are there plays or musicals in your city that you could see? Could you go to a movie and avoid the popcorn (assuming that buttery, salty movie popcorn isn’t part of your diet)? Or try your hand at axe throwing, bowling, or an escape room?

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While I do agree that you shouldn’t overthink it and delay your start indefinitely, I do think there is some value in preparation. Pick a date and share it publicly, and as the date approaches, put together your toolbox of things that will help you be successful.

While I did the five things mentioned above, there are some things I did before starting that I would not recommend. Stay tuned…