The 75 Hard Challenge, created by YouTuber Andy Frisella to "build mental strength and discipline" over 75 days, has a softer, gentler counterpart: the 75 Soft Challenge - The Fitness Trend.

The 75 Hard Challenge preys on the good intentions of people who are trying to lead healthier lives by providing them with a long list of drastic adjustments that might lead to harmful, overly restricted behaviors.

From this idea sprang the 75 Soft Challenge. The 75 Soft Health Challenge, like its more rigorous counterpart, contains a set of regulations that must be adhered to during the duration of the challenge. The guidelines help you form healthy routines without imposing unnecessary hardships.

The 75 Hard Challenge promotes itself as a transformative program that enhances mental resilience. However, many find it demanding to keep up with.

On TikTok, the term associated with this challenge has garnered significant attention, amassing billions of views. The Health Challenge imposes five uncompromising rules over a 75-day span:

• Stick to a diet and avoid alcohol.
• Engage in two 45-minute workouts daily, ensuring one is outdoors.
• Consume 1 gallon of water daily.
• Read 10 pages of a motivational non-fiction book daily.
• Capture a daily photograph of oneself.
• Deviation or rest days aren't permitted. Failing a day necessitates starting over. The challenge doesn't specify a particular diet.

The recommended exercise duration for U.S. adults is between 150-300 minutes weekly. In contrast, the 75 Hard suggests a whopping 630 minutes weekly. Several health professionals have raised concerns over this program's intense exercise recommendation. They point out the lack of consideration for rest days, potential injuries, and the practicality of incorporating two long workouts daily.

While the 75 Hard Challenge aims to be intense, pursuing such rigorous routines may not yield lasting health or happiness benefits, especially if they're unsustainable post-challenge.

Introducing the Alternative: The 75 Soft Challenge

An alternative dubbed the 75 Soft Challenge emerged on TikTok for those seeking a less stringent program. The 75 Soft Challenge prescribes four rules over the same 75-day period:

• Eat healthily and limit alcohol to social events.
• Work out for 45 minutes daily, allocating one day a week for active recovery.
• Consume 3 liters of water daily.
• Dedicate time to read 10 pages from any book daily.

What to Keep in Mind Before Beginning the 75 Soft Challenge

The 75 Soft Challenge might not be suitable for individuals with specific dietary requirements, such as athletes or those with past eating disorders. However, it can promote good habits, like drinking enough water and maintaining physical activity, particularly for those seeking a structured health regimen.

Though 75 Soft offers a structured approach, it remains quite flexible regarding nutritional guidance. Some experts express concerns about its vague advice to "eat well." Such general terms, akin to "clean" and "natural," can be misleading. Everyone can interpret the phrase "eating well" differently, sometimes suggesting a moral judgment tied to particular foods. It's essential to consider who's defining what "eating well" truly means.

Those interested in attempting the 75 Soft Health Challenge should first understand their personal goals and expectations. Even with its established guidelines, modifications can be made to fit individual circumstances better. For instance, if someone feels the need to take a day off or requires more rest days, they should incorporate them as needed.

Why is the 75 Soft Challenge More Appropriate?

For obvious reasons, the 75 Soft Challenge makes more sense than the 75 Hard Challenge. To complete 75 Hard, you must exercise twice daily for a total of 90 minutes, with at least one of those sessions taking place in nature.

Time Consumption

To begin with, it would take a lot of time, and there are days when we just don't have that kind of spare time. You shouldn't put in an excessive amount of time exercising every day. Second, as the days become shorter and it gets darker earlier, it might be difficult for those with full-time jobs to exercise outdoors.

Seeks Uniformity Rather Than Perfection

The 75 Hard Challenge is quite stringent, sending participants back to Day 1 if they break any of the criteria, whereas the 75 Soft Challenge is much more relaxed. The goal of 75 Soft is consistency, not perfection (because, let's be honest, none of us are), so don't let the name fool you. If you are unable to complete Day 15 for whatever reason, simply use it as a rest day and continue with the program on Day 16.

Leave ‘Me Time’

The 75 Soft Challenge provides wonderful opportunities to begin caring for yourself, and one of the nicest parts is that you can do it without sacrificing time with friends and other interests. However, the strict food and drink limitations of the 75 Hard Challenge make it difficult to enjoy social situations, and that's assuming you even make it to social events, what with the demanding 90 minutes of daily activity required.

Sufficient to Motivate Positive Change

In the face of difficulty, a little taste is always preferable than a massive one. If you try to implement too many new healthy behaviors at once, you will likely fail. This might give you the false impression that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is unattainable. It's wise to take baby steps at first. Those adjustments, however little, will eventually lead to enthusiasm and a need for more. In this light, 75 Hard would be excessive, whereas 75 Soft would be just right.

Which Is Better, a 75 Soft or a 75 Hard?

While both exercise regimens have benefits, the 75 Soft Challenge has addressed the major issues of the 75 Hard Challenge. 75 Soft is a generally healthy regimen with many positive effects on both body and mind. Because to its adaptability and lower requirements, it is more feasible than the 75 Hard Challenge. A recent research found that even short 5-minute walks during breaks may have positive effects on both physical and mental health, so it's worth doing even if you can't fit in a full 45-minute exercise every day.