Last week I completed the 75 Hard challenge. Instead of feeling the relief I anticipated at the beginning of this journey, I am feeling a little sad about the ending of what turned out to be a transformative experience.

I started this challenge with my husband James and my mentee Ashley on January 2nd. Ashley was the one who told us about 75 Hard last year, and my original thought was, "Wow, that's crazy," but I was intrigued. I wondered what would inspire a person to do this. And then in December, after struggling for months and months with menopausal symptoms including inability to sleep through the night, hot flashes, and brain fog, I decided to jump in.

What is the 75 Hard challenge? 75 Hard consists of the following:

• Two 45-minute workouts a day; one must take place outside.

• Selecting a healthy diet and sticking with it — no cheat days.

• Drinking 1 gallon of water a day.

• No drinking alcohol.

• Taking a daily photo of yourself to document progress.

• Reading at least 10 pages of a non-fiction book every day.

Omitting any task causes you to fail, and you must restart and reset to Day 1.

Why would anyone want to do this? 

I asked myself this over and over again when I was anticipating how this challenge would play out in my life. I seriously wondered whether or not I would be able to meet this challenge but decided to try anyway.

Initially, there was a level of excitement that came with this challenge. Setting such a comprehensive goal comes with exhilaration. Doing this with James kept me accountable, and we both knew what the other person was going through, which was huge. The program would have probably caused conflict otherwise, because your priorities change throughout the process.

What happened?

You Can’t Opt Out

The first thing that happens on this program is that you eliminate the possibility of not doing the work. What I mean is that you don't wake up and think, "I'm tired, maybe I'll skip walking today and get a little more sleep." Rain or shine or wind, James and I were up at 5:50 AM to complete our morning walk or workout before getting ready for work. When "maybe" is eliminated, you don't ever question doing the work, you just do it.

Planning

Structuring my day to ensure success became critical. You can't do both workouts back to back, for example. You need to have a minimum of 3 hours in between. Consequently, you have to really think about how to make your day work given all of your daily commitments and these constraints. And since I had to really commit to eating well, I found that food prep was critical. There would be no fast food runs or eating junk food to feel good. I also began counting my protein intake and taking essential supplements. Everything was pre-planned down to setting out my workout clothes every night, something I had never done before.

Starting the Day with the Sunrise

By far, my favorite aspect of this challenge was walking every morning and watching the sun rise. Before this, I was not a morning person at all. I have never, ever thought it would be a good idea to wake up before the sun to start my day. The decision to do an early morning walk was initially made out of necessity because there was no other way to fit in two 45 minute workouts otherwise given our work schedules. Surprisingly, this ritual turned out to be the most meaningful. It is magical to start. your day with a grounding walk witnessing the sun slowly light up the earth. You come to deeply understand that every day is an opportunity to start again, to try again, to become renewed.

Our sunrise walk on day 75 of the challenge.

Making Myself First

This aspect of the program I honestly didn't think about prior to starting. I was more focused on the rigor of the physical demands than the emotional and spiritual development that would occur. During this program, I had to say no more often than I ever had before. I had to skip events and parties. I had to set boundaries around my work schedule and my sleep schedule. In essence, I had to take care of myself first, and for a mom and wife of so many years, this was huge and honestly felt really strange at first. But this mental shift completely changed me for the better. I realized that I deserved the attention I was finally giving myself, and this mental shift allowed me to show up in more meaningful ways for my family.

Health Benefits

I think most people who are unfamiliar with this program first focus on the physical outcomes of this journey. I know I did. I wondered how much weight I would lose. But losing weight turned out to be insignificant. In total, I only lost 5 lbs, but I was able to fit into some old jeans and shorts that had not fit me for a long while. The huge difference for me was my strength. I have become so much stronger! I started weight lifting with this program, and thanks to my personal trainer James (hee hee), I have experienced measurable results and am motivated to continue weight training. 

For women dealing with perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms, weight lifting and diet can really change the game. I followed age-appropriate, expert advice about what to eat and how to structure my workouts. I also added daily creatine and supplements to support my changing body. I made sure to hit my daily protein goals, and the results were amazing.

My menopause symptoms steadily decreased and by the end of February had pretty much disappeared. I was able to sleep through the night. My hot flashes subsided. I became more productive with my work because the brain fog lifted. These results truly blew me away. Despite being given a prescription for hormone replacement therapy, which I begged for, I ended up not taking it. By the end of February I didn’t need HRT anymore. My hormones were balanced.

I also had a blood draw at the end of February, and it was the best it has been in recent years. My cholesterol, A1C, liver function, and thyroid function were all great. My blood pressure was excellent, all signs that my body was working optimally. 

Reading Every Day

I have always been a reader, so this part of the challenge was not hard. However, reading non-fiction every day was new for me, and it was amazing. I read truly inspirational books that challenged me and forced me to step outside of my thinking comfort zone. I found that both James and I had epiphanies about ourselves and the way we relate to each other and the world. I have never felt more grounded or more empowered to live a life that is truly peaceful and joyful. I started to experience the small moments that make up a life with profound gratitude. I can honestly say that both James and I experienced a rebirth of our being.

What Was Hard

Since I am trying my best to summarize this experience, I have highlighted the overall improved physical and spiritual aspects of this journey, which are the main takeaways. However, I did experience really hard days too, especially in the beginning. There were some days when I had to force myself to complete the second workout when I felt so exhausted I just wanted to lie down. Doing an outdoor workout in the rain or in crazy wind was also not fun and something I would normally skip.

And the hardest part, by far, was drinking so much water. Holy cow, drinking a gallon a day is a lot of water. This part of the challenge was no joke. I have never peed so much in my life, especially initially. But, as promised by Ashley, my body did get used to it, my bladder must have expanded, I don't know, but my body did adapt.

All of the hard times showed me that I can do really hard things. And, this was the overt gift of the challenge: resilience.

How I Changed

In the end, this experience changed my life in positive ways:

I am so glad I did it! I am continuing much of the 75 Hard routine because I feel good. 

I have a new love, respect, and gratitude for my physical body that has carried me through this life and continues to support me every day. 

I have gained greater understanding and appreciation for my connection to the universe. 

I have learned to love and care for myself without feeling any guilt and have developed genuine self-compassion. 

I am grateful for my unbreakable spirit that has never abandoned me.

I am grateful for my life and I plan to live it fully. 

I absolutely know that I am love, and my life's work is to share that love with the world.