The 75 Hard rules are five daily tasks, held for 75 days in a row with no changes. You follow a diet with no cheat meals and no alcohol. You do two 45 minute workouts, one of them outdoors. You drink a gallon of water, read 10 pages of nonfiction, and take a progress photo. Miss one task on any day and you start again at day one.
Andy Frisella created the program, and Cleveland Clinic dates its debut to 2019. He calls it a mental toughness program, not a fitness challenge. The five lines are easy to find. The fine print is where people get stuck.
This page checks each point against the program's own pages and against Cleveland Clinic. Where the official pages are silent or disagree, it says so. This site is not affiliated with Andy Frisella or the 75 Hard program.
The 75 Hard Rules: Five Daily Tasks
These are the five rules as the official rules article lists them.
- Follow a diet. You choose the plan. No cheat meals and no alcohol for all 75 days.
- Complete two 45 minute workouts. They must be at least 3 hours apart, and one must be outdoors.
- Drink one gallon of water. That is 128 ounces, or 3.8 liters, of plain water.
- Read 10 pages of nonfiction. A book that teaches you something. Audiobooks do not count.
- Take a progress photo. One every day.
There are no rest days, no substitutions and no partial credit. If you miss one task, you restart at day one. Cleveland Clinic lists the same five rules.
The rules are the same for everyone. The official pages give one rule set, with no separate version for women or for beginners.
What Is 75 Hard?
75 Hard is a 75 day program built on those five tasks and one restart rule. The name means what it says: 75 days, done the hard way. The rules are free on Frisella's site. His book, The Book on Mental Toughness, covers them in more detail. The name 75 Hard is a trademark.
75 Hard Challenge Rules: The Fine Print
Most rule lists stop at five lines. These answers come from the official rules article and FAQ pages.
The Two Workouts
- Must the workouts be separate? Yes. The rules article says 3 hours apart. The help center FAQ says 3 to 4 hours at a minimum. Plan for 4 and you satisfy both.
- Can you split a workout? No. Each one runs 45 minutes straight, as a minimum.
- What counts as a workout? Any type, a walk and yoga included. The FAQ test: it challenges you physically and is done only as exercise.
- What does outdoors mean? Outside, with no cover over you. Both workouts may be outdoors.
- What about bad weather? Rain, snow, heat and cold are no excuse. If conditions threaten your safety, the FAQ says to stay inside. The day still counts as a miss.
The Gallon of Water
- What counts toward the gallon? Plain, still, unflavored water. Sparkling water, flavored water, and water with electrolytes or protein powder do not.
- Can you drink other things? Yes, if they fit your diet. Coffee, tea and other drinks do not count toward the 128 ounces.
The 10 Pages
- Do audiobooks count? No. The rules article says you must physically read the pages.
- Does an ebook count? Unconfirmed. The official FAQ asks for a physical book and never mentions ebooks. Some popular rule lists allow them.
- Which books count? Nonfiction that teaches you something: self development, business, or your career. No fiction. The FAQ says the Bible counts.
- Can you switch books? No. The FAQ says to finish one book before you start the next.
The Photo and the Day
- What is the photo rule? One progress photo every day. You do not have to post it.
- When does a day end? When you go to bed, not at midnight.
The 75 Hard Diet Rule
There is no 75 Hard diet. The rule is to pick a diet and follow it for 75 days with no cheat meals and no alcohol. The program sets no calories, no macros and no food list.
The official rules article says the diet can be whatever you want, as long as it fits your goals. The official FAQ adds a blunt test for a single food. If you have to question it, it probably does not belong.
That leaves “cheat meal” without a fixed definition, so set your own before day one. Write down what your plan includes and what counts as a cheat. Then the nightly check is a yes or a no.
This page does not recommend a diet. Ask a doctor or a registered dietitian if you are unsure what to eat while training twice a day.
What Happens If You Miss a Day of 75 Hard
You restart at day one. One missed task is enough, on day 2 or on day 74.
The cost is easy to compute: a miss on day N moves your end date back by N days. Take a start on Friday, January 1, 2027. Day 75 is Tuesday, March 16, 2027. One miss moves it like this:
| Task missed on | New day one | New end date | Total days on the program |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 10, Sunday, January 10 | Monday, January 11 | Friday, March 26, 2027 | 85 |
| Day 40, Tuesday, February 9 | Wednesday, February 10 | Sunday, April 25, 2027 | 115 |
| Day 74, Monday, March 15 | Tuesday, March 16 | Saturday, May 29, 2027 | 149 |
Does the restart build the habit? The best known habit study suggests not. Over 12 weeks, missing one opportunity did not materially affect habit formation. The restart rule tests perfection, which is a different thing.
So decide before day one what you do after a miss. The official answer is to restart. The other honest answer is to keep counting under softer rules. That plan is sound, but it is not 75 Hard. If one miss turns into a week off, use the recovery protocol.
The Weekly Load in Numbers
75 Hard is 630 minutes of training a week. Two 45 minute workouts make 90 minutes a day, seven days a week. That is 10.5 hours, with no rest day.
The World Health Organization recommends 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week for adults. 75 Hard asks for more than twice the top of that range. The range is not a ceiling, and the same guideline says more activity is better. The hard part is 75 days without a day off.
Over the full run, the totals are:
- 150 workouts and 112.5 hours of training.
- 75 gallons of water, about 284 liters.
- 750 pages and 75 photos.
- At least 4.5 hours a day from the start of workout one to the end of workout two.
Intensity is yours to set. The official rules count a walk as a workout, so most sessions can be easy. Vary them to spread the strain.
Does 75 Hard Work? The Evidence and the Risks
There is little to no scientific evidence that 75 Hard is beneficial. Cleveland Clinic reports that finding from its sports performance psychologist, Matthew Sacco, PhD. The success stories online are anecdotes, not data.
The same article names two risks:
- Overuse injury. Two workouts a day leave little time to rest, above all if you are new to training.
- Body image. A daily photo can motivate. It can also feed self esteem and body image problems.
Sacco also questions the all or nothing design. He says that “what actually builds resilience is having the ability to bounce back when something happens.”
This site takes the same side: systems over willpower. 75 Hard is a willpower test by design. Do not mistake passing it for a system that still runs on day 76.
Who 75 Hard Suits
- You already train most days and carry no injury.
- You can protect 90 minutes of training a day, in two blocks at least 3 hours apart.
- You want a pass or fail test, and a restart would not break you.
Who Should Pick a Softer Version
- A daily workout is new to you.
- You are coming back from an injury or manage a chronic condition.
- You have a history of disordered eating or body image trouble.
75 Soft cuts the load to one workout a day with a weekly recovery day. 75 Medium asks for one workout a day and has no restart. The 75 Hard vs 75 Soft comparison sets all three side by side.
This page is not medical advice. Talk to a doctor first if you have a medical condition or an injury. The same goes if you are pregnant or have a history of disordered eating.
75 Hard Rule Sheet and Daily Checklist
Copy this rule sheet and fill it in before day one:
Then run this line once a day, in writing:
Give every task a fixed time. “Outdoor walk at 6:30” survives a bad day. “Second workout at some point” does not. The method is on the consistency page.
Want it on paper? The 75 challenge tracker has a printable 75 day grid and an end date calculator.
75 Hard Start and End Dates
Day 75 is your start date plus 74 days. The run is 10 weeks and 5 days. These end dates assume no restart:
| Start (day 1) | End (day 75) | Why this start |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, October 18, 2026 | Thursday, December 31, 2026 | The last start that finishes inside 2026 |
| Saturday, December 26, 2026 | Wednesday, March 10, 2027 | The day after Christmas |
| Friday, January 1, 2027 | Tuesday, March 16, 2027 | New Year's Day |
| Monday, January 4, 2027 | Friday, March 19, 2027 | First Monday of the year |
A December 26 start puts all 75 outdoor workouts between late December and early March. A start on October 18 ends on the same night as a winter arc, December 31.
After Day 75: Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3
75 Hard is the first stage of a year long program called Live Hard. Three phases of 30 days each follow it. Finishing day 75 still completes 75 Hard.
| Stage | Length | Daily tasks | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 75 Hard | 75 days | The five tasks | Your start date |
| Phase 1 | 30 days | The five tasks, a 5 minute cold shower, 3 extra critical tasks, and 10 minutes of visualization | Right after 75 Hard, or later |
| Phase 2 | 30 days | The five tasks only | At least 30 days after Phase 1 ends |
| Phase 3 | 30 days | The five tasks, the cold shower, the 3 extra critical tasks, a real conversation with a stranger, and a random act of kindness | The last 30 days before the anniversary of your start |
Critical tasks are actions that move one of your goals forward. Chores do not count. The restart rule also changes by phase. Fail in Phase 1 or Phase 2 and you restart that phase. Fail in Phase 3 and you go back to day one of 75 Hard.
Start 75 Hard on January 1, 2027 and Phase 3 runs from December 2 to December 31, 2027. The full year holds 165 task days. Before you run anything next, review your count with the Lock In Protocol.
The Lock In Protocol
A rule you cannot check is a rule you will argue with late at night. Before day one, turn each of the five tasks into a time and a number: two workout slots at least 3 hours apart, a marked gallon, a written meal plan, 10 pages, one photo. Check each task off in writing on the day it happens. Decide now what you do after a miss. The streak is the output. The schedule is the system.
Key Takeaways
- The 75 Hard rules are five daily tasks for 75 days: a diet with no cheat meals and no alcohol, two 45 minute workouts with one outdoors, a gallon of plain water, 10 pages of nonfiction, and a progress photo.
- The fine print is stricter than most rule lists. Workouts sit at least 3 hours apart, outdoors means no cover, the gallon is plain still water, and audiobooks do not count.
- One missed task restarts the count. A miss on day N moves your end date back by N days. Miss on day 40 of a January 1, 2027 start and March 16 becomes April 25.
- The load is 630 minutes of training a week with no rest day. The World Health Organization recommends 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity.
- The evidence is thin. Cleveland Clinic reports little to no scientific evidence that the program is beneficial, and names overuse injury and body image as risks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 75 Hard rules?
The 75 Hard rules are five daily tasks done for 75 days in a row. Follow a diet with no cheat meals and no alcohol. Complete two 45 minute workouts at least 3 hours apart, one of them outdoors. Drink one gallon of plain water. Read 10 pages of nonfiction from a physical book. Take a progress photo. If you miss any task on any day, you restart at day one.
What is the 75 Hard challenge?
75 Hard is a 75 day program created by Andy Frisella, which Cleveland Clinic dates to 2019. He describes it as a mental toughness program, not a fitness challenge. It has five daily tasks covering diet, exercise, water, reading and a progress photo, with no rest days and no substitutions. One missed task sends you back to day one.
What happens if you miss a day of 75 Hard?
You restart at day one, even if you missed only one task. A miss on day N moves your end date back by N days. If you start on January 1, 2027, day 75 is March 16, 2027. Miss a task on day 40, which is February 9, and the new end date is April 25, 2027.
Do audiobooks count for 75 Hard?
No. The official rules say you must physically read the 10 pages, so audiobooks do not count. The official FAQ asks for a physical book and does not mention ebooks, so whether an ebook reader counts is unconfirmed. The book must be nonfiction on self development, business or your career.
What is the 75 Hard diet?
There is no set 75 Hard diet. The rule is to choose a structured diet that fits your goals and follow it for 75 days with no cheat meals and no alcohol. The program does not set calories, macros or a food list. Ask a doctor or a registered dietitian if you are unsure what to eat while training twice a day.
What are 75 Hard Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3?
They are the three 30 day phases that follow 75 Hard in the year long Live Hard program. Phase 1 adds a 5 minute cold shower, 3 extra critical tasks and 10 minutes of visualization to the five daily tasks. Phase 2 repeats the five tasks after a break of at least 30 days. Phase 3 runs in the last 30 days before the anniversary of your start. It adds a conversation with a stranger and a random act of kindness.
References
- 75 HARD Rules: the five daily tasks as written by the creator of the program (Andy Frisella, official site)
- 75 HARD frequently asked questions on workouts, water, books, bad weather and restarts (Andy Frisella help center)
- The 75 HARD Archive: official FAQ on audiobooks, time between workouts and what counts as a workout (Andy Frisella, official site)
- What is the LIVEHARD Program? The four stages, including Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 (Andy Frisella, official site)
- The 75 Hard Challenge: rules, evidence and risks, reviewed with sports performance psychologist Matthew Sacco, PhD (Cleveland Clinic, September 2025)
- World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour (PubMed)
- Lally, van Jaarsveld, Potts and Wardle. How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. European Journal of Social Psychology, 2010.
