The 75 Hard rules are simple to state and brutal to keep: for 75 consecutive days you must (1) follow a structured diet with no cheat meals and no alcohol, (2) complete two 45-minute workouts, one of them outdoors, (3) drink one gallon of water, (4) read 10 pages of a non-fiction book, and (5) take a daily progress photo. Miss any task on any day and you start over at Day 1.
Created by entrepreneur Andy Frisella in 2019, 75 Hard is pitched not as a fitness challenge but as a "transformative mental toughness program." The physical results are a side effect; the real product is proof that you can keep promises to yourself for 75 straight days.
The 5 Official 75 Hard Rules
Rule 1: Follow a diet — zero cheat meals, zero alcohol
You choose the diet. Keto, clean eating, a calorie target, Mediterranean — anything structured and aligned with a goal. What's non-negotiable is compliance: no cheat meals and no alcohol for all 75 days. One "it's just a bite" moment is a failed day. Need help choosing? See our 75 Hard diet guide.
Rule 2: Two 45-minute workouts — one must be outdoors
Two separate sessions of at least 45 minutes each, every day. One must happen outside, whatever the weather — that's deliberate; comfort is the enemy. The sessions can't be stacked into one 90-minute block. Walking counts. Full details and weekly templates in our 75 Hard workout guide.
Rule 3: Drink one gallon of water
One US gallon = 128 oz = about 3.8 liters of plain water. Coffee, tea, sparkling water, and electrolyte mixes don't count toward the gallon. Pacing strategies are in the water intake guide.
Rule 4: Read 10 pages of non-fiction
Ten physical pages of a non-fiction, personal-development book. Audiobooks don't count under the official rules — the point is focused, distraction-free reading. Ten pages is roughly 15 minutes; most people anchor it to a morning coffee or a wind-down routine.
Rule 5: Take a daily progress photo
One photo, every day, same rough conditions if possible. It feels pointless until around Day 40 — then the Day 1 vs. today comparison becomes the strongest motivator you have. It's also the task people most often forget, and yes, forgetting it means restarting.
The unwritten Rule 6: total honesty. Nobody checks your water jug or counts your pages. 75 Hard only works if you refuse to negotiate with yourself — which is exactly why tracking each task the moment you finish it matters.
What Counts and What Doesn't
| Scenario | Counts? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 45-minute outdoor walk | ✓ Yes | Any intentional 45-minute activity counts as a workout |
| One 90-minute gym session | ✗ No | Must be two separate 45-minute sessions |
| Black coffee | ✓ Yes | Allowed if your diet allows it — but never counts as water |
| One beer on Day 60 | ✗ No | Alcohol is banned all 75 days — instant restart |
| Audiobook chapter | ✗ No | Official rules require reading physical pages |
| Treadmill for the outdoor workout | ✗ No | One workout must genuinely be outside |
| Progress photo at 11:58 PM | ✓ Yes | Every task just needs to be done within the calendar day |
The Restart Rule
75 Hard's defining feature: fail one task, restart at Day 1 — even on Day 74. There are no partial credits, sick days, or vacation passes. Frisella's logic is that you can't build uncompromising discipline by compromising. What failing actually looks like (and how to bounce back) is covered in what happens if you fail 75 Hard.
The Mistakes That Force Most Restarts
- Forgetting the photo or the last pages — the two "small" tasks cause the most failures, usually late at night.
- Back-loading the water — 60 oz left at 9 PM is a failed day waiting to happen.
- No plan for the outdoor workout — weather excuses kill more runs than injuries do.
- A diet that's too aggressive — you're training twice a day; a crash diet guarantees a blowup around week 3.
- Tracking "in your head" — memory is exactly the negotiating partner 75 Hard tells you to fire.
How to track the rules in the 75 Hard app
- Set your start date — today, or schedule your Day 1 in advance.
- Check off all six tasks daily — both workouts, water, diet, reading, photo — one tap each; the screen turns from red to green as you go.
- Watch the 75-day calendar fill — green means complete, a red border marks today, gray days are still ahead.
- Rate your day 1–10 on the motivation meter and jot a line in the journal — the mental log is what makes Day 75 stick.
- Slip up? The app restarts you at a precise Day 1 while keeping your history — no spreadsheet surgery.
Track Every Rule. Skip the Excuses.
Free 75 Hard tracker for iPhone — one-tap checklist, 75-day calendar, streak widget. No ads, no account.
Download 75 Hard — Workout Challenge75 Hard Rules: FAQ
Are there rest days on 75 Hard?
No. Every task, every day, for 75 days. Smart participants use a 45-minute walk or easy mobility session as an "active recovery" workout rather than skipping.
Can I do one 90-minute workout instead of two?
No — the workouts must be two separate 45-minute sessions, and one must be outdoors.
Do audiobooks count as reading?
Not under the official rules. Ten pages must be read, not heard, and the book should be non-fiction.
Is 75 Hard safe?
It's a heavy load. Clinicians (see the Cleveland Clinic's review) advise medical clearance first, sane workout intensity, and adequate calories. If full Hard is too much right now, compare it with 75 Soft and 75 Medium.