75 Hard Diet - Meal Plans and Tips for Completing the 75 Day Challenge

Understanding the 75 Hard Diet and Fitness Challenge

The 75 Hard Challenge has become an increasingly popular fitness and diet program over the past couple of years. It was created by author and motivational speaker Andy Frisella as an extreme mental toughness program. The main premise is to complete 75 days of rigorous diet, exercise and mental resilience training.

The challenge consists of adhering to the following rules for 75 consecutive days:

• Follow a diet of your choosing
• Get at least 45 minutes of exercise twice per day
• Drink a gallon (3.8 liters) of water each day
• Read 10 pages of a nonfiction book each day
• Take a progress picture every day

You cannot miss or pause a day for any reason, otherwise you have to start over from day 1. As you can imagine, this challenge is not for the faint of heart. It requires extreme discipline, commitment and mental fortitude. However, tens of thousands of people have now completed the challenge and experienced remarkable transformations.

Choosing the Right Diet Plan for 75 Hard

One of the keys to success with the 75 Hard Challenge is choosing the right diet plan for your goals and lifestyle. The rules state that you can follow any diet you want, as long as you rigidly stick to it every single day for 75 days straight.

Here are some of the most popular and effective diets that work well with 75 Hard:

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting has become one of the most popular diet approaches for weight loss, muscle gain, mental clarity and overall health. It involves timing your meals so that you fast for an extended period each day, usually between 14-20 hours. For 75 Hard, many people skip breakfast and eat all their meals within an 8 hour window, such as 12pm to 8pm. The extended fast helps burn fat, while allowing you to eat larger satisfying meals when you do eat.

Keto Diet

The ketogenic or keto diet is a very low carb, high fat approach that forces your body to burn fat as its main fuel source. To follow keto, you eat foods like meat, fish, eggs, healthy fats, nuts, seeds, low carb vegetables and dairy. Avoiding carbs keeps your body in a metabolic state called ketosis. Research shows keto is effective for weight loss and diabetes control. It works well for 75 Hard since high fat foods keep you feeling full.

Paleo Diet

The paleo diet mimics the eating patterns of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. It eliminates processed foods, grains, legumes, dairy and vegetable oils. The allowed foods include meat, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts and healthy fats like olive oil and coconut oil. Since paleo cuts out many food allergens and inflammatory foods, it can aid weight loss, reduce inflammation and boost energy levels. Paleo provides clean eating habits for the 75 days.

Whole30 Diet

Whole30 is a 30 day clean eating program that eliminates sugar, grains, legumes, dairy and processed foods. It encourages eating whole foods like vegetables, proteins, fruits and healthy fats. Many people continue Whole30 past the 30 days as an ongoing lifestyle. Its ideal for resetting your food habits and reducing cravings. Whole30 principals translate perfectly into a 75 day challenge.

Volume Eating

Volume eating focuses on foods that are low in calorie density, meaning they provide large portions for few calories. These foods include non-starchy vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and whole grains. Building meals around these nutrient-dense, high volume foods allows you to eat satisfying portions while still losing weight. Volume eating works well with 75 Hard since it helps control hunger and cravings.

Flexitarian Diet

The flexitarian diet encourages mostly plant-based foods while still allowing the occasional inclusion of meat, fish, eggs and dairy. Its a flexible approach where you eat vegetarian most of the time, but arent strictly limited if eating with friends or dining out. Research shows the flexitarian diet aids weight loss and has health benefits. It provides a simple, flexible eating plan to adhere to for 75 days.

Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is consistently ranked as one of the healthiest eating patterns. Its focused on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, olive oil, fish and moderate wine intake. You can build 75 Hard meals around lean proteins like fish, chicken and eggs paired with lots of Mediterranean veggies, healthy fats and whole grain carbs. This creates satisfying, well-balanced meals.

7 Tips for Diet Success with 75 Hard

Here are some helpful tips to succeed with your 75 Hard diet plan:

1. Choose Foods You Enjoy

Dont force yourself to eat foods you hate just because theyre considered healthy. Choose a diet you can realistically stick to long-term that includes foods you genuinely enjoy eating. This makes it easier to be consistent for 75 days.

2. Focus on Nutrient Density

Structure your diet around nutrient dense foods like vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, whole grains and healthy fats. These provide the vitamins, minerals and fuel your body needs without excess calories.

3. Cook in Bulk

Cook several days worth of meals at once, like roasted vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. This makes it easier to stick to your diet when you have prepped food ready to eat.

4. Carry Healthy Snacks

Bring snack foods like nuts, hard boiled eggs, veggies and fruits with you so you have diet-approved options when hunger strikes.

5. Drink Water Before Meals

Consuming 16-24 oz water 30 minutes before eating allows your stomach to expand and leads you to eat less at meals.

6. Weigh and Measure Portions

Use a food scale and measuring cups to portion out servings of nuts, oils, grains and other high calorie foods to control portions.

7. Plan Meals and Grocery Lists

Take time each week to plan out your meals and make detailed grocery lists. This prevents last minute food choices when hunger sets in.

Making the 75 Hard Diet Easier

While the 75 Hard Challenge is meant to be extremely difficult, you can take some steps to make following the diet rules a bit easier:

• Drink water between meals, not just with them
• Choose lower volume/density foods like broth soups and salads to help get in all your water each day
• Dont deprive yourself - work in small amounts of treats that fit your diet plan like dark chocolate if doing keto or paleo
• Take 2 rest days per week from exercise - active recovery like walking or yoga is fine
• Get community support and an accountability partner to motivate you daily
• Refer back to your why - the reasons you committed to doing this challenge in the first place
• Remember that cheat days are not allowed - commitment is key to completing 75 Hard

Sample 75 Hard Meal Plan

Here is an example of what a one week meal plan can look like when doing the 75 Hard challenge:

Monday

• Breakfast: None
• Lunch: Tuna salad stuffed in a tomato + mixed greens salad with lemon vinaigrette
• Dinner: Ground turkey lettuce wrap tacos + roasted broccoli
• Snacks: Strawberries + almonds, protein shake

Tuesday

• Breakfast: None
• Lunch: Veggie & chickpea coconut curry with cauliflower rice
• Dinner: Salmon with sweet potato + sauted kale
• Snacks: Baby carrots & hummus, apple with almond butter

Wednesday

• Breakfast: None
• Lunch: Grass-fed beef burger (no bun) + side salad
• Dinner: Chicken fajitas with peppers and onions + black beans
• Snacks: Hardboiled eggs, green smoothie

Thursday

• Breakfast: None
• Lunch: Large chopped vegetable & chickpea salad
• Dinner: Greek yogurt & berry parfait + mixed nuts
• Snacks: Protein bar, cottage cheese + tomatoes

Friday

• Breakfast: None
• Lunch: Leftover salmon + quinoa pilaf
• Dinner: Veggie & egg scramble with avocado
• Snacks: Smoothie, celery sticks with almond butter

Saturday

• Breakfast: None
• Lunch: Spinach salad with grilled chicken, boiled egg, avocado and balsamic dressing
• Dinner: Pork tenderloin + roasted Brussels sprouts
• Snacks: Fresh berries, kale chips

Sunday

• Breakfast: None
• Lunch: Grilled shrimp skewers over quinoa + grilled zucchini
• Dinner: Steak lettuce wraps
• Snacks: Vegan protein bar, celery sticks

Meal Prep Tips for 75 Hard Diet Success

Planning and preparing your meals in advance is key to staying on track with your diet during the 75 days. Here are some meal prep tips:

• Cook 2-3 pounds of lean protein like chicken, turkey or grass-fed beef at once to use throughout the week
• Roast sheet pans of vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots etc to quickly add to meals
• Cook a big batch of whole grains like brown rice, farro or quinoa to use as bases for bowls and salads
• Wash and prep fruits and veggies like celery, carrots and berries for easy grab-and-go snacks
• Make a big salad for the week with your leafy greens, proteins, nuts and dressings stored separately
• Portion nuts, seeds and nut butters into single servings so theyre ready to eat
• Hard boil a dozen eggs at once for breakfasts and snacks

Top 75 Hard Approved Snacks

Having go-to snacks on hand will prevent you from cheating with unhealthy convenience foods when hunger hits. Here are 30 great snacking options to choose from:

• Fresh fruits - apples, bananas, berries, citrus, etc
• Fresh vegetables - carrots, celery, bell peppers, cucumbers etc
• Hummus with veggie sticks for dipping
• Hard boiled eggs
• Nuts - almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios etc
• Seeds - pumpkin, sunflower, chia, hemp
• Nut/seed butters - look for all natural
• Protein shakes/smoothies
• Greek yogurt
• Cottage cheese
• Kale chips
• Air popped popcorn
• Roasted chickpeas
• High protein bars/granola bars
• Dried fruit - look for no added sugar
• Beef or turkey jerky - look for low carb options
• Canned fish like tuna or salmon
• Cheese sticks
• Dark chocolate - at least 70% cocoa

Final Tips for Diet Success with 75 Hard

Here are a few final tips to help you achieve consistent success with your diet plan during 75 Hard:

• Stick to the rules no matter what - no cheats or pauses allowed
• Drink all of your water - dont try to cut corners on the gallon each day
• Prep food ahead of time so you always have diet approved options on hand
• If intermittent fasting, be consistent with your eating window schedule
• Read nutrition labels carefully to stay within your diet guidelines
• Learn to enjoy simpler whole foods to appreciate their true flavors
• Find substitutions for any problematic foods - like cauliflower rice instead of regular rice
• Get creative and add variety with herbs, spices, marinades and dressings
• Meal prep twice per week to set yourself up for success

The 75 Hard Challenge is meant to test every aspect of your mental and physical strength. Choose a diet plan that works well with your preferences and lifestyle. Stick to it rigidly for 75 days along with the exercise, reading and other rules. This will completely transform your body and mindset! Good luck with your 75 day journey.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.