75 Hard Challenge Rules + Free PDF Checklist

The 75 Hard challenge has five daily rules: follow a diet with no alcohol or off-plan meals, complete two 45-minute workouts with one outdoors, drink one gallon of plain water, read 10 pages of a nonfiction book, and take one progress photo. You repeat all five tasks for 75 consecutive days. If you miss one task, the official program tells you to restart at day one.

Andy Frisella created 75 Hard and describes it as a mental-toughness program, not a fitness plan. This article explains his rules; it does not certify that the program fits your health, schedule, or goals. 75 Her and Her Glow Up are not affiliated with Andy Frisella or the 75 Hard program.

Download the free 75 Hard challenge PDF

Download the free 75 Hard challenge PDF checklist. The two-page printable includes a 75-day overview tracker and a reusable daily checklist. It summarizes the rules below and does not replace health guidance or official program instructions.

The five 75 Hard rules

Use this short checklist to understand the official structure:

• Follow a diet you choose. Do not drink alcohol or eat meals outside that plan.
• Complete two separate 45-minute workouts. Do at least one workout outdoors.
• Drink one gallon of plain water.
• Read 10 pages of a nonfiction book. Audiobooks do not count toward the official rule.
• Take one progress photo.

The creator's current 75 Hard help center answers detailed questions about what counts. The rules leave some choices to you, such as the diet and workout type, but they do not let you skip or replace a task and still call that day complete.

Your daily 75 Hard checklist

Copy this version into a note or tracker:

Day ___ of 75

[ ] I followed my chosen diet.
[ ] I drank no alcohol and ate no off-plan meals.
[ ] I completed workout one for 45 minutes.
[ ] I completed workout two for 45 minutes.
[ ] I completed at least one workout outdoors.
[ ] I drank one gallon of plain water.
[ ] I read 10 pages of nonfiction.
[ ] I took one progress photo.

The diet rule includes two conditions, and the workout rule includes three. Splitting them into separate checkboxes makes the official five-rule list easier to verify at the end of the day.

What each rule means

1. Follow one diet with no alcohol or off-plan meals

75 Hard does not prescribe one named diet. You choose the plan before you begin, define its boundaries, and follow it for all 75 days. The official structure does not allow alcohol or meals that break the plan.

Write the rule in specific terms before day one. “Eat clean” gives you room to renegotiate when you are hungry or busy. A written plan tells you what belongs, what does not, and which qualified professional you will ask when nutrition decisions affect a health condition.

The program's rigidity does not turn a random internet diet into sound advice. If you have a history of disordered eating, are pregnant or breastfeeding, manage diabetes or another medical condition, take medication that affects appetite or blood sugar, or need a therapeutic diet, speak with a qualified healthcare professional before following a restrictive plan.

2. Complete two 45-minute workouts, including one outdoors

You complete two separate 45-minute workouts every day. At least one takes place outdoors. The program does not prescribe one sport or intensity, but it does require both sessions and does not schedule a rest day.

That adds up to 90 minutes of planned movement every day for 75 days. Your safe starting point depends on your training history, injury status, disability, pregnancy or postpartum needs, health, climate, sleep, and recovery.

Cleveland Clinic's review of the 75 Hard rules notes that the workload and rigidity deserve careful consideration. If pain, illness, dangerous weather, medical advice, or another safety issue conflicts with the challenge, prioritize your health. Changing the rule means you are no longer following the official version, but a label should never outrank qualified care.

3. Drink one gallon of plain water

The official rule sets the amount at one U.S. gallon, about 3.8 liters, of plain water per day. The creator's FAQ also states that mixers and additives do not count toward that gallon.

Treat that number as a program rule, not a universal hydration prescription. Fluid needs change with body size, climate, activity, pregnancy, breastfeeding, health conditions, medication, and the fluid you get from food and other drinks. Drinking too much water can also be dangerous.

Ask a clinician what fits you if you have kidney, heart, liver, or electrolyte concerns; take medication that changes fluid balance; train in extreme heat; or have any reason to monitor fluid intake. Do not force the gallon to prove discipline when a qualified professional tells you otherwise.

4. Read 10 pages of nonfiction

Read 10 pages of a nonfiction book each day. The official rule excludes audiobooks. Choose the book before you start and keep it available where you normally complete the task.

The rule measures pages, not minutes. If a disability or access need makes print unusable, choose the accessible format that works for you. That may count as your adapted challenge rather than the official version, and that distinction is less important than access.

5. Take one progress photo

Take one photo each day. The official program uses the photo as a visual record across the 75 days.

You control where you store it and who can see it. You do not need to publish a body photo, compare yourself with somebody else, or turn it into a daily judgment. If progress photos worsen body checking, anxiety, privacy concerns, or eating-disorder symptoms, do not force the task. Choose a different challenge structure or discuss the concern with a qualified professional.

The restart rule

If you miss any part of the official checklist, you restart at day one. A missed photo counts. Reading nine pages counts. Completing only one workout counts. The program does not offer partial credit or a pause day.

The restart rule belongs to 75 Hard's official structure. It is not a law of habit change, and you do not lose the work your body or mind already did because the counter resets.

Before you start, decide whether that all-or-nothing rule helps you act or makes one disruption more likely to end the entire effort. If you want a structure that lets you continue after a missed day, compare the 75 Hard and 75 Soft approaches for women or build a 75-day challenge with rules you can defend.

Official rules versus common additions

People often add tasks online, but the core program contains the five rules above. These items may appear in personal versions, but they are not separate official daily rules:

• waking up at a fixed hour;
• taking a cold shower;
• meditating;
• journaling;
• hitting a step target;
• avoiding social media;
• following a menstrual-cycle schedule;
• losing a specific amount of weight.

You can add a personal task, but label it as your addition. Do not present a viral checklist as the original program, and do not turn somebody else's health claim into a requirement.

Questions to answer before day one

Write direct answers to these questions:

1. What exact diet will I follow, and who can review it if health concerns apply?
2. Which two daily workout windows can I protect without cutting essential sleep or recovery?
3. Which outdoor options remain safe in my climate?
4. Does one gallon of water fit my medical needs and medication?
5. Which nonfiction book will I keep ready?
6. Where will I store private progress photos?
7. What will I do if illness, injury, dangerous weather, or qualified medical advice conflicts with a rule?
8. Does restarting motivate me, or would a continue-after-a-miss structure work better?

If you cannot answer the safety questions yet, delay the start. The calendar does not need to win that argument.

How to track the 75 days

Use one canonical checklist. A notebook, wall calendar, or notes app works if you can see all tasks before the day ends.

Her Glow Up: 75 Day Challenge lets you choose a 30-, 45-, or 75-day track, create daily tasks, mark them complete, and add progress photos when you choose. It also supports custom rules. It does not prescribe a diet, workout, hydration target, or medical plan, and it is not the official 75 Hard app.

If you follow the official program, copy the exact tasks into your tracker and apply its restart rule yourself. If you choose a custom version, name it honestly. You can use the free 75-day challenge date calculator to check the finish date before you commit.

The rule set to save

For 75 consecutive days, follow your chosen diet without alcohol or off-plan meals, complete two 45-minute workouts with one outdoors, drink one gallon of plain water, read 10 pages of nonfiction, and take a progress photo. Miss one item and the official program restarts at day one.

That is the rule set. The more important decision is whether its fixed workload, hydration target, photo requirement, and restart structure fit you. Review those questions before you start, then choose the official plan, an adapted version, or a different challenge without pretending they are the same thing.

FAQ

What are the five rules of 75 Hard?

Follow a diet with no alcohol or off-plan meals, complete two 45-minute workouts with one outdoors, drink one gallon of plain water, read 10 pages of nonfiction, and take one progress photo every day.

Do you restart 75 Hard if you miss one task?

Yes. The official program tells you to restart at day one if you miss any part of the daily checklist.

Can I change a 75 Hard rule?

You can choose a safer or more suitable personal plan, especially when qualified medical advice requires it. However, the creator does not describe a modified version as the official 75 Hard program. Name your version clearly.

Is 75 Hard safe for everyone?

No fixed challenge fits everyone. The twice-daily workouts, no-rest-day structure, gallon of water, diet rule, and progress photos may create problems for some people. Review your health, medication, training history, recovery, climate, pregnancy or postpartum needs, and eating-disorder history with qualified professionals when relevant.

Is 75 Her affiliated with 75 Hard?

No. 75 Her and Her Glow Up: 75 Day Challenge are not affiliated with Andy Frisella or the 75 Hard program.