75 Soft Challenge

If you’ve ever looked at the 75 Hard challenge and thought, “Yeah… no thanks,” the
75 Soft Challenge might be your new favorite reset button. It keeps the fun stuffstructure,
momentum, a clear checklistwhile ditching the “two workouts a day, no excuses, start over if you blink wrong” energy.

Born on TikTok as a softer spin-off of Andy Frisella’s 75 Hard mental toughness program, 75 Soft turns the volume down
on intensity and up on sustainability. TikTok creator Stephen Gallagher popularized it for, in his own
words, “people who don’t have time for two 45-minute workouts a day.”

Instead of trying to completely reinvent your life in 75 days, 75 Soft is designed to help you build
realistic, healthy habits around movement, food, hydration, and reading. Think of it as the
challenge that still lets you go to brunch, have a drink at a wedding, and, you know, sleep.

What Is the 75 Soft Challenge?

The 75 Soft Challenge is a 75-day wellness routine built around four simple daily rules:

• Eat well and only drink alcohol on social occasions.
• Do one 45-minute workout every day, with one weekly day of active recovery.
• Drink about 3 liters of water per day.
• Read 10 pages of any book each day.

That’s it. No “start over if you miss one tiny item,” no mandatory outdoor workout in a snowstorm, and no
hyper-specific body transformation target. Instead, the focus is on consistency over perfection.
Many health experts say this kind of moderate, repeatable structure is exactly what helps habits stick for the long
term.

Where the Rules Come From

The most widely shared version of 75 Soft follows Gallagher’s TikTok video: eat well, one 45-minute workout,
3 liters of water, and 10 pages of reading.
But like most viral wellness trends, a few variations have emerged:

• Some versions add meditation or journaling for 5–10 minutes a day to support mental health.
• Others (like the 75soft.com framework) emphasize being mindful of food choices 90% of the time, working out four
  times per week for 30 minutes, tracking water based on your body weight, and taking photos on day 1 and day 75 to
  see progress.

The core idea, though, stays the same: 75 days of doable, repeatable habits that make you feel
better without taking over your entire life.

How 75 Soft Compares to 75 Hard

To really appreciate how gentle 75 Soft feels, it helps to glance at its older sibling,
75 Hard. Frisella’s original program requires you to, every day for 75 days:

• Follow a strict diet with no cheat meals or alcohol.
• Do two 45-minute workouts per day (one must be outdoors).
• Drink a full gallon of water (about 3.8 liters).
• Read 10 pages of non-fiction or self-improvement.
• Take a daily progress photo.

And the kicker: if you miss any of these on any day, you’re supposed to start again from day one.
That intensity has created a passionate fan basebut also a lot of criticism from doctors and mental health experts
who worry about overtraining, water overload, and disordered attitudes around food and exercise.

That’s where 75 Soft comes in. Here’s how they differ at a glance:

• Exercise: 75 Hard requires two daily workouts; 75 Soft asks for one workout plus a weekly active recovery day.
• Hydration: 75 Hard pushes a gallon; 75 Soft aims for about 3 litersstill plenty, but more moderate.
• Food: 75 Hard is all strict diet and zero alcohol; 75 Soft allows flexibility and alcohol at social events.
• Mindset: 75 Hard is pass/fail; 75 Soft leaves room for life, emphasizing effort and consistency over perfection.

In short: 75 Hard is about maximum discipline; 75 Soft is about realistic consistency.
If your goal is long-term wellness rather than a “prove I can suffer” moment, Soft will likely feel a lot more aligned.

The 75 Soft Challenge Rules in Detail

1. Eat Well (and Only Drink on Social Occasions)

“Eat well” is intentionally vagueand that’s actually a good thing. Instead of forcing everyone into the same meal
plan, 75 Soft encourages you to:

• Prioritize whole foods: vegetables, fruits, lean protein, whole grains, and healthy fats.
• Limit ultra-processed items and sugary drinks most of the time.
• Allow occasional treats and social drinks without labeling them as “failure.”

Many experts recommend this kind of flexible, balanced approach rather than rigid dieting, which can
backfire and create all-or-nothing thinking. Think “mostly nutrient-dense, sometimes fun food,” not “perfect or ruined.”

2. One 45-Minute Workout Per Day + One Active Recovery Day

Unlike 75 Hard’s “two-a-days,” 75 Soft asks for one 45-minute workout each day, with
one active recovery day per week. That can look like:

• Strength training at the gym.
• A brisk walk or light jog.
• Yoga or Pilates.
• Dancing around your living room with an aggressively good playlist.

On your recovery day, you might do something gentlerlike a walk, stretching, or mobility work. This balance between
movement and recovery lines up with research that says sustainable fitness isn’t about pushing at 100% every day; it’s
about consistency with smart rest built in.

3. Drink 3 Liters of Water a Day

Hydration is one of the easiest wins in the challenge. For most people, around 3 liters is a solid,
safe target, especially if you’re activethough individual needs vary. Compared with the full-gallon requirement of
75 Hard, this level is ambitious but less likely to push you toward overhydration if you’re listening to your body.

Pro tip: don’t chug all 3 liters at 10 p.m. Spread your water throughout the day, and remember that other beverages and
water-rich foods (like fruits and veggies) also contribute to your total intake.

4. Read 10 Pages Every Day

The reading rule might seem random, but it’s actually one of 75 Soft’s secret weapons. Ten pages a day:

• Builds a daily mindfulness ritual that doesn’t involve a screen.
• Can support mental health if you choose uplifting or educational content.
• Helps anchor your identity as “someone who invests in their growth.”

Unlike 75 Hard, which specifies non-fiction only, 75 Soft lets you read any genre. Want a personal
development book? Great. Want cozy fantasy or a thriller before bed? Also great. The point is the habit, not the
bookshelf aesthetics.

Who Is the 75 Soft Challenge Right For?

75 Soft is especially appealing if you:

• Are new (or returning) to fitness and don’t want to overwhelm your body.
• Have a demanding job, caregiving responsibilities, or a busy family schedule.
• Want structure but not punishment.
• Care more about feeling better than chasing a dramatic “before and after.”

Health writers and dietitians often highlight softer challenges like this as a better fit for the average person,
particularly compared with intense, rule-heavy programs that can encourage guilt and burnout.

Who Should Be Cautious

Even a “soft” challenge is still a challenge. You’ll probably want to talk with a healthcare provider first if you:

• Have heart, kidney, or metabolic conditions that affect exercise or hydration.
• Are pregnant, postpartum, or dealing with a major medical issue.
• Have a history of eating disorders or exercise compulsion.

In those cases, a customized plan from your doctor, therapist, or dietitian will likely beat any internet challenge,
no matter how well-intentioned.

Benefits of the 75 Soft Challenge

While there aren’t clinical trials on “75 Soft” specifically (scientists have bigger problems than tracking TikTok
trends), the habits it promotes are well supported by research:

• Regular movement improves cardiovascular health, mood, sleep, and energy.
• Balanced nutrition supports blood sugar, weight management, and long-term disease prevention.
• Hydration helps with cognition, digestion, and exercise performance.
• Daily reading is linked to reduced stress and better brain health over time.

The real magic, though, is the 75-day time frame. It’s long enough to rewire routines and identities
(“I’m a person who works out and reads”) but not so long that it feels endless. Many sustainable-fitness coaches
emphasize exactly this kind of moderate, repeatable structure over trendy, high-intensity sprints.

How to Make 75 Soft Work for You

1. Define “Eat Well” for Your Life

Vague rules can either be freeing or paralyzing. Before you start, write down what “eat well” means for you. For
example:

• “I’ll aim for protein + veggies at two meals a day.”
• “I’ll limit takeout to twice a week.”
• “I’ll have dessert three times a week instead of every night.”

Make it specific enough to guide you, but flexible enough that you can adjust when life gets messy.

2. Choose Movement You Actually Like

If you hate running, your 75 days of runs will feel like 75 days of punishment. Pick activities you at least mildly
enjoy:

• Walking podcasts instead of doomscrolling.
• Bodyweight circuits at home.
• Beginner yoga videos on YouTube.
• Recreational sports or dance classes.

Enjoyment is one of the biggest predictors of whether you’ll keep exercising after a program ends.

3. Plan for Real Life (Travel, Sickness, Busy Weeks)

Unlike 75 Hard, you’re not “out” if you miss a daybut it’s still smart to plan around obvious obstacles:

• Travel week coming up? Pre-plan quick hotel-room circuits or walks.
• Sick day? Consider that a recovery day and ease back in gently.
• Extra-busy work stretch? Schedule shorter, low-intensity movement like walks or mobility sessions.

The goal isn’t an unbroken streak; it’s a pattern of showing up for yourself most days.

4. Track Your Wins

You don’t have to post your progress online to make it count. Many people find it motivating to:

• Use a habit-tracking app or printable checklist.
• Keep a simple journal: “Here’s what I did today; here’s how I felt.”
• Take a progress photo on day 1 and day 75 (optional, not mandatory).

Visible checkmarks are tiny hits of dopamine that keep the streak alive, even when motivation dips.

A Sample 75 Soft Day

To put it all together, here’s what a typical 75 Soft day might look like for a busy working adult:

• 7:00 a.m. – 10-minute morning stretch + fill up your big water bottle.
• 8:00 a.m. – Breakfast: oatmeal with berries, nuts, and coffee.
• 12:30 p.m. – 20-minute walk at lunch, sipping water.
• 5:30 p.m. – 25-minute strength workout at home (squats, lunges, pushups, rows, core).
• 7:00 p.m. – Dinner: grilled chicken, roasted veggies, rice. One drink at happy hour earlier with coworkers.
• 9:30 p.m. – Read 10–20 pages of a novel in bed instead of scrolling.

Nothing extreme. Nothing wild. Just a day that nudges you toward feeling better, repeated 75 times.

Real-Life Experiences With the 75 Soft Challenge

Everyone’s 75 Soft story looks a little different, but a few themes pop up again and again in people’s experiences
shared online and in wellness communities.

“I Finally Stuck With Something”

One common thread is the feeling of finally finding a challenge that’s doable enough to finish.
Plenty of people start 75 Hard and tap out after a week or twousually around the moment life dares to be
inconvenient.

With 75 Soft, a lot of participants describe that 45-minute workout as “a stretch, but not impossible.” Some break it
into chunkslike 20 minutes in the morning and 25 in the eveningand still count it as their movement for the day.
Over time, that consistent effort adds up to noticeably better stamina, less huffing up stairs, and a quieter inner
voice when it’s time to work out: “We’ve done this before. We can do it again.”

“My Relationship With Food Got a Little Calmer”

Hard, rule-heavy challenges often turn food into a moral test: one unplanned snack and suddenly you’ve “failed.” 75
Soft’s flexible food guideline helps many people step off that roller coaster. Instead of asking, “Did I eat
perfectly?” they start asking, “Did I mostly nourish myself today?”

Over 75 days, that shift can be powerful. Some people notice fewer binge–restrict cycles, fewer “last supper”
moments before a new diet, and more everyday decisions like swapping soda for water or adding a vegetable to lunch.
It’s not flashy, but it’s sustainableand sustainability is where real health changes happen.

“I Didn’t Expect the Reading to Matter So Much”

Surprisingly, the reading rule might be the sleeper hit of 75 Soft. Ten pages doesn’t sound like much,
but it creates a reliable pocket of calm in a noisy day. People often start with self-help or productivity books and
slowly mix in fiction, memoirs, or whatever genuinely interests them.

Over time, those quiet reading sessions become a kind of anchor. Instead of ending the day with doomscrolling and a
frazzled nervous system, they get 15–20 minutes of focused attention on one thing. That’s good for stress, sleep, and
mental healthand it subtly reinforces the idea that your brain deserves as much care as your body.

“Soft Didn’t Mean Easy”

Despite the name, most people discover that 75 Soft is not actually “easy.” It’s softer than 75 Hard, sure, but it
still asks you to show up every day for two and a half months. There will be days when you don’t feel like working
out, when you’re tired of water, when a social event throws your routine off.

That’s part of the point. 75 Soft quietly trains your problem-solving muscle: “Okay, I missed my usual
workout time. Can I fit in a walk after dinner instead?” The small wins you stackchoosing a walk over another episode,
grabbing a glass of water instead of another soda, reading 10 pages even when you’re tiredcreate a deeper confidence:
“I keep promises to myself, even when it’s not perfect.”

“What Happened After Day 75 Mattered Most”

The most successful 75 Soft stories don’t end on day 75. People who really benefit from the challenge treat it as
a launchpad, not a finish line. Instead of “mission accomplished, time to revert,” they ask:

• Which parts of this challenge actually improved my life?
• Which rules felt supportiveand which felt forced?
• What do I want my “normal” to look like now?

For many, the long-term takeaway isn’t a dramatic before-and-after photo. It’s simple, grounded changes: walking most
days, drinking more water without thinking about it, defaulting to a book at night, and knowing they can build new
habits without punishing themselves.

Is the 75 Soft Challenge Worth Trying?

If you’re craving a reset but the hardcore, no-excuses vibe of 75 Hard makes you want to nap forever, the
75 Soft Challenge is a smart middle ground. It gives you structure without shame, goals without
obsession, and enough flexibility that real humans with real schedules can actually finish it.

As always, check in with your body, your doctor, and your mental health before you dive in. But if you’re ready for
75 days of gentler, sustainable upgrades to how you move, eat, drink, and think, 75 Soft might be the challenge that
finally feels like it’s on your side.