Claire Kwon

It’s just a list of rules…until you try following them for 75 days.

Over the past few months, the “75 Day Hard” challenge has been showing up more and more on social media, especially among high school and college students. Even though the challenge isn’t new, it saw a noticeable rise in popularity earlier this year, when people were setting New Year’s resolutions and looking for ways to stay consistent. Since then, it has continued to spread, with users posting daily updates, progress videos, and advice for others thinking about trying it.

The 75 Hard challenge was created by an entrepreneur, Andy Frisella, and it is often described as a mental toughness program rather than just a fitness trend. The rules are simple but strict, and participants are expected to follow them every single day for 75 days. The requirements include following a diet with no cheat meals, completing two 45-minute workouts each day (one of which must be outside), drinking a gallon of water, reading 10 pages of a nonfiction book, and taking a daily progress picture.

Part of what made the challenge gain so much attention earlier in the year was how well it fits into the idea of self-improvement. Before January, many people were already thinking about building better habits, and 75 Hard offered a clear, structured way to do that. On TikTok, users began sharing their journeys, often showing before-and-after results or documenting each day of the challenge. These videos made it easy for others to understand what the challenge involves and imagine themselves doing it too.

For some students, seeing those videos can be both motivating and intimidating. At Yorba Linda High School, Candace Hsiao (11) said, “I kept seeing people do it on TikTok, and it made me feel like I wasn’t doing enough with my time. It kind of pushed me to try to be more productive.” Like many others, she was influenced by how consistent and disciplined the participants seemed online.
At the same time, the challenge can be difficult to manage alongside school responsibilities. Between homework, extracurricular activities, and social life, finding time to complete two workouts a day and keep up with all the other requirements can feel overwhelming. Senior Malia Penrose added, “I tried it for about a week, but it didn’t really fit into my schedule. It’s a lot harder than it looks in the videos.”

Because of this, some students choose to adapt to the challenge instead of following it exactly. They might reduce the number of workouts, adjust the diet rules, or focus on just a few of the habits. While this technically isn’t the official version of 75 Hard, it can make the idea more realistic for people who still want to improve their routines without committing to something so strict.

Another reason the challenge continues to stay relevant is that it focuses on mental discipline as much as physical change. Many participants talk about how it helps them stay focused, avoid procrastination, and build better habits over time. Junior Eva Benemie said, “Even though I didn’t finish all 75 days, I definitely feel like I am more aware of how I spend my time now. It made me want to be more consistent with things like working out.”

However, not everyone sees the challenge as positive. Some people think the all-or-nothing approach can be discouraging, especially for students who already have a lot of pressure in their busy, daily lives. Ultimately, failing one small task and having to restart completely can make it harder to stay motivated, so others believe that a more balanced approach might be healthier in the long run.

Overall, the 75 Hard challenge shows how quickly trends can grow through social media and influence people’s habits. While it became especially popular earlier in the year, it has continued to stick around as more people try it and share their experiences. For high school students, it can be a source of motivation, but it also raises a lot of questions about how realistic and sustainable these kinds of challenges really are.