"75 Hard" challenge (1 Viewer)

[Alex P Keaton]

Had my biggest threat to the challenge yesterday. Did my first workout before work and drank 3/4 of my water by the time I got home from work around 4:30. Wife left to go see "Barbie" with her friend, so I was left with our 2.5-year-old. I figured I'd put her to bed at 7:30, which would leave me with plenty of time to drink my last liter of water, read my 10 pages, and hop on the treadmill for a 45-minute run while she slept. Well she refused to go to sleep, which led to me bringing her into our bedroom and lying down with her. She ended up falling asleep with my arm underneath her, so I figured I'd wait a little bit and then roll her over and go do my stuff, but given my perpetual state of sleep deprivation lately, I fell asleep, too, and I didn't wake up until my wife got home after 10:30.

Got out of bed, pounded the water while I read my 10 pages, and since I was way too tired to run at that point, I hopped on the Peloton at 11:22pm for an easy 45-min spin. Day 54 completed at 12:07am, then back up at 5:30am to start Day 55.

I've only lost 6-8 pounds so far, but here are my progress pictures Day 1 versus this morning (Day 55). Just 20 more days to go!

Damn dude, looking sexy. Well done.

Get in line.

I get the feet.

 

[gianmarco]

Uh oh

 

[BassNBrew]

Uh oh

“I am gonna continue with the 75 Hard challenge but I am gonna be sticking to my doctor’s recommendations and I will not be doing the water portion of the challenge,” Fairburn added.

I'm going to continue being an NFL player but I'm sticking to my doctor's recommendation not to play in the NFL.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Uh oh

Although I complain a lot about it, a gallon of water daily shouldn’t be too much for someone with normal kidney function and solute intake - in theory, one can ingest ~5 gallons/day under those circumstances. We both know there are many other possible contributors to hyponatremia.

 

[AAABatteries]

Uh oh

Although I complain a lot about it, a gallon of water daily shouldn’t be too much for someone with normal kidney function and solute intake - in theory, one can ingest ~5 gallons/day under those circumstances. We both know there are many other possible contributors to hyponatremia.

Yeah, but quite frankly it’s dumb. There’s no evidence I’m aware of that overhydrating has any benefits whatsoever. It’s not an issue for most of us because a gallon may be in line with hydration needs due to our size and activity levels. I think if you are looking for the discipline aspect and getting in more water they should just have the rule be only water to drink for 75 days. Making it a gallon for everyone makes no sense.

 

[Nugget]

Uh oh

Although I complain a lot about it, a gallon of water daily shouldn’t be too much for someone with normal kidney function and solute intake - in theory, one can ingest ~5 gallons/day under those circumstances. We both know there are many other possible contributors to hyponatremia.

Yeah, but quite frankly it’s dumb. There’s no evidence I’m aware of that overhydrating has any benefits whatsoever. It’s not an issue for most of us because a gallon may be in line with hydration needs due to our size and activity levels. I think if you are looking for the discipline aspect and getting in more water they should just have the rule be only water to drink for 75 days. Making it a gallon for everyone makes no sense.

I think it just fills me up and there is no room for more food. Eat a pound of lettuce and 8 pounds of water and my stomach is pretty full.

There likely needs to be some sort of ramp up for water intake - maybe increase a percentage per week. Going from a quart to a gallon overnight may tax some systems.

 

[beer 30]

I've only lost 6-8 pounds so far, but here are my progress pictures Day 1 versus this morning (Day 55). Just 20 more days to go!

Order photos...why yes, I think I will. You sexy beast

 

[Grahamburn]

Alright, so I'm motivated to give this a go. Kind of. My 10-year anniversary is coming up and the mid-life crisis is kicking in. I'm 66 days out. I'm going to do a WholeHardInsanity60, which I know looks weird, but it's a modified combination of Whole 30, Hard 75, and Insanity Max 30. Diet will be Whole 30, I'll combine the two daily workouts, water, and reading from Hard 75, and one of those daily workouts will be a Shaun T Insanity Max 30. Then I'll lift/swim/bike for the other on some kind of rotation.

Thanks for the motivation. I'm giving myself 6 cheat days in here for the 4th of July and a few other pre-planned events.

Got sick and missed workouts yesterday for the first time. So, only made it 6 weeks or so.

 

[ChiefD]

Is a gallon of water really a lot though? I've been reading through this thread about that part of it.

For example, every morning I get a 44oz coke at QT. (sorry - it's my caffeine and my vice and I fill the entire cup of ice. really only about 20oz of coke).

Anyway, the main reason I do this is because I have a nice cup of crushed ice I use for my water the rest of the day. I drink at least 3 of these filled with water a day. So 3 x 44 = 132 ounces. And I don't feel full of water at all. I just drink a sip of water every ten minutes or so.

Are you guys just chugging 30 oz of water at a time or something?

 

[BassNBrew]

Is a gallon of water really a lot though? I've been reading through this thread about that part of it.

For example, every morning I get a 44oz coke at QT. (sorry - it's my caffeine and my vice and I fill the entire cup of ice. really only about 20oz of coke).

Anyway, the main reason I do this is because I have a nice cup of crushed ice I use for my water the rest of the day. I drink at least 3 of these filled with water a day. So 3 x 44 = 132 ounces. And I don't feel full of water at all. I just drink a sip of water every ten minutes or so.

Are you guys just chugging 30 oz of water at a time or something?

Yeah, because that's the only way it goes away. I swear that stuff just sits around and multiples like rabbits.

 

[BassNBrew]

Part of my problem is self inflicted. Morning coffee and daily protein shake add to that gallon.

 

[BassNBrew]

Alright, so I'm motivated to give this a go. Kind of. My 10-year anniversary is coming up and the mid-life crisis is kicking in. I'm 66 days out. I'm going to do a WholeHardInsanity60, which I know looks weird, but it's a modified combination of Whole 30, Hard 75, and Insanity Max 30. Diet will be Whole 30, I'll combine the two daily workouts, water, and reading from Hard 75, and one of those daily workouts will be a Shaun T Insanity Max 30. Then I'll lift/swim/bike for the other on some kind of rotation.

Thanks for the motivation. I'm giving myself 6 cheat days in here for the 4th of July and a few other pre-planned events.

Got sick and missed workouts yesterday for the first time. So, only made it 6 weeks or so.

Sorry to hear dude.

 

[Nugget]

Alright, so I'm motivated to give this a go. Kind of. My 10-year anniversary is coming up and the mid-life crisis is kicking in. I'm 66 days out. I'm going to do a WholeHardInsanity60, which I know looks weird, but it's a modified combination of Whole 30, Hard 75, and Insanity Max 30. Diet will be Whole 30, I'll combine the two daily workouts, water, and reading from Hard 75, and one of those daily workouts will be a Shaun T Insanity Max 30. Then I'll lift/swim/bike for the other on some kind of rotation.

Thanks for the motivation. I'm giving myself 6 cheat days in here for the 4th of July and a few other pre-planned events.

Got sick and missed workouts yesterday for the first time. So, only made it 6 weeks or so.

It happens. I tried to get back into the routine as quickly as possible. I've missed a total of 2 workouts since June 1. One was due to exhaustion, one due to upset stomach/blister. I'm OK with it.

With your anniversary still approaching, I'm confident you can hope back on your program.

 

[Grahamburn]

I'm hanging in there. Back at it today.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Uh oh

Although I complain a lot about it, a gallon of water daily shouldn’t be too much for someone with normal kidney function and solute intake - in theory, one can ingest ~5 gallons/day under those circumstances. We both know there are many other possible contributors to hyponatremia.

Yeah, but quite frankly it’s dumb. There’s no evidence I’m aware of that overhydrating has any benefits whatsoever. It’s not an issue for most of us because a gallon may be in line with hydration needs due to our size and activity levels. I think if you are looking for the discipline aspect and getting in more water they should just have the rule be only water to drink for 75 days. Making it a gallon for everyone makes no sense.

Agree, and I commented along these same lines earlier in the thread. Nobody said the challenge was scientifically validated.

Among the requirements, I think the separate work outs are most likely to be harmful, as keeping them separate may end up forcing one to sacrifice sleep.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Part of my problem is self inflicted. Morning coffee and daily protein shake add to that gallon.

Not me. Water is all I’ve drank since the challenge began - a gallon is too much for my usual fluid intake.

It’s not the same as drinking that much coffee, beer and/or soft drinks.

Still, shouldn’t be dangerous for the vast majority of adults.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Uh oh

Although I complain a lot about it, a gallon of water daily shouldn’t be too much for someone with normal kidney function and solute intake - in theory, one can ingest ~5 gallons/day under those circumstances. We both know there are many other possible contributors to hyponatremia.

Yeah, but quite frankly it’s dumb. There’s no evidence I’m aware of that overhydrating has any benefits whatsoever. It’s not an issue for most of us because a gallon may be in line with hydration needs due to our size and activity levels. I think if you are looking for the discipline aspect and getting in more water they should just have the rule be only water to drink for 75 days. Making it a gallon for everyone makes no sense.

I think it just fills me up and there is no room for more food. Eat a pound of lettuce and 8 pounds of water and my stomach is pretty full.

There likely needs to be some sort of ramp up for water intake - maybe increase a percentage per week. Going from a quart to a gallon overnight may tax some systems.

Yeah, the water makes it much easier to eat less.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Is a gallon of water really a lot though? I've been reading through this thread about that part of it.

For example, every morning I get a 44oz coke at QT. (sorry - it's my caffeine and my vice and I fill the entire cup of ice. really only about 20oz of coke).

Anyway, the main reason I do this is because I have a nice cup of crushed ice I use for my water the rest of the day. I drink at least 3 of these filled with water a day. So 3 x 44 = 132 ounces. And I don't feel full of water at all. I just drink a sip of water every ten minutes or so.

Are you guys just chugging 30 oz of water at a time or something?

I’ve been lobbying to count Diet Coke as water…..

 

[Terminalxylem]

Been eating a little less the last few days, so I decided to reweigh: 149 - 19 pounds below my starting weight.

That’s under the minimum bar my wife set, so I’ll have to cram in some more calories these last two weeks.

Too close to the finish line to change dramatically, but I’ll also be increasing my physical activity, with some upcoming long hikes in MT. FWIW, BMI still in the healthy range at 21.4.

 

[Nugget]

Home stretch fellas - less than 2 weeks left by my math. While not participating in the challenge any longer, under 175 now - down 25.3lbs since June 1.

I am going to chase @Terminalxylem and make a run for a sub 23 BMI. I can't recall a time in the 160's since I was a teenager, so I don't know how it would feel. First fall soccer game in Sep 10, so that seems like a good target date.

 

[Grahamburn]

Sandwiches for everyone!!

 

[Terminalxylem]

Home stretch fellas - less than 2 weeks left by my math. While not participating in the challenge any longer, under 175 now - down 25.3lbs since June 1.

I am going to chase @Terminalxylem and make a run for a sub 23 BMI. I can't recall a time in the 160's since I was a teenager, so I don't know how it would feel. First fall soccer game in Sep 10, so that seems like a good target date.

I gotta say, I feel really good. Energy and strength seem better than when I started. After this is over, probably will try to settle around 155.

People have commented I look thin, but I don’t think it’s an issue - more a reflection of society’s skewed standard for what constitutes a healthy weight.

If I can figure it out, I‘ll eventually post my before/after selfies.

 

[gruecd]

10 days to go!

Managed to check all the boxes before succumbing to exhaustion on my first day in Poland, so it should be an easy cruise to the finish from here!

 

[BassNBrew]

The bad news is that I put back on 5 pounds last week as of my Wednesday weigh-in . Only down 17 pounds overall. Mini-vacation meant hikes replaced vigorous walks. Unless I'm gaining elevation my heart rate stays in the 70-80s. I might as well be sitting on the couch. Friday was another push with the first workout coming at 8:30 after moving furniture and running service calls all day. Gym workout was 12:15am to 1:00am...ouch.

On the plus side, yesterday I put up 225 for 9 reps and thought about attempting 10. Friday night the 7 x 1 min intervals at 9:15 pace weren't cake but went well at 9:33, 8:52, 8:37, 8:44, 8:44, 8:28, and 7:34. Still embarrassing slow and disappointing to be doing min intervals at what used to be my half marathon pace.

Halfway though my quantum physics book. Mini-cheats this week reading FF material two nights to "better" myself for a draft and reading community CCRs to "better" do my job for a client.

 

[gruecd]

5 more days!

 

[Terminalxylem]

This is really rough while traveling. Two days ago, I found myself walking in Yellowstone at midnight, around 45 degrees in the rain. I stayed on roads, but still scary given all the large animals throughout the park - we camped near one of the higher grizzly populations in the US.

Yesterday, I missed out on fresh caught brook trout, as I had already eaten my meal for the day.

 

[BassNBrew]

This is really rough while traveling. Two days ago, I found myself walking in Yellowstone at midnight, around 45 degrees in the rain. I stayed on roads, but still scary given all the large animals throughout the park - we camped near one of the higher grizzly populations in the US.

Yesterday, I missed out on fresh caught brook trout, as I had already eaten my meal for the day.

Crazy diet you're doing.

 

[BassNBrew]

Trying to f this up.

Tuesday up early and painted for 11 hours. First workout at 8:15pm complete at 9. In the gym at midnight.

Today up at 6:30. Pressed for time so no morning workout. Got home after 9:30 and finished my walk at 10:37. Currently killing time and trying to stay awake until 1:37 to hit the gym. Guaranteed I in position to press the start button and lift a weight at 1:37 on the nose.

Was back at 258 for my weekly weigh-in. Down like 6-8 pounds on the week after being up that much last week.

 

[Terminalxylem]

This is really rough while traveling. Two days ago, I found myself walking in Yellowstone at midnight, around 45 degrees in the rain. I stayed on roads, but still scary given all the large animals throughout the park - we camped near one of the higher grizzly populations in the US.

Yesterday, I missed out on fresh caught brook trout, as I had already eaten my meal for the day.

Crazy diet you're doing.

It’s definitely not sustainable. My weight briefly dropped to 146, 22 pounds down from starting, BMI 20.9. Have been gorging myself, but tough to eat enough calories, if you don’t eat junk. 18 mile hike coming up, with decent vertical gain, is really gonna be a challenge.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

This is really rough while traveling. Two days ago, I found myself walking in Yellowstone at midnight, around 45 degrees in the rain. I stayed on roads, but still scary given all the large animals throughout the park - we camped near one of the higher grizzly populations in the US.

Yesterday, I missed out on fresh caught brook trout, as I had already eaten my meal for the day.

Crazy diet you're doing.

It’s definitely not sustainable. My weight briefly dropped to 146, 22 pounds down from starting, BMI 20.9. Have been gorging myself, but tough to eat enough calories, if you don’t eat junk. 18 mile hike coming up, with decent vertical gain, is really gonna be a challenge.

You could go crazy and eat 1.5 meals a day. Or even 1.25 meals.

 

[Terminalxylem]

This is really rough while traveling. Two days ago, I found myself walking in Yellowstone at midnight, around 45 degrees in the rain. I stayed on roads, but still scary given all the large animals throughout the park - we camped near one of the higher grizzly populations in the US.

Yesterday, I missed out on fresh caught brook trout, as I had already eaten my meal for the day.

Crazy diet you're doing.

It’s definitely not sustainable. My weight briefly dropped to 146, 22 pounds down from starting, BMI 20.9. Have been gorging myself, but tough to eat enough calories, if you don’t eat junk. 18 mile hike coming up, with decent vertical gain, is really gonna be a challenge.

You could go crazy and eat 1.5 meals a day. Or even 1.25 meals.

I did have a hot chocolate the last two meals - it’s the first non-water beverage I’ve consumed since the challenge began.

 

[gruecd]

How many of you are going to complete this thing without having had any "cheats" or "accommodations" or anything?

 

[Terminalxylem]

How many of you are going to complete this thing without having had any "cheats" or "accommodations" or anything?

73 selfies short, plus exercise not always separated by 4 hours

 

[Alex P Keaton]

How many of you are going to complete this thing without having had any "cheats" or "accommodations" or anything?

I’m way way behind you guys, but at about 95% compliance. Guaranteed that I’ve fallen 5-10 ounces short on water here and there. I stopped taking selfies weeks ago because it made me feel like a pervert. (Maybe I shouldn’t have texted them all to my BFFs wife, oh well, my bad)
And definitely haven’t had 4 hours gap between workouts (but also don’t remember that being part of the deal).

But ok, I’ll be clinical:
No alcohol? Easy
Follow a strict diet/food regimen? Good except one day on vacation - cannoli got the best of me
Exercise? Had two really annoying work travel days but made it happen creatively
10 pages of non fiction? Easy
Water? Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. I hate it so much.


Work travel really has been the biggest challenge. Which I get is part of the deal. But it’s tough when I’m flying on two 3-hour flights with a 75 min layover, and I land in basically a monsoon…..

 

[BassNBrew]

How many of you are going to complete this thing without having had any "cheats" or "accommodations" or anything?

Technically no

1. ??? I may have missed a selfie, not going to sort through 1000s of photos to figure it out. Many nights it was , Oh shoot, snap a pic.
2. Workouts 100%
3. Reading 100%, although 4 or 5 days were fantasy football related.
4. Water 100%
5. Diet 99.99%. That said my diet plan wasn't to tough. Pretty much 5 meals a day and pound the protein with a mediterranean slant. No calorie counting, let the water cut the eating urge. No sweets (I had a 1/2 teaspoon taste of my partners ice cream at a high end restaurant). No chips...check. Reduce red meat...I think I've had one steak, deer burger twice. I'm down 25 pounds now. Had hoped for 30 but it was a priority.
6. No alcohol 99.999%. Friend had found a new beer. I had a half sip as a sample taste. He had five or six that night and it was no problem abstaining (other than the taste).

At least the second workout today will start at 12:07 am rather than 2 am.

 

[BassNBrew]

Workouts only had to be separated by 3 hours.

 

[gianmarco]

Too bad none of you really got it done. Oh well, maybe next time.

 

[BassNBrew]

Completing this would a life changing accomplishment for the majority of us.

Completing this would a life changing accomplishment for the majority of us.

I think that's true of the two workouts, but I don't think it's that "life-changing" to eat clean and quit drinking for a couple of months.

Been reflecting on this.

I feel pretty awesome and energetic even with the sleep deprivation. The fact that I can paint for 11 hours and then get in two workouts and then sleep for five hours and not be wrecked the next day at 57 yo is a pretty big positive. The diet and lack of beer is probably the big driver.

When I look at the before/after selfies I don't see any difference. I'm down 25 pounds but it doesn't look like it. I guess when you're the size of an orca, if you reduce your circumference by a tenth of an inch it's not noticeable. When people have referenced life changing and shown pics of with amazing transformations....that hasn't been the case for me.

90 days ago I couldn't bench 225, going to give 225 x 10 a shot on Sunday. That exceeded my expectations. My VOmax has increased from a pathetic 35 to pathetic 37. That's when off my peak of 70 15 years ago. I need to build on this for longevity and quality of life as I age. I the back of my mind I would like to bench press 300 lbs and run 100 miles under 24 hours in the same week before I age out.

I think I'm going to roll on with this for another 25 days and shoot for 100.

 

[Caveman33]

How many of you are going to complete this thing without having had any "cheats" or "accommodations" or anything?

I followed my own schedule but I'm satisfied with the results. Reaching new PRs every week on all my lifts in the gym. Haven't touched any drugs or alcohol, I don't even drink coffee anymore. I've still been eating 5-6K calories a day but sadly I lost a little weight. My BMI is down to 20.8 whereas I was hoping to get up to 22.5. I will continue with this routine.

 

[Caveman33]

Uh oh

However, after a series of tests her doctor suspected she had severe sodium deficiency. Drinking too much water can dilute sodium levels, which can lead to complications like seizures, comas and death, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

“I have severe sodium deficiency, which actually can be fatal," she said. "So now I'm going to the hospital and they're going to check everything and then apparently they can raise my sodium gradually. I’m still gonna do the 75 hard challenge, I’m not gonna give up, but he says I have to drink less than half a liter of water a day. I cannot believe this is actually happening.”

By the time she got to the hospital, Fairburn said the results of her blood work were inconclusive and she has since been gradually improving.

It doesn't say what tests her GP performed. But I'm assuming it was a physical exam and all this happened on the same day. The blood testing at the hospital was inconclusive so this lady can't really conclusively say, "I have severe sodium deficiency." I think she had prodromal CHS. Bad journalism.

eta: She actually explains in her tiktok that her GP found her blood pressure low and reflexes high, which in addition to her described symptoms led him to conclude that she might have a sodium deficiency. She then went directly to the ER where she waited 4 hours to be seen. She does not mention eating any food or consuming electrolytes. She said that she felt horrible when she was finally seen by a doctor but the blood tests came back with sodium and everything else at normal levels. Very bad journalism in this story.

 

[Grahamburn]

Completing this would a life changing accomplishment for the majority of us.

Completing this would a life changing accomplishment for the majority of us.

I think that's true of the two workouts, but I don't think it's that "life-changing" to eat clean and quit drinking for a couple of months.

Been reflecting on this.

I feel pretty awesome and energetic even with the sleep deprivation. The fact that I can paint for 11 hours and then get in two workouts and then sleep for five hours and not be wrecked the next day at 57 yo is a pretty big positive. The diet and lack of beer is probably the big driver.

When I look at the before/after selfies I don't see any difference. I'm down 25 pounds but it doesn't look like it. I guess when you're the size of an orca, if you reduce your circumference by a tenth of an inch it's not noticeable. When people have referenced life changing and shown pics of with amazing transformations....that hasn't been the case for me.

90 days ago I couldn't bench 225, going to give 225 x 10 a shot on Sunday. That exceeded my expectations. My VOmax has increased from a pathetic 35 to pathetic 37. That's when off my peak of 70 15 years ago. I need to build on this for longevity and quality of life as I age. I the back of my mind I would like to bench press 300 lbs and run 100 miles under 24 hours in the same week before I age out.

I think I'm going to roll on with this for another 25 days and shoot for 100.

25 pounds in 10 weeks is great progress. You're in a 1,000+ calorie a day deficit to pull that off. At your age it's incredible. I wouldn't worry to much about you seeing a difference in selfies. What's important is feeling better. Congratulations on completing this challenge. There aren't many who would even attempt it much less complete it.

 

[BassNBrew]

Completing this would a life changing accomplishment for the majority of us.

Completing this would a life changing accomplishment for the majority of us.

I think that's true of the two workouts, but I don't think it's that "life-changing" to eat clean and quit drinking for a couple of months.

Been reflecting on this.

I feel pretty awesome and energetic even with the sleep deprivation. The fact that I can paint for 11 hours and then get in two workouts and then sleep for five hours and not be wrecked the next day at 57 yo is a pretty big positive. The diet and lack of beer is probably the big driver.

When I look at the before/after selfies I don't see any difference. I'm down 25 pounds but it doesn't look like it. I guess when you're the size of an orca, if you reduce your circumference by a tenth of an inch it's not noticeable. When people have referenced life changing and shown pics of with amazing transformations....that hasn't been the case for me.

90 days ago I couldn't bench 225, going to give 225 x 10 a shot on Sunday. That exceeded my expectations. My VOmax has increased from a pathetic 35 to pathetic 37. That's when off my peak of 70 15 years ago. I need to build on this for longevity and quality of life as I age. I the back of my mind I would like to bench press 300 lbs and run 100 miles under 24 hours in the same week before I age out.

I think I'm going to roll on with this for another 25 days and shoot for 100.

25 pounds in 10 weeks is great progress. You're in a 1,000+ calorie a day deficit to pull that off. At your age it's incredible. I wouldn't worry to much about you seeing a difference in selfies. What's important is feeling better. Congratulations on completing this challenge. There aren't many who would even attempt it much less complete it.

Thinking on it more...life changing would be to keep the discipline after the challenge. Setting boundaries and sticking to them. It's so easy to say "tomorrow" when something comes up at work (I'm a business owner), there's a family celebration, a client meal pops up, a client gift shows up, etc. I deserve this, I've earned this cheat, I work hard, it's too hot/cold/wet for a long run I guess time will tell what I take from this challenge and what sticks.

 

[Ilov80s]

Too bad none of you really got it done. Oh well, maybe next time.

What a bunch of losers lol.

Kidding of course. Great job by many people here! People tend to focus so much harder on the 10% of the time they messed up, broke their diet, skipped a workout, etc. that they fail to acknowledge the 90% of the time they kicked ***. So yeah, way to kick some *** guys.

I wasn't along for this particular ride but I've been also really focused on my health this summer and have done well. Only downside now is I need to buy a lot of new pants/shorts because everything is all of a sudden a little too big. Good problem to have though.

 

[Grahamburn]

Completing this would a life changing accomplishment for the majority of us.

Completing this would a life changing accomplishment for the majority of us.

I think that's true of the two workouts, but I don't think it's that "life-changing" to eat clean and quit drinking for a couple of months.

Been reflecting on this.

I feel pretty awesome and energetic even with the sleep deprivation. The fact that I can paint for 11 hours and then get in two workouts and then sleep for five hours and not be wrecked the next day at 57 yo is a pretty big positive. The diet and lack of beer is probably the big driver.

When I look at the before/after selfies I don't see any difference. I'm down 25 pounds but it doesn't look like it. I guess when you're the size of an orca, if you reduce your circumference by a tenth of an inch it's not noticeable. When people have referenced life changing and shown pics of with amazing transformations....that hasn't been the case for me.

90 days ago I couldn't bench 225, going to give 225 x 10 a shot on Sunday. That exceeded my expectations. My VOmax has increased from a pathetic 35 to pathetic 37. That's when off my peak of 70 15 years ago. I need to build on this for longevity and quality of life as I age. I the back of my mind I would like to bench press 300 lbs and run 100 miles under 24 hours in the same week before I age out.

I think I'm going to roll on with this for another 25 days and shoot for 100.

25 pounds in 10 weeks is great progress. You're in a 1,000+ calorie a day deficit to pull that off. At your age it's incredible. I wouldn't worry to much about you seeing a difference in selfies. What's important is feeling better. Congratulations on completing this challenge. There aren't many who would even attempt it much less complete it.

Thinking on it more...life changing would be to keep the discipline after the challenge. Setting boundaries and sticking to them. It's so easy to say "tomorrow" when something comes up at work (I'm a business owner), there's a family celebration, a client meal pops up, a client gift shows up, etc. I deserve this, I've earned this cheat, I work hard, it's too hot/cold/wet for a long run I guess time will tell what I take from this challenge and what sticks.

I wish you the best if you're going to continue. I'm not sure something like this is really sustainable long term unless you're in your 20's and an athlete. I have definitely over-trained during this time doing intense two-a-days.

I do agree that it can be beneficial to eat well the majority of the time and exercise on most days. If you can stick to healthy eating habits and work out two times a day for 75 straight days it should be "easy" to maintain a mostly healthy lifestyle once you get to a goal weight. That, to me, would be the life changing part. I don't plan to revert back to old habits after this. I'm also getting too old to fix it later on like I've been able to in the past.

 

[Terminalxylem]

How many of you are going to complete this thing without having had any "cheats" or "accommodations" or anything?

I followed my own schedule but I'm satisfied with the results. Reaching new PRs every week on all my lifts in the gym. Haven't touched any drugs or alcohol, I don't even drink coffee anymore. I've still been eating 5-6K calories a day but sadly I lost a little weight. My BMI is down to 20.8 whereas I was hoping to get up to 22.5. I will continue with this routine.

I guess it could be a problem in the context of your possible malabsorption, but FTR, coffee is quite healthful.

 

[Terminalxylem]

So is @gruecd the only one following the letter of the law for the duration?

 

[BassNBrew]

So is @gruecd the only one following the letter of the law for the duration?

Kinda getting on a roll with this stuff. Up this morning at 4am, read my 10 pages while I was getting ready for my run, and out the door for my 10 miles at 5am. Got back, made a quick smoothie, and straight to the gym. 45-minute lift done, showered, and at the office by 8:30 with 48 ounces of water already consumed. I've got the rest of the day, and all I need to do is drink another 80 ounces of water. It really is all about being intentional with your time.

Next week I start a 15-week training cycle for the Berlin Marathon in September, so that'll add an interesting wrinkle to things.

I think he may have been caught on a technicality before he knew all the requirements.

Regardless, I think he’s going to end up with some amazing before and after results.

 

[BassNBrew]

So is @gruecd the only one following the letter of the law for the duration?

Do you care to comment on your results term? Do you feel like this was beneficial to you?

 

[Terminalxylem]

So is @gruecd the only one following the letter of the law for the duration?

Do you care to comment on your results term? Do you feel like this was beneficial to you?

Yes. I was going to wait until the bitter end, and hopefully post before/after selfies at the same time.

With that in mind, what is the easiest free site to post half- naked photos of oneself for random middle aged dudes on the internet?

I’m also planning on getting blood work on day 76, so I can see how this impacted my A1c, lipids and kidney function.

 

[Nugget]

Imgur worked for me (for the photo posting)