‘I’m a Trainer, And This Fitness Challenge Made Me Stronger Than Ever.’
In December 2023, I found myself in one of the most difficult times of change in my life. I had just gotten my master’s degree in mental health counseling and was moving to a new city after nine years in Orlando, where I went to college at the University of Central Florida. I also started working a 9-to-5 job in the real world. For the first time in my adult life, I no longer had the structure of school and athletics (cheerleading had been a part of my identity since I was 3; I cheered in college and even and tried out for Team USA but I tore my Achilles.)
After quitting cheerleading and having to rehabilitate multiple serious injuries (including a torn ACL and meniscus from performing a gymnastics stunt in 2022, which resulted in surgery), I felt alone. I needed to get public opinion.
Living in a new town on the west coast of Florida, and the lifestyle changes that came with it, was a culture shock. I still wanted to prioritize working and making new friends. I had also just gotten certified as a personal trainer (I was inspired after working with my trainer to heal my injuries) and started my own coaching business, so I was I also need to carve out time to exercise and produce content. Without a solid schedule, I felt overwhelmed.
Wanting more discipline and socializing, I joined a running club to meet people, but even there I felt like I didn’t belong.
That’s when I decided to try the 75 Hard challenge—a mental toughness program—but with my own spin, in a real way.
I was not interested in the challenge – created by entrepreneur Andy Frisella in 2019 – for weight loss or body transformation. My goal was to build morale and community. My thinking was, if I gave myself fully to this challenge, naturally the mental benefits would spill over into other areas of my life.
I called my slightly different approach “75 Days of Discipline” to better reflect my goals. I wanted to prioritize consistency and showing up every day over strength or perfection. Jumping in, I asked the running group I was in if anyone wanted to do the challenge with me. To my surprise, more than 16 people signed up, and together, we created a support network that turned out to be invaluable.
As an extrovert, putting myself out like that bothered me, but some of the people I went through the challenge with have become my closest friends. It was everything I wanted and more.
The 75 Basic Rules of a Hard Challenge
- Follow a customized meal plan of your choice (no alcohol allowed).
- Do two 45-minute training sessions per day (one must be outside).
- Take one picture of progress each day.
- Drink 1 gallon of water a day.
- Read 10 pages of fiction every day.
The 75 Hard program sometimes gets a bad rap for being too loud or too loud. But my take on the challenge—focusing on discipline and stability over weight or perfection—helped me see it differently. The key to my success was creating consistency and giving myself the grace to adapt when needed.
For example, instead of trying to work out twice every day, I alternated between intense and lean days, honoring what my body called for each day. For example, one day might include strength training and long walks, while another might include yoga or roller skating. This approach helped me avoid burnout and injury, which is something many people don’t understand about this program.
My Biggest Lessons From 75 Days of Discipline
I realized something important about myself through this experience: I often think I hate character, but I actually thrive on it. The discipline required to follow the 75 days of this challenge came from every aspect of my life—from how I approach my coaching business to how I create content online.
I agree, the challenge was tough, even though I was doing my “75 medium” routine. Between exercising 45 minutes a day, drinking a gallon of water, reading 10 pages of fiction, and following an alcohol-free diet, it felt like a lot in the beginning. Although many days didn’t come easily (according to Frisella’s rules, if you miss one part of the challenge, you have to start over from the beginning), so I showed up as much as I could able every day to avoid starting over.
Even the daily progress pictures, which reframed the work I had done to repair my relationship with body image, became a way to celebrate my body’s strength and the strength of my body. Instead of focusing on how my body looked, I focused on what it could do—that change in perspective was one of the biggest takeaways from challenge.
For my practice, I mixed things up to keep it fresh. On other days, I supplemented my strength training routine (a three-day split of upper body, lower body, and focus exercises) with roller skating or kayaking. ; other days, I would do yoga or take a long walk outside. The need for outdoor activities was a gift in disguise—it got me out of the house, inspired me to explore nature and try new activities that I now love. This difference not only kept things interesting but also emphasized balance—a misconception about the 75 Hard that I’m eager to correct. You don’t need to do two heavy workouts a day; movement can be exciting and rejuvenating.
Here is the summary about my exercise routine and my work:
- Monday: Upper body workout and walking for 45 minutes
- Tuesday: Running three kilometers and yoga
- Wednesday: Leg exercise and walking for 45 minutes
- Thursday: Full body workout and yoga
- Friday: Watch a Flippy Friday video (check out my Instagram!), along with a 45-minute yoga or walk
- Saturday: Long runs (usually more than an hour and a half)
- Sunday: Choose your day of adventure (kayaking, roller skating, skiing, outdoor exercise in the park, etc.) and walk for 45 minutes.
An example of a full body workout:
These four factors were critical to my success in completing the challenge.
- I break up the workouts to fit my schedule. I wake up early, so exercising at least 30 minutes before work has been a game changer for me. On the other hand, tackling a 45-minute workout after a full day of work felt overwhelming. So, splitting things up made the challenge more manageable. By starting my day with movement, I also made progress on my hydration goal, drinking at least 40 ounces of water before 10:00 am most days.
- I planned everything in advance. This challenge has many moving parts—exercise, hydration, diet, reading, and more—so planning was necessary. Every weekend, I set aside time to map out my diet, exercise, reading and schedule for the week ahead. Planning everything out eliminated decision fatigue, making even the toughest days more manageable.
- I depended on my people. One of the biggest factors in my success was having a group of people who were on the same journey, providing daily support and encouragement. Looking back, I know I could not have completed this challenge without the support of my community. Being vulnerable and open about my problems helped me realize that I am not alone. Every time I mentioned how hard the day was, I got a lot of encouragement and encouragement. That connection reminded me that I wasn’t doing this alone—I was doing it with others, and that responsibility was powerful.
- I used a visual progress tracker. I created a simple way to track my progress by tapping 75 notes on my bathroom mirror. At the end of each day, I would tear it up. Watching the score decrease kept me motivated and made the challenge feel more manageable. I also wrote affirmations on sticky notes to remind myself that I can achieve anything I put my mind to. This small action kept me focused and motivated throughout the challenge.
What’s Next for Me
The feeling and sense of community I got from doing the challenge—and sharing my experience on Instagram—inspired the launch of 1:1 coaching through my app and website, Taryn trainson December 1, 2024. I am also entering my second “75 Days of Discipline” campaign starting December 1, and will have special programs available through Taryn Trains to help support those others in this challenge.
If you’re thinking of trying something new, whether it’s 75 Hard or committing to moving your body every day, I can promise you this: You can do more than you think. Sometimes, all it takes is a little discipline—and a great community—to remind yourself of what you can achieve.
Taryn Burke, CPT, is a personal trainer, fitness content creator, and mental health counselor. with a passion to empower others to achieve physical and mental health.
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