Apr 29 in General discussion
Day 75 - Final Day - Some thoughts
Hey Guys,
Today is day 75 for me and it is a bitter sweet ending. I thought I'd share a few thoughts as I close 75 Hard out. This has been one of the hardest things I have committed to in a long time and being stretched physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually was deeply needed. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait for a cheeseburger tomorrow, but I think I'm going to miss having to check those boxes each day. I'll certainly be taking a few of them with me as I move forward. I'll break down my experiences on each daily required task below and then some final closing thoughts.
Reading:
I've read more in the last 75 days than I have in the last 10 years. That has been one of the coolest and thought provoking experiences. I've knocked out 5 books, a few that I will revisit, and am on my 6th now. Reading has provided a space for me to slow down, be alone with my thoughts and alone with myself. It's also encouraged me to pick up journaling, which has served as the ultimate way to wind down before bed.
Working Out 2x/Day:
This has been the most fun and most annoying part of the challenge. A lot of times it was more than two 45 minute workouts. The time it takes to get to the gym, do your workouts, come home and clean up, really took a ton of time and planning. The worst days were when I've had to travel for work. I'd find myself getting off a plane at 10pm, rushing home just to get a jog or a fast walk in to close out the day. Personally, this one took the most sacrifice on my end because of the time it took up. I am happy to say that I'm now running up to 8 miles again, faster than I've been in a long time, muay sessions feel great and down about 13 lbs from when I started. Big shout out to Coach Alex! Wouldn't have been able to get through these workouts with you and the other coaches.
Diet/No Cheat Meals/No Alcohol:
Dieting has always been tough for me because I've never had a real reason to do it. I've always been lean and my regular activity keeps me in decent enough shape. I purposely chose a diet that would allow me to go to a work lunch or dinner and get sushi, a grilled chicken salad, or something like that. This part of the challenge has been one of the best changes for my household. We meal prep breakfast and lunch each Sunday and then cook 3-4 dinners/ week throughout the week for the most part. This ensures I'm getting enough calories throughout the day and it takes such a mental load off of me just knowing it is already done. Because of the meal prepping, we are eating better food and are saving a noticeable amount of money by not eating out. This is definitely something I will take with me beyond the challenge. Regarding alcohol, I rarely miss it. I’m definitely going to open a nice bottle of wine tomorrow, but I could honestly never think of it again and it wouldn’t change my daily life.
Progress Pics:
I don't have a ton to say here. I squeeze this one either after a workout or after my morning shower. I've noticed some change, but nothing drastic personally. I feel better than ever though!
Gallon of Water:
This one sucked at first, but after the first week I found myself moving through water so easily. Now I can't fathom how people don't drink enough water. It feels so good to by hydrated. I do have to piss literally all of the time though, haha.
Big Take Aways:
Planning is everything. By not planning, you are planning to fail. You must think ahead and take those 5 minutes to prep for the morning before you go to bed, or whatever it is. You have to think ahead and communicate those things to your support system.
This leads me to my second point, this is a massive shift for others in your house. My wife has been an absolute rock star in supporting me and I couldn't do it without her. She has been so helpful in picking up the slack because I need to get that second workout in, or because I need to go read before we go to a gathering, etc... Communicate with your support system.
Discipline sucks a lot of the time, but you are better for it. At least for me, I wasn't doing a lot of these things like limiting what I eat, making sure I workout 2x, etc... because I like it, I did it because I knew I would be better for it. There were so many nights that all I wanted to do was watch TV and dissociate from everything, but I forced myself to read because I knew I'd be better for it. New points of view would be introduced, a new way to think of a struggle would show up in the reading, and I was always glad I did it. There were also so many days that I wanted to sit home and take it easy instead of going to get punched at the gym, but I felt better EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. that I did it. I never regretted doing the things that I committed to doing.
Set yourself up for success: This may be controversial, but these are my thoughts. If you are new to working out, have never dieted before, and don't know how to cook, don't take on an experienced bodybuilder's workout and set the standard at hitting macros for 75 days. Talk to people more experienced, like Drew or Trellis, who have a ton of experience in the kitchen and the gym about what diets and workouts can look like. It doesn't have to be brown rice and chicken for 75 days straight. Learn about plans and lifestyle diets that can get you on the right path. Life is iterative and you can do this challenge again and make tweaks for the next time. The main thing is to get a win under your belt.
I hope some of these words are helpful and encouraging to others. Keep up the good work guys and hope to see some of y'all at the bow shoot in a couple weeks.
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Day 75 - Final Day - Some thoughts
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