What to eat while doing 75 Hard?

November 18, 2025 •

4 min read

The 75 Hard challenge is a mental toughness program that has gained significant traction, but surprisingly, it does not prescribe a specific diet plan. Instead, the key nutritional requirement is to choose a diet based on your goals and adhere to it strictly for 75 consecutive days, which is exactly what to eat while doing 75 Hard.

Quick Summary

This guide provides detailed nutrition strategies and meal ideas for successful completion of the 75 Hard challenge. It focuses on incorporating whole foods, balanced macronutrients, and consistent eating habits to support high-intensity workouts and mental resilience without cheat meals or alcohol.

Key Points

Choose Your Diet: Unlike other programs, 75 Hard requires you to pick your own diet and adhere to it strictly, with zero cheat meals and no alcohol.
Fuel Your Workouts: A diet rich in lean proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats is essential to support the two daily 45-minute workouts required by the challenge.
Meal Prep is Key: Planning and preparing meals in advance helps you stick to your chosen diet and resist impulsive, non-compliant food choices.
Focus on Whole Foods: Prioritize nutrient-dense, unprocessed foods to provide your body with the sustained energy needed for 75 days of discipline.
Stay Hydrated: The daily gallon of water intake is crucial, not only for hydration but also for controlling appetite and boosting mental clarity.
Manage Temptation: Combat cravings and social pressures by remembering your 'why' and focusing on the mental resilience you're building, not just the food you're restricting.
Incorporate Variety: Prevent boredom and stay motivated by experimenting with different compliant recipes using herbs, spices, and whole-food ingredients.

Your Nutritional Blueprint for 75 Hard

Completing the 75 Hard challenge requires more than willpower; it demands a strategic and sustainable nutritional approach. With two 45-minute workouts and no cheat meals or alcohol for 75 days, your body needs proper fuel for energy, muscle repair, and mental clarity. Instead of following a fad, the program’s core rule is to pick a diet and stick to it, fostering unparalleled discipline. This section breaks down the essential components of a robust eating plan.

Prioritizing Macronutrients and Whole Foods

Your diet during 75 Hard should revolve around macronutrients—protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats—sourced from whole, unprocessed foods. This foundation ensures you are not just full but also providing your body with the building blocks it needs to perform and recover.

Lean Proteins: The cornerstone of muscle repair. Aim for sources like chicken, turkey, fish (such as salmon and tuna), tofu, legumes, and eggs. High protein intake helps with muscle recovery after your dual daily workouts and promotes a feeling of fullness, reducing cravings.
Complex Carbohydrates: These are your primary energy source. Choose whole grains (oats, brown rice, quinoa), sweet potatoes, and fruits to provide a slow and sustained release of energy throughout the day. Timing your carb intake around your workouts can optimize performance and recovery.
Healthy Fats: Crucial for hormone function and brain health. Include sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil in your meals. These fats also help with satiety and provide a concentrated source of energy, especially useful during long, demanding days.
Fiber-Rich Foods: Fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains are rich in fiber. This promotes digestive health, helps stabilize blood sugar, and keeps you feeling full and satisfied, which is vital when resisting temptations.

Sample Meal Plan Ideas

To give you a tangible starting point, here is a breakdown of simple, clean-eating meal ideas that can be modified to fit your preferences and goals.

Breakfast Ideas

Protein-Packed Scramble: Scrambled eggs with spinach, bell peppers, and turkey bacon.
Overnight Oats: Made with rolled oats, Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and berries.
High-Protein Pancakes: Using Kodiak Cakes mix or a homemade protein mix, topped with fresh fruit.

Lunch Ideas

Grilled Chicken Salad: Mixed greens topped with grilled chicken, quinoa, cucumber, and a vinegar-based dressing.
Tuna Wrap: Tuna salad made with mashed avocado, served in a whole wheat wrap with lettuce and tomato.
Turkey Chili: Lean turkey chili with beans and a side of whole grain cornbread.

Dinner Ideas

Baked Salmon: Salmon fillet baked with roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and sweet potatoes.
Stir-Fry: Chicken or tofu stir-fried with mixed vegetables and brown rice.
Beef & Broccoli: Lean steak tips with steamed broccoli and brown rice.

Snack Ideas

Greek yogurt with berries
Apple slices with peanut butter
Handful of almonds and walnuts
Hummus with bell pepper and cucumber sticks

Comparison of Diet Strategies for 75 Hard

While the program does not dictate a specific diet, choosing a sustainable and nutritionally sound plan is crucial. Below is a comparison of popular strategies compatible with the 'no cheat meals' rule.


Feature	Mediterranean Diet	Keto Diet	Clean Eating	Vegan Diet
Primary Focus	Whole foods, heart health	High fat, low carb	Unprocessed, whole foods	Plant-based foods only
Macros	Balanced protein, carbs, fats	High fat, moderate protein, very low carb	Balanced macro intake	High carb, moderate protein, low fat
Food Restrictions	Processed foods, red meat (limited)	Grains, sugars, most fruits, legumes	Processed foods, refined sugars	All animal products (meat, dairy, eggs)
Benefits	Sustainable, nutrient-dense, reduces inflammation	Rapid fat loss, appetite control	Improves overall health, eliminates additives	Rich in fiber, antioxidants, heart health benefits
Challenges	Requires conscious planning	Can be difficult to sustain; 'Keto flu'	Can be restrictive if interpreted strictly	Requires careful planning to get all nutrients

Overcoming Challenges and Staying on Track

The strictness of the 75 Hard diet can be challenging, but with the right preparation, you can succeed.

Meal Preparation: Dedicate time each week to plan your meals and prep ingredients. Having healthy food ready to go eliminates the temptation to reach for processed or non-compliant options when you're busy or tired.
Strategic Snacking: Keep compliant snacks on hand to manage hunger and cravings between meals. This prevents impulsive eating and helps maintain stable energy levels.
Find Your 'Why': Remember that the diet component is a mental test of discipline, not just a weight loss tool. Connecting with your deeper motivation will help you power through moments of temptation.
Stay Hydrated: Drinking a gallon of water daily is a rule of the program, but it also helps with hunger management. Sometimes, the brain confuses thirst with hunger, so staying hydrated can curb unnecessary snacking.
Focus on Flavor: Healthy eating doesn’t have to be bland. Use herbs, spices, and healthy sauces to make your meals exciting and satisfying. Explore new recipes to keep things interesting for the full 75 days.

Conclusion

Navigating the nutritional requirements of the 75 Hard challenge is a journey in discipline and conscious eating. By choosing a diet rich in whole foods and balanced macronutrients, and leveraging strategies like meal prep, you can fuel your body effectively and avoid the trap of 'cheat meals.' The emphasis is on consistency and mental toughness, ensuring that your food choices not only support your physical workouts but also reinforce your commitment to self-improvement. The real reward lies not just in the physical transformation, but in the lasting, healthy habits you build along the way.

It is important to remember that consulting with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian before beginning a new fitness program and diet plan can offer personalized guidance for optimal health and safety.

Frequently Asked Questions

A cheat meal is anything that falls outside the boundaries of the specific diet plan you chose for the 75 Hard challenge. The strict interpretation of the program, according to its creator Andy Frisella, is that there are no cheat meals for the entire 75 days.

No, alcohol is strictly forbidden for the entire 75-day duration of the challenge. The rule is absolute: not a drop of beer, wine, or any other alcohol is permitted.

No, the program does not specify a particular diet. You are free to choose a diet that aligns with your goals, but once chosen, you must follow it without any deviation for 75 consecutive days.

A good meal for 75 Hard would include a balance of lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Examples include grilled chicken with quinoa and vegetables, baked salmon with sweet potato and broccoli, or a turkey wrap with avocado and mixed greens.

Dealing with cravings involves mindful strategies like meal prepping to have compliant food ready, staying well-hydrated, and focusing on the mental toughness aspect of the challenge. Remind yourself that the food restrictions are temporary and part of building discipline.

Yes, intermittent fasting is a diet strategy that is compatible with the 75 Hard program, provided it is the chosen diet and is followed consistently for the entire 75 days with no cheat meals or alcohol.

While 75 Hard doesn't have rest days from exercise, it's wise to plan your carb intake around your workouts. Consume complex carbohydrates before your more strenuous sessions to fuel your performance and after to aid recovery, while maintaining overall macro balance.