BACK TO ROUTINE - MY TAKEAWAY AFTER 75 SOFT
75 Soft is a more flexible and balanced approach to the popular 75 Hard challenge. It focuses on building healthy habits without the extreme restrictions. The guidelines typically include:
Exercising for 45 minutes daily, with at least one session being low-impact or active recovery.
Eating nutritious, whole foods while allowing for moderation.
Drinking at least 3 liters of water per day.
Reading 10 pages of a book daily.
Prioritizing rest and mindfulness, including taking one rest day per week.
75 Soft encourages consistency, discipline, and overall wellness while allowing for a more sustainable lifestyle.
What was my workout split?
Club Pilates 2x a week
Lifting/conditioning 3x a week
Walking on the treadmill 1x a week
Tip #1: Find a workout you genuinely enjoy.
When I was trying to get back into my workout back as a habit, I went back to the gym I used to love (Orangetheory). I found that it was great "easing" back into it because it was what I knew, however I started to find that it brought me zero joy. If you didn't know, I used to be the head coach at our local OTF here. I found myself critiquing the coaches in my head more than actually focusing on the workout itself. BTW - as the head coach I literally had to sit and watch/score the coaches during their classes so I wasn't being an asshole, I just can't turn that part of my brain off lol
Leaving the workouts more irritated than joyful, I stopped being excited to go and found every excuse not to go. This is when I needed to pivot. I had tried pilates before and really enjoyed the mindfulness of it but also being sore the next day, so I added that back into the mix 2x a week.
I knew I loved lifting but didn't want to go to OTF or just go lift by myself at the gym, so I tried a couple of classes out at another group fitness gym (Beartooth Performance). I fell in love with their style of training. Everyday is a mix of strength training and conditioning - so I added that 3x a week.
Overall, I found that I loved have a variety of classes I was going to each week and I wasn't getting bored. If you can relate to any of that, this is your sign to grab a girlfriend and try some new workout classes!
Tip #2: Have an accountability buddy (or this challenge)
Speaking of grabbing a friend, if you have a hard time getting to the gym - grab an accountability partner. Having an accountability buddy helps you to stick to your workout schedule, motivating you to show up and not skip sessions by knowing someone is expecting you to be there. Make sure this is a mutual accountability so both of y'all are staying committed to your workout routine. If you don't have someone in mind, this challenge is a great way to get started yourself or hiring a personal trainer at your gym!
It takes 21 days it form a habit. The first 3 weeks are the most challenging - week 4 its become your habit and part of your routine.
Tip #3: Give yourself permission to pivot.
This was definitely my biggest take away from the challenge and it kind of loops back in with tip #1. Having a variety of workouts, it gave me room to pivot. In the past if I would have woken up and was feeling under the weather or just started my period, I'd give myself the excuse to skip that day. That one day would turn into two days, three.... you know the pattern.
Having 3 workout options for the week (pilates, lifting or walking on the treadmill) gave me options for how I was feeling that day. If I was supposed to go lift that morning but my body was not having it, rather than skipping a workout I would pivot and go to the gym and just walk on the treadmill. I was still holing myself accountable but also still listening to my body.
Another tool I used was the rest day I had each week. If I woke up and my body was REALLY needing a rest that day, I'd listen to my body and skip the gym that day but know that my typical rest day (Sundays) would be a gym day.
Everyone operates differently, this was just what worked personally for me. I love having options, I love being able to listen to my body and I love going to workouts I genuinely enjoy.
I personally did not accomplish the reading/meditation and drinking the 3 Stanleys everyday but I definitely do incorporate it 2-3 times a week in my routine. The mediation and/or affirmations are a great tool to have if I wake up feeling anxious for the day, it immediately calms my nervous system.
If you want to hear more about this in depth, you can listen to my podcast episode about it below! Also make sure to use my 75 soft template! Or you can start off with the 21 day challenge template!