75 Hard: Phase 1

 Welp, not long after I completed 75 Hard, I am beginning "Phase 1". 

The whole 75 Hard program consists of 4 different "Programs." Most people only know or heard about 75 Hard. Most people who do 75 hard typically don't do Phase 1 because they've either never heard of it or think accomplishing 75 Hard was more than enough.

If those people are like me, they slip back into their "regular" life and those old habits. Usually, I get cradled with things like "75 Hard isn't sustainable" or "you don't need to kill your body like that." I let their words and feelings get into my head and end up gaining the weight back, and some. Which is something I plan to avoid this go-round. 

I have failed Phase 1 3 times now.

This time I plan to accomplish the complete Live Hard Program.

The entire program is broken into 4 parts and made to be accomplished in 1 year. The creator of 75 Hard has called the first portion the "boot camp." It's 75 Days of building a base that will allow you to be successful throughout the entire program.

After you accomplish "75 Hard," phase 1 is next. You have the same daily tasks and a few additional items you must check off daily. Then you move on to Phase 2 and, finally, Phase 3. Each phase builds onto the next one. The entire program lasts about 5 and a half months. You are allowed and encouraged to take time "off" between each phase. 

The additional daily items:

• 10 minutes of dedicated visualization.
• Completing 3 tasks that drive you forward in life.
•  5 Minute cold shower.

My 3 tasks are writing daily (I want to be a writer), learning Italian, and spending 30 minutes building my company. 

(If you forgot what 75 Hard is, please read this.)

So here we are, 4 days into the new year; I am on day 2 of Phase 1 and feeling much better. The diet I chose is a lot more strict than the last. I am eating CLEAN. Only single-source foods like rice, potatoes, steak, fish, veggies, and fruit. I am also tracking my macros and cannot stray from them. Everything I eat must be weighed, including the olive oil I am cooking. It sounds like it is a ton of work, but I am a nerd when it comes to these things.

This will allow me to track and tweak my macros as I continue throughout the program. If I feel tired or hungry, I know I am not eating enough protein and can adjust my diet until I have it dialed in. 

I'll give a brief description if you need to get more familiar with macros. You likely know there are 3 different places you can get your calories from; Protein, Fat, and Carbohydrates. You will see these things if you read the nutrition facts on anything you eat or drink. Somebody like myself who wants to lose fat and gain muscle should consume more carbs and Protein than I do fat. Macros are based on a specific percentage calculated by a few things like your current weight, age, and activity level. For example, 40% of the calories I consume come from Protein, 40% from Carbs, and 20% from fat. I consume 2300 calories a day. If I am constantly hungry while following these macros, I need to up my calories but keep the percentages the same.

I am not a health coach and can't tell you what your macros should be, but some simple calculators can get you started. This is the one I use. 

Phase 1 only lasts 30 days. I have some solid goals for this phase. I look forward to updating you all on my progress. 

Cheers,

JD