The last 75 days have been some of the most transformative days of my life. I can say with certainty that I am not the same person I was when I started this challenge. The experience is different for everyone, and I would say my personal journey was very spiritual. As stated in my previous post, this is a mental toughness journey and a fitness challenge secondary to that. I’m very excited to write about my story, and hope that my future self will reflect on this time for inner strength.
Privilege as a determinant of success
Individual success in a country dominated by capitalism very much relies on the safety net of material success. Fuck family, fuck spirituality, fuck all else. If you live in America and you don’t have any money, you’re facing a devastating reality.
I live directly above my yoga studio with a monthly membership I can comfortably afford, I have a 9-5 nursing job, I make good money, I don’t have any children, and my material needs in general are met. 75 Hard was not easy, but it was accessible. The challenge is exponentially harder for those whose time and resources are limited.
There are various obstacles to health that we all experience. Where I am on the East coast, homegrown food is not readily accessible. I must rely on the existence of grocery stores and my paycheck to acquire food. Contrast this with SE Asia, where I am from. The reality of third-world poverty clutches at your soul daily, but food is abundant in the tropics. Fruits and vegetables thrive in this part of the world, meaning that food prices are lower and food deserts(like in the American Midwest) just don’t exist.
The 40-hour work week is another obstacle to health that is often overlooked. We accept this reality because technology allows us. Microwaves, slow-cookers, Insta Pots or whatever they’re called, have all replaced our ancient ways of cooking that require time. The Standard American Diet reflects this maladaptive modernization and is currently destroying the health millions, not including future generations.
I consider it a privilege that I’m childless. My time outside of work and obligations to my wife and pets, are entirely mine. My free time is truly free. The capitalistic structure of this country is not kind to families. I grew up with a different family structure, in which it was normal for three generations to live under one roof. I’m an example of someone who was raised by a village. This type of family structure is rare in families that have lived in America for generations. It means that if you want to do 75 Hard, you better cough up the dough to pay for baby-sitters, after school programs, etc. to free up time for your daily tasks.
Workouts
The two 45 min workouts were the most stressful, time-consuming tasks. They were my greatest challenge throughout my experience, not because of the physical labor but because of the demand on my daily schedule. It takes a high level of executive function to plan out your workouts and the self care that comes along with it. Especially when one of your 45 min workouts has to be outdoors! The outdoor challenge is a breeze for dog people. My pup loves our walking routine.
I feel so good. My workouts have boosted my self esteem in ways I was not expecting. I’ve gained muscle, mental clarity, high quality sleep. I lost 17 lbs within the first 60 days. My body is limber, awake, and responsive. I cycled between three basic workouts: 45 min walk daily with my dog, a power yoga class, and/or 45 min of weight training. At the gym, I focused on triceps, arm strength in general, and weighted lunges. My warm ups were always core-related. I learned various core exercises from my yoga studio that kept my warm ups interesting and engaging.
Ayurveda
I invited Ayurveda into my life within the first month of this challenge. My wife introduced it to me many years ago, and I incorporated elements of this practice into my life over time. I was finally ready to fully step into my Ayurvedic practice thanks to 75 Hard.
I began by purchasing Idiot’s Guide to Ayurveda by Sahara Rose. I’ve been a fan of her podcast and cookbook for years. I knew that she would provide the introduction I needed to make Ayurveda relevant to my life.
I have been swept away since. I have learned the importance of waking with the sun, eating most of my day’s nutrition during Pitta hours(10am-2pm) when my digestive fire is the most awake, and treating food as if it is medicine. We become what we eat. The more we take this to heart, the better our lives will be.
I love Ayurveda so much that I’m considering a future career as a practitioner!
Humility
Humility is the unspoken challenge of 75 Hard. There were days when I truly felt so defeated. There were many nights when it was 10pm and my tasks were still not complete. Commitment to anything(fitness, marriage, family, friendships, work) breaks down your ego because you have to say yes every single time you want to say no.
Don’t get me wrong, I had a string of victorious weeks. Everything seemed to line up perfectly for me then. The victories made the difficult days worse. I felt even more critical of myself because I had seen myself complete my tasks effortlessly. Humility is a beautiful lesson to learn. Take pride in what you accomplish, but never forget that you are human and some days you just won’t feel like a winner.
What’s next for me
I’ve decided to progress with the LiveHard challenge and start with Phase 1 tomorrow! This will include all 75 Hard tasks, in addition to a daily 5 minute cold shower, 10 minutes of daily visualization, and 3 critical power tasks.
My power tasks:
1. Wake up at 5am
2. Weigh myself every morning
3. Complete one patient call before my lunch break
These are all things I don’t yet do everyday. I purposefully designed these tasks to be simple and easy to accomplish, but impactful enough that I will be satisfied by the end of the 30 days.
Wish me luck!
araw araw 