Why be hard when you can be hot?
Some people believe that starting off the new year with a strict workout regimen, like the notoriously intense 75 Hard Challenge, is the best course for completing their resolutions.
But for those who don’t want to follow the strict 75-day regimen’s rigid rules — which entails following a diet while also omitting alcohol and cheat meals, completing two 45-minute workouts (one of which must be outside), drinking one gallon of water per day, reading 10 pages of a nonfiction or personal development-focused book every day and taking a daily progress picture — there’s now an alternative: The 75 Hotter Challenge.
“It was so treacherous,” content creator Jade Brandt told The Post. “I feel like a lot of it I did just because I was focused on hitting the 75 days and completing 75 Hard, but I felt like it wasn’t sustainable. It didn’t feel like a balanced way to live.”
The challenge, which has gone viral every January for the past few years, is meant to be completed daily for 75 days — and if you mess up, you need to start it all over again.
But what happens when the 75 days are over? And is it practical to assume these habits will continue on through the rest of the year?
Brandt, who lives in Austin, Texas, didn’t think so.
The 35-year-old social media marketer instead wanted a routine that wasn’t so restrictive, where she could still have fun while being healthy and mindful.
So she created “75 Hotter.”
“The whole point of this is to find balance in a fun way and connect with other people,” Brandt explained. “All these things are to make sure you feed your soul and feed your body.”
And best of all, 75 Hotter doesn’t start over if you miss one day “because that’s not real life.”
“That can lead to toxic behavior, where you’re like, ‘Well, it’s a wash! I didn’t do it one day and I don’t feel like starting over so I’m not going to do good things for myself the next day.’”
But after the 75 days of her Hotter challenge, Brandt found that the good habits naturally found their way into her regular routine.
When she first posted on TikTok about the 75 Hotter Challenge — which she referred to as “75 Hard but for the girls” — many people resonated with it, and she got 5.5 million views on the video.
The categories for 75 Hotter are similar to 75 Hard, with a focus on both physical and mental health, but less restrictive. They include dating, diet, steps, three-bite rule, read, water, clean, connection, drinking, working out and aesthetics.
“Our mental health is so tied closely to our physical health. If you are not in a good mental space, and if you’re not taking care of yourself mentally, your whole physical routine suffers,” she said.
The 75 Hotter plan is as follows:
Relationships: ‘Cutting out toxic people and going no contact‘
Brandt admitted that cutting people out and having no contact with them for 75 days was harder than she thought it would be.
“As a woman, you feel like you have to have people in your life,” she shared. “But then you realize, like, oh, I actually don’t have to respond to somebody who isn’t treating me well.”
“You need people that aren’t going to drain you.”
Walking: ‘10,000 hot girl steps each day‘
Everyone loves a hot girl walk. Brandt explained that she typically works out every day, but when working from home, it can be easy to be sedentary all day — which is why she’s prioritizing 10,000 steps per day.
While the 10,000-a-day goal was a myth created by pedometer creators to sell fitness trackers, experts say it’s still a great benchmark for getting in some daily activity. Some studies have shown than as much as 4,000 will do the trick.
Nutrition: ‘Prioritizing protein and greens at every meal‘
“Diets are so one-size-fits-all,” Brandt said, referring to how 75 Hard requires a strict diet.
But after talking to two of her friends who are nutritionists, she realized that one thing she can do, whether she’s eating at home or going out for a meal, is making sure she gets protein and greens in every meal.
“If I’m having nachos, I can also have a salad, and then that way, I’m being mindful of what I’m eating,” she explained.
![75 Hotter Challenge]
https://www.tiktok.com/@itsmejadeb/video/7319680718613843246?lang=en](https://i0.wp.com/nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/www-tiktok-com-itsmejadeb-video-74437137.jpg?resize=365%2C590&ssl=1 "What is the 75 Hotter Challenge? Everything to know about the 75 Hard alternative 1")
Three-bite rule: ‘We’re not depriving, we’re balancing, so you get 3 bites’
Brandt explained that the three-bite rule isn’t so literal, but it’s more of an idea. It involves more intuitive eating, not literally just taking three bites of your food.
“When you’re at a restaurant, instead of just eating chips mindlessly, thinking about ‘How many chips am I eating to where I’m full?’ versus ‘I’m stuffing myself, and I don’t feel good,’” she clarified. “Paying attention to how things make you feel. What is making you feel good?”
Books: ‘Reading a book before bed instead of scrolling‘
It doesn’t have to be a non-fiction or personal development-focused book — as long as you’re reading instead of being on your phone, she explained.
Hydration: ‘Drinking enough water so that our pee is clear‘
This one is self-explanatory: stay hydrated!
Housekeeping: ‘We’re keeping our spaces clean and doing a clean sweep before bed every night‘
This goal helped Brandt be less stressed in the mornings, because “you’re not thinking about all the other stuff you have to do after you after your work day.”
Connection: ‘Each week, call or connect with someone you’re trying to build a friendship with or an old friend’
Brandt found connecting with people to be the most transformative habit to come out of 75 Hotter for her.
“I just moved to Austin two years ago, and I had a bunch of acquaintances that I wasn’t really nurturing those relationships, and they were amazing girls. Then I made it a part of my routine to check in with some of the girls and go on a walk or get coffee,” she shared.
While it’s easy to have friendships where you get the occasional drink or only call when you need each other, Brandt said that the 75 days she spent doing this led to valuable friendships.
Alcohol: ‘Hot girls drink to celebrate, they don’t drink while crying at home‘
Brandt explains this one as “mindfully drinking.” She doesn’t rule out getting drunk and drinking a cocktail if she wants to, yet doesn’t cut out alcohol completely.
Exercise: ‘Five times a week, a walk is not a workout. We need to sweat‘
This includes anything that challenges you to get out of the house and challenges you physically.
Brandt clarified that a walk is not a workout to her because she doesn’t want us to go too easy on ourselves. For example, a walk around the block or walking your dog isn’t really taking care of your health.
However, a long walk that makes you sweat would definitely be considered a workout.
Self-care: ‘One outwardly aesthetic self-care thing a week‘
Self-care is key, and anything that makes you look good might make you feel good, too. For Brandt’s 75 Hotter, this could include getting nails done, spray tanning, eyebrow maintenance, lash enhancements, Botox, blowouts, facials and more beauty services.
“I went through a really, really bad breakup, and it was one of those breakups where you just had to put yourself on autopilot. You had to schedule the workout and just show up, you had to schedule the nail appointment and just show up,” Brandt shared.
“And I found when I started taking care of not only my health but when I also did a little thing like put on self tanner, it was just nicer to feel like I did something for myself.”
She added that this doesn’t have to be some sort of pricey treatment; it can be as simple as a face mask at home.
“Care for yourself the way you would care for other people.”
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