I wanted to be the kind of person who wakes up early, works out, eats well, and reads before bed. But every time I looked at the 75 Hard Challenge, I felt exhausted just reading the rules.
Two workouts a day? No alcohol for 75 straight days? A full gallon of water? I wanted to change my habits, not punish myself.
Then I found the 75 Soft Challenge. Same concept, way less intense. Four simple rules for 75 days with rest days and flexibility built in.
It’s made for people who want better habits without burning out by day four.
I did it last fall and it genuinely shifted how I spend my time. Here are the exact 75 soft challenge rules, my best tips for finishing all 75 days, and a free printable tracker so you can start whenever you’re ready.
What Are the 75 Soft Challenge Rules?
The 75 Soft Challenge has four rules you follow for 75 days: eat well and only drink alcohol on social occasions, exercise 45 minutes a day with one rest day per week, drink 3 liters of water daily, and read 10 pages of any book before bed.
The challenge was popularized on TikTok as a more sustainable alternative to the 75 Hard Challenge, which was created by entrepreneur Andy Frisella in 2019. The soft version keeps the structure but removes the parts that make most people quit by week two.
You still build discipline. You still change your daily routine. But you don’t have to white-knuckle through 75 days of perfection to see results.
Rule 1: Eat Well and Only Drink on Social Occasions
This is the most flexible rule. There’s no strict diet to follow. No calorie counting, no food groups to eliminate. You just eat well.
For me, that meant more whole foods. More vegetables, lean protein, and meals you cooked yourself. Fewer drive-through runs and late-night snack spirals.
The alcohol part is realistic too. You can still have a glass of wine at dinner with friends or a drink at a birthday party. You just can’t drink alone at home on a Tuesday because you had a long day. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, moderate drinking for women is defined as up to one drink per day.
The point is mindfulness, not restriction.
Rule 2: Exercise for 45 Minutes a Day
You need to move your body for 45 minutes every day. But unlike 75 Hard, you get one rest day per week. And you only need one workout, not two.
Anything counts, and I rotated between several. Walking, yoga, strength training, dancing, swimming, a long bike ride. It doesn’t need to be intense. It just needs to be 45 minutes.
A 2024 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that 30 to 45 minutes of moderate exercise per day reduces anxiety symptoms by 26%. So this rule isn’t just about fitness. It changes how you feel all day long.
According to the CDC, only 23.2% of American adults meet both aerobic and strength training guidelines. Forty-five minutes of movement puts you ahead of most people.
Rule 3: Drink 3 Liters of Water a Day
Three liters is about 12 cups. That sounds like a lot, but it’s close to what experts already recommend. The National Academies of Sciences suggests about 2.7 liters of total daily water intake for women, including water from food.
I started by getting a large water bottle with time markers. That one purchase was the single thing that made this rule stick. Without it, I’d get to 6pm and realize I’d barely had two glasses.
Drink a full glass before every meal. That alone gets you close to 1.5 liters without thinking about it. If plain water bores you, add lemon, cucumber, or frozen berries. Sparkling water counts too.
A 2023 study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that even mild dehydration (1-2% body weight loss) impairs mood and concentration. Staying hydrated keeps your energy steady.
Rule 4: Read 10 Pages of Any Book
This is the rule that surprised me the most. Ten pages takes about 15 to 20 minutes. That’s it. But over 75 days, you’ll finish two to three books without really trying.
Unlike 75 Hard, which requires non-fiction only, the 75 Soft Challenge lets you read anything. Fiction, memoirs, self-help, poetry. Whatever keeps you turning pages.
Reading just 10 pages per day adds up to roughly 15 books per year. And a 2009 study from the University of Sussex found that reading for just six minutes reduces stress levels by up to 68%. Even a short session before bed can change how you sleep.
75 Soft vs 75 Hard: What’s the Difference?
The 75 Hard Challenge is a mental toughness program with zero flexibility. If you miss a single rule on any day, you start completely over from day one. No exceptions.
The 75 Soft Challenge is built for people who want consistency, not perfection. You can have an off day without losing weeks of progress. That alone makes it more sustainable for most people.
How to Actually Finish the 75 Soft Challenge
Most people don’t fail because the rules are too hard. They fail because they don’t plan ahead. Here’s what helped me get through all 75 days.
Start With Week 1 Adjustments
Don’t change everything on day one. If you’re not used to drinking 3 liters of water, start with 2 liters and build up. If 45-minute workouts feel long, break them into two shorter sessions at first.
The goal of week one is to get the rhythm, not to be perfect. A University College London study found that it takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit. You’re building systems that will become automatic by the end.
Make Hydration Easy
Buy a water bottle with time markers. Keep it at your desk all day. Fill it before bed so it’s ready in the morning.
I keep two bottles. One at my desk and one in the kitchen. Drink a full glass before every meal and that alone gets you halfway there. Herbal tea counts toward your total too.
Pick Workouts You Actually Like
If you hate running, don’t run. Walk, take a Pilates class, follow a YouTube workout, or go for a long bike ride. The best exercise is the one you’ll do again tomorrow.
On your rest day, you can still move. Stretching, a slow walk, or gentle yoga all count as active recovery without breaking the spirit of the challenge.
What to Read During the Challenge
The 75 Soft Challenge lets you read any genre, so pick books you’ll actually finish. Don’t force yourself through something boring just because it sounds productive.
Fiction works great. So do memoirs, essays, and light self-help. I alternated between a novel and a personal development book, which kept things interesting. If you’re stuck, start with whatever’s been sitting on your nightstand the longest.
Audiobooks and e-books count too. The point is giving your brain something better than a screen before bed. A 2022 Harvard Medical School review found that screen time before sleep delays melatonin release by up to 90 minutes, while reading a physical book had no negative effect on sleep quality.
What to Do If You Miss a Day
This is where 75 Soft is different from 75 Hard. If you miss a workout or forget to read one night, you just pick it up the next day. You don’t start over.
Missing one day doesn’t erase the 30 or 40 you already completed. What matters is the overall pattern, not any single day. Keep going.
Free 75 Soft Challenge Tracker (Printable PDF)
I made a free tracker to help you stay consistent through all 75 days. It’s a clean one-page printable with daily checkboxes for all four rules, a row for each day, and space for notes.
Print it and stick it on your fridge. Tape it inside your planner. Put it on the bathroom mirror. Somewhere you’ll see it every morning.
Download the free 75 Soft Challenge tracker PDF here.
evrygal recommends printing the tracker and checking off each rule at the end of every day. Visual progress builds momentum faster than trying to remember what you did yesterday. A 2021 study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that visual progress tracking increases goal completion rates by up to 33%.
What I Learned After 75 Days
The biggest change wasn’t physical. It was how I spent my free time. Instead of scrolling at night, I’d read. Instead of skipping movement because I wasn’t in the mood, I’d go for a walk.
The bar was low enough that I could always clear it.
I also learned that flexibility isn’t weakness. The rest days made me come back stronger. The freedom to eat well without counting macros made me enjoy cooking again. And reading fiction before bed became one of my favorite parts of the day.
The 75 Soft Challenge isn’t about becoming a different person. It’s about giving yourself structure until the good habits become automatic. And 75 days is enough time for that to happen.
If you liked this, check out our glow up checklist for a 30-day transformation plan, the softmaxxing glow up guide for no-surgery ways to look and feel better, or the micro habits for self improvement list for 50 tiny changes that stick. For daily routines, try the morning routine for women guide, our sunday reset routine, or the morning routine tips that don’t require waking up early. We also have free printables like the habit tracker template, dopamine menu template, self care checklist, and how to glow up guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you modify the 75 Soft Challenge rules?
Yes. The 75 Soft Challenge is already a modification of 75 Hard, so adjusting it further is totally fine. Some people lower the water to 2.5 liters or bump reading to 15 pages.
The framework matters more than the exact numbers. Pick rules that stretch you slightly without setting you up to fail.
What happens if you miss a day on the 75 Soft Challenge?
You keep going. Unlike 75 Hard, there’s no restart penalty. If you miss a workout or skip your reading one night, just pick it back up the next day.
Missing one day out of 75 doesn’t cancel your progress. Consistency over perfection is the whole point.
Is the 75 Soft Challenge good for beginners?
It was designed for beginners. The rules are simple and the built-in rest day prevents burnout. If you’ve never done a structured challenge before, 75 Soft is a solid starting point. The four rules cover movement, nutrition, hydration, and mental stimulation, which are the foundations of any wellness routine.
How much weight can you lose on the 75 Soft Challenge?
Weight loss depends on your starting point, diet, and activity level. The 75 Soft Challenge isn’t a weight loss program. It’s a habit-building challenge.
That said, many people notice changes in how they look and feel after 75 days of consistent exercise, better eating, and proper hydration. Focus on how you feel, not the scale.
What counts as eating well on the 75 Soft Challenge?
There’s no official food list. Eating well means different things to different people, and that’s intentional.
A good starting point is eating mostly whole foods, cooking more of your own meals, and cutting back on processed snacks and takeout. Just make choices that leave you feeling good.
Key Takeaways
- The 75 Soft Challenge has four rules: eat well (alcohol only socially), exercise 45 minutes daily with one rest day per week, drink 3 liters of water, and read 10 pages of any book
- Unlike 75 Hard, you don’t start over if you miss a day and rest days are built in
- It takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit, so the 75-day structure is backed by behavioral science
- Download the free printable tracker with daily checkboxes for all four rules across 75 days
- evrygal recommends starting with small adjustments in week one and building up gradually
Last updated: May 04, 2026
FAQ
Can you modify the 75 Soft Challenge rules?
Yes. The 75 Soft Challenge is already a modification of 75 Hard, so adjusting it further is fine. Some people lower the water to 2.5 liters or bump reading to 15 pages. Pick rules that stretch you slightly without setting you up to fail.
What happens if you miss a day on the 75 Soft Challenge?
You keep going. Unlike 75 Hard, there is no restart penalty. If you miss a workout or skip your reading one night, just pick it back up the next day. Consistency over perfection is the whole point.
Is the 75 Soft Challenge good for beginners?
It was designed for beginners. The rules are simple and the built-in rest day prevents burnout. The four rules cover movement, nutrition, hydration, and mental stimulation, which are the foundations of any wellness routine.
How much weight can you lose on the 75 Soft Challenge?
The 75 Soft Challenge is a habit-building challenge, not a weight loss program. That said, many people notice changes after 75 days of consistent exercise, better eating, and proper hydration. Focus on how you feel, not the scale.
What counts as eating well on the 75 Soft Challenge?
There is no official food list, and that is intentional. A good starting point is eating mostly whole foods, cooking more of your own meals, and cutting back on processed snacks and takeout. Just make choices that leave you feeling good.
