I completed the 75 medium challenge for a second time! This second round was admittedly not as strong as my first one. We ended up accepting a foster placement in the middle of me being in this challenge, and taking on another toddler shook up how I was planning food and exercising and made me reconfigure my schedule. However, overall, the 75 medium challenge did still help get my mind back on track to eating better and being more active!
I feel strongly that 75 Medium was the perfect balance of being a challenge (a little bit more challenging than 75 soft), but also realistic for me (75 hard was absolutely NOT for me). I went about this challenge wanting to feel healthier and stronger, as well as establish healthy habits in my life. TO ME, the 75 Hard is not sustainable. But working out 35-45 minutes a day with 1 rest day is something I can fit into my life 90% of the time with some planning!
Here is my original post laying out my rules for the challenge as well as a FREE checklist tracker to make sure you are hitting all of your daily goals for the 75 medium challenge.
This is not my first time doing 75 medium, I completed it last year too, so if you want a first-time perspective, you can read that before and after too!
75 Medium Weekly Recaps
Each week during this 75 medium challenge, I chronicled everything I ate, read, exercised, struggles, tips, etc. If you are looking for more in-depth recaps, here is each weekly recap I wrote:
75 Medium Before and After
I started this challenge at 143 pounds and plateaued at 136 pounds, so I lost 7 pounds over 75 days! I have said time and time again that for me, this challenge was not about weight loss. I wanted to challenge myself to reset and establish some habits. But given that I started 75 medium, I was not feeling my best, the weight loss is maybe an indication of how things went, so that is why I share it! If I do this challenge again, I think I will track a few more measurements to see how things change, like my resting heart rate, my waist size, body fat, etc.
75 Medium Tips
Plan out your week: Not just for meal planning– plan out your workouts too! I find that knowing what days I am going to the gym and what days I am doing which workouts helps me stay on track so I make less excuses about not working out.
You can still enjoy things in moderation. I think any diet/challenge/lifestyle that is completely restrictive (unless it is medically necessary by your doctor) is unsustainable and not healthy. I think you can still enjoy things you like, but just cut down your portion size! Or make a few healthy ingredient swaps to increase the fiber/protein or decrease the sugar in the recipe.
Give your best, even if its not 100%. I said this last time and I stand by it! If you’re not feeling your best, still try and do what you can to stay active (unless you are really really sick, in which case: REST!!!), but you don’t have to give it the same amount of effort as you would normally. Showing up and giving 50% is better than not showing up at all. And showing up (even with less effort) still is enforcing a good habit.
75 Medium Favorite Meal Ideas
Breakfast
Sausage and Egg Breakfast Muffins: these are easy to meal prep and taste soooo good! I make them with turkey sausage and kodiak pancake mix.
Protein Bagel sandwich: I love making these protein bagels and turning them into a sandwich with turkey bacon or sausage and egg for extra protein!
Breakfast Burrito: if you follow my weekly 75 medium updates, this is what I eat almost every day. Its so filling and good!
Kodiak Cake waffles– I use the mix, but they also have frozen premade ones for a super easy breakfast option! To amp up the protein, you could top with peanut butter.
Collagen coffee!!! Not a meal, but if you drink coffee, add a scoop of collagen to add extra protein to your morning meal and you literally won’t even notice it in your coffee. I like the Vital Proteins brand.
Lunch
Salad Wrap: I will often just get a bagged salad (especially love this Taylor Farms Mediterranean crunch salad) and add some rotisserie chicken and wrap it in a protein wrap for an easy lunch
At home version of viral chick-fil-a order of hot honey chicken and kale salad: this one is SOOOO tasty! Been loving this one lately. I especially like to use these chicken nuggets and cook them in the airfryer to taste similar to chick-fil-a.
Mason Jar Instant Noodle Soup: I admittedly haven’t made this one in a while, but this one is super tasty and easy to meal prep!
Dinner
Any of these crock pot meals for an easy weeknight dinner!:
Chicken meatballs and roasted veggies: I love an easy 1 sheet pan meal and these teriyaki meatballs are a huge hit with our toddler.
Stir fry: I like to make this with brown rice noodles, rotisserie chicken and whatever vegetables I have in the fridge to use up. I normally add some store-bought kung-pao sauce too. Super easy and great way to get a variety of veggies.
One pot chicken and rice: this one is an easy customizable recipe with chicken thighs and rice and you can add whatever seasonings or vegetables you want!
Honey Garlic Chicken and Broccoli— this one is a super easy crockpot meal that you can pair with brown rice.
Chicken Fajitas or ground beef tacos: taco night is always a staple in our house, but truthfully a great way to get a bunch of fiber (peppers, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, beans)
Crock pot pesto ranch chicken: this one we like to eat with whole wheat rotini!
Snacks
- Barebells Protein Bars and FITCRUNCH Protein Bars
- Apple and PB
- Greek yogurt, granola, berries
- String cheese and crackers
Sweet Treats
- Yasso greek yogurt bars
- Greek yogurt with chocolate granola
- Chocolate covered banana or chocolate covered fruit
- Protein bar
Non-Fiction Book Recommendations
If you plan to read 10 pages of non-fiction every day for the 75 medium, 75 hard, or 75 soft challenge, you may be struggling with picking out non-fiction books. I really enjoy memoirs, but I tried to choose books for this challenge that were more self-help, self-betterment, or books that would teach me something new. Atomic Habits is one that I read during this challenge, the other books are ones that I have read and really enjoyed over the past couple years
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
Fight Right by Julie and John Gottman
Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life by Tish Harrison Warren
Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
What Happened to You? by Bruce Perry
If you have any questions, feel free to email or DM me on Instagram! If you have completed the challenge, please let me know how it went for you!!
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