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December 27, 2023 · 14 Comments

The 75 Medium Challenge: Rules and FREE Downloadable Checklist Tracker!

75 Medium· Fitness· Health

Today I am starting the 75 Medium challenge for wellness and to restart after the holidays! If you have ever heard of the 75 Hard challenge on TikTok or Instagram, it is that idea, with my own rules altering it to be more realistic for myself 🙂 I have a toddler whom I stay at home with, so getting to the gym every day is a challenge. PLUS, it is December, so getting outside for a workout is challenging when it is frigid. Working out twice a day for the 75 Hard simply isn’t realistic for me, but I did still want to challenge myself to feel healthier and stronger. I have also seen videos for a 75 Soft Challenge, but I wanted a bit more of a challenge than what it called for. Making up these rules for 75 Medium felt like the happy in-between!

UPDATE: Here is my official before and after!:

75 Medium Challenge: Before and After, Tips, Favorite Meal Ideas, and Final Thoughts

As I go through the next 75 days, I wanted to share how things go, meal ideas, progress, etc. so be sure to follow along!

I also want to note that these are arbitrary rules for 75 days that I’m holding myself to! If you want to embark on this challenge or any fitness or wellness endeavor, make sure you talk to your healthcare professional first!

21 Day {Added} Sugar Fast – Week 1

My 75 Medium Rules

  • Exercise 6 days a week with 1 day of active recovery
    • 3 of the workouts every week are weight training/strength training
    • The other 3 workouts every week are 45 minutes long and can be anything that gets me to break a sweat such as Pilates, brisk walk outside, cycling, Yoga, jogging, etc.
    • Active recovery day can be anything from cleaning the house a good part of the day, taking a long walk at the park, etc. Just as long as I’m not on my butt all day!
  • Drink 120 oz of water every day (for me this equates to filling up my 40 oz tumbler 3x/day haha)
  • No strict diet per say– prioritize protein, fruits, and vegetables
  • Balance carbs with a protein (and potentially fat)
    • This was something I learned when I was pregnant with Theo and got diagnosed with gestational diabetes. When you pair something that has more carbs with something higher in protein, it lessens the blood sugar spike that your body responds with. By lessening that blood sugar spike, it help with weight maintaining or weight loss (depending on your goal). For example: pairing an apple (although fruit, has carbs from natural fruit sugars) with peanut butter (good source of fat and protein) helps to lessen the blood sugar spike your body would have than if you had simply had an apple alone!
  • Aim for 0 alcohol but 1 drink socially per week is OK
  • Read to sleep instead of scrolling
  • Aiming for 7-8 hours of sleep per night (TBD with a teething toddler haha)
  • Mindfulness journal at night before bed
  • 10 pages of non-fiction every day
The 75 Medium Challenge: Rules and FREE Downloadable Checklist Tracker!

75 Hard Rules

I wanted to share a little bit about 75 Hard so that you can see where I am coming from, in case you are unfamiliar!

Here is a screenshot of a TikTok I saw with the rules for 75 Hard that seem to be the general consensus:

These are the rules for 75 Hard to follow every day:

  • 2, 45 minute workouts (one being outside)
  • Follow a diet, no cheat meals, no alcohol
  • Drink a gallon of water
  • Read 10 Pages of a non-fiction book
  • take a progress photo

75 Soft Rules

Like I said, 75 Soft is a trend I have seen come up after the 75 hard started trending for “people who don’t have the time for 2 45 minute workouts” (relatable). I wanted a bit more of a challenge, hence adding and altering my own rules!

@stephengfitness Reply to @cowboycar0l 75 SOFTERS HERE WE GO #75soft #fitness #workout #75hard #fyp ♬ original sound – Stephen Gallagher

These are the general consensus that I have seen of rules for 75 Soft to follow every day:

  • 1, 45 minute workout (1 day a week of active recovery)
  • “Eat well”, only drink on social occasions
  • 3 Liters of water a day (1 gallon equals 3.79 Liters)
  • Read 10 pages of any book

75 Medium Checklist

Here is a checklist I made with my rules that I made for myself if you want to embark as well! All you need to do is right click on the image to save it to your computer, tablet, or phone, and then you can print it!

The 75 Medium Challenge: Rules and FREE Downloadable Checklist Tracker!

If you decide to follow along and do the challenge yourself, I would LOVE to hear about it! Drop me a DM on Instagram or leave a comment below!

75 medium challenge rules
Legal Disclaimer:

This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately.  Reliance on any information provided by theregularfolks.com is solely at your own risk.

The author of this site encourages you to consult a doctor before making any health changes, especially any changes related to a specific diagnosis or condition. No information on this site should be relied upon to determine diet, make a medical diagnosis, or determine treatment for a medical condition. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. Opinions on this site are my own and do not reflect those of my employer.

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Trackbacks

  1. 75 Medium: Week 1 Recap (Meal Ideas, Workout Ideas, Inspo) - The Regular Folks says:
    January 3, 2024 at 2:43 pm

    […] have one week down of the 75 medium challenge, and so far so good! My goal is to do brief weekly recaps during this challenge of what exactly I […]

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  2. 75 Medium Challenge: Week 2 Recap (Meal Ideas, Workouts, Inspo) - The Regular Folks says:
    January 16, 2024 at 1:47 pm

    […] two of the 75 medium challenge, is officially complete! Last week I shared a recap of what I did and ate during the 75 medium […]

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  3. 75 Medium Challenge: Week 3 Recap (Meal Ideas, Workouts, Inspo) - The Regular Folks says:
    January 18, 2024 at 1:50 pm

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  4. 75 Medium: Week 4 Recap (Meal Ideas, Workouts, and Inspo) - The Regular Folks says:
    January 25, 2024 at 7:06 am

    […] 4 of the 75 medium challenge, is complete! In case you missed week 1, week 2, and week 3 recaps, there are plenty of other meal […]

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  5. 75 Medium: Week 5 Recap (Meal Ideas, Workouts, and Inspo) - The Regular Folks says:
    February 1, 2024 at 2:09 pm

    […] 5 of the 75 medium challenge, is complete! In case you missed week 1, week 2, week 3 , and week 4 recaps, there are plenty of […]

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    February 2, 2024 at 7:01 am

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  7. 75 Medium: Week 6 Recap (Meal Ideas, Workouts, and Inspo) - The Regular Folks says:
    February 9, 2024 at 6:50 am

    […] 6 of the 75 medium challenge, is complete! In case you missed week 1, week 2, week 3 , week 4, and week 5 recaps, there are […]

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  8. 75 Medium: Week 7 Recap (Meal Ideas, Workouts, and Inspo) - The Regular Folks says:
    February 14, 2024 at 1:19 pm

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  9. 75 Medium: Week 8 Recap (Meal Ideas, Workouts, and Inspo) - The Regular Folks says:
    February 22, 2024 at 2:46 pm

    […] 75 Medium Week 8 feels like it shouldn’t count. This has been my roughest week of the 75 Medium Challenge yet and I almost feel like I need to extend this challenge out an extra week to compensate! In case […]

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  10. 75 Medium Challenge: Week 11 (FINAL WEEK!) Recap (Meal Ideas, Workouts, and Inspo) - The Regular Folks says:
    March 18, 2024 at 2:37 pm

    […] @saraannsutton My 75 medium rules ✨🫶🏼 started 5 days ago and feeling good! Follow along for meal ideas and updates ☺️ #75hard #75softchallenge #greenscreen ♬ original sound – Sara Ann Sutton The 75 Medium Challenge: Rules and FREE Downloadable Checklist Tracker! […]

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  11. 75 Medium Challenge: Before and After, Tips, Favorite Meal Ideas, and Final Thoughts - The Regular Folks says:
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Hey there!

I’m Sara Ann and am a big fan of fresh flowers, traveling, and eating a pint of Ben & Jerry’s in one sitting. I share my life, loves, ideas, and everything in between with the hope to inspire and help make the lives of regular folks (maybe like you!) simpler, happier, and healthier.

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saraannsutton

let’s create a suburban fairytale!! 📚🧚🌷
lifestyle, motherhood, DIY, & a dash of whimsy ✨
💌 saraann@theregularfolks.com

I made these carb-balanced/blood sugar friendly/hi I made these carb-balanced/blood sugar friendly/high protein breakfast muffins often in my first pregnancy and honestly have enjoyed them well beyond pregnancy! They’re only 5 ingredients and give the bready texture I was missing when I had gestational diabetes. It’s kind of similar to a sausage ball! I normally eat 2-3 muffins for breakfast as each muffin has about 7 grams of carbs and 12 grams of protein!

5-INGREDIENT SAVORY BREAKFAST MUFFINS
* 1 pound of turkey sausage (or whatever type you like)
* 4 eggs
* 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
* 1 cup Kodiak cake baking mix
* 1/3 cup cottage cheese

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350℉ and spray a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray
2. In a pan over medium heat, add the sausage and crumble while cooking. Cook until no longer pink. Remove from heat and allow to cool briefly.
3. In a bowl, crack the eggs and lightly beat. Add shredded cheese, kodiak mix, cooked sausage, and cottage cheese and mix well (mixture will be thick)
4. Fill the 12 prepared muffin cups evenly with the mixture.
5. Bake for about 22-25 minutes or until golden brown on top

Recipe Notes
If meal prepping for the week, store leftovers in a container in the fridge. You can heat by microwaving for about 1 minute. I prefer to reheat them by microwaving a couple for 15-30 seconds and then pop them in the air fryer at 350 for 3-5 minutes.
#breakfastideas #gestationaldiabetes #highproteinbreakfast
This year I made a felt crown for my son’s birthda This year I made a felt crown for my son’s birthday and it wasn’t nearly as difficult as I thought it might be! It also turned out to be so inexpensive but something so personalized for my toddler 🥹❤️ #birthdaytradition #toddlermom #kidsbirthdayideas
What I Eat in a Day: 23 weeks pregnant and attempt What I Eat in a Day: 23 weeks pregnant and attempting to be carb-conscious (my doctors have asked me to be carb-conscious because of my history of gestational diabetes!) PSA: I’m not including vegetables (unless they are starchy) in this carb count bc my dietician said I don’t need to count them 😌

Breakfast: sweet potato hash with @jonesdairyfarm chicken sausage, egg, and feta cheese + coffee with sugar-free @coffeemate 

Snack: @costco protein bar

Lunch: 1 slice of Ezekiel bread with pimento cheese and tomato + apple

Snack 2: low-carb yogurt with @sevensundayscereal granola and strawberries

Dinner: @chickfila Cobb salad (s/o to their app designer bc their nutrition facts makes it so easy when you’re counting carbs!!)

Snack: @barebells.usa protein bar (@sheetz has a great protein bar selection!!)

Bedtime snack: @fairlife chocolate milk 🥛🍫❤️

#gestationaldiabetes #carbconscious #pregnancy #healthymealideas
What I ate in a day at 22 weeks pregnant with a hi What I ate in a day at 22 weeks pregnant with a history of gestational diabetes (my doctors have asked me to be carb-conscious because of my history!) PSA: I’m not including vegetables (unless they are starchy) in this carb count bc my dietician said I don’t need to count them 😌

Breakfast: breakfast burrito with egg, @jonesdairyfarm chicken sausage, tomato, and avocado (I know I should switch to a lower carb tortilla but just let me have this one indulgence lol) + sugar-free @coffeemate in my coffee

Snack: @costco brand protein bar

Lunch: Cannellini bean salad (about 1/2 cup beans in this serving) with tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, feta, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, salt/pepper + 2 mini naan bites

Dinner: crispy chicken cutlet topped with Caesar salad (love the @chosenfoods dressing) + side of strawberries 

Bedtime snack: @fairlife chocolate milk 🥛❤️🍫

#pregnancy #gestationaldiabetes #whatieatinadayrealistic
And it’s not even officially fall yet 🙂🍁🍂 #fallact And it’s not even officially fall yet 🙂🍁🍂 #fallactivities #toddlermom #parentinghumor #marriagehumor
When I had my first child, I underestimated the po When I had my first child, I underestimated the power of a peaceful bedroom to recover postpartum and exist in the newborn bubble. It might sound kind of silly, but I want to create a peaceful haven in my bedroom for postpartum because the newborn trenches are tough! 

I’m going for neutral in here, but more layered, earthy, textured and elevated (without feeling formal). Next up is styling my bed, giving my nightstands and dressers and makeover, and lots more decor and styling! #homediy #pregnancy #bedroommakeover #bedroomdecor
#SecretDeoPartner On days when I don’t initially f #SecretDeoPartner On days when I don’t initially feel my best, I try to be intentional about doing simple acts to turn that feeling around: putting on a cute outfit just to wear around the house; decorating for fall (arguably) a little early; or wearing an amazing scent. The Secret Cocoa Butter Invisible Solid is my FAVORITE, and its all day freshness gives me a boost of confidence throughout the day. #RomanticizingLife #ToddlerMom @secretdeodorant
Here’s some simple things to do to make this week Here’s some simple things to do to make this week a little more whimsical, magical, and fun ❤️✨ do it for yourself, do it for your kids, do it for both! #whimsy #whimsicalchildhood #toddlermom
My doctor asked me to be carb conscious because of My doctor asked me to be carb conscious because of my history of gestational diabetes, so here is what I ate in a day at 21 weeks pregnant!

1st breakfast: savory breakfast muffins made with @kodiakcakes pancake mix + coffee with sugar-free @coffeemate 

2nd breakfast: thin slice of sourdough with smashed avocado and egg

Lunch: sourdough with pimento cheese and tomato + blueberries + @lesserevilsnacks popcorn

Snack: boiled peanuts

Dinner: ground beef burrito bowl with brown rice and black beans

Bedtime snack: @ghostlifestyle protein cereal with low carb milk

#gestationaldiabetes #diabetes #mealideas #pregnancy
These simple days with my sweet family are the day These simple days with my sweet family are the days I always dreamed about and now that I’m living them, I won’t take them for granted ❤️✨ 

#whimsicalchildhood #toddlermom #slowlifestyle #simplelife
What I ate in a day at 20 weeks pregnant with a hi What I ate in a day at 20 weeks pregnant with a history of gestational diabetes! I am trying my best to follow the diet I followed with my 1st pregnancy. Fingers crossed I don’t have GD this time around though (being tested at 24 weeks 🫩) 

Breakfast: viral spring roll “bagel” filled with sausage, egg, and cheese + matcha latte with @fairlife milk and sugar-free vanilla syrup from @torani 

Supplements: prenatal and probiotic from @gardenoflife choline from @naturemadevitamins, and vitamin D

Lunch: chicken&pork gyoza, soy sauce + apple

Snack: PB protein cereal from @ghostlifestyle and @fairlife milk

Dinner: viral sheet pan beef “kebabs” with low-carb wrap from Ole, roasted zucchini, tomato, feta, tzatziki, and hummus

Bedtime snack: low-carb vanilla Greek yogurt and @sevensundayscereal granola

#gestationaldiabetes #pregnancy #2ndtrimester
Sometimes, boys have childhoods that are centered Sometimes, boys have childhoods that are centered around traditionally boy-ish things like trucks and sports, and while my son LOVES those things, I think boys don’t always get all the whimsy that girls get. Whimsy is for girls AND boys!! Every childhood deserves to be whimsical 🥰 #toddlermom #toddleractivities #whimsy #whimsicalhome
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