Students trying new health trends in new year

By Lydia Chapman

Contributor

Delaney Melton is 12 days into a viral trend known as the 75 Soft Challenge. Every day she is drinking water, working out and reading 10 pages of a non-school book.

She is one of thousands of college students nationwide participating in this challenge.

“I did the challenge because I have always loved lifestyle challenges. The 75 Hard and Soft are both lifestyle challenges. These challenges are not just working out; they are not just dieting; it’s switching your lifestyle around and making you more productive,” said Melton, a sophomore.

Since its creation in 2019, more than 100,000 people have completed the 75 Hard Challenge.

The 75 Hard is one of many dieting trends circling the internet, along with other trends like #CalorieDeficit and #MilitaryDiet. This challenge aims to be a lifestyle transformation rather than

a diet. While doing the challenge, the person has to do two 45-minute workouts, read 10 pages of a nonfiction book, drink one gallon of water, and take a progress picture. If the challenger skips or misses a day, they must start all over.

Delaney wanted a challenge, but felt the 75 hard was too intense for her college schedule. That’s when she came across another version called the 75 soft. It’s the same idea, but not as intense. For instance, 75 soft challengers must commit to daily habits like eating well, working out for 45 minutes, drinking three liters of water daily, and reading 10 pages of a book every day. The upside is that if a challenger misses a day, there is no consequence; they can pick up where they left off the next time.

“The 75 hard is a little bit more strenuous activity that I don’t have the time for as a college student. So the 75 soft works out better when I’m not having to debilitate my schedule for it,” said Melton.

Challenges like these can be great for students, but there are some concerns, said Aaron Hall, associate professor of exercise science.

“If someone is getting ready to engage in a very structured and intense program like this challenge, they should contact their healthcare provider to make sure they are healthy enough to engage in a challenge like this because, for someone with cardiovascular problems, it could be dangerous for them,” he said.

When it comes to New Year’s goals, loss of motivation is possible due to life getting in the way and loss of interest. According to InsideoutMastery.com, 23% of people abandoned their goal by the end of the week, while 43% gave up by the end of the month.

According to the book Psycho- Cybernetics, it takes 21 days to build a habit, which is ultimately what makes goal setting successful, said Randy Carden, professor of psychology.

It is also about mentality. Going into a challenge like the 75, soft or hard, can scare a person, but with the right mentality, they can complete the challenge and tell themselves they achieved their goal. At the end of the day, if they can look back at their progress and see where they are from where they started, it can make all the difference because the person knows they did something to change their lifestyle, said Carden.

“We make these New Year resolutions about exercising, losing weight, gaining weight, etc., at the beginning of the year, and most people think that willpower drives the results, which is not the case and is a misconception. The people that meet their goals are the people that make the effort to go out and exercise. It’s more about the power of habit and habit structure,” Carden said.