75 Hard vs 75 Soft: Which Should You Do? (RD-Reviewed)
Side-by-side comparison
| Rule | 75 Hard | 75 Soft | |---|---|---| | Daily workouts | 2 × 45 min (one outdoors) | 1 × 45 min | | Rest days | 0 | 1/week allowed | | Water target | 1 gallon (~3.8 L) | 3 L | | Reading | 10 pg nonfiction | 10 pg any book | | Diet | Pick & follow, zero cheats | Mindful eating, 1 flex day/wk | | Daily photo | Yes | Yes | | Restart on miss | Yes — Day 1 | No restart | | Cycle adjustments | None in original | Built-in | | Trademark holder | 44Seven Media (Frisella) | BeHard, Inc. | | Women's completion | ~25% | ~68% | | Best for | Mental toughness | Sustainable habits |
Which produces better outcomes?
For the median woman: 75 Soft.
Reasons:
- Higher completion rate by 2.7×
- Cycle-aware modifications mean fewer biological setbacks
- The flex day prevents binge-restrict cycles
- No-restart rule prevents perfectionism quits
For a specific subset (women with strong base fitness, no cycle disruption, mental-toughness goals): 75 Hard or Her 75’s strict 75 Day Hard mode.
How to choose
Choose 75 Soft if:
- You’ve never done a 75-day challenge
- You’ve failed 75 Hard before
- You have an irregular cycle
- You travel frequently
- You’re postpartum (>12 months) or peri-menopausal
Choose 75 Hard if:
- You’re training for a mental-toughness PR
- You’ve completed 75 Soft and 75 Medium
- Your schedule reliably accommodates two daily workouts
- You have current bloodwork showing no deficiencies
Both modes are in the Her 75 app
You don’t have to pick once and commit forever. The Her 75 app includes both — 75 Soft and 75 Day Hard — plus four other modes. You can also switch between them mid-challenge if life requires it.
Related reading
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 75 Soft easier than 75 Hard?+
Yes, intentionally. 75 Soft uses one workout vs two, 3 L water vs 1 gallon, allows any reading and a weekly flex day, and has no restart penalty. The goal is sustainable habit lock-in rather than mental-toughness extremism.
Can I switch from 75 Hard to 75 Soft mid-challenge?+
In the Her 75 app — yes. You can switch modes at any point and keep your day count. Switching mid-challenge is a common and supported pattern, especially when life changes (illness, travel, pregnancy).