There’s a new challenge floating around the internet these days…
And if you haven’t heard of the 75 Hard Challenge, then you’re in the minority – the hashtag #75HardChallenge has almost 270 MILLION views on TikTok alone 😱
So it HAS to be a great way to get healthy and stay fit… Right?
Well, not necessarily. If it works for you – then by all means, keep it up! But the harsh reality is that if you choose a diet that cuts out an entire food group for 75 days, you might be doing more harm than good.
That’s because in the long term, restrictive diets can alter your gut microbiota, and you’ll lose important beneficial bacteria needed for optimal health in the process.
Not to mention the fact that if you DO eventually decide to reintroduce those foods back into your diet, you may develop food sensitivities.
Food sensitivities can cause uncomfortable symptoms
Along with bloating, your body can react to food in different ways: you may experience things like rashes, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, and more. Sounds fun, right?
These sensitivities develop for a variety of reasons – but restricting certain foods can mean that the bacteria and enzymes that usually break them down are starved, leading to digestive upset when they are reintroduced.
Why fad diets don’t usually work
Chances are, you’ve tried a fad diet at least once in your life. You’ll make a strong start, but then fall off track and end up right back at square one. That’s because fad diets aren’t sustainable in the long run.
While the 75 Hard Challenge does NOT promote a certain diet (It only tells you to choose a healthy one, and to cut out alcohol and cheat meals) it leaves room for people to choose a fad diet (The zero carb, all liquid, or no sugar type) to follow for the duration of the challenge.
The truth is, many of these fad diets revolve around totally cutting out one or more food groups that are necessary for your body to function properly.
Zero carb diets work well if you want to reach your target weight fast – but cutting carbs out of your life for too long can result in more issues than you started with.
Not to mention the fact that you’ll most likely gain back everything you lost, and then some.
There’s only one way to really achieve your health goals
Let’s start by removing the word “diet” from your vocabulary (As well as your Google searches).
The only way that you’ll get the results you’re looking for WITHOUT any repercussions, is to change your lifestyle.
What does that include?
For starters, give yourself a break. Stressing over every calorie and the number on the scale is a one-way ticket to eating a tub of ice cream on the kitchen floor at 3 am like a four-year-old that just discovered how to climb into the freezer.
Instead, focus on one healthy choice at a time – hit the gym, meditate, or indulge in your cravings with healthy alternatives. Discovering what healthy choices work best for you starts by looking at your genes. Because if you have complete health in mind when it comes to the foods you eat every day, your body and mind will thrive, all the way down to your DNA.
So, before starting a new trend that’s 75 times HARDER than just finding what works best for YOU, find out what your body needs on a deeper level with SelfDecode’s Weight Report to see if your genes are affecting your ability to reach your goals in the first place.
Plus, SelfDecode also has a Food Sensitivity DNA Report that can help uncover what foods you might be genetically predisposed to being sensitive to, so that you can make better choices about your diet.
Most importantly, you won’t be getting general advice that can be sort of helpful to MOST people – we’re giving you the most customized health recommendations fit for your body so that when you take action on your health – it’ll actually stick.
If you want to test your own limits for 75 days, then go for it!
Just make sure you choose a healthy diet that works for YOU first!
