Why Fitness Challenges Are a Shortcut to Nowhere

I started my own 75 Easy journey as my own twist on 75 Hard. It was a challenge that I created because it incorporated many of the changes I wanted to make in my life. I also wanted to try one of these gimmicks for myself, and if I was going to try one, I might at least make it somewhat fit my goals.

We’re in the last few days of this challenge, and I feel like I’ve learnt as much as I’m going to. So what do I think of the experience?

Well, it’s a gimmick. I’d love to have a sustainable routine where I have plenty of time for two workouts, to make sure I get my nutrition right, to spend time relaxing, reading, and just sitting. It’d be great to make time every day to chat to friends and family… but life gets in the way. And that’s just the point, these challenges are not sustainable. Let’s take a look at what I wanted in my routine:

One easy run a day (Zone 2)
One other workout a day (e.g. another run, strength training or yoga)
Fuel better (make an effort to eat healthier, and fuel training more effectively)
Read a book (aim for at least 20 minutes)
Just sit (aim for at least 20 minutes)
Connect with a friend each day
Relax (have an optional pint, but not two)

I wanted to build something that would last longer than 75 days, but you can be sure that not long after day 76, there will be a day when I miss something. It’s not possible to shoehorn everything in, and to a good quality, every single day.

My easy run might last 3 hours, if I spent an hour doing other exercise, and an hour reading, sitting and catching up with someone I know, we’re already at 5 hours, factor in things like cooking, getting ready and showering after workouts and we’re getting closer to 7, by the time you add in 8 hours of work each day, all my time has been swallowed up. There’s no room for anything else.

I’ll be honest, while I started well with this, the second half has had its fair share of half-assed days. Days where I’ve done just enough to check the box. I am sure, if I wanted to be all influencer-esque, that I could present it as me having actually succeeded and smashed the challenge I set myself, giving you the chance to do toxic comparisons against my almighty productivity, but really… It’s been a struggle, and as we’ve gone further along, I’ve grown weary of the challenge.

I gave myself this challenge so that it at least understands my context. Dragging myself out for a run every day for 75 days maps pretty well onto what I’ll be doing in Japan, but the novelty has worn off. I’ve trained on days I should have rested, and entered tickbox thinking, must make sure I’ve read my book before I can sleep.

Bugger that.

One of the parts of my list was that I could have a beer on any day I wanted, but not two beers. That takes me away from the all-or-nothing thinking of either I could drink alcohol or I couldn’t. One was fine, but not two.

This challenge would have been far better if the same had been applied to everything in the challenge. I could miss a day, but I couldn’t miss two. Giving myself permission to slack off some days would have probably led to me being fitter now than I currently am.

There wouldn’t have been a sense of failure for missing a day, or pressure to do the bare minimum late at night to tick a box. It would just be a case of “Well, that didn’t happen today, try again tomorrow”, which seems to me to be a much healthier way of working.

The fitness challenge element of this has been off from the start, and while I’d hoped I would build a routine and it would get easier, it never did.

So what’s next?

I’ll continue to run most days, but I’ll listen to my body more. I’ll still try to work out twice a day when I can; I need to get ready for Japan after all. But I think my performance will improve as my body gets more time to recover.

I’ll still try to read most days, it’s the part of the challenge I’ve connected most with. My relationship with alcohol will remain as it is; I might have a beer some nights. I’ll make an effort to keep in touch with people, but I won’t feel under pressure to make sure I’ve caught up with someone every day. And I’d still like to build a daily meditation practice.

And that’s where I’ll come back to the old idea of:

You can miss one… but never two.

It takes you away from all-or-nothing thinking of something like diet, where your brain goes:

“I ate a whole pack of biscuits, my diet is ruined, I might as well eat the ice cream and the pizza too, and I’ll restart the diet next month”

“I’m too late to do a workout today, I’m going to just sit and watch Netflix for the rest of the week and try again on Monday”

Which, when you think about it, is a bit mad. You wouldn’t decide it was a bit late for a shower, so you’d give up on showers until the following Monday. (Or at least I’d hope you wouldn’t.)

Instead, give yourself permission to miss a workout here or there, or a day of a challenge, just don’t miss it for a second day. Missing one gives you some leeway, but not missing two sets a boundary. Just try not to let it become so that you always miss a day.

So, will I do another fitness challenge? Probably not. Most of them aren’t actually all that difficult, get one day right, then rinse and repeat. That approach doesn’t really interest me. I don’t think challenges are generally effective, and even drawing up my own wasn’t particularly effective or inspiring for me.

Just training properly, getting some rest, and generally doing sensible things seems like a far better approach.

I’ve just got 5 more days of this to get through first.