It’s over, it’s over, it’s over!
My 75Hard experience is over, and I want to go deep into it with you. To be honest, it confirmed everything I talk about when it comes to running a good firm. I took the same principles I share here, applied them to my health, and whoa, did it work.
My 75-Day Results
In 75 days I:
- Lost 35 pounds
- Dropped almost 10% body fat
- Lowered my resting heart rate from 70 to 51
And otherwise went from a FitBit health score of poor-fair to average-good. (wtf is that? I don’t really know)
Why Now?
On one hand, I thought I had diabetes (I don’t) but I was having tingling in my arms and legs. Turns out it was a B12 issue. When I tell you that everyone should get a B12 shot, I mean it. I felt like Captain America for three days and the tingling went away.
On the other hand, I finally ran out of excuses. My business(es) are successful and don’t need me 60 hours a week — probably not even 25.
My kid is in school and a blast to hang out with (other than him refusing to go to sleep on time).
I’m not on the road driving 10-15 hours a week and eating whatever I can microwave in a hotel room.
The list goes on, but at the end of the day, 99% of the time, a reason you can’t do something you know you should do is just you rationalizing an excuse. At least it was for me for 5-7 years.
What is 75Hard?
It’s a program designed by Andy Frisella that is really about self-discipline and willpower, more than weight loss.
You need to do the following every day for 75 days (or you start over):
- Two 45-minute workouts (one must be outside)
- Follow a diet with no cheat meals or alcohol
- Drink a gallon of water
- Read 10 pages of non-fiction
- Take a progress photo
I wish I had taken side photos, but at least I can show you this change.
Why 75Hard?
- Because everyone else was doing it. Seriously, someone I know started the same day as me without us ever speaking about it. A bunch of lawyers have done it.
- Because it sounds cool. I didn’t just lose some weight, I did 75Hard!
- Because I needed a shock to my system after being 60 pounds overweight for many years — go big or go home.
- Because I figured even if I failed after 10-15 days, I would be that much better off.
- Because I have the best wife and law firm team that agreed to support me (they did 75 medium or at least committed to better eating habits).
How 75Hard = Law Firm Growth
Step 1 should always be to have a plan. Whether that’s a goal, a vision, whatever you call it, you need a plan.
You don’t get in a car not knowing where you are trying to drive to, because then you have no idea if you’re closer or not.
So 75Hard became my plan.
Then I needed to outline how to do it, which is where moving your goals into habits comes in. This laid out some clear daily habits:
1. Two 45-Minute Workouts (One Must Be Outside)
I live in Florida. It’s usually hot — like the surface of Alderaan after the Death Star hot. So if I needed to be outside for 45 minutes, it meant mornings. This was what I thought would be the hardest part.
- Rainy mornings = indoor workouts
- 50-degree mornings = mostly indoor workouts
- Almost every day = 1 workout before 9 a.m.
If I walked, I aimed for 3 miles in 45 minutes. If I ran, 3-4 miles. Other workouts included:
- Disc golf (sometimes enough for two workouts)
- Taekwondo with my son
- Walking at a theme park (Orlando!)
- Weightlifting (warm-up, lift, cool-down to reach 45 minutes)
Most workouts were with family or while listening to an audiobook.
2. Follow a Diet with No Cheat Meals or Alcohol
The diet was more about consistency than difficulty. I avoided:
- Pizza
- French fries
- Oreos
- Ribs
- Icees
- Chicken fingers
I rotated:
- Two breakfasts (bagel with cream cheese and salmon, or Kodiak Cake Pancake)
- Two snacks (fruit, low-fat cheese stick, 100-calorie almond pack, or protein powder)
- Lunch and dinner: one carb max, one meal 100% veggies and meat, plus a salad 10 minutes before dinner
No added cheese, nothing fried, lean meats. Sugar-free popsicles for dessert if cravings hit.
3. Drink a Gallon of Water
Make it stupid simple:
- 32 oz cup + 64 oz cup in the morning
- Drink both + another 32 oz during the day
- Drink early: 50% before lunch, 50% after
4. Read 10 Pages of Non-Fiction
I’ve read 100 books in the last 15 months. Reading early helps. I also set a reminder for 8 p.m. to ensure I completed all tasks.
5. Take a Progress Photo
Alexa reminded me during my morning routine. This ties into automation for law firm growth — using systems to keep yourself on track.
What Else Did I Learn?
Favorite quote (Mike Tyson/Aristotle):
“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
- Sitting still for more than 1 hour was tough with all the water. Solution: buffer time in meetings.
- Food prep matters: Having meals ready prevents decision fatigue.
- Workouts are easier with family or a good book.
Even if I messed up on day 5, 25, or 74, I knew I would be that much better off.
Where Do I Go from Here?
Health:
- Same diet 80% of the time (one cheat day/meal per week)
- 6 cardio workouts, lifting 3 times a week, disc golf at least once
- Keep carrying my 64 oz water cup
Business:
- 75 days of hard effort can take you far
- Traction’s Rocks a Quarter, 12 Week Year, 4DX weekly promises — set higher and commit
- No BHAG too audacious when you have the right team
Next 75 days: Big things coming. If you need support in business or weight loss, reply to this email — I read them all and will get back to you.
Until then, may you not piss off John Wick. Seriously, people are STILL dumb enough to do this.