Just a few days into the new year is a good time to look back at the New Year's resolution, for health, diet and fitness! A 75-ditness challenge may not be the first thing that comes to your mind. However, this has gained a massive traction on TikTok. It is called the "75 Hard" challenge, where participants also document their progress. The challenge includes strict rules to comply with. These include: adhering to a healthy diet with no cheat meals or alcohol, completing two 45-minute workouts daily (one outdoors), drinking over three liters of water, and reading 10 pages of a non-fiction book each day.

While this might seem like a straightforward regime, experts suggest that for some, a more relaxed version may help them better.

What the participants feel?

As reported in BBC, Devamsha Gunput, 29, who successfully completed the 75 Hard challenge while juggling a full-time job as a digital consultant in Edinburgh described it as a "tough but transformative journey". One of the biggest challenges she faced was setting boundaries with her South Asian family to maintain her strict diet.

Living in Edinburgh’s dark, wet, and cold weather made outdoor workouts particularly difficult. Despite these hurdles, Devamsha noticed lasting benefits, including more consistent exercise habits, improved reading routines, and a better relationship with food.

The origin of this challenge

The challenge was originally created in 2019 by author and podcaster Andy Frisella to foster mental toughness. While not a certified personal trainer or doctor, Frisella designed the program based on his personal experiences, emphasizing discipline rather than weight loss or specific physical outcomes.

Initial challenges

For Sophie Deakins, 27, who completed the challenge while managing a cinema in London, 75 Hard was a way to address her struggles with consistency and discipline. She eliminated sweets, opting instead for natural sugars from fruit and honey, and tracked her diet and water intake meticulously.

Sophie found the first few weeks challenging as she adjusted to new habits, particularly when socializing, as it often revolved around dining out and drinking. By being open about her goals, she was able to navigate these situations without succumbing to temptation.

Post-challenge, Sophie continued some habits, like avoiding unnecessary coffee shop purchases and limiting eating out, which not only improved her health but also saved her money. Most importantly, she experienced a significant mindset shift, overcoming self-doubt and excuses about time.

Balancing the Pros and Cons

While many find 75 Hard rewarding, it’s not suitable for everyone. Strength and conditioning expert and gym coaches advise considering the significant time commitment required for the workouts, reading, and other tasks. They suggest adopting simpler elements like daily movement and drinking more water without feeling overwhelmed.

Motivation is another concern. The pressure to transform one’s life at the start of the year can be counterproductive. Experts recommend setting achievable goals that add joy and value to daily life rather than creating stress.

What does not work out?

The 75 Hard challenge has not been clinically studied, nor has it been made after considering an average person's ability to cope with such changes so quickly. It is personally designed by Frisella, whose strength may not match others. This is what is making its long-term benefits unclear. Healthcare providers, doctors, and other experts point out that a more basic routine, such as regular exercise and a balanced diet, might achieve similar results without the extreme demands.

Ultimately, while 75 Hard can help build discipline and mental toughness, it’s essential to tailor health and fitness goals to your needs. For reliable guidance, the NHS Live Well website offers comprehensive advice on diet, exercise, and mental well-being.

Strength training, also known as resistance training, involves working your muscles against some form of resistance, which helps them grow stronger and larger. It is an essential part of any fitness routine. While lifting weights is the most common form of strength training, there are several other ways to practice it.

One such method is calisthenics, which relies on your own body weight as resistance. Though both weightlifting and calisthenics fall under strength training, they produce different outcomes. Choosing the right one depends on your personal fitness objectives. Lately, calisthenics has been gaining renewed attention in the fitness world. Below, we break down what calisthenics is and whether it might be better for your workouts.

What Is Calisthenics?

Calisthenics is a workout style that primarily uses your body weight and often requires minimal or no equipment. Common calisthenics exercises include pushups, squats, crunches, planks, burpees, pullups, and lunges. These movements typically involve large muscle groups, like those used in pushups. Most people perform them at a moderate pace to improve coordination, flexibility, and overall strength. The practice of calisthenics dates back to Ancient Greece and continues to be popular today. It is accessible to people of all fitness levels, and many exercises don’t need any equipment at all.

How Effective Is Calisthenics?

Research indicates that calisthenics can improve everything from muscular strength to cardiovascular fitness, according to Anatolia Vick-Kregel, director of the Lifetime Physical Activity Program at Rice University. “Body weight is phenomenal,” she noted.

However, there are some limitations, said John Raglin, professor of kinesiology at the Indiana University School of Public Health, Bloomington. “It can be effective,” Raglin explained. “But thinking it can fully replace even simple equipment isn’t entirely correct.” Using equipment can sometimes make exercises easier or safer. Many people, for example, perform pushups with incorrect form. “If someone lacks strength or has joint problems or arthritis, lying on a bench and using light hand weights can be both safer and more practical,” he added.

Is Calisthenics Better Than Weightlifting?

Calisthenics tends to burn more calories, which can help reduce body fat and support weight loss. That’s because these exercises involve continuous movement, requiring more energy, which the body gets by burning calories. The higher the energy expenditure, the greater the potential for weight loss. Healthline notes that calisthenics can also be included in high-intensity workouts like HIIT or circuit training, further boosting calorie burn.

Weightlifting, on the other hand, focuses on isolated movements that don’t demand as much energy. Still, it contributes to weight management by increasing muscle mass, which raises your basal metabolic rate—the calories your body burns at rest.

Can You Combine Calisthenics And Weightlifting?

Combining the two methods is an excellent way to enjoy the benefits of both.

There are a few approaches to merging calisthenics with weightlifting:

• Same-day approach: Include both calisthenics and weightlifting exercises in one strength-training session.
• Alternate-day approach: Focus on one method per day, alternating between calisthenics and weightlifting throughout the week.

Since both forms provide resistance to your muscles, it’s important not to overdo it. Include rest days and listen to your body. For the best guidance on blending calisthenics and weightlifting, consult a personal trainer. They can tailor a program with the right exercises to suit your specific goals.

As of November 19, 7am, Delhi's AQI as per the official data stands at 388, however, as per aqi.in, the average AQI of the city stands at 601 at 8.50 am. While there has been data discrepancies, as a result of which, people have come to street to protest against the continuous worsening air quality of the national capital. Amid this, Dr Manan Vora, a Mumbai-based orthopedic surgeon and sports doctor shared some tips to stay safe amid polluted air.

While watching a video of a person cleaning their clogged air purifier, Dr Vora says, "Your air purifiers can change filters but your lungs cannot," and suggests the following 5 tips:

Creation Of Clean Room

The first tip Dr Vora shares is to create a clean room, which can reduce exposure of pollutants by 60 to 70%. This could be achieved by an air purifier. He suggests everyone to decide one room in the house and shut its doors, and windows during peak hours, and turn on air purifier only in that room. "This alone curbs your exposure by 60 to 70%," he says.

Wear N-95 Mask

The doctor advises to wear an N-95 mask whenever someone is stepping outdoors. He mentions that a cloth or a surgical mask won't protect them against the pollutants, as N-95 masks are the only protective gears with filters that can keep the pollutants out when you breathe. "Only N-95 blocks the same particles clogging the purifier," he says, referring to a video of cleaning a clogged air purifier's filter.

Skip Morning Walks

"Skip your morning walks," he suggests. "AQI is highest at the sunrise and breathing rate triples while exercising. This means you inhale three times more pollution per minute," he says.

This happens because pollutants accumulate overnight, and without wind or sunlight, PM2.5 or the particulate matter stays trapped near the ground, leading to pollution being at its peak by sunrise. As per the data by aqi.in, highest AQI is always registered between 6am to 9am.

Use Wet Mop

Dr Vora suggests that while cleaning your house, instead of dry dusting, use a wet mop, this reduces dust particles. "Dry dusting pushes all the particles back into the air," he says.

Hydrate Your Self, Check On Your Check

The fifth tip he shares is to stay hydrated and consume vitamin C and other antioxidant-rich foods. As per the National Institutes of Health (NIH), US, vitamin C increases resistance to various viral and bacterial infections. A 2007 study published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine noted that vitamin C or its supplement could in fact help patients with pneumonia or other lung-related disease. Thus vitamin C is a good boost for when lungs are at high risk, all thanks to the pollution.

The doctor also suggests the consumption of amla or Indian gooseberry and turmeric to boost your immunity. However, the doctor notes that while they do not cure pollution, but consuming these may reduce inflammation caused by pollutants.

"You cannot fix the AQI of your city, but you can control how much of it enters your body."

There is a certain satisfaction that comes after powering through a tough HIIT session. You expect that fresh, healthy glow at the end, but some people instead end up with a face that looks bright red, which can make them feel uneasy once they leave the gym.

To help you get back to your favourite spin class or running route without second thoughts, we turned to dermatologists to understand why this happens and how to calm it down. Here is what actually causes that red flush after exercise and what you can do to manage it.

Why Is My Face Turning Red After Doing Workout?

Your face often reddens during a workout because your body sends more blood to the skin and your temperature rises. The blood vessels on your face open wider to help release heat. It is simply your body cooling itself while supplying oxygen to the muscles that are working.

Vascular Changes Cause Flushing

The encouraging part is that a flushed face after working out is usually a normal part of how the body reacts to exertion. As your temperature rises, sweat helps cool you down, but your body also shifts blood flow and widens vessels near the surface of the skin. This can show up as a red or flushed look. Blair Murphy, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, explains that this post-workout redness happens because the small blood vessels in the facial skin open up. The face tends to show it more clearly because it has many surface-level blood vessels.

People Prone To Flushing May Have More Superficial Capillaries

This kind of flushing appears in certain people simply because they have a greater number of capillaries near the surface. During exercise, your heart pumps faster to carry more oxygen to the muscles. The capillaries expand to move that oxygen efficiently while also carrying heat outward to help regulate temperature.

Your overall fitness level may also play a role. As blood flow increases, skin cells can release different substances in different individuals. Some may release prostaglandins, which add to the redness, while others may release histamines, which can also trigger flushing.

Flushing May Be More Noticeable In Fair Skin Tones

According to Arash Akhavan, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, everyone experiences flushing during exercise, but it is more visible in people with lighter skin because deeper pigment in darker skin tones can hide mild redness. He also notes that some people naturally have a more extensive network of tiny blood vessels, making their skin appear redder after exertion.

How To Prevent Facial Flushing?

Opt for lightweight clothing: You cannot completely stop redness during exercise, but you can take simple steps to reduce it. Try working out in a cooler setting and wear loose, light-coloured clothing to help your body regulate heat.

Avoid alcohol and excessive sun exposure: If your skin already flushes easily, alcohol before a workout is not a good idea. Corey L. Hartman, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology, explains that alcohol widens blood vessels and increases facial redness. Too much sun can also irritate the skin and make surface capillaries more visible by causing them to dilate.

Stay away from potentially irritating skincare: Those who flush often or have rosacea should avoid skincare that can irritate the skin further, including alcohol-heavy products, highly acidic creams, or strong retinoids. Dr. Akhavan recommends choosing calming, non-irritating products with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and niacinamide.

Vitamin C is especially helpful because it protects the skin from oxidative stress and helps shield against UVA and UVB rays, which can intensify redness. Fragrance should also be avoided since it can trigger irritation and increase flushing.