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.

Ankur Warikoo, entrepreneur, who has gained fame with his to-the-point practical and solution oriented videos on Instagram, recently talked about his fitness journey and diet routine which helped him achieve only 13 per cent body fat at the age of 45. "The exact method that got me 13 per cent at the age of 45. No steroids, no shortcuts, not AI. The 3T formula got me here, starting with the one most people skip," said Warikoo in his Instagram post.

What Are The 3Ts That Helped Ankur Warikoo Achieve Only 13 per cent fat at 45?

“The only way to lose fat is through a calorie deficit (consume fewer calories than you burn). Many track their calorie-out (how much they burn, through a smart watch or ring). But very few track their calorie-in (how much they eat),” he said.

This is why, T-1 is Track. This phase aims at tracking what you eat and keeping a check on your calorie intake.

Warikoo said that he brough his calorie intake to 1,600 to 1,800. He started with a 500 calorie deficit every day and continued till 7,500 every two weeks to lose 1 kg. Then repeated the same routine. He also increased his protein intake. In a deficit, you lose muscle and fat. Protein replenishes the muscle. Without it, you just end up skinny,” he said.

What His Diet Looked Like

9.30 am – 1 scoop whey protein, creatine, 1 walnut, 4 almonds, 4 cashews, 5-6 raisins

11 am – 200 grams paneer/tofu/tempeh/ or dal chilla. Rarely eggs

1 pm – Fruit

4 pm – 2 rotis (emmer wheat/jowar/soya bean) sabzi+ dal+ low fat yogurt

6.30 pm – 1 scoop whey protein with curd

“I didn’t cut out chhole bhature (my favourite). Had mithai – quite often. The goal wasn’t perfection. It was to reach the two-week deficit,” said Warikoo.

The Second T is for Training

Warikoo's training schedule looked like this:

Tennis – 6 days a week, 1 hour (cardio sorted)

Weights – 6 days a week, 45 minutes

Every day: 2 exercises * 3 body parts = 6 exercises

10-12 reps

3 sets

“Didn’t get bored,” he shared.

The 3rd T stands for Transformation

He said he tracked his daily weight and weekly measurements to document his transformation and the progress he had been making. He said that he also "sent pictures to my trainer for accountability. Ate mostly the same meals. Boring works," he said.

What Do Experts Say?

Experts have noted that a diet, especially like Warikoo's which is mostly vegetarian, excels in sustainability. Furthermore, his diet was balanced with protein, macros from dal, tofu and Greek yogurt. He also did resistance training to preserve lean mass which is a common mid-age related condition that could lead to sarcopenia.

Experts also point out that while tracking weight and measures are great notifiers of tracking health, one should understand that losing weight is not everything. This is why getting blood work at frequent intervals could tell you more than your dropping weight.

Mobility and independence are two things that keep people healthy, however, with age, as bones weaken and muscle is lost, elderly become more dependent. This condition is called sarcopenia, or age-related muscle loss. India is finally focusing on this and have now new guidelines to warn people against it.

The Geriatric Society of India released country's first 'Indian Guidelines for the Evaluation and Management of Sarcopenia'. These guidelines are a combination of recommendations by experts across multiple specialties, including geriatric medicine, orthopedics, endocrinology, physiotherapy and nutrition. These guidelines aim to help doctors detect and treat muscle loss early. The aim is to not let elderly compromise with their independence.

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What Is Sarcopenia?

Sarcopenia literally translates to 'loss of flesh'. Medically, it refers to gradual decline in muscle mass, strength and physical function with aging. While it is often overlooked, it is also the major reason for many fractures and hospitalizations of older adults, and sometimes, even death.

India is expected to have around 319 million people aged over 60 by 2050, which is one-fifth of the population. It could be concerning as they are at risk of sarcopenia. Studies have also shown that the number has increased from 8-18 per cent to 25-40 per cent adults, especially hospitalization cases. Experts point out that those with chronic diseases like diabetes are at a higher risk.

What Are The First Indian Guidelines On Muscle Loss or Sarcopenia?

Dr OP Sharma, who led guidelines said that muscle health is most important for healthy aging. "Strength preserves dignity. Early detection saves independence," he said. Dr Sharma also noted that the sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition and chronic illnesses are accelerating this condition among seniors.

The guidelines also advise doctors to look for warning signs in patients, which include weak grip strength, slower walking speed, or difficulty getting up from a chair. There are also screening tools like SARC-F questionnaire, which could help identify those at risk.

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The ray of hope here is that sarcopenia could be prevented or slowed that too with simple lifestyle changes.

What Lifestyle Changes Could Prevent Sarcopenia?

• Strength training exercises
• Adequate protein consumption
• Correcting deficiency including vitamin D and calcium

Doctors are also advising to eat a balanced diet, which includes protein, fats, green vegetables, and pulses. Dr Raju Vaishya of Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals said, "India is a sarcopenic nation". He pointed that everyone needs to be aware about muscle health, however this awareness remains low in the country.

Dr Randeep Guleria said the guidelines aim to brings muscle health into routine medical care. "They bridge science with clinical wisdom, making sarcopenia visible in everyday practice."

A new Nature Human Behaviour (2026) study suggests that single-session psychological exercises lasting less than 10 minutes can lead to measurable decreases in depression symptoms even one month later.

Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the world. Every year, hundreds of millions of people suffer from depression, and many are unable to get therapy because of cost, stigma and the dearth of mental-health professionals.

Symptoms include excessive sadness, depression often includes fatigue, changes in appetite, sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating and feelings of hopelessness. Treatment requires professional guidance for diagnosis and management.

A 10-Minute Intervention With Lasting Effects

All the brief interventions took less than 10 minutes to complete and were designed to teach practical coping skills that are commonly used in psychotherapy. Some exercises helped participants to reframe negative thoughts, while others focused on motivation, goal-setting or making sense of things by helping others. Participants completed surveys measuring their well-being immediately after the session and again one month later.

The results were striking: while many exercises boosted motivation and hope immediately, two interventions - Interactive Cognitive Reappraisal and Finding Focus - showed measurable reductions in depression symptoms even after a month. On average, participants experienced about a four percent greater reduction in depression scores compared with the control group.

Although the improvement may appear small, researchers note that brief, scalable interventions could reach millions of people who currently lack access to mental-health care as they can be completed in a few minutes and delivered online, these exercises may allow people to take initial steps toward better mental health, especially those waiting for professional help or unwilling to ask for help.

The scientists also stressed that these activities are not intended to substitute for therapy, but should be seen as readily available tools to help with emotional health.

Exercise and Mental Health: A Growing Body of Evidence

Previous research also shows that a quick burst of activity can make you feel better from other research too. A British Journal of Health Psychology 2024 study found that just 10 minutes of daily mindfulness practice significantly improved well-being and reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety among more than 1,200 participants from 91 countries.

Similarly, the US National Institutes of Health (2019) reviews suggest that the physical activity itself may help improve mood and depressive symptoms, strengthening the relationship between movement and mental health.

Collectively, these findings suggest that even small doses of mental or physical activity may lead to psychological benefits.

A Small Step That Can Make a Difference

Depression can make people feel trapped and out of control. The good news of the new research is that it suggests that big changes aren’t always necessary to move forward.

Sometimes, doing a small task, like spending 10 minutes learning a new coping skill or doing a quick mental exercise, is enough to change the way you think and gradually improve mood.

As researchers investigate these brief interventions, one thing is becoming clear: when it comes to mental health, few minutes matter more than we think.