JoJo Starts the New Year With the 75 Hard Challenge

New Year’s resolutions can vary from eating “healthier” and scheduling more workouts to being better about water intake or reading more often. This year, JoJo has decided to attempt them all with the 75 Hard wellness challenge. “So I’m doing 75 Hard. It’s day 7 for me,” the singer captioned photos of herself on Instagram on Jan. 10. A test of mental and physical strength, the plan was designed by Andy Frisella from the “Real AF” podcast to help you “take complete control of your life.” Protocol for the 75-day plan is as follows.

1. Follow a diet of your choosing. This can include going plant-based, eating pescatarian or gluten-free, trying Whole30, eliminating sugar, or trying any other diet that makes you feel better.
2. Complete two 45-minute workouts per day. The challenge requires two separate 45-minute workouts per day, one of which must be done outside.
3. No alcohol and no “cheat” meals. In JoJo’s words, the plan does not leave room for “compromises, modifications, or excuses.” As a result, participants are not allowed to stray from their chosen diets. If you slip up, you must start back on day one.
4. Drink a gallon of water every day. While this one seems pretty straightforward, it can be one of the most difficult tasks to complete. Timed water bottles can be a huge help when it comes to reaching the goal.
5. Take a progress picture every day. Participants are required to take daily photos of themselves to keep track of their progress and keep them feeling motivated.
6. Read 10 pages of a nonfiction book daily. The point of this task is to nurture the mind and give you space to learn something new every day. Also, audiobooks don’t count.

At the end of the 75 days, participants are expected to have an increased sense of self-esteem, perseverance, and resilience.

Eager to put herself to the test, JoJo is approaching the challenge with determination. “To some of you this might sound easy,” she wrote. “To others it might sound really hard. Either way you’re right. Even though people tend to have amazing psychical transformations after following this — this is first and foremost a mental toughness challenge. Which is really something I was looking for in the new year. More of a commitment than a resolution.”

Like most New Year’s resolutions, 75 Hard can be intimidating. “Drinking a gallon of water a day has been the best part and 2 separate workouts have been hard to schedule,” she said. For JoJo, the plan’s intensity only strengthens her motivation, encouraging her to push her limits.

“I’m definitely worried that I’ll cop out and not make it,” she said. “That I’ll prioritize my comfort over this commitment and it’ll be yet another thing I’ve tried and not finished. But it’s THAT EXACT FEELING that compelled me to say YES when I heard about 75 Hard. I’m enjoying shifting my priorities around right now and I’m grateful I have the flexibility to do so. It’s been raining damn near nonstop for the past week so that means I’ve been getting my 45 minute outdoor exercise in (just an easy to brisk walk) and coming back inside soaking wet. It is what it is.”