The Cause

I am committing to a 75 day long health and fitness challenge, in relation to the 'Stay Healthy Save Lives' campaign by Action Against Hunger.
Action Against Hunger have a mission to end world hunger within our lifetime. It is hard to believe that in this day and age, where people drive around in cars and have mini computers in their pockets, that people in the world (a mere plane ride away!) do not have access to food and clean water. By doing this challenge I hope that I can raise some funds for this charity, who are doing such valuable work towards a better future for our planet. 

Link to Action Against Hunger case study: https://www.actionagainsthunger.org.uk/blog/coronavirus-impact-outbreak

Action Against Hunger are supporting people in need throughout the current crisis. Here are some examples of what donations could help to buy:

£25 could fund an emergency kitchen kit for a family of five people.
£42 could fund the therapeutic nutritional treatment needed to save the life of a severely malnourished child and nurse them back to health.
£110 could provide chlorine tablets to provide safe drinking water for 833 people for 20 days during an epidemic. 

 

The Challenge

The '75 Hard' programme was designed by Andy Frisella. There's loads of information about it, and video accounts of people's progress online, if you want to check it out. I am not a 'health and fitness' person, and this kind of challenge, and for this length of time, is completely new to me. I know that the next 75 days will be both mentally and physically challenging, but will hopefully also push me to make positive changes in my life. Basically I am trying to improve on myself, whilst also improving the lives of others, that has to be something worth doing!

The basic rules of the challenge throughout the 75 days are:

⦁    Follow a structured diet
⦁    Two workouts a day, at least 45 minutes each (one must be outside)
⦁    Absolutely no cheat meals or alcohol
⦁    Drink 4.5 litres of water a day
⦁    Read 10 pages of a non-fiction self-development book
⦁    Take a progress picture every day

If any one of these rules are broken within a day, then I have to start again from day one.

The diet
I am going to be eating a mostly plant-based diet, with my main carbohydrate sources as brown rice, sweet potatoes, and white baking potatoes.
I will not be having meat, other than occasional fish, and no dairy.
I will not be having any sweet treats, biscuits, cakes, sugar, or anything with added sugar.
My condiments will mostly consist of; plain hot sauce (so no added sugar or MSG), lemon juice, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and black pepper.
I am allowed passata, chopped tomatoes, and any kind of herb or spice.

Other things that I will be doing during this time, but are not 'fail points' for the challenge:
⦁    Keeping a journal of my progress
⦁    Being more resourceful. Not buying anything unnecessarily; no 'treats'. Using recycled materials wherever possible, and not buying non-recyclable packaging.
⦁    Growing food at home from scraps
⦁    Being grateful every day for what I have

The Essential Bit

I know that I am really lucky to be able to choose to do this, and to have access to these foods and clean running water. Having to go without some things for 75 days may be challenging, but it is a small price to pay compared to how much of a difference it could make to other people's lives if people donate! Please support my cause, and help to provide food, clean water, and sanitation to people most in need. 

I will be updating this page with my progress once a fortnight, up until the final day in week 11.