75 Soft Challenge Rules: The 4 Official Rules Explained
The 4 rules in detail
Rule 1 — Eat well, drink only on social occasions
No banned foods, no macros to hit. "Eat well" means building your meals around whole, nutrient-dense foods and keeping portions sensible. The one hard line is alcohol: only on genuine social occasions, not a Tuesday-night glass on the couch. For meal ideas and what counts, see the 75 Soft diet guide.
Rule 2 — Train 45 minutes a day (1 recovery day/week)
Any intentional exercise counts: gym sessions, running, cycling, swimming, yoga, a brisk walk. Unlike 75 Hard there's no second workout and no outdoor requirement. One day a week is active recovery — stretching, an easy walk, mobility work — so your body actually adapts.
Rule 3 — Drink 3 litres (100 oz) of water
Three litres is about 100 oz or 12 standard glasses. Coffee and tea don't count toward it; sparkling water does. The trick is pacing — spread it across the day instead of chugging at night. Full breakdown in the water intake guide.
Rule 4 — Read 10 pages of any book
Ten pages of any book — fiction is fine on 75 Soft (75 Hard requires non-fiction). Audiobooks are a gray area; most people count ~15 minutes of listening as equivalent. Details in the reading rule guide.
What happens if you break a rule?
This is the defining difference from 75 Hard: you don't restart. Miss your pages on day 32? Read them tomorrow and keep the challenge moving. The structure holds you accountable; it doesn't punish you. More on this in what to do when you miss a day.
75 Soft rules checklist
| Rule | Daily target | Counts | Doesn't count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eat well | Balanced whole-food meals | Home cooking, sensible restaurant meals | Regular junk food, solo drinking |
| Train | 45 min (1 recovery day/wk) | Gym, run, walk, yoga, sport | Casual strolling while shopping |
| Water | 3 litres (~100 oz) | Still or sparkling water | Coffee, soda, juice |
| Read | 10 pages | Any physical or e-book | Social media, news feeds |
Track it in the free app
Skip the paper checklist — the app ships with these exact four rules pre-loaded. Tap a ring for each glass of water, log your workout, and let the daily reminder make sure day 43 doesn't slip by unnoticed. Premium users can edit the rules or add up to 4 of their own.
Can you customize the rules?
Yes — and you should, if it makes the challenge stick. Common tweaks: swapping the reading for journaling, adding a steps goal, or a no-sugar rule. The point of 75 Soft is a consistent daily standard, not the specific four tasks. In the app, Premium lets you edit the rules and add custom ones (like "Walk 10,000 steps") with their own icon and color — you can even split a task into sub-steps.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to take progress photos on 75 Soft?
No — daily photos are a 75 Hard rule. A day-1 and day-75 photo is still a great motivator, though.
Does walking count as training on the 75 Soft Challenge?
Yes — any intentional 45-minute session counts, including brisk walking.
Can you split the 45 minutes of exercise into two sessions?
Most people allow it (e.g. 25 + 20 minutes) — 75 Soft prioritizes consistency over rigidity. Pick one interpretation and keep it for all 75 days.
Start Your 75 Soft Challenge Today
The free 75 Soft Challenge Tracker comes with every rule pre-loaded, daily reminders, streaks and Forgiving Mode — everything you need to reach day 75.