Let's be honest: most wellness challenges are designed by people without small children attached to them. The standard 75 Soft—45 minutes of uninterrupted exercise, meal prep sessions, quiet reading time—sounds almost laughable when you're operating on four hours of sleep with a toddler who won't let you use the bathroom alone.
The "Mom Edition" of 75 Soft isn't about lowering standards. It's about realistic standards. Because you deserve to prioritize your health too, even when your capacity is reduced and your time is fragmented.
What is the Mom Edition?
The "Mom Edition" of 75 Soft acknowledges that mothers face unique constraints that require adapted rules. Key modifications include:
- Exercise can be broken into smaller chunks (three 15-minute sessions count)
- Movement with children counts (stroller walks, playground play)
- Nutrition focuses on what you CAN control (not the goldfish crackers your toddler didn't finish)
- Reading can happen in 5-minute increments
- No restart rule is even more important—missed days happen
The Mom Edition Philosophy
You are not failing if your workout gets interrupted, if you eat leftovers off your kid's plate, or if you fall asleep before reading your 10 pages. You are surviving while still trying to show up for yourself. That is extraordinary, not inadequate.
Exercise with Kids Present
The biggest challenge for moms is finding 45 uninterrupted minutes. The solution? Stop looking for uninterrupted minutes. Here's what counts as exercise in the Mom Edition:
Stroller Workouts
- Power stroller walks: 30-45 minutes of brisk walking pushing a stroller
- Stroller intervals: Alternate fast/slow walking or find hills
- Jog stroller runs: If you have a jogging stroller and clearance
Naptime Workouts
When baby sleeps, you have a window. YouTube home workouts from 20-45 minutes work perfectly. Yes, you might want to nap instead—listen to your body about which you need more.
Playground Exercise
- Walk briskly around the playground perimeter while watching
- Do step-ups on the playground benches
- Climb, swing, and play actively WITH your kids
Workout With Kids in the Room
It will be interrupted. It won't be pretty. It still counts. Some ideas:
- Put on a workout video and let kids join in
- Dance parties count as cardio
- Yoga with a toddler climbing on you? Bonus core work
"I completed the 75 Soft challenge as a mom of two under three. Some days my 'workout' was chasing kids at the park for 45 minutes. But I showed up every single day, even if it looked different than I planned." — Real mom experience
The Nutrition Reality Check
The 80/20 rule for moms often looks less pretty than Instagram meal prep photos. Let's talk about reality:
What "Eating Well" Looks Like for Moms
- Eating breakfast (even if it's cold) before noon
- Choosing the grilled option when you have energy to care
- Adding veggies to the mac and cheese you're making anyway
- Having protein at most meals (eggs, Greek yogurt, cheese)
- Not skipping meals because you're feeding everyone else first
What Doesn't Count Against You
- Finishing your kid's chicken nuggets
- Eating standing up at the kitchen counter
- Having cereal for dinner on a hard day
- Using frozen vegetables instead of fresh
Practical Mom Meal Prep
When you cook dinner, make double. Tomorrow's lunch is sorted. Stock freezer meals for bad days. Accept that some weeks, "eating well" means not ordering pizza every night. Lower the bar and you'll actually clear it.
Reading in Stolen Moments
Ten pages can feel impossible when you have no quiet moments. Here's how moms make it work:
5-Minute Pockets
Instead of finding 15-20 minutes at once, read in 5-minute pockets:
- While kids eat breakfast (you're supervising anyway)
- During their screen time (yes, you're allowed to sit down)
- In the pickup line at school
- While they play in the bath (you're there for safety)
Audiobooks Are Your Best Friend
Most 75 Soft interpretations allow audiobooks. For moms, they're essential:
- Listen while doing dishes
- Listen during the commute or school runs
- Listen while folding laundry
- Listen during stroller walks
Lowering the Bar
Some moms doing the Mom Edition start with just 5 pages and build up. On the hardest days, reading one page still counts as maintaining the habit.
Hydration with Mom Brain
Moms are notorious for forgetting to drink water. You're so focused on keeping tiny humans alive that you forget your own needs. Strategies that help:
- Giant water bottle: Keep it at your main station (kitchen, nursing chair)
- Drink every time you feed a kid: Built-in reminders
- Morning front-load: Drink 1L before anyone wakes up
- Visible reminders: Phone alarms, sticky notes
- Lower the goal if needed: Start with 2L and build up
Grace Over Perfection
This is the most important section. The Mom Edition of 75 Soft is built on grace:
What Happens When You Miss a Day
You continue the next day. No restart. No guilt spiral. No "I've ruined everything." In 75 Soft—especially the Mom Edition—missed days don't erase progress. They're part of the process.
Redefining Success
Success isn't hitting every rule perfectly for 75 days. Success is:
- Showing up most days
- Building sustainable habits
- Being gentler with yourself than you were before
- Modeling self-care for your children
- Finishing the 75 days, imperfectly
The Comparison Trap
Don't compare your 75 Soft to a childless person's 75 Soft. Don't compare your workout to someone with a nanny. Don't compare your meal prep to someone with a partner who shares the load equally. Your challenge is valid exactly as it is.
Postpartum Considerations
If you're postpartum, please adjust even further:
- Wait for medical clearance before any exercise beyond walking
- Prioritize sleep over workouts in the newborn phase
- Hydration is critical if breastfeeding—you may need more than 3L
- Nutrition focuses on nourishment, not restriction
- Be realistic about timelines—starting 75 Soft at 6 weeks postpartum is very different from starting at 6 months
A Note on Postpartum Exercise
Your pelvic floor matters more than your 45 minutes. If you're newly postpartum, consider working with a pelvic floor physical therapist before starting any challenge. Gentle walking and stretching may be your "exercise" for weeks, and that's not just okay—it's medically appropriate.
For more adaptations, see our beginner modifications or read the complete rules guide. Have questions? Check our comprehensive FAQ.
