Social media, by design, is a highlight reel. TikTok shows the aesthetic salads; Instagram shows the perfect workout sets. Reddit is where people go to complain about sore knees, ask if a burrito counts as "eating well," and celebrate the victories no one else cares about.
If you want to know what 75 Soft is really like—the gritty, unpolished reality—you go to Reddit. We've summarized the most common sentiments, tips, and debates from the platform's most active wellness communities.
The Essential 75 Soft Subreddits
There isn't just one place where the conversation happens. Depending on your goals, you might find your tribe in different corners:
- r/75soft: The dedicated home base. Smaller than the 75 Hard sub, but generally more supportive and focused on balanced lifestyle discussions.
- r/loseit: The internet's biggest weight loss community. High-quality discussions often pop up here comparing 75 Soft to CICO (Calories In, Calories Out).
- r/xxfitness: A women-focused fitness community that often discusses 75 Soft as a healthier alternative to rigid diet culture.
- r/75hard: Believe it or not, many people post here asking about "modifications," which inevitably leads to recommendations for 75 Soft.
The Good: What Users Love
Across hundreds of "I finished!" posts, a few themes are consistent:
1. "I finally stuck to something."
The number one praise is sustainability. Users who failed 75 Hard (or Whole30, or Keto) report that 75 Soft was the first time they completed a multi-month challenge without quitting. The flexibility prevents the "screw it, I quit" mentality.
2. The Reading Habit Stickiness
Surprisingly, the 10 pages of reading is often cited as the favorite rule. Many Redditors mention it replaced their doom-scrolling habit before bed, leading to better sleep.
3. Mental Clarity Over Physical Shred
While weight loss is common, the most enthusiastic reviews focus on mental health. "I didn't lose 20lbs, but I stopped binge drinking and started walking daily" is a common detailed outcome.
The Bad: Common Criticisms
It's not all praise. Reddit is famous for its skepticism, and 75 Soft gets its share of critique:
1. "The Rules Are Too Vague"
By far the biggest complaint is the "Eat Well" rule. Redditors argue endlessly about what
this means.
"Does eating well mean counting macros? Or just eating veggies? I need more
structure!"
(Our tip: Valid point. You need to define your own parameters before
starting.)
2. "Is it even a challenge?"
Hardcore fitness enthusiasts on r/gym or r/75hard sometimes gatekeep, calling it "75 Easy." Users sometimes feel "imposter syndrome" claiming they are doing a "challenge" when they are taking rest days.
3. Tech Fatigue
Users often complain about tracking. Managing multiple apps (one for water, one for reading, one for workouts) gets tedious. This has led to many sharing their own Google Sheets or simple paper trackers.
Top 5 Survival Tips from Redditors
We scraped the "Tips for Beginners" threads to find the nuggets of gold:
- "Don't restart, just keep going." Even though 75 Soft doesn't technically require a restart, people impose it on themselves. Reddit says: Don't. If you miss a day, just do 76 days.
- "Audiobooks don't count... but they sort of do." This is hotly debated, but the consensus is: If listening gets you to "read" when you otherwise wouldn't, count it. It's your challenge.
- "Walk first thing in the morning." The 45-minute workout is the hardest active task to fit in. Getting it done before work is the #1 efficiency hack mentioned.
- "Use a visual tracker." Crossing off days on a physical paper on the fridge feels better than a digital tick.
- "Pick a specific diet rule." To combat the vagueness of "Eat Well," many users pair 75 Soft with "No fast food" or "No added sugar" to make the boundary clear.
User Quote of the Year
"75 Hard is about proving you can suffer. 75 Soft is about proving you can live."
— u/RunningWithCoffee
(paraphrased)
Real Talk: "Is It Worth It?"
The overwhelming consensus on Reddit is a massive YES, but with a caveat: It is worth it if you are looking to build habits, not just lose weight quickly. If you want a 30lb drop in 75 days, people will point you elsewhere. If you want to be a person who works out 4 times a week for the rest of your year, Reddit recommends 75 Soft.
