I’ve never thought of myself as “hot,” especially not in the Paris Hilton “That’s hot” circa-2003 sense of the word. But now, the girls are redefining what “hot” even means. It’s no longer an adjective used to define worth based on society’s beauty standards; it’s a mindset rooted in self-assurance (see: Megan Thee Stallion‘s Hot Girl Summer). Today, “hot girl” status isn’t about fitting into a box, but rather embodying an internal vibe any woman can channel. Hotness has nothing to do with how you look or what other people think; hot girls are innately hot, exuding a carefree attitude (see: “hot girl sh*t”).
Case in point: Jade Brandt, the creator of the “75 Hotter” challenge. A softer spin on the notoriously rigid and extreme 75 Hard program (you know, the one marketed as a way to “build mental toughness”), 75 Hotter substitutes the no-days-off, no-mercy criteria in favor of a method that’s far more realistic: socialization, eating more protein and greens, and positive self-talk. A challenge that is like 75 Hard, but “for the girls.” “Growing up, I never felt hot—I felt like I didn’t look like these ‘hot girls,'” Brandt told Well+Good. “Now, it’s like something from within… I just want people to feel empowered. That’s the vibe I want to cultivate.” Read on for everything you need to know about the 75 Hotter challenge, including my honest take on it.
JADE BRANDT
Jade Brandt is an Austin-based content creator, co-host of Your Poor Dad podcast, and the brainchild of the “75 Hotter” challenge.
What Is 75 Hotter?
When Brandt tried 75 Hard in 2023, she couldn’t wait until it was over. She liked the premise of the challenge, but it wasn’t sustainable; for one, she refused to commit to doing two workouts a day for the rest of her life (it’s so not necessary). And she found the punishment factor of having to start over on day one if you slipped up unmotivating, even making her live in fear. So she set out to create her own twist with actual lasting lifestyle changes that she could take with her after the 75 days were completed. In Brandt’s own words, the goal of the 75 Hotter challenge is to “feel hotter from the inside out and outside in.” Here’s the breakdown:
To summarize, the challenge includes 75 days of these core habits:
- Walk 10,000 steps per day
- Eat protein and greens at each meal
- Hydrate
- Do a “closing shift” in your home every night
- Intentionally connect with a friend every week
- Drink alcohol mindfully
- Create a workout and recovery schedule
- Do aesthetic/fun self-care weekly
- Track progress with photos that reflect state of mind—not just looks
- Practice positive self-talk
In a TikTok video, Brandt expressed that 75 Hotter has the mental and physical health benefits of a challenge like 75 Hard, but with added components that tend to your home and friendships. There’s also the additional ritual of treating yourself to a weekly spray tan, manicure, or sheet mask—anything that helps you feel hotter outwardly—to keep you motivated until you start seeing your efforts pay off. “Sometimes, it can be a little defeating when you’re doing your steps, you’re doing your protein, you’re doing your water, you’re doing your workouts, and you’re like, ‘Where are the results on my body?‘” she said. As for why it’s called 75 Hotter? Brandt told Well+Good that she feels “hotter” when she has a routine and sticks to it, connects with friends, and does something that makes her feel pampered.
Based on feedback from her followers, Brandt made a 75 Hotter Summer Edition, with the addition of mindful eating (“We’re not depriving; we’re balancing, so we’re eating mindfully vs. mindlessly”) and swapping late-night doomscrolling for reading before bed. And as far as Dry January goes, it’s a hard pass for Brandt. Why? “Because A, you’re either going to give up half way through and you’re going to be pissed at yourself about it, or B, you’re just going to be waiting the whole time for it to be over so you can go back to your old ways,” she explained. The point isn’t punishment or white-knuckling your way through a month or 75 days—it’s building habits you can stick with for the long haul.
My Verdict
Wellness challenges aren’t everyone’s thing, but if having a structure to work from keeps you accountable and motivated, you’ve come to the right place. 75 Hotter ticks the pillars of wellness without being daunting, too demanding, or unrealistic. When we think of maintaining our well-being, typically nutrition and fitness first come to mind. But the 75 Hotter challenge also incorporates social connection, self-care, and positive self-talk to round out a holistic approach to health (because they’re equally impactful as how you physically treat your body).
The caveat: If you have perfectionist tendencies (same), 75 Hotter (and any challenge, for that matter) can bring up high expectations, self-criticism, and disappointment if you don’t make good on all the steps. But, unlike 75 Hard, there’s no hard-and-fast rule saying you have to follow the guidelines to a T and go back to square one if you don’t. Take the 10,000 steps per day suggestion, for example. If it’s a far cry from what you normally do and it feels out of reach, try something like the Japanese walking routine instead (it only takes 30 minutes and is 10x more effective). TikTokers like Ariel Dalia are making tweaks according to their own goals (think: getting eight to nine hours of sleep), and Brandt is all for it.
I’ve never been big on progress photos since they can do more harm than good. As an alternative, check in with yourself and track how you feel each day using a journal or the Notes app, shifting the focus away from what you look like. After all, the 75 Hotter challenge goes beyond appearance, other people’s opinions, and the ever-shifting social rules that dictate what’s “attractive.” It’s about reclaiming what hot means on your terms: whatever that looks like for you, however it shows up in your life.
Katherine Chang, Wellness Staff Writer
Katherine Chang is The Everygirl’s Wellness Staff Writer with over five years of experience in the health and wellness space. She navigates the latest wellness topics and trends through expert interviews and studies, and she’s always first in line to try them firsthand.
Feature graphic images credited to: Maju Burlim | Dupe, Rachel Springer | Dupe, @josie.santi, Claire Craig | Dupe, Cora Pursley | Dupe
