Two weeks are in the books, roughly eight more to go for 75 Hard! This time I am dead set on completing the challenge. There is nothing on this Earth that I will let get in my way. There will be challenging weeks ahead, but that is just how life goes.
This past week has been a challenging one in and of itself. I’ve not felt 100% healthwise; I’ve had a persistent cold. My throat is scratchy, and my nose is seemingly running a marathon. But I feel fantastic that despite this, I’ve completed another week.
I actually had a pretty strenuous week looking back. Since last Wednesday, I have played soccer four times, basketball once, and flag football (for three hours) once. I also went on my walks and bike rides. It was a nonstop week. But I’d rather be on the move than have nothing to do, so I’ll definitely take it.
At the end of April, Whoop sent me my Monthly Performance Assessment. The MPA is an excellent tool that combines all of the data accumulated over the month and shows you exactly how your body responds to the various strains you are putting on it.
As you can see from the above images, my resting heart rate and heart rate variability have improved since I initially began 75 Hard at the beginning of March. Not only that, my sleep performance has improved substantially, with further room for improvement. All of these metrics can be attributed to more strenuous days. My heart is getting healthier because I’m training it. My recovery is improving because my body is now accustomed to taking on the strain. The lowest recovery I had for the entire month of April was 34%. That was due to me getting four hours of sleep before taking my friend to the airport early that morning. This was the first time since I obtained the Whoop strap that I didn’t have a single day with a Red recovery. My body is actively learning how to recover better day after day. My sleep is improving because both my mind and body are tired at the end of the day. Not just one or the other.
Waking up every day feeling the healthiest I’ve ever been has been pretty freaking excellent, to say the least. I love every second of this journey, even if sometimes I don’t feel like getting a workout in.
In my next post, I’ll talk more about my diet and the benefits I feel that I get from that and share some delicious and nutritious recipes.
Coupled with this post, I recorded a short podcast where I talk further about the data and the challenge. Check it out on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Anchor, YouTube, and Overcast!
Until next time!
Footy Foster 