The latest viral trend, “75 Hard”, is a 75-day challenge that involves working out twice a day, following a certain diet, and drinking a gallon of water a day. The results landed a TikToker in hospital due to water poisoning.
Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to consume too much water. And Michelle Fairburn learnt this the hard way after feeling unwell due to excessive water consumption.
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Water poisoning can be fatal, but this is in extreme cases. People can succumb to water poisoning if they have consumed three to four litres of water in a short space of time. Symptoms include headaches, muscle spasms, and cramps.
On her 12th day of participating in the challenge, Fairburn did not feel well and woke up several times in the middle of the night, feeling nauseous, weak, and using the toilet repeatedly.
Many have criticised the “75 Hard Challenge”, which has 1.2 billion views on TikTok, saying it encourages unhealthy habits rather than improving health. In addition to rapid water intake, it does not leave much room for cheat days and does not give participants any chance to listen to their body’s response.
The diet for the challenge is made up of your own choosing but cannot include alcohol or meals outside of the chosen diet. Participants must complete two 45-minute workouts, with one being outdoors every day.
Eventually, Fairburn posted on her TikTok to announce that her doctor told her she had severe sodium deficiency due to her intense water intake. Her doctors advised her to drink less than half a litre of water per day whilst she recovered.
Fairburn tells her followers in a video, “Always listen to your body. These challenges are not for everybody and don’t take them too seriously. And pivot when you need to pivot, stop when you need to stop.”
