Bollywood actor Alaya F has become a hot topic once again, but not through film or fashion. Instead, Alaya is trending on social media due to her personal fitness and lifestyle routine: the self-created “97 Hard” challenge. Alaya produced this challenge to test one’s own level of self-discipline in physical activity, and it has gone viral amongst both fitness and non-fitness fans since beginning on April 4, 2026.
What is the “97 Hard” Challenge?
The 97 Hard challenge is a commitment for 97 consecutive days to strict habits daily focused towards mental fortitude and physical fitness. It is an expansion on the immensely popular 75 Hard lifestyle, which was built on the concept of total self-discipline.
This challenge is not your casual fitness challenge; it requires members to complete their daily commitments every day for 97 consecutive days. If a member fails to complete any one of the daily actions on any day during this period of time, then that member must restart their challenge from day one! This level of structure put forth by Alaya is both intimidating and attractive at the same time.
Alaya’s Challenge was Inspired by the Viral 75 Hard Program
Alaya’s “97 Hard” challenge is based on the viral 75 Hard lifestyle that has been adopted by millions around the world and emphasizes the importance of mental resilience over physical transformation. After having completed the 75 Hard program (twice), Alaya decided that she wanted to also now extend this lifestyle to 97 days.
Originally, Alaya’s challenge was designed to develop positive behaviours and habits such as discipline, consistency, and self-control. The duration of the new “Harder Than 97” Challenge is expanded to 97 days instead of 90 as an attempt to significantly increase the mental and physical difficulty of the original challenge.
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97 Hard Challenge Rules:
This challenge has a very strict daily checklist for you to follow without exception. The following are the basic rules of 97 Hard:
- Two (2) exercise sessions (45 minutes minimum for each session) every day; one (1) exercise session must occur outside.
- Clean diet (no “cheat” meals).
- No alcohol.
- Four (4) litres of water daily.
- Ten (10) pages of a non-fiction book to be read daily.
- A progress photograph will be taken at the end of each day.
- Meditative practices (i.e., Meditation or Journaling) for fifteen (15) minutes each day.
All of the informally defined tasks above can help you create physical endurance and build mental discipline; therefore, consistent behaviour is more valuable than a focus on intensity of activity.
What Makes This Challenge So Difficult?
The “97 Hard” challenge has the major distinguishing feature of having a strict, no excuses rule.. Therefore, if you fail to complete any of the tasks or miss any task, you will have to restart your challenge to completion.
The challenge isn’t solely about being physically fit; it focuses on a person’s ability to withstand physical stress over a long time period which can prove to be very difficult due to external factors (i.e., fatigue from a long work week, etc.).
A Lifestyle, Not Just a Fitness Trend
The 97-day challenge represents a commitment to live an active lifestyle as opposed to simply going to the gym for 30 minutes a day. For both participants and observers alike, this is another reason why many people consider this to be a valid trend.
Alaya F. believes that establishing these types of routines helps create a more balanced life (physically and mentally) while also helping to eliminate negative habits that often lead to unhealthy behaviors (i.e., excessive junk food consumption, heavy drinking, etc.).
In addition to developing positive behaviors/attitudes, the inclusion of mindfulness techniques such as reading and meditation shows that the challenge will address a holistic nature (mental growth and physical development) contributing to the overall movement becoming increasingly popular among many outside the gym.
Social Media Buzz and Public Reaction
The numerous discussions surrounding this trend, its overall popularity, and Alaya’s commitment to maintaining her level of success, have generated a significant amount of ‘buzz’ on social media. Thus far, fans of the trend have expressed interest in participating in their versions of the challenge and others publicly admire Alaya’s determination and success as an example of how anyone can execute a successful lifestyle change.
Although there appears to be some renewed dialogue regarding extreme fitness (e.g., restricting caloric intake to only specific types of foods), the majority of discussions appear to reflect that while this is an extreme approach, many professions and people believe these types of challenges can be a positive way to build one’s inner strength and become mentally strong.
Growing Popularity of Extreme Fitness Challenges
Alaya’s “97 Hard” challenge signifies an evolution within the fitness industry towards higher levels of discipline and structure with greater expectations of both mental and physical transformation as a result. Other recent viral fitness challenges such as “75 Hard” have capitalised on people’s desire to reboot their lives and fitness journeys from start to finish.
However, many experts advise against doing any high-intensity, fast-paced fitness program for those just beginning their journey into fitness; instead, it is recommended that these individuals take longer to build the foundation of consistency, discipline, and healthy habits and adjust those principles to their own lifestyle rather than try and implement extreme and rigid program parameters.
Conclusion: Discipline at the Core
The “97 Hard” challenge administered by Alaya F offers an opportunity for all individuals regardless of fitness background to experience a true test of their endurance, discipline, and the strength of their mind.
While the challenge may not work for everyone due to its aggressive nature, it embodies one of the most important principles of long-term transformation: an individual must cultivate a level of commitment and consistency within themself. Whether one participates in the challenge or not, it illustrates how true fitness is focused on developing an overall healthy lifestyle that begins with the mind.
