Even if you eased off the fitness gas over Christmas, Paddy McGuinness has shown it doesn’t necessarily take years to get back on track. The British TV presenter recently shared an impressive body transformation on Instagram, revealing he’d turned things around in just 75 days after a period of neglecting his health.
McGuinness admitted that the summer of 2025 had taken its toll. ‘Still can’t believe how much I’d let myself go,’ he wrote on Instagram. ‘That before pic is the result of just under two months of binge eating – beer, cakes and biscuits!’
That realisation became the catalyst for change. In September, McGuinness began the 75 Hard challenge, a 75-day programme created by podcaster and author Andy Frisella and designed to test both physical and mental resilience. Participants must follow a strict set of daily rules, including sticking to a diet, avoiding alcohol, drinking four litres of water, taking progress photos, reading 10 pages of non-fiction and completing two 45-minute workouts, one of which must be outdoors.
‘The effect it had on my body, and more importantly my mind, was staggering,’ McGuinness added. ‘It really is amazing what can be achieved in such a short period of time… if you’ve got the willpower. I thoroughly enjoyed taking on the 75 Hard challenge and now I’m on the lookout for the next one. It’s not for everyone, but if you’ve got even an ounce of willpower, why not give something a whirl?’
That said, 75 Hard is not without controversy. Frisella is not a certified trainer, dietitian or licensed therapist, and critics have raised concerns about the programme’s rigid structure. Restrictive eating behaviours, body image issues and mental health challenges have all been linked to highly prescriptive challenges like 75 Hard, particularly when followed without professional guidance.
McGuinness, however, is no stranger to structured training. Over the years, he has regularly lifted weights in pursuit of strength goals and even turned to Pilates in 2023 while recovering from a lat tear, which he described as ‘brutal’. In November 2024, he also completed a near-300-mile bike ride from Wrexham to Glasgow on a customised 1970s Raleigh Chopper, raising more than £9 million for Children in Need.
While his latest transformation may be eye-catching, it’s best viewed as the result of renewed consistency and discipline, rather than a one-size-fits-all blueprint – a reminder of what focused effort can achieve over a relatively short period of time.
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Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men’s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.
During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.
Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running – he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark…
You can follow Ryan on Instagram @ryan.dabbs or on X @ryandabbs_
