Before committing to a strict fitness challenge – and ultimately the cover of Men’s Health, Paddy McGuinness made a surprising decision: he let himself go first. The comedian, presenter and now MH cover star says he deliberately indulged in takeaway food and beer for a short stretch to create a clear reset point.
‘I thought, I’m going to have a real blowout, hit rock bottom,’ he says, describing a brief period where healthier habits were replaced with lasagnes, pizzas and kebabs.
The plan wasn’t to stay there long. For McGuinness, the idea was to see whether he could pull himself back out of it.
‘I don’t recommend it,’ he adds. ‘Just for me personally, I thought, “I’ll see if I can get myself out of it.”’
That reset became the starting point for 75 Hard, the discipline-heavy challenge that requires two daily workouts alongside strict lifestyle rules. Over the next 75 days, McGuinness committed fully to the structure, rebuilding his routine and dramatically improving his fitness.
Want to know how Paddy McGuinness got into the best shape of his life at 52? We break down the 75 Hard challenge he followed – plus the exact workouts he used to build lean muscle for his Men’s Health cover shoot.
Sign up for 14 days free access to the MH app and read our guide to how best to do 75 Hard now.
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Unlike many celebrity transformations, he took on the challenge largely alone, without a team of trainers or nutritionists keeping him accountable.
For McGuinness, the experiment wasn’t about glorifying the low point. Instead, it created a clear line in the sand. Once he decided to rebuild his habits, the structure of the challenge made it easier to stay consistent – a lesson that has shaped many of the routines he still follows today.
Isaac Williams is Site Editor for both Women’s Health UK and Men’s Health UK, guiding and supporting the content teams to create content across all platforms. Isaac’s love of health and fitness began at Loughborough University, where he graduated with a History and English degree in 2014. His first job was at Men’s Running magazine, where he progressed from Staff Writer to Editor. Among his highlights of those four years include completing a 24-hour track race (never again), just about finishing a multi-day ultramarathon in the Azores, and chugging his way around a ‘beer mile’. Isaac ventured into the world of freelance journalism in 2018, interviewing some of the biggest names in sport – like Anthony Joshua and Ben Stokes – and writing features for the likes of The Guardian, Red Bull, ShortList and BBC Countryfile. He was also a regular contributor to an adventure series called ‘The Man Who’: speaking to some of the world’s most extreme explorers from the wilds of Caffè Nero. In late-2019, Isaac became Editor of Men’s Fitness UK. In his five years there, Isaac was responsible for editing the monthly magazine and managing website content, ultimately helping the brand transition to a ‘digital-first’ approach. He joined Hearst UK as Multiplatform Editor in December 2024, where he manages day-to-day digital output, edits content and writes articles on all things health and fitness. When he’s not hammering at his keyboard, Isaac enjoys exercise and trying – unsuccessfully, so far – to teach his baby son to kick a football. You can follow Isaac on Instagram @isaacw1993.
