74-year-old woman shows others that anything is possible with her incredible fitness transformation
At 70 years old, Joan MacDonald found herself to be in poor health.
Her condition required her to take several medications a day for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and acid reflux.
And her doctors were telling her she needed to up her dosages. That or she would have to commit to making the necessary lifestyle changes that would make her healthy. She chose the latter.
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“I had watched my mom go through the same thing, taking medication after medication, and I didn’t want that life for myself,” MacDonald said.
Luckily, MacDonald knew someone who could help her.
Her daughter Michelle is a competitive powerlifter, yogi, professional chef, and owner of Tulum Strength Club.
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MacDonald started out by going on regular walks for some cardio. Then she moved on to yoga and weight lifting.
She remembers how heavy picking up that first 10-pound weight was.
Since beginning her new workout regimen, MacDonald doesn’t take any medication anymore.
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She’s also lost more than 60 lbs. She also has some serious guns.
MacDonald said her gains were a matter of hard work and consistency.
In addition to getting healthy, MacDonald’s initial goal was to build strength and endurance.
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“I still have issues with heavier weights, but I know not to go overboard. I know my limits and do what I can do comfortably, making sure I’m doing it well. The workouts are always changing, so I’m working every muscle in my body on a weekly basis,” she said.
She also worked on her nutrition.
It is a diet that offers adequate macronutrients like fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. She gave up snacking and instead ate five meals per day.
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“When I started, I was probably eating less than I do now, but I was eating the wrong things,” she said. “Now, I eat more, (five small meals a day), and I continue to lose weight and feel better overall.”
Though MacDonald found herself becoming frustrated in the beginning, she started becoming motivated by how much better she felt.
“I go to the gym five days a week,” she said. “I like that routine, because it gives you something to look forward to.”
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MacDonald has been able to maintain a 65 lb. weight loss for about four years.
She lost 10 within a month, while also reducing half of her medications which she is no longer on.
MacDonald’s daughter encouraged her to document her progress on Instagram, which she did and she now was 1.5 million followers.
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She also has a website and app that offers workouts and meal plans that her daughter, who specializes and coaching women of all ages, oversees.
MacDonald hopes that sharing her story will show people that it’s never too late to change your life.
She also encourages people to get enough sleep, drink lots of water, and eat protein with every single meal.
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And MacDonald is always working on something new. She currently is working on unassisted pull-ups.
She has done a few but wants to be able to “do it all like the youngins.”
You can follow MacDonald’s journey on Instagram @trainwithjoan.
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Source: Shape, Good Morning America