Looking for a little #fitspo? At 74 Joan MacDonald is exactly that. The Canadian who once suffered from weight-related illness has transformed herself into #bodygoals and lifts her own weight in barbells. She flaunts her abs of steel on Instagram and documents her mission to challenge the world’s beliefs about fitness as you grow older.
MacDonald transformed her body and got fit and healthy at 70; living proof that you can look and feel fabulous, wear crop tops with leggings and reverse chronic health issues no matter what age you are. Standing only 1.6 meters tall and having weighed 89 kilograms, it was her daughter, fitness trainer Michelle MacDonald, who had given her an ultimatum to get fit and do something about her health.
“My daughter Michelle came to me on the verge of tears. She said that I had to make a choice. She said if I continued on the path I was on, I would end up even worse off and probably on even more medication.
“I was on medication for high blood pressure and acid reflux, I had terrible oedema in my ankles, my arthritis was extremely painful and I had difficulty walking up and down stairs. I was tired, I was emotional and I was in desperate need of a change.”
“I’ve found that this new way of living has allowed me to meet and help encourage many others to do the same.”
A fighting chance
Reaching her fitness goals was no walk in the park but “neither is it easy ending up in a nursing home,” she told Daily Mail.
“My motto was, ‘I don’t mind if my changes are slow. I am going to go at my own pace and this time the changes are going to last the rest of my life,’” she said.
By October 2017 she had shed 20 kilograms. “My blood pressure fell. I think the doctor was astounded.”
Her energy levels soon followed. Now she could move around better and no longer needed to use the handrail when climbing a flight of stairs, which typically made her feel old and depressed.
“I am a different woman than I was when I started out. I know what macros are, I can create balanced meals, I know how to move around with confidence in the gym and I understand the importance of lifting heavy weight.
“I’ve found that this new way of living has allowed me to meet and help encourage many others to do the same.”
Living inspiration
Today she has lost a total of 31 kilograms and you can watch her lift her own weight in barbells or perform chin-ups with her more than 1 million followers on Instagram.
In the pipeline is an app aimed at those who want to embark on a fitness journey but don’t know how to get started, as well as helping those who have limited movement.
In a world where we are told how to think about fitness, and to take it easier as we age and not push beyond our limits, MacDonald advises that you do the opposite. “You don’t have to age conventionally. We often put limitations on ourselves without knowing it.”
