This 76-year-old stunned the internet with her inspiring transformation story
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It's never too late in life to take up a new hobby or transform your body and health — and today, we definitely have an inspiring story for you all.
Meet Joan MacDonald: a 76-year-old fitness influencer who has taken social media by storm with her motivational posts and amazing physique.
The grandmother completely changed her lifestyle after she was diagnosed with high blood pressure and acid reflux, and was suffering from ‘extremely painful’ arthritis.
‘I was tired, I was emotional, and I was in desperate need of a change. Does any of this sound familiar to you?’ she said.
Unhappy with the medications she was prescribed, Joan knew she had to make some serious changes if she wanted to improve her health.
Thankfully, her daughter was one step ahead.
‘My daughter Michelle came to me on the verge of tears. She said that I had to make a choice.’ Jean said.
‘She said if I continued on the path I was on I would end up even worse off, and probably on even more medication.’
Michelle invited her mother to join an online group with other women facing the same dilemma.
‘I made a massive 180 (degree turn). I renewed my gym membership, bought a food scale, a measurement tape, and got to work.’ Jean said.
‘It was incredibly hard work, let me tell you, and there were many days were I was in tears… but I never threw in the towel. I stuck to my guns and never gave up.’
Despite minimal progress at times, Jean kept one thing on her mind.
‘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.'' I really meant it.’
It’s been more than five years since Joan started her fitness journey, and she’s proud to share that she's lost about 27 kg.
‘I can honestly say that I am a different woman than I was when I started out.’ she shared.
‘I know how to move around with confidence in the gym and I understand the importance of lifting heavy weights.’
‘I've found that this new way of living has allowed me to encourage many others to do the same.’
True to her word, a recent photo she posted on Instagram had many inspired.
The photo, which shows Joan sitting on a beach enjoying the sunlight and waves, was captioned: ‘I didn't starve myself skinny. I didn't avoid entire food groups to lose weight. I didn't have a “good” foods, “bad” foods approach. I didn't do circuit workouts.’
‘Sometimes I think I should take a glamorous, sexy photo of myself while I still can,’ a user said.
‘Now, I look at this absolutely stunning photo of you and say, there's no time limit on taking a gorgeous photo! Thank you for the inspiration.’
Good on you, Joan!
Now, as much as we want to promote physical fitness and exercise, it would be remiss of us not to remind readers to exercise caution.
If you’re planning on taking a more active approach after reading this article, we highly recommend seeking professional medical advice first on what kinds of exercise and diet is best for you.
You might also want to check out this article on some science-backed tips on exercising, while you’re at it.
So, what is your reaction to Joan’s inspiring story?
Tell us in the comments section below!
Source: YouTube/Joan MacDonald
Meet Joan MacDonald: a 76-year-old fitness influencer who has taken social media by storm with her motivational posts and amazing physique.
The grandmother completely changed her lifestyle after she was diagnosed with high blood pressure and acid reflux, and was suffering from ‘extremely painful’ arthritis.
‘I was tired, I was emotional, and I was in desperate need of a change. Does any of this sound familiar to you?’ she said.
Unhappy with the medications she was prescribed, Joan knew she had to make some serious changes if she wanted to improve her health.
Thankfully, her daughter was one step ahead.
‘My daughter Michelle came to me on the verge of tears. She said that I had to make a choice.’ Jean said.
‘She said if I continued on the path I was on I would end up even worse off, and probably on even more medication.’
Joan started her fitness journey at 70 years old. Source: Instagram/@trainwithjoan
Michelle invited her mother to join an online group with other women facing the same dilemma.
‘I made a massive 180 (degree turn). I renewed my gym membership, bought a food scale, a measurement tape, and got to work.’ Jean said.
‘It was incredibly hard work, let me tell you, and there were many days were I was in tears… but I never threw in the towel. I stuck to my guns and never gave up.’
Despite minimal progress at times, Jean kept one thing on her mind.
‘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.'' I really meant it.’
It’s been more than five years since Joan started her fitness journey, and she’s proud to share that she's lost about 27 kg.
‘I can honestly say that I am a different woman than I was when I started out.’ she shared.
‘I know how to move around with confidence in the gym and I understand the importance of lifting heavy weights.’
‘I've found that this new way of living has allowed me to encourage many others to do the same.’
Joan says she has a new outlook on life after deciding to pursue a more active lifestyle. Credit: Instagram/@trainwithjoan
True to her word, a recent photo she posted on Instagram had many inspired.
The photo, which shows Joan sitting on a beach enjoying the sunlight and waves, was captioned: ‘I didn't starve myself skinny. I didn't avoid entire food groups to lose weight. I didn't have a “good” foods, “bad” foods approach. I didn't do circuit workouts.’
‘Sometimes I think I should take a glamorous, sexy photo of myself while I still can,’ a user said.
‘Now, I look at this absolutely stunning photo of you and say, there's no time limit on taking a gorgeous photo! Thank you for the inspiration.’
Good on you, Joan!
If you’re planning on taking a more active approach after reading this article, we highly recommend seeking professional medical advice first on what kinds of exercise and diet is best for you.
You might also want to check out this article on some science-backed tips on exercising, while you’re at it.
So, what is your reaction to Joan’s inspiring story?
Tell us in the comments section below!
Source: YouTube/Joan MacDonald
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