Indeed, it’s not every day we get to see a woman in her 70s showing us how to do a dead lift.
Joan MacDonald, 73-year-old fitness instructor, said that she knows that a lot of people her age would shy away from exercising like she does.
But, three years ago, this wasn’t the case for her- the Cobourg, Ontario native was in a very difficult place- she weighed almost 200 pounds and took several meds, including for hypertension and cholesterol.
She was also diagnosed with arthritis and had knee surgery. She also recalls how she was unhappy with herself.
When she advised her doctors, they all said she should take more meds; however, she didn’t want any more meds.
This is when she realized she needed to make a change if she wanted to feel better.
With the Help of Her Daughter, Joan Made the Transformation of a Lifetime
Together with her daughter, MacDonald made one of the biggest physical transformations. Her daughter is a physique transformation coach, Michelle MacDonald.
Her mother began a 6-month fitness program and her daughter taught her about healthy eating and worked closely with her on her form and technique.
She showed her how to properly exercise and lift weights.
In only 6 months, Joan lost 45 pounds! Her daughter was flabbergasted and she’s happy that her mother didn’t just lose weight, but also started gaining muscle.
She doesn’t take any hormone replacement therapy- it’s just proper eating and training with focus on form, intensity, and technique.
In elderly people, we commonly see the muscles naturally deteriorating with age.
So, it’s quite wonderful and encouraging seeing that a person in her 70s is putting on muscle, despite this aging factor, explains Michelle.
Joan Is Popular on Social Media & an Inspiration for Many
MacDonald has more than 125,000 followers on Instagram and on this platform; she shares daily workouts like cardio and weight lifting.
Her Instagram is in a way a document of her fitness journey and regimen, how she plans her meals, tracks her protein and calorie intake, etc.
Michelle recommends that seniors who want to adopt a healthier lifestyle should begin slowly and work with a coach who will design the best workout plant according to their body and abilities.
Joan said on her Instagram that her ‘trick’ for a healthy diet is eating balanced meals, 5 each day.
This 73-year-old woman is definitely defying fitness stereotypes and shows that we can all do better!
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