There may not be many women celebrating their 75th birthday by ziplining down a canyon, but I have whitewater rafting, skydiving, and skydiving on my bucket list for future birthdays.
It’s hard to believe that I’ve become a family go-getter, but in the last six years I’ve changed my body and attitude, and it’s given me a whole new zest for life.
At 70, I weighed over 14, with high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, terrible insomnia, heartburn, ankles so swollen my legs looked like stumps, and painful arthritis in my knees. I had settled into a downward spiral of old age and ended up in a nursing home like my mother.
I never thought I would turn into a fitness fanatic with 1.7 million followers on Instagram.
At 70, Joan MacDonald weighed more than 14th, with conditions including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, terrible insomnia and heartburn. Now she has turned her life around
But here I am, at the age of 76 and without medication. I’m five lighter, with strong and defined muscles, a flat stomach and shapely legs I never knew I had. And I don’t believe in wearing form-fitting lycra leggings and crop tops (not just to the gym) and even posting bikini pics on social media.
I’m thrilled that my transformation has garnered so much attention – and I love how my photos and videos inspire others to get fit and strong.
At first I found social media difficult – the technology made me cry with frustration – but people quickly started communicating and I chatted back and then someone said I was “influencing” them. I thought really?
I was so excited to hit 1,000 followers but things have grown so fast I’m having a hard time keeping track. I spend a few hours a day chatting online, answering questions and encouraging people.
76 years old and without medication. Joan is fifth lighter, with strong and defined muscles, a flat stomach and shapely legs
I love reading the uplifting stories of people I’ve inspired, often much younger than me. When you feel so loved, it’s easy to give back and the love and support only grows.
To be honest, I only started lifting weights because my daughter Michelle told me to.
And honestly? She saved my life.
Michelle, 51, and her husband Jean, 41, are competitive bodybuilders and fitness trainers. When Michelle came to visit and saw me shuffling up the stairs, she told me to take her online class.
At first I was hesitant – I felt uncomfortable, uncomfortable and thought it might be too late for me – but eventually I gave in and started doing three workouts a week and a yoga session to increase the range of motion in my joints.
It wasn’t easy, but I was determined to get rid of the drug cocktail for all my ailments. And it was enormously rewarding to realize that I actually had muscle hiding beneath the layers of fat that had accumulated over the decades.
Joan is living proof that you’re never too old, never too sick, and never too overweight to change tack
As I got fitter and stronger, Michelle increased the intensity of the exercises and added new challenges (like the pull-up bar, can you imagine?) fitness sessions per week (which combine strength training, cardio and stretching).
I may only be 5ft 3in tall, but I can do 300lbs on the leg press and a 200lbs bar for hip thrusts — more than many fit young men.
I’ve read repeatedly that people who do strength training plus cardiovascular exercise (like running or cycling) have the greatest health benefits — and research shows that strength training can help reduce your mortality rate by a whopping 40 percent .
I go to the gym every morning and it’s the best part of my day. The work I do is purely for maintenance and because I absolutely love how it makes me feel. I could not have achieved this transformation without also radically changing my eating habits.
I’ve been on a yo-yo diet for most of my life but only gained weight until Michelle taught me the importance of eating protein (fish, meat or eggs) at every meal and from three to five or six to change small meals during the day .
Canada is my home country where winters are very severe so I know how difficult it can be to motivate yourself to keep up your fitness regimen when it’s cold and dark outside.
I used to be a terrible hibernator, snuggling up indoors and rarely going out. But you can’t live like that. You can’t sit around and wish for a change in your life, you have to make it happen.
The good thing is that you don’t need an expensive gym membership or a personal trainer. There’s so much you can do at home, without fancy equipment, as long as you get some sort of expert guidance through an online course or app.
I’m living proof that you’re never too old, never too sick, and never too overweight to change tack. You just have to believe in your own potential and put yourself to work. You’ll be amazed at what you can do if you put your mind to it. If I can do it by 70, anyone can do it.
Big changes like mine only come as a result of daily triumphs over negativity and old habits. Every day I have to adapt to my new habits and attitude, but damn, it’s worth it!
- Follow @trainwithjoan on Instagram or download her workout app: Train with Joan ($19.99 per month). Her book Flex Your Age: Defy Stereotypes And Reclaim Empowerment is available now, £20, DK, via amazon.co.uk.
Now it’s time to be more Joan in your own home
Try this simple exercise series to start strength training. You don’t need any equipment, just focus on doing everything slowly and correctly. If it feels easy, increase the challenge with more reps or by adding hand weights or resistance bands.
1. Back pat in plank
This exercise helps build your shoulder, wrist, and abdominal strength, as well as your endurance.
Stand 1.5 m from a kitchen surface and place your hands on the worktop, shoulder-width apart. Support your body in a strong straight line from shoulder to heel. Draw in your stomach and raise one hand at a time while tapping the opposite shoulder. Don’t let your body twist.
Add difficulty by using a lower surface like a chair seat and kicking your feet out to keep your line straight. As you get stronger, decrease the incline until you can plank with your hands and feet on the floor.
2. Sumo squats
Helps strengthen the powerful muscles of the buttocks and thighs and increase flexibility in the hips. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing out. Tighten your abs, tighten your buttocks and lower your buttocks, keeping your knees wide and your back very straight, aiming to align your buttocks with your knees.
Keep your glutes tight and come back up. Build up the number and depth of your squats over time.
3. Dead bugs
This strengthens the abdominal and back muscles and helps improve balance and coordination. lie on your back Tighten your abs and keep your back flat on the floor. Raise your legs and arms (in an inverted “all fours”).
Slowly and under control (don’t let your ribs pop out or your back arch), lower one heel to the floor and drop the opposite arm behind your head. Return to the starting position and switch sides.
If this feels too easy, try a straight leg or lower all four limbs at once.