I’m nowhere near 74, but I’m definitely old enough to know how it feels to think it’s “too late” to make major changes in our diets, fitness routines, and our bodies. I think we just reach a point where we begin to feel like we’ve “missed the boat” when it comes to getting into shape and starting over when it comes to being fit and trim. However, one woman is proving that it’s never too late and she might just inspire many of us (including me!) to think that it’s never too late to be your best self physically. Joan MacDonald has proven that age isn’t a barrier (or an excuse) to not be living your very best life.
Joan’s mantra and her message to all of us is simple: “You can’t turn back the clock but you can wind it up again.” The 74-year-old fitness guru has come a long way in fighting for her own health, and if her Instagram following of more than 850,000 followers is any indication, lots of people find her just as inspiring as I do. There are people who have followed Joan’s journey from the very beginning and it’s nothing short of miraculous and inspiring. Throughout her fitness journey, Joan has conquered not only ageist myths but also social media as she chronicles her transformation for all of us to see.
Nearly every day, Joan posts updates from her workout sessions with her daughter, Michelle MacDonald, who is also a professional fitness coach (it runs in the family, apparently!). Joan’s typical workout can include anything from weight training to a run on the beach. She really does prove that age is just a number. Her journey started three years ago when she was at a doctor’s office, where she was told that she was deteriorating rapidly physically.
She was on several medications, including some for high cholesterol, acid reflux, and high blood pressure, all of which are conditions that can sometimes be helped with weight loss.
Joan wanted to get off the medications and she was tired of feeling uncomfortable and helpless. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had focused on her health, but she knew that it was time for a change and time was running out: it was now or never. “I knew I had to do something different,” MacDonald tells Shape. “I had watched my mom go through the same thing, taking medication after medication, and I didn’t want that life for myself.” When she started working out, she could barely pick up a 10-pound weight, she says. She genuinely was starting from scratch.
Soon, Joan was practicing yoga, walking for cardio, and as of today, she has lost 62 pounds and has a clean bill of health from her doctors. Even better, she’s off of the medications. She goes to the gym five days a week and spends two hours there each day. Joan says that it takes her a little longer to finish.
In a recent post on Instagram, Joan shared several bits of wisdom with her many followers. She said that when she first started her transformation journey, she hated trying on new clothes. She had very few articles of clothing left that fit her and her wardrobe consisted of over-sized t-shirts and baggy shorts in boring colors. These days, Joan is wearing some new workout clothes that she bought when her daughter took her shopping at Forever 21. She says that when she saw herself in flattering outfits in cute colors, she could feel her inner dialogue changing. She suddenly realized that she has muscles and a good shape taking form. She said that it felt good inside to see herself in those new clothes.
Watch Joan in action below.
