Joan Macdonald Fitness Influencer at 75
“I believe it’s never too late for anything — or any change. It’s not about having all the answers. Just be willing to learn and make room for the things that grow you.”
At age 70 Joan Macdonald was in serious medical trouble. At 5’3” she weighed 198 pounds. She was on medication for high blood pressure. Her doctor recommended increasing the dosage as it was not holding the line. She suffered with acid reflux, edema in her ankles, painful arthritis.
Her daughter Michelle is a physical trainer. Nearly in tears, Michelle offered a stark choice: continue her path of increased medication and medical decline or join an online “transformation group” of women that Michelle was coaching towards making healthier choices. Joan decided to give her daughter’s approach a try, thinking “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.”
With her daughter’s help she took responsibility for her health. She changed her mindset. She rejoined a gym. She created a collage imagining her future healthier self, learned to change her nutrition, and created new habits of progressively lifting heavier weights. She learned to use an i-Phone for the first time.
Joan reports “I am a different woman than when I started out.” And “It comes down to mindset, being consistent, and having a solid strategy and system to achieve your goals.”
Joan’s story demonstrates many duplicatable actions toward thriving in her 3rd-third:
1. She hired a coach.
2. She created a vision of her future healthy self.
3. She joined a group of like-minded people.
4. She developed a changed mindset.
5. She focused on systems and habits.
6. She created a new environment, new relationships.
7. She learned new technology.
She has transformed herself physically, but also as a businessperson. Five years ago, Joan didn’t have an i-Phone or understand the Internet. Today she is a major social media influencer with 1.7 million followers on Instagram. Her first book will be released on December 6, 2022.
Further Reading:
Flex Your Age, Joan Macdonald with Michelle Macdonald
Instagram.com/trainwithjoan/
Trainwithjoanofficial.com
