Daughter Helps 73-Year-Old Mom Lose 50+ Pounds To Get Her Health Back On Track, And Her Before And After Pics Go Viral
As cliché as it sounds, it’s never too late to better your life. And Joan MacDonald from Ontario, Canada is the perfect example of that. After doctors told the 73-year-old woman that she’ll have to up her medication dosages if she continues with her lifestyle, Joan decided to take matters into her own hands. In just a few years, she went from weighing almost 200 pounds to flexing on fitness magazine covers.
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At 70-years-old, Joan was set in her ways, “angry, frustrated, arthritic, and extremely overweight”
Seeing her own mother’s health decline in a nursing home was the wake-up call that made her realize it was time to make some changes
The beginning was rough. “I never let people take photos of me because I couldn’t accept where I was and yet, I also couldn’t seem to change,” she explained in one of her posts. “It was a very tough place to be, and I stayed in that place for a very long time.” But the woman got tired of feeling helpless and uncomfortable in her skin. Even though she couldn’t remember the last time she’d really paid close attention to her health, she made up her mind that it was a matter of ‘now or never’.
“You can’t turn back the clock but you can wind it up again!”
“I knew I had to do something different,” MacDonald told Shape. “I had watched my mom go through the same thing, taking medication after medication, and I didn’t want that life for myself.”
Joan’s daughter, a yoga practitioner, competitive powerlifter, and professional chef helped her to reach her goals
To start making changes, MacDonald asked her daughter Michelle, a yogi, competitive powerlifter and professional chef to help her. Joan began her journey by joining Michelle’s online workout program, focusing on building strength and endurance. She even got an iPhone and learned how to use a few apps for this part. Then she added walking to her routine as well as practicing yoga and lifting weights.
“I made up my mind that I could do it and I refused to quit no matter how daunting it was”
“I made up my mind that I could do it and I refused to quit no matter how daunting it was to head to the gym with arthritis and acid reflux and vertigo,” she explained in one of her posts. “I just focused on taking it one day at a time … did my best, allowed myself to make mistakes, and never gave up.”
The woman has lost 62 pounds and no longer takes any medication
“I am praying for the courage and grit to keep on going, to keep dreaming, and keep acting out my dreams for a better quality of living”
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Here’s how people reacted to Joan’s story
I'm going to be 57 in May and I've lost a little over 100 pounds but have 200+ to go and I feel so old and ugly and it feels so pointless. But this woman is radiant!
You are doing great. The hardest part is getting started and you're way beyond that. Be proud of yourself. You have so much life ahead to enjoy. Please share your story too.
This is the thing: when you are not thinking about the benefits just for yourself it is not hard to start, not at all.
You are doing an amazing job already. Losing more than 100lbs is a fantastic feat in itself. You need to stay positive in your journey 🙏🙌. Please don't judge yourself based on the success or failures of another, everyone's bodies are very different and will respond differently from yours. Celebrate your successes and find ways to reward yourself. Everyone has highs, lows, and plateaus, during weight loss, you will just have to find what works for you to break thru them. Being radiant, or your face and body showing radiance, is solely coming from the fact that she is happy and loves herself. Self love is hard sometimes for one reason or another, but it's one of the most important things to have inside yourself. Sometimes it's difficult to focus on yourself and just love yourself, but you owe it to yourself to do exactly this. I think you are positively wonderful for the achievement you've already made, just practice some self love, continue with your plan, and the radiance won't be far behind. Finding a group of like minded people online or in your community, may also help with the emotional support, as I know it can be challenging at times, when we don't feel like getting out of the house or starting the day. Sometimes we just need the extra push of a kind friend or a buddy to walk with, etc, but you have to take control and decide which path is best for you. Best of luck and strength, peace, and love to you.
Thank you so much for taking the time to encourage me. It is only by chance that I even saw what you had written. But I appreciate those heartfelt words and the wisdom within.
You're welcome Monica Sargent. Meant every word.
You're a champ! Lost a hundred pounds? Amazing! You go girl!
Remember, muscle weighs more than fat, your clothing will show you more than your scales. The scales on Friday might not show you much loss, but Saturday is spent finding new jeans because the old ones are a size too big. Actually got told this when chatting with a friend over his amazing weight loss, something he was told. If your goal weight is feeling too overwhelming in the time you have given yourself, change the goal weight, but keep the time frame. Once you have hit that goal weight, reset the time frame, and begin on the next goal weight but keep those weight goals small. Good luck
Yes, I had to stop looking at the scale. Only at the doctor's. And as long as I work out, I can take breaks on my diet & not gain. And funny enough, feeling physically stronger makes me feel mentally stronger.
Keep it up! :)
You"re doing amazing! Keep staying the course, and you'll get there!
you're doing great! :)
You are amazing! Keep your mind on how far you have come, and keep on heading in the same direction. I'm 62 and I've lost 40 pounds in the past year, and I only have 3 pounds to go to reach my target weight. If I had been told a year ago that I could do it, I wouldn't have believed it. 👍 P S take lots of pictures on your journey like this lady did. It will remind you that your hard work is paying off.
You can do this! YOU CAN DO THIS!!! Yes, this woman is radiant. You can be, too! And even if you don't reach your goal of another 200 pounds, if you get to 100 or even 150 pounds, you're a WINNER! I'm a soldier and I'm so proud of anyone who sets their goals on fitness. It's what we do and if you choose, it's what you can do too. Monica, I love your last name because I am a Master Sergeant, US Army, same word, different spelling. You are able to make this happen. Do it for your family, your grandchildren, but most of all, for yourself.
You're amazing! You are never too old to do what makes you feel happy and healthy. And, ugly is a social construct. True beauty is from within, like when you share your genuine smile and laugh with the world. You are always worthy and always have value by default. No one can take that from you. ❤
Perhaps only because you feel s tiny bit tired and have some loose skin bit all that can be taken care of. You are doing great girl and you should be tremendously proud of your courage, gumption and strength. Treat yourself to some new clothes or something you like. You deserve it. Keep it up!!
You are neither old nor ugly. You are 57 years young and your courage to take care of your health is beautiful!
Congratulations on such a tremendous achievement.
It's not pointless. What you are doing is great and very inspiring. 100 pounds it's a lot. Be proud of yourself because I don't know who you are but I'm proud of you.
I'll tell you why is isn't pointless. You will have a much healthier and happier old age if you are in better shape and when you're around 60, you should remember to think what you could have been like if you didn't keep going.
I'm so impressed by your progress! It's just amazing what you've done. I know all those feelings and it's so very, very hard to keep going with that in your head, so I'm even MORE impressed! xo
You know what, by losing that much weight, you can be proud and be radiant too. You know what helps? Or at least it did me and it is what people on instagram do with a larger audience. Just ask people that are closeby what they think of your weightloss and, if they want to be supportive and listen, tell them a little more about your struggles. Be straight up with that question though, don't be vague. They will give you the reassurance that you're doing awesome and as a bonus maybe support you in small ways just from being aware of what you're doing!
@Monica. Look at how far you have already come. One step at a time. One pound at a time. You are awesome. And you are giving yourself back your life. Give yourself lots of praise and encouragement because you deserve it.
This comment has been deleted.
This comment has been deleted.
Ok...now I got no excuse.
So inspirational! Thank you for sharing your journey
I'm going to be 57 in May and I've lost a little over 100 pounds but have 200+ to go and I feel so old and ugly and it feels so pointless. But this woman is radiant!
You are doing great. The hardest part is getting started and you're way beyond that. Be proud of yourself. You have so much life ahead to enjoy. Please share your story too.
This is the thing: when you are not thinking about the benefits just for yourself it is not hard to start, not at all.
You are doing an amazing job already. Losing more than 100lbs is a fantastic feat in itself. You need to stay positive in your journey 🙏🙌. Please don't judge yourself based on the success or failures of another, everyone's bodies are very different and will respond differently from yours. Celebrate your successes and find ways to reward yourself. Everyone has highs, lows, and plateaus, during weight loss, you will just have to find what works for you to break thru them. Being radiant, or your face and body showing radiance, is solely coming from the fact that she is happy and loves herself. Self love is hard sometimes for one reason or another, but it's one of the most important things to have inside yourself. Sometimes it's difficult to focus on yourself and just love yourself, but you owe it to yourself to do exactly this. I think you are positively wonderful for the achievement you've already made, just practice some self love, continue with your plan, and the radiance won't be far behind. Finding a group of like minded people online or in your community, may also help with the emotional support, as I know it can be challenging at times, when we don't feel like getting out of the house or starting the day. Sometimes we just need the extra push of a kind friend or a buddy to walk with, etc, but you have to take control and decide which path is best for you. Best of luck and strength, peace, and love to you.
Thank you so much for taking the time to encourage me. It is only by chance that I even saw what you had written. But I appreciate those heartfelt words and the wisdom within.
You're welcome Monica Sargent. Meant every word.
You're a champ! Lost a hundred pounds? Amazing! You go girl!
Remember, muscle weighs more than fat, your clothing will show you more than your scales. The scales on Friday might not show you much loss, but Saturday is spent finding new jeans because the old ones are a size too big. Actually got told this when chatting with a friend over his amazing weight loss, something he was told. If your goal weight is feeling too overwhelming in the time you have given yourself, change the goal weight, but keep the time frame. Once you have hit that goal weight, reset the time frame, and begin on the next goal weight but keep those weight goals small. Good luck
Yes, I had to stop looking at the scale. Only at the doctor's. And as long as I work out, I can take breaks on my diet & not gain. And funny enough, feeling physically stronger makes me feel mentally stronger.
Keep it up! :)
You"re doing amazing! Keep staying the course, and you'll get there!
you're doing great! :)
You are amazing! Keep your mind on how far you have come, and keep on heading in the same direction. I'm 62 and I've lost 40 pounds in the past year, and I only have 3 pounds to go to reach my target weight. If I had been told a year ago that I could do it, I wouldn't have believed it. 👍 P S take lots of pictures on your journey like this lady did. It will remind you that your hard work is paying off.
You can do this! YOU CAN DO THIS!!! Yes, this woman is radiant. You can be, too! And even if you don't reach your goal of another 200 pounds, if you get to 100 or even 150 pounds, you're a WINNER! I'm a soldier and I'm so proud of anyone who sets their goals on fitness. It's what we do and if you choose, it's what you can do too. Monica, I love your last name because I am a Master Sergeant, US Army, same word, different spelling. You are able to make this happen. Do it for your family, your grandchildren, but most of all, for yourself.
You're amazing! You are never too old to do what makes you feel happy and healthy. And, ugly is a social construct. True beauty is from within, like when you share your genuine smile and laugh with the world. You are always worthy and always have value by default. No one can take that from you. ❤
Perhaps only because you feel s tiny bit tired and have some loose skin bit all that can be taken care of. You are doing great girl and you should be tremendously proud of your courage, gumption and strength. Treat yourself to some new clothes or something you like. You deserve it. Keep it up!!
You are neither old nor ugly. You are 57 years young and your courage to take care of your health is beautiful!
Congratulations on such a tremendous achievement.
It's not pointless. What you are doing is great and very inspiring. 100 pounds it's a lot. Be proud of yourself because I don't know who you are but I'm proud of you.
I'll tell you why is isn't pointless. You will have a much healthier and happier old age if you are in better shape and when you're around 60, you should remember to think what you could have been like if you didn't keep going.
I'm so impressed by your progress! It's just amazing what you've done. I know all those feelings and it's so very, very hard to keep going with that in your head, so I'm even MORE impressed! xo
You know what, by losing that much weight, you can be proud and be radiant too. You know what helps? Or at least it did me and it is what people on instagram do with a larger audience. Just ask people that are closeby what they think of your weightloss and, if they want to be supportive and listen, tell them a little more about your struggles. Be straight up with that question though, don't be vague. They will give you the reassurance that you're doing awesome and as a bonus maybe support you in small ways just from being aware of what you're doing!
@Monica. Look at how far you have already come. One step at a time. One pound at a time. You are awesome. And you are giving yourself back your life. Give yourself lots of praise and encouragement because you deserve it.
This comment has been deleted.
This comment has been deleted.
Ok...now I got no excuse.
So inspirational! Thank you for sharing your journey