Inspirational fitness transformations have always been like catnip to the internet, but one woman’s story shows that that age isn’t a barrier when it comes to changing your lifestyle.
At 74 years of age, fitness guru Joan has conquered social media with her incredible fitness journey, showcasing her transformation on Instagram. Having amassed over 800,000 followers, her message to others like her is a simple one - “You can’t turn back the clock but you can wind it up again.”
Almost every day, Joan shares updates from her sessions with her daughter Michelle MacDonald, who also happens to be a professional fitness coach. A typical workout might include everything from weight training to running on a beach, proving that age really is just a number.
In a recent Instagram update commemorating just how far she has come, Joan imparted several pearls of wisdom to her followers. Detailing how she came to start her journey, she wrote:
“When I first started out on my transformation journey, I hated trying on clothes, and in fact most of my clothes barely fit me any more so I had just a few bottoms and tops to choose from. Baggy shorts and over-sized t-shirts in boring colors were my go-to. I didn’t love myself back then and that’s how I dressed myself. I used to think 1) I didn’t deserve beautiful clothes and 2) nothing nice would fit me anyway, especially at my age.
“It wasn’t until my daughter insisted that I buy some new workout clothes and took me shopping at @forever21 that I understood that that mindset wasn’t working for me. When I saw myself in flattering clothes in cute colors, I could see that my inner dialogue had to go. I actually had muscles! I actually had a good shape taking form! I felt so good inside to see that in those new clothes.
“Even though it might seem like something superficial like clothing can’t have a big impact on how we see ourselves it absolutely can my dears! If I can learn that lesson in my seventies you can too.”
It just goes to show that it's never too late to make a change.