“You can’t turn back the clock but you can wind it up again!” – Joan MacDonald, #rolemodel

At 70 years of age, Joan MacDonald was overweight, badly out of shape, in pain, and on blood pressure medication. Her daughter Michelle was deeply concerned, and challenged her to start working out, and to join an online group of women trying to develop healthy habits.

I’m now three years into my journey and I can honestly say that I am a different woman than I was when I started out. I know what macros are, I can create balanced meals, I know how to move around with confidence in the gym and I understand the importance of lifting heavy weight. I just love connecting with other women and men who are also choosing to live a healthier lifestyle. I’ve found that this new way of living has allowed me to meet and help encourage many others to do the same. (From Joan’s website.)

I’ve been contemplating adding heavier weights to my own workouts. I need to pace myself – new knee and all. But I know the aging body resists gaining muscle, so we have to encourage it. Light weights/high repetitions will help burn calories and tone the muscle we have, but it won’t contribute to muscle-building. For that, women of a certain age need to challenge themselves with heavier weights and lower reps. Joan MacDonald is living proof that it works, no matter when you start! Follow Joan on Instagram for workout tips and inspiration.