Woman Learns She’s 'Slowly Dying' Due to Her Weight, Transforms Incredibly at 76 for Daughter

Most people become less concerned with exercising and eating healthily as they age and settle into a slower-paced life and enjoy quiet relaxation. However, for one woman, it was different.

Joan MacDonald was in her 70s when she decided it was time to change her life drastically. Now she feels better about herself and credits that to how she turned her life around despite being in her seventh decade.

She has fast become an internet sensation, gaining hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers and inspiring those old and young in a similar position.

In 2016, MacDonald was insecure and unhappy, weighing almost 200 pounds and incredibly unhealthy. She had been prescribed medication for acid reflux, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol and was generally unwell.

One day, her doctor gave her some news that changed her mind forever, and she decided it was time to become a better version of herself and inspire many people in the same position to do the same.

MacDonald's Daughter Issued An Ultimatum

MacDonald had undergone knee and abdominal surgery, suffered from progressive arthritis, and had strained relationships with her family because she was so insecure. She didn't like how she looked, and even though she had a gym membership, she didn't often go because she wasn't sure how to use the machines.

MacDonald also tried to avoid participating in family activities, like taking photos. She confessed:

"I was very uncomfortable and unhappy. I would do anything to not be in a picture because if I had a picture taken, I'd hate it."

One day, she visited her doctor, who told her that her health was not improving and they would need to increase her medication dosage. Talking about how that made her feel, MacDonald said she recognized her health was going downhill and she needed to change to feel better.

MacDonald's mother had been in a nursing home before she passed away, and she didn't want to end up in the same situation. She knew her time on earth was limited and said: "I don't want to be what I was because I was slowly dying. Now I'm going to live."

MacDonald's daughter, Michelle, was also concerned about her mother's way of life. In December 2016, Michelle and her husband, both bodybuilders, visited MacDonald and were shocked at her condition.

Michelle was concerned because her mother could hardly use the stairs in her home due to her weight. She knew she needed to help her in some way.

Michelle had a discussion with her mother about her weight, then she begged her to join an online fitness program she had been leading for six months. MacDonald readily agreed. She recalled:

"When Michelle gave me that ultimatum to do something about my life, I figured it's now or never."

MacDonald shared: "I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. It was existing, not living." She wanted to have energy, feel good, and be able to walk upstairs with ease. From that moment on, she began her major transformation.

MacDonald Changed Her Life for the Better

Six months after MacDonald began Michelle's fitness program, she had lost 45 pounds. However, the weight loss took a lot of work.

Michelle moved MacDonald to Mexico with her where she taught her how to eat healthily and the proper techniques and form in the gym.

Michelle revealed that her mother was stubborn and pushed herself hard to reach her goals, to the point that she would occasionally tell her mother to slow down.

Although MacDonald did not begin this journey so she could gain fame and followers, it ended that way. She has influenced many people since becoming healthier and has gained many social media followers along the way. MacDonald mused:

"I do what I do, and I don't think about being a [role] model. If someone takes it that way, it's great."

MacDonald has reached people worldwide, with some telling her that they have shared her photos with their mothers and grandmothers, hoping they would be inspired to get fit, too.

She hopes that people in a similar position will be able to make the necessary changes to help them become healthier and feel better about themselves in the long run.

MacDonald encourages others by saying that if they are not happy, they should start by making small changes that will lead them to be healthier. She also advises others to surround themselves with people who will help them get where they want to be.

Another thing that MacDonald advises is that people should start as soon as possible because, by the time they reach the age she was when she started, it might be too late for them to make a difference.

While MacDonald started her journey purely to lose weight and feel healthier, when she started seeing muscle definition from her hours in the gym, she found she had a brand new goal that had nothing to do with weight loss.

MacDonald saw that the gym was making her stronger and giving her stronger bones. She wondered why anyone would want soft bones when they could have strong, healthy bones.

Although she managed to reach all her goals, MacDonald acknowledged that it was not always easy, and there had been times when she was ready to quit because she did not see the results she thought she would.

MacDonald's Top Fitness Tips

MacDonald shared her five top tips on how to make the most of one's fitness journey. Her first tip is to prioritize sleep. She believes getting eight hours of sleep is of utmost importance.

Her second tip is to hydrate frequently and always have protein with every meal. She also recommends eating at least five small meals daily.

MacDonald's third tip is to get active in any way possible, starting with aiming to walk 10,000 steps a day. From there, one can build a fitness routine.

Her fourth tip involves positivity, which will take a while. MacDonald confessed:

"Mindset is something that I am still learning, and I know it's a very strong factor in everything. It's something you really have to work at."

Her fifth tip is to document progress by taking photos of the body's changes each week to be motivated.

MacDonald hopes she has helped people become more conscious of their health. She said there are no magical cures, but it is work one can enjoy and feel better from.

Now, she posts about her journey on social media and inspires others with her before and after photos. Some people have even said they're jealous of her transformation.

One person even told MacDonald that she had inspired her to get away from people who had told her to accept her body as it aged instead of training hard to be healthier and happier.

While MacDonald went the natural route to defy her age, some celebs have inspired fans to try less traditional ways. Click here to see some.