75-Year-Old Grandma Changed Her Diet, Tracked Her Progress with an iPhone, and Shed 55 Pounds

Mama didn’t come out to play! I’m over 45 years younger and I can’t even boast of a body like that. 75-year-old Joan MacDonald from Ontario, Canada was tired of her quality of life at 198 pounds and size 22. She’d been fairly active her entire life but her weight reached its peak when she resorted to food as solace from her marital problems. She suffered progressive arthritis and required a knee replacement procedure. Coupled with her increasing weight, her bad knee made it more difficult for her to walk up the stairs or get around the house easily.

Most people would expect that at her age, Joan would retire to a less physically demanding life and maybe even find a nice rocking chair on a porch somewhere. Grandma was having none of that. She took the bull by the horns and with the help of her daughter and some progressing tracking apps, she worked so hard that now, people can’t stop complimenting her new healthier self.

Read: Our Must-Buy Gifts For Grandma

It wasn’t easy to start, but she just did and kept going

Arthritis wasn’t the only problem Joan had been dealing with. She was suffering from a number of other conditions that kept her constantly on medications. “I struggled with my weight and for many decades I was more often overweight than at a healthy weight,” she said to The Daily Mail [2] . “I was on medication for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and acid reflux. My arthritis was acting up pretty bad.  I could barely walk up and down the stairs and I hadn’t been to the gym in months because my knee that I had replaced was really hurting me.” 

Joan’s daughter was concerned

Her daughter Michelle, 48, was worried about Joan’s wellbeing and asked her to join an ‘annual transformation program’ to begin her weight loss journey. Joan didn’t find it easy at first because she was on the ‘wrong side of the digital divide’. It took her a while to get used to her iPhone and learn how to navigate the applications. “My daughter and son-in-law would coach me through again and again, how to use my phone,” she said. “You could say it took a village. To be honest, I think what really helped me was that this time I was okay to go slowly, and just take my time. Trust me, I had lost a lot of weight before, many times in fact; I had tried Weight Watchers and Counterweight to great success, but the weight always came back.”

Her lifestyle changes

Joan’s former diet was typically toast and jam for breakfast; a stuffed sandwich and fruit salad for lunch; meat with veggies for dinner and loads of sweets, chocolates, and nuts. Her new diet now features cheese, half-bagels, egg whites, veggies, and meat for breakfast; coconut milk, protein powder, and fruit for lunch; meat and vegetable salad for dinner. Junk food has been out of her diet since then, and she intends to keep it that way. Her gym habits also changed as she became more consistent and dedicated.

Read: 61-year-old Grandmother Gave Birth to Her Own Grandchild so Her Son and His Husband Could be Dads

Joan made progress

“I was on a meal plan set up by Michelle with ‘X’ number of calories; primarily protein, carbs, and good fats, and as the weight and inches came down my intake of food went up,” she said. “I also went to the gym four or five days a week and followed her exercise program which changed every four weeks and I did daily cardio.” According to Joan, she no longer struggles so much with her cravings for unhealthy fatty foods as she did initially. “I have an easier time staying away from junk or fast foods and as for exercise, I will keep at it because there’s always room for change and improvement,” she said.

A super boost to her self-confidence

Joan says she feels a lot better about herself these days, glowing confidently and happily with her new weight. Her loved ones are proud of her and her man certainly loves her hot look. “It has changed the way I feel about myself; people at my gym would approach me and compliment me on the changes they saw in me. My husband started remarking about how good I looked, and my family was so proud of my efforts,” she said.

Joan takes on the internet

Her daughter set up an Instagram account for her so she could share updates about her weight loss journey. She now has over 92,000 mesmerized followers who are crazy about her ripped figure and inspiring daily life. “This fitness journey will undoubtedly improve my quality of life as I move deeper into old age,” she said. “I’m very grateful for that. I feel much better about myself now and getting compliments from younger men and women sure boosts the self-esteem.” Joan’s fitness journey not only contributed to her weight loss, but it also helped her overall wellbeing. Joan is no longer on any medications as her health has improved tremendously over the past two years. She enjoys being healthier and lighter and is determined to stay fit and strong.

Read: At 105, This Great-Grandmother Broke the World Record for the 100 Meter Run.

Here’s Joan’s advice for anyone dealing with an unhealthy weight and is not sure how to get started with weight loss

“For those who truly feel at a loss, I’d say change one thing with your food intake and one exercise to do and each week add something new. Don’t expect miracles right away, take it slow and steady but keep building. For those who prefer a challenge, go to a gym and if possible get yourself a legitimate trainer, someone who can help with food as well, and you will achieve results faster,” she said.

Keep Reading: Grandmothers Played a Crucial Role in Human Evolution