73-jarige Joan doet aan krachttraining en is fitter dan ooit

Op internet deelt ze haar stoere sportvideo’s

Menig bejaard persoon zal de wenkbrauw optrekken bij het begrip romanian deadlift, maar niet de 73-jarige Joan MacDonalds. De Canadese besloot drie jaar geleden dat ze fitter wilde worden. Zo gezegd, zo gedaan. Ze begon met pittige krachttraining en ze heeft inmiddels een fit lichaam waar leeftijdsgenoten én jongeren u tegen kunnen zeggen.

Gezondheid van haar moeder

Niet zo lang geleden showde Joan MacDonalds een kiekje van haar lichaam voor en na haar fitnessavontuur op Instagram. Een aanzienlijk verschil is zichtbaar. De inmiddels 73-jarige gooide het roer om nadat ze haar eigen moeder in een verpleeghuis bezocht. Het was niet zo goed gesteld met de gezondheid van haar moeder en het brak Joans hart dat haar moeder daar blijkbaar genoegen mee nam.

Hoge bloeddruk en gezwollen enkels

Het was Joans dochter die vervolgens haar moeder inspireerde om gezonder te gaan leven. Joan kampte met een hoge bloeddruk, gezwollen enkels en artrose. “Ga ik het pad van mijn moeder volgen of doorbreek ik dat patroon en zorg ik voor een betere uitkomst?”, vroeg Joan zichzelf af, zo schrijft ze op haar website. Het antwoord moge duidelijk zijn: Joan ging voor een fitte toekomst.

Gezond worden

Ze begon met sporten en gezond eten en het resultaat mag er zijn. Joan is fitter dan ooit tevoren. De 73-jarige deelt haar sportsessies op Instagram waar meer dan 500.000 mensen haar volgen. “Toen ik begon had ik nooit verwacht dat ik zou bereiken wat ik nu heb bereikt”, schrijft ze op Instagram. “Ik wilde gewoon mijn gezondheid terugkrijgen en van mijn medicijnen afkomen.”

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3 years ago I began this long, slow journey and now I realize that there really isn’t any end to it. Each day I move in a direction based on my choices. Each month is a new milestone. Each year I seem to have changed so completely I think I can’t change any more and yet I do.?? At this point, I truly realize that we are limitless. At any moment we can make a decision to change. No matter how difficult or challenging life is, we must remain steadfast in our aim and keep inching forward. When I got started I never imagined I’d be where I am today. I just wanted to get my health back and get off my medication. Each door we step through leads to another door and then another. I hope you all keep choosing to grow! To learn to love yourself, take the best care of yourself, and dare to dream and love with your whole heart again.?? . Pink outfit by @womensbest . . #transformation #hope #justdoit.

A post shared by Joan MacDonald (@trainwithjoan) on Feb 8, 2020 at 1:10pm PST

Houd van jezelf

Ook wil ze haar volgers bemoedigend toespreken: “Ik hoop dat jullie er allemaal voor kiezen om te groeien! Om van jezelf te houden en om zo goed mogelijk voor jezelf te zorgen. Durf te dromen en houd van jezelf met heel je hart.”

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Romanian Deadlifts! ?? I do these to help strengthen my backside and really tone up my muscles. These are very hard, no doubt about it, and they aren’t easy to do right so I do recommend working with a professional. ? I know I am very lucky to have a daughter and a son-in-law who are at the top of their fields. Every time I come down to Tulum to their gym I learn something new. ?? Here are my tips for mastering this exercise: 1) think of really tightening up your back and squeeze the back of your armpits, just like you are trying to stop someone from tickling you ?? 2) get a nice, tight tummy and fill it up with air before you begin. I hold my breath as I lift the weight and only take a quick sip when I’m at the top 3)keep that bar on your legs! @jeanjacquesbarrett and @yourhealthyhedonista are really strict on that. If the bar starts leaving my legs, I can start to feel it in my back. ? 4) really keep the back from rounding. I am thinking of keeping a “proud chest”. I have a naturally rounded back from old age but I’m hoping that with this exercise and others I can prevent it from getting worse. My own mother had a real “dowagers” back so I guess it’s partly hereditary. I’m no expert. Like you guys I’m trying to keep learning and to keep getting better. I work with people who really know what they are doing and I trust them to have my health as a top priority. I recommend that you also work with professionals. I know it is so hard to find reliable help theses days but word of mouth is a wonderful thing. If you want to tag someone who you feel would be a good coach or trainer for people, please do so and list the area they work in and the gym they work at. A little community effort can go a long way. ?? . My favorite @womensbest pink seamless outfit Knee sleeves are by @sbdapparel . #girlswholift #girlswhopowerlift #bodybuilding #fitover70

A post shared by Joan MacDonald (@trainwithjoan) on Mar 3, 2020 at 4:17am PST

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Don’t get discouraged by how far you have to go. On the right I was 3 months into this journey and I just took it one day at a time. I honestly had no idea that I would end up where I am today. I just wanted to be off my medication. I can remember that getting down to the 150s was a pretty impossible dream. When I finally reached 156 lbs in the summer of 2017, I was worried that if I lost any more weight I would look flabby and frail. Michelle asked me to trust her and just be patient with the process. A year later, 2018, I was in the 140s pretty comfortably, and still seeing some exciting changes. I thought that would be as good as it gets. ? Now here I am yet another year later, and comfortably in the 130s. Michelle now tells me that she plans for me to be in the 120s by next fall, just by continuing slowly the way we’ve been going. That still seems impossible to me but I now know to just trust the process. ??? . Have a wonderful holiday season everyone. Love yourself enough to make the changes you need to have the health you desire. ?????? . #transformation #diet #weightlosstips #weightloss #fitover70.

A post shared by Joan MacDonald (@trainwithjoan) on Dec 29, 2019 at 5:29am PST

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Bron: Train with Joan, Instagram Train with Joan | Beeld: Unsplash