Doctors were telling her she needed to up the dosages unless she made a drastic lifestyle change.
MacDonald was done with the meds and tired of feeling helpless and uncomfortable in her skin.
“I knew I had to do something different,” MacDonald tellsShape.
Soon, MacDonald begangoing on walksas her form of cardio,practicing yoga, and even startedweight lifting.
“I remember picking up a 10-pound weight and thinking it felt really heavy.
I was really starting from scratch,” she shares.
But getting to this point took a lot of hard work, consistency, and time.
And fitness highlights the importance of encouraging yourself and others to work toward goals, in MacDonald’s view.
When she was first starting out, MacDonald’s focus was to build her overallstrength and endurance.
Eventually, she built up to spending two hours in the gym, five days a week.
“I just get my workout out of the way first thing in the morning,” explains MacDonald.
Two of those days are dedicated tocardiospecifically.
“I usually use the stationary bike or rower,” she says.
“I still have issues with heavier weights, but I know not to go overboard.
I know my limits and do what I can do comfortably, making sure I’m doing it well.
She shares peeks into her routine on herInstagramandYouTubepages, Train With Joan.
Initially, MacDonald’s goal was to lose weight as fast as possible.
“I’ve been working on doing unassisted pull-ups.
That’s my goal,” she says.
“I also love doing crossword puzzles,” she adds.
“She doesn’t let me go at my pace completely.
It’s a challenge, but I appreciate it,” she continues.
MacDonald launched a website Train With Joan where others can read more about her story.
“We are strong [and] capable of change, but we’re often viewed as fragile.
Even though you could’t turn back the clock, you could wind it up again,” says MacDonald.
