Fitness influencer Joan MacDonald is here to tell you that the pursuit of perfection is an illusion; all you need is a lifelong commitment to consistency.

In a recent Instagram post, MacDonald got candid about the mindset shift that motivated her to start her own journey. In a long caption that started with motivational words, “When I finally stopped telling myself ‘I’ll start tomorrow’… that’s when my life truly began to change,” she addressed the feeling of being stuck waiting for the “right time.”

She continued, "There were so many days I didn’t feel like it. On those mornings, I had to remind myself: no one else can do the work for me. If I wanted to feel better and move through the world with more ease, I was the only one who could make that happen."

Instead of chasing perfection, she urged her followers to adopt a sustainable approach that involves showing up daily, even when they feel like quitting. Her mantra is to acknowledge the setbacks and see them as a part of a long-term change.

The post was shared on April 20, her birthday. Her plan for that day was to set up a Birthday Challenge for her followers, designed to help them overcome procrastination. The idea behind the challenge is to encourage people to start from their current level, build consistent habits, and ask for help wherever necessary.

Macdonald started her fitness journey at 70 after facing multiple health issues. However, she had been active all her life with gymming, cycling, and playing sports like slow-pitch softball in her 40s, and lawn bowling in her 60s, but something was amiss. 

"It was a couple of things that were all happening around the same time. I had terrible swelling in my ankles, painful arthritis, and I had difficulty walking up and down stairs. I was on medication for high blood pressure and acid reflux, and my doctor had just told me that I may need to increase the dosage."

Her physical and mental struggles, coupled with her mother's declining health, pushed her to change her lifestyle. Today, she is a transformed woman who inspires thousands of people.

Joan MacDonald's healthy habits and routine

Today, MacDonald follows a dedicated routine that keeps her healthy and happy. Her training routine involves:

• Monday: Yoga
• Tuesday: Upper-body strength workout
• Wednesday: Lower-body strength workout
• Thursday: Cardio
• Friday: Upper-body strength workout
• Saturday: Lower-body strength workout
• Sunday: Cardio

Her healthy habits that sustain her vitality include:

• She finds motivation in others
• She didn't give up when things got hard
• She follows a consistent training approach
• Her training is split into lower-body and upper-body
• She tracks her size and weight
• She tracks her macro-nutrients
• Her training regimen progressed as she got stronger
• Her goals keep her motivated

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Written by

Ruwa Javed

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil