Skip to content
Lifting Enthusiast Joan MacDonald is 75 and Stronger Than Ever. Now She Wants You to Take Your Power Back Too

Lifting Enthusiast Joan MacDonald is 75 and Stronger Than Ever. Now She Wants You to Take Your Power Back Too

By The Sunday Paper Team
Copy to clipboard M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z

Joan MacDonald became an internet sensation in 2018 after a video of her doing a 200-pound hip thrust went viral. At 71 years old, she had only began exercising about a year before and Joan's daughter, Michelle, had created an Instagram account to document her fitness journey.

Before her rise to fame, Joan suffered from several health issues. It wasn't until December 2016 that a wake-up call from her daughter, coupled with witnessing her own mother's declining health, prompted Joan to begin her fitness journey.

Despite initial challenges, Joan persevered. She became a regular at a local gym and started turning heads with her impressive physique.

Now, Joan is stronger than ever and empowering people to take control of their own lives. Read Joan's full new interview with Women's Health Magazine here.


The Sunday Paper Presents our Radically Reframing Aging & Longevity Guide—Your Free Resource for Living Better, Longer. Click below to access!

Click here to access!

Please note that we may receive affiliate commissions from the sales of linked products.

Want to learn more about Sunday Paper PLUS?

You're invited to join our membership community! Sign up today to access Maria's "I've Been Thinking" essay archive, our new nonfiction book club Get Lit, the Above the Noise with Maria conversation series, weekly audio messages from Maria, and more exclusive content!

Become a Member
Device with Maria Shriver Sunday Paper