What is it about Denise Austin that enables her to inspire us in 2023 just as powerfully as she did in 1993? Is it her familiar voice (how many of her top-selling workout videos did YOU own)? Her still-amazing level of fitness? Her aerobic expertise?
Sure, those things are memorable (after watching Denise on TV every morning, sweating to her best-selling exercise videos and following her award-winning career as a fitness icon all of these years, how could they not be?), but there’s one other factor that separates Denise from all the rest: her passion. A gymnastics standout since the age of twelve, her lifelong commitment to well-being has taken her from collegiate competition to worldwide fame as an author, instructor and former member of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
At 66 years old, Denise is still going strong, motivating her legions of fans every step of the way. She’s still happily visiting your home from hers, showing us how to follow her lead in staying happy, healthy, fit and youthful each and every day.
NEW YOU sat down with Denise for our own personal session to chat about staying fit, looking young, feeling strong and – most importantly – how all those things are truly connected.
NY: You exude such beauty and positive energy – the epitome of what NEW YOU is all about. When did you first decide to make fitness your life’s work?
DA: Well, I was a gymnast as a little girl and got a full athletic scholarship to college at the University of Arizona. While I was there, they planned this whole new program called “Exercise Physiology” in the late seventies.
I became very interested in that because I was a gymnast and was used to choreographing routines for my floor exercise and balance beam. It became very natural for me to get out a little audio cassette player and design a whole little routine.
Aerobics was just starting in 1980, so it was a really good time to begin. I moved back to California, and then I met Jack LaLanne, who became my mentor until the day he passed away. For 30 years, I talked to him on a regular basis, and he gave me my first chance on television, which was a really big break for me.
NY: The fitness world is an ever-changing industry, but you’re still here and on top. What do you credit that to?
DA: I’ve spent 40 years in this industry, so I’ve seen it all. From the beginnings of aerobics, starting out with Dr. Kenneth Cooper and Jack LaLanne, and then going with my friends Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons. I’ve gone from VHS to DVD now to streaming, so I have kind of evolved as the world has evolved because I love what I do.
When I was pregnant, I did pregnancy workouts. I wanted women to grow with me and have kids with me. Now, I discuss menopause and that time of your life. So, you know, a lot of the people have stayed with me from 35, 40 years ago, which is incredible. We’ve grown together. We’ve had children together. It’s been a wonderful, fulfilling career.
Flashback Friday!!! WOW!! what an incredible memory to look back on!! This Then and Now brings back such nostalgia…I wore this suit back in the ‘90s while shooting my TV show!! How many of you remember watching??? I still feel as confident and fit as ever and love that I have this suit to remind me how far I’ve come!! Longevity baby!!! Thank you to everyone that has always supported me.. THEN and NOW!!!!xoxo
NY: You are clearly a very energetic person, and it’s so inspiring. Do you feel like youthfulness, beauty, fitness and health are all tied together?
DA: Oh, definitely. I believe what I’ve been preaching for 40 years: exercise makes you feel better. It helps with anxiety. If anyone feels a little grouchy, go for just a five-minute walk around the block and you start to feel better because oxygen equals energy.
I only work out for 30 minutes most days, and a lot of people think, “Oh my God, I could do that!” That’s what I want people to realize. It doesn’t take that much to really move. I walk three days a week really fast for 30 minutes as fast as I can, and then I do toning every day. I do something for my muscles. It’s either stretching or it’s lightweight.
I like to drink lots of water. It really helps with your energy level. It helps with your skin, your hair, and we’ve learned through research that women with any heart condition should stay hydrated. That’s really, really important for as we age because we don’t keep that hydration in our bodies as long as we used to. Again, it kind of goes through us. So drinking lots of water is still very important, and so is getting your beauty sleep. I do a lot of things to keep myself very relaxed at night, and then I get my good 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.
NY: Between your best-selling exercise videos and popular daily TV shows, did you feel pressure to look perfect in public at all times to help maintain your iconic image?
DA: No, I honestly never thought about being perfect, and I really don’t believe in that because no one can be perfect. I am truly who I am, and I’ve had that attitude since I was a young girl. I never got breast implants. I never did Botox.
I’m not opposed to plastic surgery at all, and it’s great for a lot of people. I might do it one day. I’m not opposed to it, but at this time I’m okay. Aging is not as bad if you make your own mindset that age is just a number.
I still dance on tables when we all get together with girlfriends. I still feel really young at 66, and I think the mentality is what’s kept me young is my attitude that I can still do anything right now.
NY: What are some other ways that you maintain your youthful looks?
DA: First of all, I wash my face every night and I exfoliate twice a week, but I also use a nice rough washcloth. I have really soft ones, but I like my cheaper ones because they act as part of my exfoliation so I do it on my neck and face.
When I get out of the shower, I always put extra virgin coconut oil all over. It’s nice and shiny and I make sure it’s all over my whole body, and I always moisturize when I get out of the shower and right before I get in the shower a couple of times a week. I use a dry brush. I’ve been doing that for about ten years just to help with the dead skin cells.
NY: What are some of those most common challenges that you hear most often from women of a certain age who are trying to stay fit?
DA: Well, I have three sisters. I have a lot of girlfriends. I hear from women all over the country now because of social media. Most of them are like finding a new passion and they want to know what they should do next. They really want that second stage in life.
They really want to start fresh again, and that’s why I love NEW YOU, because it’s all about “you can do this, find out what you love and what your passion is.” My sister loves houses, so now she helps fix people’s houses before they put it on the market.
Find the five things that you love to do. Write them down and figure out how you could make that a part of your life. Now, so many of my girlfriends are helping out their kids in new businesses and things like that, which is so cool because it gets us started again.
NY: What are some of the most common misconceptions that you’ve heard from your clients and fans about staying healthy and fit?
DA: Well, first of all, I tell people it doesn’t take that much. Don’t overthink it. If you could find a girlfriend or spouse or somebody to be your accountability partner to walk with, go on a hike with, or maybe do some stretching or a workout video inside your house with, invite them over.
Through the years, I’ve tried to do that with my exercise videos. I’m their friend, so just hit play, and I hope to be there for you and do a workout with you. That’s why all of my workouts have always been at-home workouts. Now they’re so big since the pandemic, but my 24 years on Lifetime and ESPN has always been weekdays in your home on TV.
