Denise Austin, 68, still fits into her iconic ’80s leotards and reveals her daily fitness habit
At age 68, Denise Austin is still able to fit into the same leotards and swimsuits she wore more than 30 years ago.
The fitness guru and founder of Fit Over 50 magazine continues to spill her secrets for lasting weight loss through her popular fitness app. On the platform, she provides signature workouts, wellness plans and words of encouragement.
The mother of two told Fox News Digital that she posts her then-and-now photos not to boast but to remind her followers that real, long-term results come from showing up every single day.
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"I saved all of my leotards from back in the day, from the ‘80s and ‘90s, which I used to wear on my videos and on my TV show," she laughed. "I’m so happy I kept them all because [my daughter] Katie loves to wear them. My other daughter, Kelly, loves to wear them too."
"It’s a testament to me being 68 now and keeping it up," said Austin. "That’s all it takes, keeping it up, keeping up with your workouts. And to me, I think it’s a really cool thing. It’s nostalgic for me, and it shows me that if you do start exercising, it does matter and you’ll feel good. And it’s all about feeling good for me."
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"I want to feel healthy," she continued. "If you have money, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have good health. And no matter who you are, you just have to do something for yourself. Did you know that just standing up burns more calories than sitting down? So I tell people to get up throughout the day. If you’re on your phone, walk and talk while you’re on the phone. The more you move, the better it is for your circulation, which also helps your whole body."
Austin hosted the No. 1 exercise show on television for 24 years. She has sold more than 25 million fitness tapes and DVDs, making her one of the most successful home-workout creators of all time.
According to the star, she works out 30 minutes a day, every day. She prioritizes exercising in the morning to get it done immediately. Austin pointed out that it gives her energy for the rest of the day.
But her exercise routine doesn’t end once the sun rises.
"Throughout the day, I have these little squeezing-in exercises that you can do anywhere," she explained. "Like right now, wherever you are, pull in your abdominals and tighten up the tummy muscles. Keep the abdominal muscles tight for five seconds. That’s equal to one sit-up. So you could be doing isometric exercises throughout the day. If you’re standing in line at the grocery store, squeeze your buttocks."
"If you don’t squeeze it, no one else will," she said with a grin.
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The one workout Austin never skips — and urges everyone else to embrace — is simple: walking.
"Walking works," she stressed. "It really shows results. You can walk off your weight. I tell everyone to start with a 20-minute walk. Go around the block, see how fast you can go.
"Do two blocks next week. Always increase it. Ultimately, it’s best to do a 30-minute walk. Then you work in your heart, you’re burning fat, you’re seeing a difference in your weight loss. Thirty minutes is science-backed. You will see a difference if you do it regularly, at least three days a week. You have to do it three days a week."
"I try to walk almost every single day," she said. "I love to get out and walk. It’s great for your mind. It helps your mood, it improves your attitude, and you just feel better. And when I walk with my daughters, they talk more, they share more. You just feel free when you’re out walking."
Austin advised that if you want to boost your walking routine, add some stretching when you’re home and even dedicate five minutes to weights.
"Then you’ll have a complete cardio workout," she said. "Heart disease is the number one killer for us women. Exercising is so great for you. And of course, conditioning your muscles helps with stretching for flexibility.
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"I have some days when I dedicate myself to stretching. Other days are for walking. Some days are for weights. So if you can line up your week with all three components of a well-balanced workout, it really makes a difference. You’ll lose inches, tighten up your tummy, and you’ll just feel so much better."
At age 65, Austin walked the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit runway show in Miami. She still calls it the "thrill of my life." Austin was accompanied by her daughter Katie, an SI Swimsuit model and fitness influencer.
"I was 65 in a bikini!" she said. "I really did watch a lot of calories for two weeks. They just told me two weeks before my walk. So, I only had two weeks to prepare. I didn’t do chips and guacamole for two weeks. I didn’t do my red wine. I just really ate as well as I could for two weeks. But that was a once-in-a-lifetime situation. I don’t do that anymore. I enjoy my wine and food, and it’s a part of my life."
In addition to staying active, Austin emphasized the importance of clean eating centered on fresh, whole foods. She prefers preparing meals at home, but when she and her husband head out for a date night, they keep things balanced by sharing a dish or dessert.
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"Food is medicine — the right foods," said Austin. "It’s a part of taking care of your body. And portions do matter. When you’re out grocery shopping, make sure you read the labels. I’m not into a lot of ingredients, things you can’t pronounce. I prefer lots of fruits and vegetables. I have avocado in the morning with my eggs. I like to have cottage cheese now with some chia seeds on top and blueberries.
"If you could shop in the perimeter of the grocery store, that’s usually the healthiest foods, from produce to healthy meats," she noted. "And I’m a big believer in balance. I have good carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables. I make sure I have protein in every meal. Protein, as you age, is so important. And I’m a real believer in fiber and drinking plenty of water."
It’s never too late to start or try again, she insisted.
"If you haven’t exercised in a long time, and let’s just say you’re 68, like me, the best thing that I would tell everybody is to start small but start now. This is where your health can go either way. You can join my program, go to the gym or just go for a walk. It doesn’t matter. Just make a plan."