Denise Austin

Denise Austin (née Katnich; born February 13, 1957) is an American fitness instructor, author, and columnist, and a former member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

Early life Austin was born in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California. She started gymnastics at the age of 12, which led to an athletic scholarship at the University of Arizona.

Personal life Denise is married to sports agent, and former tennis player Jeff Austin, brother of US Open champion Tracy Austin. They have been married since April 30, 1983, and have two daughters, Kelly (b. 1990) and Katie (b. 1993). Katie is a fitness instructor like her mother and has her own YouTube channel. As of 2012, the Austins resided in Alexandria, Virginia. In 2018, the Austins moved to Hermosa Beach, California.

Fitness career Austin initially attended the University of Arizona on a gymnastics scholarship, reaching the rank of number 9 in the NCAA on balance beam. She later transferred to California State University, Long Beach, graduating with a bachelor's degree in physical education, and a minor in exercise physiology.

Since then, she has been teaching classes, producing fitness shows, creating exercise video tapes, and writing books and columns on exercise and staying fit. Examples include Shrink Your Female Fat Zones, Pilates for Every Body, and Eat Carbs, Lose Weight. In 2002, president George W. Bush named Austin as a member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, and began her second term in 2006.

Austin promoted the Reebok Freestyle sneaker, which was the first athletic shoe designed for women, making it an instant hit in the gym in the 1980s. "I absolutely loved this time in my career, I was the first spokesperson for the very first aerobic shoe," Austin said in a November 22, 2019 Facebook post.

Austin is known for her emphasis on staying fit naturally, emphasizing that she herself exercises only about 30 minutes a day and does not skip meals. She also prefers the use of sugar and butter over artificial sweeteners and margarine, though she does emphasize portion control, proper nutrient balance, and exercise. Austin supports a balanced program of exercise and proper diet, and encourages people to stay away from fad diets or "crazy claims" for quick fixes. Her exercise programs often integrate a variety of methods including yoga, pilates, cross training, and aerobic exercise.

Austin had a long-running exercise television program Getting Fit with Denise Austin on ESPN2, reruns of which can currently be seen on ESPN Classic and Altitude Sports and Entertainment. The show moved to weekday mornings on Lifetime Television, where it was renamed Fit and Lite and Denise Austin's Daily Workout. Austin produced these shows each fall, spending four months on location in resorts in the Caribbean and Arizona. Lifetime cancelled the shows in April 2008. Austin said she was developing a new TV show later that year. It was in the planning stages for 2010.

According to The Washington Post, Austin was headed back to Lifetime in January 2011. She is on the morning program The Balancing Act. Austin before had said on her website that she was getting a new show ready for debut in the fall of 2008, though the show did not debut. When she was interviewed by Erin Whitehead in 2009, it was reported her new show would be back on in the fall of that year. In April 2007, a Washington, D.C. alternative weekly newspaper called the Washington City Paper featured an article on Austin under their "Cheap Seats" column, where she was questioned about how some of her exercise shows on YouTube are like pornography to some people. Austin said that she was totally unaware. She was sent a copy of the script and approved the scene.

List of workout videos Year released DVD title Fitness focus 2014 Yoga Booty Lift 2013 Burn Fat Fast Latin Dance 2013 Burn Fat Walk Cardio 2012 Shrink Belly Fat Core 2012 Burn Fat Fast Latin Dance Cardio 2012 Fit in a Flash Total body sculpt and cardio 2012 Shrink Your 5 Fat Zones Total body cardio 2011 Shape Up and Shed Pounds Cardio 2011 Sculpt and Burn Body Blitz Total body sculpt and cardio 2010 Quick Burn Cardio Cardio 2010 Shrink Your Fat Zones Pilates Pilates—total body sculpt 2010 Hot Body Yoga Yoga 2009 3 Week Boot Camp Total body sculpt and cardio 2009 Body Makeover Mix Total body sculpt 2009 Best Bun & Leg Shapers Lower body sculpt 2008 Denise's Daily Dozen Total body sculpt and cardio 2008 Best Belly Fat-Blasters Core and cardio 2008 Body Burn With Dance & Pilates Total body sculpt and cardio 2007 Hit the Spot Total body sculpt 2007 Yoga Body Burn Yoga - sculpt 2006 Boot Camp - Total Body Blast Total body sculpt and cardio 2006 Fat Burning Dance Mix Dance - cardio 2006 Fat Burning Dance Mix Dance - cardio 2006 Hit the Spot - Core Complete Core 2005 Burn Fat Fast - Cardio Dance & Sculpt Dance - total body sculpt and cardio 2005 Blast Away the Pounds - Indoor Walk Walk - cardio 2005 Blast Away 10 Lbs Cardio 2005 Hit the Spot - Pilates Pilates - total body sculpt 2005 Get Fit Fast All in One Trainer Total body sculpt and cardio 2005 Bounce Back After Baby Workout Total body sculpt and cardio 2004 Personal Training System Total body sculpt and cardio 2003 Shrink Your Female Fat Zones Total body sculpt 2003 Fast-Blasting Yoga Yoga 2003 Power Zone: Mind, Body, Soul Yoga 2002 Pilates for Every Body Pilates - total body sculpt 2002 Yoga Buns: The Complete Workout to Strengthen, Lengthen and Tone Your Body Yoga - lower body 2002 Shape Stretch and Tone 2001 Ultimate Fat Burner Total body sculpt and cardio 2000 Mat Workout Based on the Work of J.H. Pilates Pilates - core 1999 Hit the Spot: Tone & Tighten - Abs, Buns & Thighs Core and lower body sculpt 1999 Hit the Spot: Totally Toned Trio 1999 30 Minute Low Impact Fat Burning Workout Cardio 1999 Stretch & Flex 1998 Hips Thighs & Buttocks Lower sculpt 1998 The Complete Workout Total body 1997 Xtralite: Beginner's Aerobics Cardio 1997 Xtralite: Beginner's Tone Up! 1997 Hit the Spot Gold: Totally Firm Total body 1996 Hit the Spot: Fat Burning Blast Cardio 1996 Hit the Spot: Rock Hard Abs Core 1995 Hit the Spot: Abs Core 1995 Hit the Spot: Thighs Lower body 1995 Hit the Spot: Buns Lower body1992 Swingin' to the Big Bands Cardio 1991 Step Workout featuring the Reebok Step Cardio 1988 Non-Aerobic Trim & Tone Workout