Fitness deity Denise Austin knows a thing or two (thousand) about getting in shape as quickly and efficiently as possible—and staying that way. Just about every morning, Austin, 69, opens her eyes and hops out of bed. “I really do jump right up as soon as I’m awake,” she says with a laugh. Non–morning people, please don’t resent her for her ball-of-energy persona—if Austin were a punctuation mark, she’d be an exclamation point.
Still in her short-sleeved 100% cotton nightgown (her go-to, “because it’s so soft and breathable”), she walks the few steps to a picture window and presses a button. The automated blackout shades scroll up to reveal a gorgeous horizon. Even if she’s got a busy day ahead, she spends a few mindful moments admiring her Hermosa Beach, Calif., view. “I like seeing the day, looking at the beautiful beach and the ocean,” she says.
Austin then gets dressed—choosing not a dress or jeans and a T-shirt but activewear and sneakers. “Mentally, getting dressed in workout gear keeps me motivated to exercise. I’m ready to do my walk or a workout,” she says. Then it’s downstairs to enjoy her must-have morning cup of coffee before getting started.
Did you catch that? Even Austin needs a little help getting herself moving now and then. If the original fitness influencer (OK, Ms. Jane Fonda’s exercise legacy made a little splash too!), whose biceps wowed women when her workout videos hit our VCRs in the ’80s, needs to set herself up for success, an occasional lack of exercise drive is nothing to feel bad about.
Everyone has challenges that can make it tough to stay on track, and learning what works for you is a process, Austin says, noting that it can take some mental gymnastics to make herself exercise when she’s traveling for work or pleasure. “This is where habit-building and consistency come into play,” she adds. “I tell women to give themselves permission to stop working out after 10 minutes if they’re still not feeling it—even I, as an expert, sometimes struggle with those first moments. Usually once you reach the 10-minute mark, you’ll be past the ‘I’m so tired I just cannot do this today’ feeling and keep going.”
Forming healthy habits and staying consistent is Austin’s theme. Here’s a snapshot of the routine she keeps and the daily dos she tries not to skip.
Denise Austin’s Daily Routine
These simple healthy habits are the cornerstones of healthy aging—add them to your routine so you can stay happy, active, and vibrant too.
Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule
The early bird gets up at 6:30 a.m. and goes to bed at around 9:30 p.m. “unless I have an early flight or an evening event,” she says. A regular sleep schedule is important to keep your circadian rhythms aligned with what you do each day, which helps you sleep well at night. This one keeps Austin going until it’s time to crash—no need for a nap!
Plan Your Workout
And do it early in the day! While she sips her a.m. brew, Austin writes down three priorities for her day—a combo of whichever personal and professional duties are the most pressing. “I write for my blog and free newsletter, shoot content for social media, and have phone calls and Zooms every day,” she says. Coffee time is also when Austin plans the day’s workout. Because she’s postmenopausal, she says, “No matter what I do, I work in 10 jumps to strengthen my bones.” It may sound counterintuitive to building strong bones, but high-impact exercise like jumping is actually one of the best things you can do for your skeletal health.
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Have Breakfast
Most mornings she makes a high-protein breakfast. She’ll often have avocado toast or smoked salmon on sourdough, a veggie egg scramble with fridge scraps and avocado on the side, or cottage cheese and Greek yogurt topped with blueberries, crushed walnuts, chia seeds, hemp hearts, and flaxseed. “Osteoporosis runs in my family, so my cottage cheese yogurt bowl provides protein and calcium—two necessities for keeping it at bay,” she says. Her breakfast go-tos also contain foods high in fiber, which supports everything from smooth digestion to satiety.
Get Your Steps In
This is nonnegotiable—she gets out there on a walk solo most days and at least once a week with her sister or friends who are in town. “Sometimes I’ll do a walking meditation,” she says. “It’s like a reset for me and really helps ground me when I’m feeling stressed or anxious.”
Do Strength Training
At some point she usually fits in a workout to build muscle and stay toned and limber—with strength training, a core routine, yoga, and/or stretching too. And a couple of times a week she and her husband have quality gym time: “Though we do totally different things, it’s our time slot to be active together.” And of course, walking builds muscle too.
Stay Hydrated
Austin drinks at least eight glasses of water to reach her daily hydration goal. “Sometimes I add a little lemon to jazz it up, and that’s a natural electrolyte, which helps with hydration, an essential for energy,” she says.
Cook at Home
Most nights, at least. “I like to cook and have great healthy recipes I keep going back to.” When she dines out, she often orders high-protein foods, such as fish. The body needs fuel, and DIY meals ensure that you get the right kind—focus on fruits and veggies, whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes, and healthy fats like olive oil and avocado. Protein is crucial for muscles: “We have fish three times a week,” says Austin. “We cook a lot of salmon, and I’ve started eating sardines, as they’re high in protein and omega-3s,” which are good for cognitive health. Austin’s favorite dessert: coffee ice cream. “One big thing that’s helped me stay in good overall health and wake up energized is home cooking,” she adds.
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