Denise Austin
Inner-thigh strength is important, and not just for appearance sake. If you enjoy - or have always wanted to try - ice skating or roller blading, strong inner thighs will come in handy.Collection: Strength
No gift list would be complete without a mention of fitness.Collection: Fitness
In other fitness pursuits, you may have learned to go through the motions first and perfect your form second. In Pilates, it's the other way around. You learn to control your abs first and then proceed through a series of more progressive movements. At all times, you should feel in control of your body.Collection: Fitness
Walking is easy for most people to adopt into their lifestyle, regardless of their current level of fitness. Plus is convenient and fun!Collection: Fitness
My unique contribution to the fitness industry is bringing fitness into the home through cable, VHS, DVD and now digital formats.Collection: Fitness
I'm a big believer in a balance of workouts - a well-balanced workout plan. Part of it is cardio, part strength training and then flexibility. You really need all three.Collection: Strength
Stretching exercises promote flexibility, so you move fluidly.
Need a body-confidence boost? Pick up a pair of dumbbells and let your gaze linger on the outline of your biceps as you lift the weights.
Diffusers not only leave your home smelling clean and fresh, but the oils that you choose to use in it can leave you feeling refreshed and stress free!
To maintain good health, you need to exercise almost every day - 30 minutes is recommended, that's what I personally do - and you need to eat right.
As a baby grows in the womb, the surrounding abdominal muscles stretch outward. If you don't tighten up those muscles after delivery, your abs will remain loose and weak.
I don't believe in strict diets or starving yourself; eat three meals a day. I believe in eating a good breakfast, a good lunch and a light dinner. Eat breakfast like a king, eat lunch like a queen, and eat dinner like a pauper. Your ultimate goal is to eat all the basic food groups in those three different meals.
It is extremely hard to break bad habits and takes a long time to start new, healthy ones.
Many women find long, lean sexy legs hard to get. One reason is that before menopause, most of us store a disproportionate amount of fat in our lower bodies, particularly in our hips and thighs.
I went to the University of Arizona on a full athletic scholarship for gymnastics, where I competed and got 9th in the nation at the NCAAs.
Fortunately, good posture - like poor posture - is habit forming.
The key is consistency. Do your ab exercises at least three times a week, or even a few minutes each day.
I love walking on a treadmill, it's a great way to challenge yourself!
When it comes to foods as we age, it is a good rule of thumb to focus on high-quality, whole, fresh foods as the basis of all your meals.
I like intervals. I will turn a walk into a workout. For example, I walk for five minutes at an easy pace, then power-walk for two minutes and repeat. Intervals blast the fat.
Helping people keeps me going.
I'm into eating whole foods.
I don't starve myself, and I don't think other people should either.
People are awake about 16 hours a day, so to devote 30 minutes to keeping your weight down, keeping your body healthy, is not a lot of time.
Getting healthy, getting into shape is a gradual process.
Women love classes and like to be together. They enjoy exercise classes. But that's not what a man usually likes to do.
What was cool about my career, Jack LaLanne gave me my first break on TV. I was his co-host.
I was a gymnast as a little girl.
In L.A., I see people who are always in their cars, always driving. I encourage them to walk more - walk to the post office, walk to lunch. Even if it is a 10-minute walk, it's so good for you.
I think it really helps if you focus on losing weight one week at a time.
Aim to eat healthy six days out of the week, and then enjoy what I call a 'super splurge' on the seventh day. It helps you enjoy yourself and not feel so deprived, so you're ready to recommit to healthy eating the following week.
I love to go out with my husband and a few friends on Friday or Saturday. Being from Southern California, Mexican food is my favorite, and I normally splurge on enchiladas and margaritas.
I really believe that green tea is the key for all of us women who are gaining some weight around your middle.
If you think a bare midriff is only for teens, think again.
Possibly one of the most exciting aspects of Pilates is that anyone can do it, and everyone can achieve amazing results.
Because there's no bouncing, jarring, or stress to your body, Pilates offers the ideal form of exercise for people who, because of joint pain or muscle weakness, shy away from exercise.
You don't need any heavy, expensive equipment, and you can do Pilates anywhere, anytime.
Some of the routines take less than 10 minutes, making Pilates the perfect form of exercise for anyone who finds there's not enough time in the day for exercise.
Strong shoulders will do more than just make everyday tasks easier. By developing the muscles of the upper body, you'll get sexy-looking shoulders and create a 'V' silhouette that makes your hips and waist appear slimmer.
We use our shoulder muscles to accomplish practically every pulling, pushing, and hoisting task we do (they really do carry the weight of the world!), so they're a great place to start building strength.
If you were fit before your pregnancy, a Pilates program will quickly help restore your figure and your energy.
Pilates helps condition the body without punishing it.
Of all the forms of exercise I've taught, Pilates is one of my favorites.
Besides helping you to form a beautiful flat tummy, strong abdominal muscles will improve your balance and coordination as well as help you perform other types of exercise with greater ease.
In addition to firming your abdominals, Pilates also helps strengthen and stretch the entire body from head to toe, helping you to stand taller.
To me, that's the most exciting aspect of Pilates. It doesn't matter who you are - athlete or couch potato, toned or flabby, man or woman, young or old - you can do it. Every body can benefit.
For most of my life, I've put on weight in my thighs, not my belly. But in my mid-40s, things began to change.
I'm well aware of the health dangers of an expanding waistline and belly fat: diabetes, heart disease, stroke, even cancer.
If you look in the mirror and think, 'Boy, my body needs a good dose of middle management,' keep in mind that tummy fat could be the result of many things.
Internal and external obliques form your sides and waist. Your external obliques sit closest to the surface toward the front of your waist, with the internal obliques sitting deeper and closer to your back. Toning them shrinks your waistline and love handles.