Quotes from Denise Austin

I love to eat and go out to dinner with friends and family and order all kinds of things. I love dessert.

Your life is not a dress rehearsal - this is it! It's show time!

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.

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.

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.

Walking lunges are great for thighs.

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.

Life is too short to waste time harboring bad feelings about anyone. Forgive, forget, then move on!

I believe in sensible, moderate exercise. I try to do something every day, at least 20 minutes per day. I don't think it's realistic to ask people to work out 90 minutes a day.

Getting healthy, getting into shape is a gradual process.

I was a gymnast as a little girl.

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.

Fiber and other nondigestible carbs work wonderful weight loss magic.

Whenever I over-indulge - usually by eating too much dessert - I see the results in my thighs. The backs of my thighs begin to lose their smoothness as the hints of cellulite threaten to turn them into 'cottage cheese.'

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 sit-ups and ab exercises. I always want to keep my tummy flat and tight, even as I age. It keeps your back healthy and keeps you young.

It is extremely hard to break bad habits and takes a long time to start new, healthy ones.

Helping people keeps me going.

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.

Whenever you leave home and your daily routine, it's way too easy to abandon your regular workouts. That's why resistance bands make great travel companions.

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.

When my jeans feel too tight, I know I need to cut back on desserts and step up my workouts.

Take a tip from racewalkers and marathoners, and strengthen your stride with resistance exercises. By training your walking muscles, you'll have more power to pick up the pace.

In addition to firming your abdominals, Pilates also helps strengthen and stretch the entire body from head to toe, helping you to stand taller.