Denise Austin: Eat What I Eat, Lose Weight & Feel Great

Guest Bio: Denise Austin

Denise Austin is a pioneer in the fitness industry who has sold more than 24 million exercise videos and DVDs, authored 12 books on fitness and starred in the longest running fitness show in the history of television. Denise's trademark zest for life, positive outlook and can-do attitude has endeared her to millions of fans across the country and around the world, earning her the reputation as "America's favorite fitness expert.”

A native of San Pedro, Calif., Denise started gymnastics at the age of 12 and earned an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Arizona. In 1979, she graduated from California State University at Long Beach with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physical Education with an emphasis on exercise physiology. She began her career teaching aerobic exercise classes in the Los Angeles area and went on to co-host The Jack LaLanne Show in 1981. In 1982, she earned her own television program on KABC in Los Angeles and released her first two workout videos, Rock Aerobics and Rock Hard Abs. From 1984 to 1988, she was the fitness expert on NBC's Today Show.

During more than 30 years promoting health and fitness, Denise has created 100 workout videos. Her enormous number of sales led to her 2003 induction into the Video Hall of Fame. Her latest workout DVDs include 2013 Burn Fat Walk, 2012's Shrink Your Belly Fat, Fit in a Flash, and Shrink Your 5 Fat Zones (Lionsgate). Her newest book, Side Effect Skinny: Denise Austin’s Fat-Blasting Diet was released in December 2012 (Bird Street Books). On television, Denise has created a loyal audience with her two major television shows: Getting Fit, which ran for 10 years on ESPN and continued on under the new name Denise Austin's Daily Workout when it moved to the Lifetime Television Network. Denise appeared in Daily Workout and a second show, Fit & Lite, for 14 years on Lifetime.

In addition to her role as a popular spokeswoman for such major brands as Idaho Potatoes, Nature Made, and Skechers, Denise has championed the benefits of heart health and good nutrition throughout her career. She has served two terms on the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, a position she was first appointed to by George W. Bush in 2002. She has also testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and helped launch the new food guidance system of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (mypyramid.gov). Her contributions to heart health were honored by Woman's Day magazine and the American Heart Association when she was presented with the Red Dress Award in February 2008. In 2012, she launched her exercise equipment line Forever Fit, a collection of 33 fitness products made exclusively for Rite Aid and sold at 4,600 Rite Aid stores nationwide.

Denise has been married for more than 30 years to Jeff Austin, a sports attorney and brother of tennis champ Tracy Austin. They have two daughters, Kelly and Katie.