8 Tips From Fitness Icon Denise Austin to Keep Your Exercise Routine Going This Summer

Try something new

Summer is full of potential for exploring new activities, according to Austin. Maybe you try yoga on the beach, maybe you move your normal strength exercises to an outdoor space, or maybe you finally learn how to play pickleball at a local court. No matter how you switch it up, remember that trying new things may introduce you to a whole new way to love exercising.

“It’s such a great time of the year to try those new things because the weather is so beautiful,” Austin says. “And hey, you might end up loving pickleball after you try it.”

Summertime vacations may present unique opportunities as well. For example, Austin has used tropical trips to try surfing, windsurfing, snorkeling and other activities she “wouldn’t normally do at home,” she says. “It’s really fun to kind of get yourself out of a rut.”

 

Find a friend

If you struggle to stick to fitness goals during the summer, Austin says friends can instill accountability.

“I am a big believer in reaching out to friends and neighbors to kind of get on a schedule with people,” she says.

Austin plans walks with a friend on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. And it’s rare she’s a no-show.

“I make sure I schedule her in my date book, so it becomes part of my routine and I don’t get out of it,” she says. “If you write it down, it’s so much better.”

 

Beat the heat

People tend to get extra sweaty in the summer months. Depending on where you live, you might feel more heat than others. That’s why it’s important to find ways to get in your exercise while avoiding the hottest part of the day.

“My advice is to just get up early,” Austin says. “Then you’ll feel so refreshed for the day.”

Not much of an early bird? Try evening exercise instead. But regardless of when you do your workout, make sure you drink plenty of water.

“At my age and any of the people over 50, we really have to drink more water in the summer,” Austin says. “We have a tendency to dehydrate quicker. So it’s really more important for our age group to keep hydrated to keep our hearts healthy and our energy levels up.”

 

Eat fresh, feel fresh

Austin says another wonderful thing about the summer is all the fresh produce that comes into season. Those delights include apricots, raspberries, plums, watermelon, zucchini, cucumbers, green beans — to name a small fraction. Enjoy these healthy foods while they’re in season to help you lead a healthier lifestyle.

“I find myself eating more fruits and vegetables during the summer,” Austin says. “So I encourage people to really go outside the box and try some farmers markets or maybe go … strawberry picking or cherry picking.”

Want to try an Austin-approved summertime specialty? Turn your fresh peaches into an easy dessert by heating them up for a simpler, healthier take on peach pie.

“I just slice up peaches, and I put it with cinnamon in the oven, and it tastes so good,” Austin says. “Like a real, true dessert.”

 

Don’t be shy about sharing

Worried about gaining weight over the summer? Eating a healthy diet is important, but thinking about portion sizes helps too.

“One thing that I like to do is to share entrées with my husband or my sister or my girlfriend, whoever I’m out with,” Austin says. “So I will order a hamburger or french fries with my sister, and we just have half, and I feel totally satisfied with that, and I enjoy that taste that I wanted.”

Sharing with friends and family can also help while on vacation, according to Austin. It lets you cut back on some calories while still enjoying all the food experiences you were hoping for.

“At restaurants now, they give you so much to eat, and if it’s in front of you, you eat it,” Austin says. “We always like to try one appetizer, one entrée, one dessert and then we share it. And it’s kind of nice because then you get to taste things you’ve wanted to try.”

 

Don’t overthink it

Finally, summer is supposed to be fun. That’s why Austin wants to make sure that exercise doesn’t get in the way of living life to the fullest.

“Enjoy your summer,” she says. “Don’t overthink it, and just enjoy it without putting any kind of pressure on yourself about your regular routine.”

Austin says it’s all about “the little joys in life.” When it comes to food on vacation, that can mean snacking on a croissant in Paris, savoring a slice of pizza in Italy or simply sipping on “a glass of beautiful wine” wherever you are, she says. No matter what those joys mean to you, Austin doesn’t want you to hold back.

“I don’t ever kind of feel bad or sacrifice anything when I’m on vacation,” she says. “You know, enjoy the time while you’re there and, honestly, enjoy what you eat.”