Denise Austin has been an at-home fitness fixture since the eighties. Now, she’s in her fifties and still going strong.
She has dozens of workout videos available, and she’s published several books on weight loss. For the most part, Austin advocates moderation, including in her exercise programs. She emphasizes three elements of fitness: cardio, strength, and stretch.
Her video Get Fit Daily Dozen: 12 Moves In 12 Minutes incorporates all three elements. The video features five twelve-minute segments–two cardio (Athletic Fat Blast and Kickboxing), two strength (Upper Body/Abs and Lower Body/Abs), and one stretch.
At just twelve minutes a piece, the workouts are quick and efficient. If time permits, you can program any five segments to show in any order. Hand weights are recommended.
Austin also has a complementary book, Denise’s Daily Dozen: The Easy, Every Day Program to Lose Up to 12 Pounds in 2 Weeks. Here Austin expands on how only a dozen minutes of exercise a day fit into a weight loss system.
The book includes a fitness plan, a two-week nutrition plan, recipes, a shopping list, FAQ, and other ideas. The nutrition plan is based on an intake of a dozen healthy foods (three veggie servings, three fruit servings, three lean protein servings, two servings of a healthy grain, and a serving of a healthy fat. Austin suggests a 1,200 calorie menu for women (1,400 for men). The recipes are easy-to-follow, and the single-serve recipes are a breeze to make.
The book’s exercise program is similar to the video; Austin also gives “bonus” twelve-minute workouts, including a ballet-inspired workout.
Another key component of Austin’s plan is a dozen weekly miles. You are to walk, run, or bike twelve miles a week, or do a cardio equivalent. So, the fitness component is not just twelve minutes a day after all.
I suggest both the book and the video. However, I do have a few caveats.
- Austin is perky, so much so that she was dubbed an “Energizer Bunny,” “a human exclamation point,” and “petite and bubbly” all by the same Fitness magazine article. So, if you just can’t get over that, you won’t enjoy any of Austin’s videos.
- If you’re looking for an Insanity-style workout–something that leaves you huffing and puffing, drenched in sweat–look elsewhere. Austin’s workouts are usually of a moderate pace, and are good for beginners and intermediate levels.
- Austin cuing leaves something to be desired.
- There’s little instruction on proper form.
Both the video and the book are currently on Amazon for under $8. The e-book will cost you a little more.
