“My focus now is helping women over 50. We’re really not looked at and we need more support.”
.css-7l5upj{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-7l5upj:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Denise Austin made a name for herself in the ’90s thanks to her iconic fitness videos. Now, some 30-odd years later, she’s proving she’s just as fit as ever, strutting down the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit runway with her 20-year-old daughter Katie Austin.
During the heartwarming mother-daughter moment, the pair were all smiles while showing off their insanely-toned abs (and arms, and legs) in neutral-toned string bikinis. Denise flooded her Instagram with photos and videos following her strut down the runway, expressing how much she enjoyed and appreciated the experience.
One of her posts included an adorable (and stunning!) video of her and her mini-me, Katie, holding hands while walking and dancing down the runway.
“A ONCE IN A LIFETIME MOMENT!!,” Denise captioned her post. “With my daughter @katieaustin walking in the @si_swimsuit runway show!! Me at 65 in a bikini… with my little girl!!!!!! Pure joy!! Thank you Sports Illustrated Swimsuit and @mj_day for having me!”
The 65-year-old once told Prevention that one of her top tips for menopause was staying active, explaining that “every day a workout is like putting money in a bank account toward your longevity.” She believes in the power of enjoying life at every stage, including menopause. “Being happy is a choice,” she said. “And it’s up to you.”
Denise continues to discuss how she puts fitness first and offers insights as to how others can do the same. “I want to inspire women of all ages to keep going—it’s worth it. Being this age is so fun,” Denise said in a recent interview with Newbeauty. “You get to do what you want to do and you feel good. And staying healthy with a good attitude is truly what kept me going all these years.”
“As far as the fitness lifestyle, I always knew I wanted to help people feel better about themselves,” Denise continued. “My fitness is kind of a platform to make women feel good about themselves. I feel like I can give some good energy to women to make them feel better about themselves because that’s really my mission in life.”
The fitness icon also shared that she’s a role model to her two daughters, Kelly and Katie, who both have taken after her in different ways. While Katie emulates her mother’s love for fitness, Kelly is passionate about mindfulness and meditation. “I feel like I’ve inspired them to live healthier lifestyles and help other women feel good,” Austin said.
Now, Denise is creating new goals for herself: “My focus now is helping women over 50. We’re really not looked at and we need more support,” she explained. “I feel like I have a platform now to help women in this age group. I have a magazine called Fit Over 50, and with my website and social media I really want women to realize that there’s so much fun in being our age.”
Denise has long been vocal about the benefits of walking. She even shared with Prevention how walking “became such an intimate part” of her life. (She designed our Ultimate 6-Week Walking Guide From Denise Austin, too!).
“Reaching that step goal or knowing that I completed a walk almost every day gives me such a sense of accomplishment and inspires me to find other things in my life that give me the same feelings of self-success and self-worth,” Austin told us. “A walk: It’s so small, but does so much. What do you say—will you join me?”
Whether the fitness icon is walking her way to better health or walking down the runway, she continues to inspire everyone around her. We love that Austin is helping women over 50 live their best lives, and we can’t wait to see where her fitness career takes her next.
Shannen Zitz is a Freelance Editorial Assistant at Prevention who recently graduated from the State University of New York at Cortland with an English degree. She loves all things fashion, beauty, and wellness. If she’s not reading or writing, you can probably find her frequenting the skincare and makeup forums on Reddit.
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