#42 - ASK JORGE: “IS GOOD POSTURE THE KEY TO A FLAT BELLY?”, WITH GUEST CO-HOST @DENISEAUSTIN.

Now we all know that belly fat can put us at risk for diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even certain cancers.

The science is now showing that it also lowers immunity.

So today we sit down with fitness legend Denise Austin to find out her best tips on how to get a flat stomach. It's a fact, 91% of us have a dangerous amount of belly fat, and it isn't just unsightly. When you have too much belly fat, you lower your immunity and increase your chances of diabetes, stroke, cancer, and even poor respiratory health. The good news is that you can reduce dangerous belly fat and reboot your life in just 8 minutes. Hi, my name is Jorge Cruise, and I'm known as the 8-Minute Life Strategist to the world's busiest celebrities. I've been a fitness, nutrition, and life strategist for over 25 years, and you may have seen my work with Oprah Winfrey, Khloe Kardashian, President Bill Clinton, Tyra Banks, Wendy Williams, Kelly Clarkson, Dr. Oz, Tony Robbins, or even Steve Harvey. My passion to find science-backed life shortcuts has allowed me to write over 30 books and become a multiple New York Times bestselling author with over 9 million books in print. And I know I can help you too. Imagine getting the confidence you want during this COVID-19 world by having a Life Edge at any stage of your life, whether you're just starting your life or in midlife like myself or beyond. Even if you don't think you have enough time, money, or willpower, I know this podcast will show you how to finally put your life together. Welcome to the Jorge Cruise Show.

All right guys, welcome to the show. This is a beautiful, uh, start to it. I'm so excited even though, um, it's a holiday weekend, it's Memorial Day. I'm hard at work here with one of my dearest and longest time friends ever in the fitness world.

You guys know her as Denise Austin.

She has been a fixture. There she is with zeal and energy. How is Palm Springs, Denise?

Oh, it's really hot.

Right.

Beautiful because you can walk a lot of places without seeing too many people. So you don't have to put your mask on too often. So it's kind of fresh and it's gonna be hot this week though, so.

Well, I love a good, I love warm weather, you know, I really do. And I just want to say I'm so honored to have you on the show today because, you know, I know it's a holiday, but we, you and I stay active even on the holidays, obviously.

We already did my 30-minute workout. Woo!

All right. And we're going to get into some of your best tips because you revealed to me you are 63 years young. You look flawless. And you have this incredible, I want to showcase, I want to show you off. You have this incredible new magazine book that is available everywhere. So, we are going to talk about how to be fit over 50 and you are 63 years young. So, this is fabulous. This is available everywhere, right, Denise?

Yes, everywhere. All the grocery stores, you know, Walmart, Target. It is also available on Amazon since a lot of us aren't going—

I love that. Look at you right now. This is you at home, right? Is that you at home?

My house in Palm Springs. I just took that picture a couple days ago.

You look absolutely— no one, no one— I mean, you look better than Madonna. You look amazing. And then I love this. We're going to talk about the old days. You're going to tell us a little bit of your work with Jacqueline.

Oh, that's great.

And I remember this, right?

A step aerobics. Woo!

I mean, where do we start? Because you've been a dear friend of mine. I just want to thank you before we start officially. 20 years ago, you helped me write this beautiful endorsement for my work. I was this 20-year-old kid. I had been with Oprah. That was about it. I remember my agent at the time, Jan Miller, said, Jorge, one of the number one fitness authorities and experts in the world will endorse you. This is rare. She never does this. I said, who? She said, Denise Austin. I said, ah! That was for me the greatest honor. I mean, Tony Robbins wrote the introduction, which I was very blessed. And to have your support for that many years, 2 decades. So tell us, how did this start? You said 40 years ago, Denise. Take us back to 40 years ago. How did you get involved in fitness? Then we will get into the secrets later, but tell us your humble beginnings, please.

You are so cute. Well, I grew up in a big family and I was a gymnast, and then I got a full athletic scholarship to college, to the University of Arizona, where I worked really hard as a gymnast. Of course, in order to get a scholarship, you have to I used to practice 4 to 5 hours a day since I was like 12 years old. So, I had a lot of discipline. So, then I graduated with my degree in exercise physiology and it was in 1980. So, that was right when aerobics was just kind of starting. You kind of heard about aerobics. So, being a gymnast, you know, putting together a choreographed routine was kind of my thing because of floor exercise. So, I got my little, you know, tape recorder with my little cassette tape and I just started. I started to teach aerobics. And then in 1981, I got a chance to meet Jack LaLanne. I was invited to the President's Council on Physical Fitness.

Was that around this time period, right?

In the '80s? That is right. Can you believe it?

You look amazing. So you were at the White House? Is this where you were?

Well, it was a White House event, but it was at the Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. So I was there as a, you know, a young girl and I ran up to him. I went, oh my God, Jack, my mom does your workout TV show. "Oh, my grandpa does it. We love you. Can I come on and do handstands on your TV show?" And he said, "Oh, yes." Oh, wow.

Love that.

And so he gave me, you know, Elaine Lelaine was there who we both adore, who's still alive, and she wrote down my phone number and they called me as soon as I got back and set it up and I got to be on his show and we got along so great they asked me to be their co-host. So, uh, it was in 1981 through 1982, so I was able to be his co-host. And I, to this day, stayed close friends with both of them. And I was honored to speak at a celebration of life when he passed away. So he— we talked all the time, at least 4 times a year for 30 straight years.

So I was blessed to have met him years ago as well during the Governor's Council in California, and I remember he told me this very important topic, and maybe you can mention your thoughts on this because, you know, I have written a lot of books on belly fat, but he had a buckle and he said, Jorge, your waistline is your lifeline. Do you remember hearing that with Jack?

I always say that. OK, and I would make him feel my tummy and it is all rock hard and he was so proud of my tummy.

How was he so aware that having a flat stomach was so important? This is back even before the '80s. I mean, he was on this, remind us of Jack, for those who may be too young to remember Jack LaLanne, give us 1 minute on what he did. He was the first person in the world, really the godfather of fitness, even before Jane Fonda, before you, Jack LaLanne broke into TV, right, Denise?

Yes, in the late '50s. Can you believe it? So, he started his TV show and his dog was, you know, by his side. And I remember as a little girl watching him and my grandpa would do it, my mom, and so when I met him, it was like, oh my God. So he is truly, he started fitness on television, working out in your home, and now to this day, we all work out in our home, especially now during quarantine, and it stemmed from way back in the day. Developed the first leg press in the early '50s. So, it is incredible what he did, the foresight he had in the future. He even juiced way back in the day when I was on a show in 1981. He had this little juicer and we would do smoothies back then. So, he was before his time and he lived to 96 and he had a great life and he wanted to hit 100 though.

Oh, he sure did, right? I will always remember his energy, his passion. His passion for fitness. He would always do this. He taught me to do this. Remember this, right? I think that energy, that zeal, what is the key to it? Because you have written this incredible new, this new book that everyone needs to get. It is really a book, the best of all your tips over the last 40 years, and it is just a couple of dollars, just under, like I was looking on Amazon, under $15. It is like $12.

It has, I wrote it almost as a book, but all my favorite tips for staying young, for feeling good, to sleep better, to get rid of stress. I have all my favorite recipes in there, different exercises to take you through awesome arms or, you know, trim your hips, thighs, and buttocks. I have a lot for the belly because, you know, as we age, this is the midsection we need to really make sure we stay healthy because the fat closest to the heart is not good for us. So, cardiovascular workouts still are really important. So, of course, eating right and then good exercises to stay strong and flexible too.

100%. Well, I think you hit the nail on the head. Could we dive in for just a few minutes and then I want to talk about your best tips for overcoming stress during this COVID-19 world that so many people over 50 are worried about their immunity and all that. But let's talk about, because I always tell people, you know, I have a lot of high-performance Clients, I have worked with a lot of famous people just like you, and I feel like belly fat, the stomach, this waistline that you mentioned, the fat closest to our heart is what you said, right, Denise? So, this torso fat, why? Remind people how as much as you may have a little butt fat, how the fat in our torso, though, in this area, the belly fat is the one that we have to be the most concerned about and motivated to lower and our waist circumference. I know with Dr. Oz, you have worked with him as well. He always says for women, 32 inches or less, for men, 38 inches or less. But if you want to get a flat tummy, what has been your motivation? What do you do? Because you have always had, like Jack would touch your belly, right? I remember he would tap mine.

Jorge, I still have people feel my tummy.

Right? Why is a flat tummy so important? Tell us, Denise, your best stuff on this right here, because I think this is vital.

The key is keeping as much of that away from the belly because there is, it is a 3-prong attack though. It really, truly is. It is eating healthy, good, healthy, whole, you know, whole foods like fruits and vegetables. I am a true believer in eating without packaged foods.

Yes.

You have got to do something cardio to burn fat from the whole body.

You still eat meat, right? Do you eat a little bit of healthy protein? Yeah.

Healthy protein, healthy fats. I'm big into avocados, olive oil, anything that's gonna keep me, you know, salmon. I try to eat fish twice a week. I try. I find the lowest in mercury ones, and I also, I believe that in targeted exercises, but here's the key, good posture. I have been preaching good posture because it says really, if you're slouched, your tummy has nowhere else to go but pooch out. There is no space for it. But if you sit up tall and you think about pulling in those abs and really focusing your energy to engage your abs on a daily basis throughout the day, it truly works.

So, what is the good posture right now, Denise? How would we do it? Chest out?

Chest out a little, but don't push out your rib cage. Pull your rib cage in a little, almost like you are doing a little bit of a pelvic tilt. And then keep your back strong and straight and now tighten up your abs for 5 seconds and that's equal to 1 sit-up. So isometric exercise, just like our friend Jacqueline used to say, really do work. You tighten it, you pull it in, almost feel like you're pulling in a tight corset and you're holding the muscles tight, tight, tight and then release. If you could do that throughout the day, there's no excuse because that is a great exercise. You're almost reeducating the muscles to pull in to be, and you are protecting your organs as well as your spine, and your spine is your lifeline.

So, people are watching this as a video on YouTube or Instagram or on Facebook and they want to do 1 minute with us. Denise, would you lead us through 1 minute? Can we do it seated or should we stand up?

There is a great exercise I like to do standing up.

All right, let's do it.

Stand back a little. Ab exercise. So, class, behind you and lift your legs up. Bring one knee up to your chest and then the other one. So, if you could stand up nice and tall and bring your knees up and really tighten those abs and then add a twist, add a twist, twist it out.

Opposite, right?

Yes, opposite. Twist. That works the waistline and the second you pull in your abs, belly button, navel to spine. You are practicing good form and you are kind of zeroing in right where you need it. I love that.

I love that. Then that exercise you said about the 5 seconds. Yes. If we wanted to do that right now, would you lead us through 5 sets really quick?

Yes. OK, everybody, you know, think good posture. Back is strong and straight. Zip up those abs. Do a pelvic tilt. So don't arch your back. It is pulled up and in. Tighten it up. Feel it tight, tight, tight, and then release. You could do that with your buttocks, too. So tighten up your tushy.

All right.

Squeeze it.

5 seconds.

5 seconds. All these exercises, just 5 seconds.

Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. 4.

If you don't squeeze it, no one else will.

I like that. That is good. Then release. How long do we release for? For 2 seconds?

Oh, just release and then do it again when you have time.

And again in 5 seconds.

Here's another best exercise I do all the time, and it's so simple, and all you do is raise your arms over your head because now you're lengthening your spine, you're giving space to each vertebrae, and you're pulling your tummy up. So as we age, everything starts to shrink, so we're lengthening and lengthening. So you could do this standing or sitting. Do you know how many times I do that during the day? Probably about 15 times.

So do this. So what's the protocol? Give us a little, a little help, a prescription. When should we do this? When we're feeling tired or—

When you're slouching, which we all do now with the telephone, I mean with your phone and with the computer, you're looking forward. Open up the chest. Yogis have always believed If you are doing these arms over your head, it releases some tension. So, just by opening the armpits up. That is good.

For how long? What do you recommend usually? Do a minute of them or 2 minutes?

I just stretch, stretch, stretch and sometimes I do some pulleys and then I relax. Just a few seconds. It is instantaneous. You just feel better. Did you know that circulation is what helps heal your body? And so the more you circulate, the better. These are always for everybody. I don't care how old you are. You get up out of the chair as often as you can. I tell people every hour on the hour, if you want to kind of give yourself a little timer to like get up and move, because standing burns more calories than sitting.

So, Jorge, do you use any of these digital reminders to stand? Some of them or no?

Yeah, I don't just because I don't wear it. Yeah, I just naturally do it. It becomes a habit once you start to kind of formulate into your life. I try not to sit for long periods of time. I think that is what kept me young feeling for, you know, I am 63. I haven't even done Botox yet, Jorge.

You look gorgeous. Let's get into this.

All right.

So, for everyone watching, Denise, who is say 50 and up and wants to be fit, obviously, what is your best key to, I don't want to go into this from a vanity point, but I do believe how good we feel and look determines how healthy we are. What are your best tips for being youthful after 50? Is it sleep? Is it exercise in the morning? What is it for you?

It is a combination for me because it is part of a lifestyle and here are my top lifestyle tips that combined a healthier lifestyle. Number 1, I drink lots of water. It is good for your skin. It is good for your hair. Yeah, me too.

I say a virtual cheers, toast to water, down the hatch. Now, what do you, what kind of water do you recommend? Mineral water? I always drink mineral water, right?

I change it up all the time. I'm really changing it up. I have a wonderful filter in my house, so I use a lot of glass water, you know, real true glasses, and sometimes mineral waters. I'd like to change it up. Vince, Water is the key for hydration because a lot of times people overeat, but maybe they're just a little thirsty and they just try to drink their water throughout the day.

I agree. What is your recommendation? I always tell people to drink, this is 32 ounces, first thing in the morning. What do you tend to drink in the morning?

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Well, my honest thing, I go right way to my kitchen. As soon as I get up in the morning, I go in and I have lots of lemons. I'm a big believer in lemons. My grandma used to do this and she was from Croatia. So she had, you know, we grew up with lemon trees here in Southern California. So she would squeeze a half a glass, half a real good lemon into the water. And I still do that to this day. So I think that's what helps my digestion. And then get in my workout and then I come back and have a good breakfast.

I love that. I love that. And you do your workout on an empty stomach. Let's talk about that, right?

Well, there's some days I don't depending on what I'm doing in the day. Traditionally. But most of the time I just do a little bit of the water and I have my coffee too before I work out. I like coffee. And I love coffee. I'm a coffee girl.

I love it too.

I'll get in 30 minutes of a workout and then I'll have a really good piece of toast, you know, from a bakery, or I'll have avocado on it with an egg. I do eat eggs.

I love eggs too. Eggs are the best food, the perfect food. Jack LaLanne used to talk about eggs, right?

He did. And he did like red meat though, so I don't eat a lot of red meat, but I do like it. I'm one of them. Yeah, yeah.

It has to be healthy. Definitely healthy. Tell us this. When you do that 30-minute workout, because, you know, I do the 8-minute one that you helped me endorse 20 years ago. I do a lot of interval training and I work as you do. Now, we are both kind of working with AARP, as I noticed. Remember all those fun videos we did? I do a lot of intervals with my celebrity clients and myself. Do you get into interval training as well, Denise? Yeah?

I absolutely do. I have been doing interval training back in the day on my TV show when I was on Lifetime and ESPN. In the intervals, you know, it depends how challenge you want to go, but really every exercise can be in an interval situation with a different pace. It could even be outside walking. Start with 5 minutes of a good steady pace, then do 1 minute of a fast pace. So, it could be in any activity you are doing, but it is great exercise in place in 5 feet of space, ones we could do right now Everybody can do and you can get a great workout in 8 minutes. I promise you, it is good interval training.

I agree. Well, thank you. No, I mean, I can't thank you enough for, you know, I was such a beginner back then. I had never written a single book and you have written so many incredible books. You have a philosophy because I was doing my research before our interview here that I love that you put on your website that just really touched my heart. This is about progress. Progress, not perfection, right, Denise?

Absolutely.

You know, I do a podcast show that is, in addition to doing these interviews with really the best people on peak performance, and I do it every day called Think Fit. I think this idea of progress, not perfection is a way to think fit. It takes a little bit of the pressure off. What does that mean to you? Progress, not perfection? Because I think it is an amazing life motto.

Yes, well, I am not into perfection. I believe everyone can do the best they can. We all want to live our best life and there are little things you can do throughout the day that you have progress to get to feeling the best you can. My goal in life was always to make someone happy. I love making people happy and I think exercise is one of the best ways. It is a vehicle to feel better and I am really about trying to help people's attitude. People are so down and out. I know so many people wake up just like, ugh. So, I feel like exercise can help you. It is not the end-all, perfect-all, but it is progress and that is what it is all about. Every day doing a little something better to help your health because, you know, you could have all the money in the world, but if you don't have your health, it is nothing. So, health Now it is even more so important to boost our immune system because we all need to fight this virus no matter where we are going to, no matter how strict we are. I just, let's be the best our bodies can be to help fight it. And one thing I do, of course, is exercise. One thing I do is get outside. The fresh air, the sunshine. Did you know how important vitamin D is for us? As we age too and as we want to improve our immune system. So, I am a big believer in nature. I always have loved to exercise. My TV shows were all outdoors. That is why I have a few wrinkles now, but I do wear sunscreen.

No, not at all. I mean, you look amazing and I feel like you hit the nail on the head that the greatest wealth that we have is, you know, I have been blessed. I am sure you have seen my career over the last 20 years. I followed yours and, you know, I have worked with some really high-end people. Sometimes they are politicians or TV hosts. They are celebrities and they all invest in their health, don't they, Denise? I think they understand that health is wealth. For anyone out there that is watching us right now and they are like, well, I want to do it so I have a nice tummy so I look good in a bathing suit. But this year I am not going to the beach because of quarantine. So, I am not motivated. I am just going to stay home and eat all day and gain 20 lbs. It is the freshman 20 year, right? Why do we tell people that, you know, that this isn't necessarily the right mind frame? Because health is wealth. Remind us why it is more. I agree. I mean, the wealthiest people I have worked with are the ones that work out in the morning, right? They drink water. They do these things every day. They have, you know, Tony Robbins taught me that rituals equal results, right? These very intelligent people, every day, whether it is at 4:00 a.m. or 5:00 a.m., but before they have that first meal, a lot of my Clients do intermittent fasting, they work out first thing. Why is that so important for us to remember that health is wealth, Denise?

Well, it is also more important now, in my opinion, is to not focus on getting ready for the swimsuit. It is more focused on how can I better my health today? What are the little things I can do that will help? I love to eat. I am from a big family. We, I mean, all we have done is, our offices, you know, I am here with my 2 daughters that are grown daughters and my husband, and all we do is go in and out of our kitchen. So, you know, we are all working, but not today. Yes. But so the key thing is, is to kind of think about your health now more than ever because I think this is the time, OK, for all of those who commute to work, you are not, maybe you are not commuting now. So why don't you take that time that you were commuting into some more fitness time, more you time, more times to, OK, what can I do today? Maybe stretch today. So I am a big believer in mixing up a workout, too. That is why Kind of on my website, I do 3 days of something cardio, 2 days of something strength training, and then a couple of days of stretching and maybe foam rolling or anything to improve your muscles. Our muscles work miracles on our metabolism. So, I am really into muscle conditioning, and I think as we age, it is even more important because we want to keep strong. We want to keep balanced. We want to keep you know, pliable, moveable. We just want functional fitness and exercise to me is one of the best preventative medicines we have.

Now, for someone who is looking at you and saying there is no way Denise Austin is 63. You look like you are in your 40s, early 40s.

I have not had Botox or any fillers.

Nothing. You are beautiful everything. What do you tell someone? Because I had recently on the show one of my nutrition mentors, this man, Mark Sisson, who is 68, and Mark has his Primal Kitchen. You have heard of his avocado oil dressings?

I love it. Yes.

Good stuff. 68. He and his wife, phenomenal shape, just like you, and he wants to make 70 look incredible. He has a better six-pack than I do. I mean, he has a six-pack. He is in Miami now. So, no one believed he was 68. No one believed it. I don't think people are going to believe you are 63. What do you tell someone in their 60s or 70s that are watching this? Maybe it is someone even younger, but they feel like they are in their 70s that say it is too late for me. What would you tell someone?

Don't give up on yourself because it is your health. It is how you feel. My goal is to help you feel better, and I just think it helps with so many other relationships day to day. To really exercise. But I am not asking for too much. I tell people to start with, you know, 8-10 minutes a day because that way you can start that routine, that habit that becomes a part of your life. And even if it is 10 minutes in the morning, yay, that is fantastic. Then maybe in the late afternoon, go for a little bit of a walk. Any movement works. And that is what I really want to tell people. You have to start. Somewhere and today's the best day, even if it's standing up doing arm circles or doing arm presses. Most of my exercises are low impact, easy on the joints because I don't want to exhaust people. I want them to stay, you know, nice and stable. Don't overdo anything because with our immune system now, we want to make sure it's in its top peak performance, not over-exhaust yourself. So this isn't the time to run a marathon. No, no, no.

And I want to mention to people that you've recently launched a brand new YouTube channel, youtube.com/DeniseAustin. So we'll do a link. And I think what you've said here is so important that you are so into muscle conditioning. Now, I remember years ago, you and Kathy Smith, she helped me as well. You remember Kathy, right?

Of course, I just talked to her. Yeah.

A lot of women back then, and I think, I don't know how, it is the '80s, the '90s, the 2000s, the 2010s, and now we are in 2020. So, all these decades have passed and women, I still talk to women and they are still scared of muscle conditioning because they think they are going to get big muscles. Not that my muscles are big and show us your muscles.

They look great.

Why men and women, look at that. Why should we not be scared of muscle conditioning? Why is that so important? I know it is important for the bones, but why is that a myth that we are going to get big and bulky, right?

Well, the first thing is women don't have the levels of testosterone like men do. So that is where you guys have the option to get a little bigger where we just be nice and toned and trim. That is what we want. I don't ever use really heavy weights because I want to protect the the joints so I can do this forever, as long as I possibly can. So, I do 5-pound weights, maybe 8-pound when I do upper back, wherever the larger muscles of the body are, I do a little different weight, maybe 7.5, 8, but I stick with 5 and I kind of do it regularly and I keep it kind of steady just to kind of stay toned and stay firm. I just believe That is one of the best ways to fight the aging process. If things are nice and firmed and toned, they can't droop or sag. So to me, it is like an anti-aging exercise, anti-gravity exercises to firm the muscles, and we have 640 muscles in the body. So we got to firm them all up.

That is critical. That is so critical. I think, Denise, you have been such an inspiration to me for 20 years, and I can't believe my anniversary is next year for 20 years with the book. And I feel like you have given so many people like myself and your daughter and your whole family this legacy to live up to. What do you tell someone like, someone who's younger? Because there are so many young people, and your daughter, tell us, give out a shout out to your daughter because she is like your mini you, right?

Well, Katie, my second daughter, Katie Austin, she is following in my fitness footsteps. She went to USC and played college lacrosse, D1, and she worked very hard. You know, she played lacrosse since she was 5 years old. So we traveled, you know, club everywhere with both of my—

My oldest daughter Parker, who is 16, he plays lacrosse here in San Diego. Yeah.

Awesome. And my oldest daughter, she was one of the best in the country. She went to the University of Virginia. She was the top recruit in the nation. So, they played lacrosse. We took them, you know, we were lacrosse parents. We were very proud of our girls. So, Katie graduated 4 years ago from college and then she said, "Mom, I want to follow in your fitness footsteps." But it wasn't until after college and it was kind of cool because, you know, I wanted her to do her own thing, but she always kind of took a liking when I would film my TV show. She would stand by the camera. My oldest one would be out looking for lizards at these resorts, you know, but always stood there by the camera, you know, by the camera guys, and she would do it even when she was like 3. So it is kind of funny that she is the one that is, you know, following in my fitness footsteps and she is on her own pretty much. We just did, though, some wonderful mother-daughter workouts on my YouTube.

Tell us about your new YouTube, please.

Well, you know, I started the YouTube this year and I filmed lots of videos. I do about 1 a week new. So I also put up some of my old TV shows on there. So if any of you loved my exercise show, Getting Fit with Denise Austin, Daily Workout, that was on Lifetime. I was on for 26 years. So I have lots of— Wow.

Remind everyone how that started because you were on Worldwide, right?

Yes. Well, being on ESPN for 10 years, started in '88, 1988 through '98, and then I switched to Lifetime TV. But being on ESPN, that was worldwide because they were everywhere for sports. So that was kind of cool to start fitness. I knew I wanted to do— I did the Today Show for 4 years in '84 to '88 after I got married and moved back east. So I hit New York every month to do the Today Show. So that gave me more of a national name. And then at that point, I started doing VHSs. So I've been from VHS, really audio cassette tapes, DVD, and now to the internet. So I've kind of spanned the world with everybody throughout the changes in our life.

I am just so inspired because you have the energy, truly. You know, a lot of people say I am a hot cup of coffee, right? I have a lot of Latin energy. You have incredible zest that is just like a cup of coffee, but luckily we both like our coffee. I had a little espresso earlier, so cheers.

I love espresso. And my water.

But I feel like it is so important. Let's end on a positive note here. This progress, not perfection, your motto. Tell everyone that, you know, wherever they are at, say they had a Memorial Day where this weekend maybe they had a little too much to drink, a little much to eat.

That happens.

You are doing it right now. But why is that OK and that tomorrow is another day, right?

Yes. Oh, gosh. I love to eat. You know, I try to eat well 80% of the time and then have my wine and treats 20% of the time. We had some ice cream last night and so today I am going to have a couple margaritas. I don't do the sugary ones. I kind of keep it clean.

Yes, keep that sugar out, right Denise? No sugar. We don't like the sugar.

I got lots of watermelon that we cut up already. So that is our sugar in our margarita. But I do believe in enjoying life and that is part of life. I think that is what kept me in this business for so long because I have been in it for 40 years and I have seen, you know, the ups and downs that people have. But one of the things that I have kept true to myself is eating healthy, but enjoying myself and enjoying food. I really, truly love to eat. So, I just wake up the next day and say, OK, brand new day, clean slate. You can do it. That is mentally how I look at it. That way I wake up and have another little walk in the morning. And I am on a fresh start. I don't beat myself up if I overeat and I do overeat once in a while. That is normal and I truly believe it is balance. It truly is.

Denise, you have said it there. Balance, I think, is the key to life and having that 80/20 rule, I think, is so important. I have been doing it myself forever and I plan on doing this for 20 more years as you do, I hope, right? We got to go all the way to our hundreds. We got to hit what Jack's goal was, right, Denise?

God willing.

No, and I love that you are in Southern California. So once the quarantine is over, we will have some water and maybe a margarita. What do you say?

Yes, absolutely. I would love it. I am such a people person. So this has been kind of hard on me not seeing—

I know, right?

—4 sisters, my brother. I haven't gotten to see anybody yet. So it has been really hard on me because I love people, but I am here with my family and I trust that this time I have had has been very cherished with my daughters because they are all out in their own apartments. In their own world. So this has kind of been special, but I think it's coming, you know, everyone's wanting to get out and about a little more, but we're pretty strict, Jorge.

Yeah, no, I agree. I feel like, you know, the quarantine has definitely changed our lives, and I think, but it has given us time to reflect, I think, and time with our family and to reassess our lives. And before the quarantine is over, I think people need to make that decision to to make themselves a priority, right, Denise? Right. Take care.

To the fullest. It is like insurance. So, you want to make sure you are doing a little thing at a time every day, a little something better, and you will feel better, too, and have a better attitude. Be positive, optimistic because you are worth it. You deserve to look and feel your best.

I love it, and if people want to follow you, your social, your website, let me spell it for everyone. Deniseaustin.com, and that is also your Instagram, your Facebook, your Twitter, your YouTube. It is D-E, so it is deniseaustin.com, D-E-N-I-S-E-A-U-S-T-I-N.com. You got to check out the new YouTube. That has the newest stuff, right, from just this last week?

Yes. My daughter and I did a whole series of mother-daughter workouts. So, if any of you are there in the family and you want to work out together, it is so much fun. So, you know, try some of my new workouts. I also have some of my old TV shows on there. So, there is something for everybody.

When you go to the grocery store, you got to pick this up or on Amazon, right? Fit Over 50. I love this.

It is 100 pages, you know, no ads in there. So, it is 100 pages of all the best information. That I believe I, you know, kept my healthy lifestyle. So I think that people would really enjoy it.

No, no, I think it is a critical tool and something to add to your fitness library. So thank you so much, Denise, for making time on Memorial Day. I send you love, peace, and purpose from San Diego, from Del Mar, and I hope to see you soon. All right?

Oh, you too, Jorge. Love you.

Well, I really do hope you enjoyed the podcast today. I know I love doing it every week for you. And if you would be able to give us a 5-star review, we would sure appreciate it. Whatever podcast you're listening on, just give us 5 stars and give us a comment. We'd love to know what you loved about it. Encourage others to listen to this. And if you can, please share today's podcast with your loved ones. Share it on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram. Share it with your loved ones. Text it, copy it, paste it, Let's make the Jorge Cruise revolution happen. And it's all about shortcuts. And you guys know you can sign up for my newsletter as well. I've already interrupted the show, but I want to remind you, if you haven't signed up for Jorge Cruise Report, comes out every Monday with a link to the newest podcast, but you also get all my insights, my shortcuts on how to be exercising smarter, how to eat healthier, how to do intermittent fasting with cheating the fast, which is important. So that way you never feel hungry and you get to eat great things that are delicious. You know, I love cheesecake, I love chocolate chip cookies, all those things. I'll teach you how to do that through the newsletter. And again, it's totally free. The website is simple. Just go to JorgeCruise.com. It's J-O-R-G-E-C-R-U-I-S-E.com. And please tell your friends to join the newsletter as well. Comes out every Monday and it's called The Jorge Cruise Report. You'll love it. All right guys, I look forward to seeing you there. Peace and purpose.

Take good care.

¡Gracias!