What Denise Austin Eats in a Day To Maintain a Lean Body

Whenever you're in need of a waist-cinching workout or productive exercises for sculpted legs, Denise Austin is your gal. Denise shares all-around amazing fitness advice on her website and social media, and fans love her for it.
That said, fitness is just one key part of Denise's healthy lifestyle. In addition to maintaining a lean physique through her workouts, Denise consumes a nutritious diet. In fact, the fitness expert loves whipping up nutritious meals and staying on top of her diet.
Here are five healthy eating habits the star swears by to maintain a strong and sculpted body.
She Knows That Diet Is Just "As Important as Getting Regular Exercise"
On her website, Denise stresses the importance of consuming a healthy diet.
She wrote, "What you eat and how you eat are the keys to unlocking the door to weight loss, more energy, a faster metabolism, and even glowing skin… a healthy meal plan should be part of everyone's lifestyle for these reasons and more!"
The star also acknowledged that a sustainable diet is all about balance. She posted on Instagram, "If you know me, you know I love food… and since I like to eat (we all should! It's so tasty and fun!!), I try not to deprive myself, but instead follow the 80/20 rule. I eat healthy 80% of the time, so I can indulge and enjoy what I am eating the other 20%! It's all about BALANCE baby!! This has worked really well for me, as it helps us focus on eating foods that are nourishing, full of vitamins and nutrients, but still satisfying."
She Prepares "Easy," Healthy Meals
Another crucial part of Denise's healthy lifestyle? She makes recipes that are "easy" to prepare.
"My recipes are easy to make on purpose—I have said it many times: If it's not easy or tasty, I won't cook it," she wrote. "That's why I worked with a registered dietician to come up with recipes that will appeal to the whole family, are easy to make, and taste amazing. It's like a virtual cookbook of quick and yummy recipes right at your fingertips! Everything you need to incorporate healthy, delicious, nutritious foods into your lifestyle!"
Some of her go-to recipes include Overnight Chia Pudding, Grilled Dijon Chicken with Lemony Tuscan Kale Salad, and Asian Chicken Burgers with Edamame and Asian Slaw.
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She Loves Yogurt
Denise makes sure to consume plenty of superfoods—especially during cold and flu season to boost her immunity. One of those superfoods is yogurt.
"Just like our gut needs prebiotics, they also need probiotics to stay healthy," Denise wrote on her website. "The microbiome of the gut is where much of our immune system is housed… and probiotics help to keep it healthy and thriving, which in turn supports a healthy immune system. Yogurt is a great way to get more probiotics into your diet—I like to add a dollop to my Healthy Aging Oatmeal recipe from my d meal plan DeniseAustin.com meal plan in the morning. Other good sources of probiotics include sauerkraut and kimchi."
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She Eats Salmon
Salmon is another superfood powerhouse Denise swears by.
"A perfect cold-weather food in part because it offers up omega-3 fatty acids that will help keep skin supple in the drier months, salmon is my go-to savory superfood," she wrote. "The unsaturated fatty acid that salmon provides may protect against age-related memory loss, and offer up joint protection and heart healthy benefits. But did you know salmon also provides vitamin D? Getting enough vitamin D may help lower the incidence of upper respiratory infections, common in the colder months."
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She Adds a Splash of Fruit Juice to Her Water
One of Denise's nutrition tips is limiting processed sugar, which can hide in some pretty sneaky places.
She wrote on her website, "Ketchup, BBQ sauce, soda, and canned fruit with added syrup are some common places. Limit these (or eliminate, in the case of soda!) so you aren't overdoing it. One trick I like to do is add a splash of juice to a full glass of water—you still get a hint of sweetness, but without all the sugar (and calories!)."
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She Tracks Her Food
Another helpful hack that helps Denise lower her sugar intake? Tracking her food.
"Gauge how much sugar you are consuming," she suggested in her post. "Are you adding heaping teaspoons to your coffee or ordering sweetened coffee drinks? How much soda, juice or wine do you drink? Keep a food diary for a week then check to see how much sugar you are actually getting. I have found the more sugar I eat, the more I crave it, so put a limit on how much you want to take in."