40+ and fit: Denise Austin is living proof that it can be done.(Cover Story)

It's Saturday afternoon, and fitness expert Denise Austin and her husband, Jeff, are playing basketball with their daughters, Kelly (13) and Katie (10), outside their Northern Virginia home. But basketball isn't the family's only game of choice--sometimes it's tennis, at other times it's lacrosse. "We like doing sports together," says the star of Lifetime's The Daily Workout and Fit & Lite. The 40-something working mom has to stay trim because of her job, but being in shape doesn't have to be all work and no play. In fact, Austin says if doesn't have to be work at all. "Just being a mom is a workout! Exercising is fun."

Since her rise from aerobics teacher to resident fitness expect on ESPN and then on to Lifetime, with bestselling books and videos interspersed, Austin's own life has been extremely busy. Like most women, she doesn't have a minute to spare, so she has what she calls "Denise's Daily Dose," which is a 5-10 minute workout. "I do that when I don't have time for my regular 45-60 minute routine. So you do something for the upper body like a few push-ups; lunges or squats for the lower; a quick match in place for aerobic; and always abs."

Known for her abs to the for, the fitness diva once invited former President George H. W. Bush to feel her tight tummy. Who else has been invited? "Oh, Bryant Gumbel, Kathie Lee and Regis, Dustin Hoffman and Colin Powell," she laughs.

Working Out

But when if comes to being stronger, sexier and smarter, it's no laughing matter with Austin, who usually works out 7 days a week with Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday reserved for aerobic activities. "I like to go hiking, walking with my girlfriends or jogging with another

friend," she explains. "Aerobics is the No. 1 way to shed weight because it helps burn fat, it gets your heart rate up, but most importantly, it's good for cardiovascular health. Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women, so first and foremost, aerobic activity is good for health. It keeps your energy levels up, plus [it enhances your] endurance and stamina." "To complete her aerobic sessions, Austin does 10 minutes of yoga "because it just makes me feel so good." Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays are toning days. "I do muscle conditioning exercises, and those vary too." Light weights, resistance bands and mat Pilates have helped design her tight body. "So within the course of a week, I hit all angles of fitness--cardio, strength training and stretching."

And every day is ab day, which runs the gamut from Pilates to good old-fashioned sit-ups. "I've been doing sit-ups since I was a young girl doing gymnastics, so I don't think of them as work. They're just part of me. Having a rock-hard stomach is my trademark, and I keep it with exercise and good posture. I do 3 minutes of ab work every single day without fail," says Austin.