PULSE FROM AEROBICS TO YOGA AND BEYOND.Byline: Mariko Thompson Forty-seven video titles spanning two decades in the fitness industry haven't dulled Denise Austin's gung-ho enthusiasm. Even when she's not in front of the camera, her voice projects the same energy and volume that she brings to her home workout videos, which have sold nearly 20 million copies. The 46-year-old San Pedro native caught the aerobics wave in the early 1980s and remains a prominent force in the ever-changing fitness industry. Austin recently arrived in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. to shoot three new videos and for her induction into the Video Business Hall of Fame, which takes place today in Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, city (1990 pop. 31,971), Los Angeles co., S Calif., completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles; inc. 1914. The largely residential city is home to many motion-picture and television personalities. . ``I really listen to the women who exercise with me,'' says Austin, who also hosts two fitness shows on Lifetime Television. ``They guide me to where the next video should be. I like to read my letters to see what they like and what they want more of.'' Austin credits her own longevity to variety and consistency. She keeps an eye out for new trends to freshen fresh·en v. fresh·ened, fresh·en·ing, fresh·ens v.intr. 1. To become fresh, as in vigor or appearance: freshened up after the day's work. 2. her workouts, from yoga to Pilates to resistance bands. And she exhorts working moms to find 30 minutes each day to exercise. As a mother of two, Austin says she had to get up a half-hour earlier each morning to maintain her fitness routine. ``I understand when women say they're too busy to work out,'' she says. ``You've got to organize your schedule. If it's only 30 minutes, you can do it.'' In 2002, Austin was named to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports is an American government organization that aims to "promote, encourage and motivate Americans of all ages to become physically active and participate in sports". . Since her appointment, she has traveled to schools in 10 states, promoting fitness and good health habits. Her goal is to visit all 50 states. ``We need to instill in·still v. To pour in drop by drop. in  stil·la tion n. a healthy lifestyle in our kids,''
she says. ``They're our future. We need to get them off the
couch.''
GET FLEXED: The high-octane and charismatic Billy Blanks delivers another solid punch with ``Tae Bo Flex'' (GoodTimes Entertainment; $12.95 VHS (Video Home System) A half-inch, analog videocassette recorder (VCR) format introduced by JVC in 1976 to compete with Sony's Betamax, introduced a year earlier. , $19.95 DVD DVD: see digital versatile disc. DVD in full digital video disc or digital versatile disc Type of optical disc. The DVD represents the second generation of compact-disc (CD) technology. ). The 45-minute workout gets the heart pumping with the now-familiar martial arts-boxing formula. But the real focus is on increasing strength and balance by freezing and holding lifted legs and flexed arms for counts of eight. Unmatched in his sheer force of personality, Blanks makes you want to hold that position for just one more count. ``Tae Bo Flex'' may be slower-paced than other Blanks workouts, but it's no less challenging. ALLERGIC REACTION allergic reaction n. A local or generalized reaction of an organism to internal or external contact with a specific allergen to which the organism has been previously sensitized. : When your child's nose starts running, how can you tell if it's a cold or an allergy? ``The Complete Kid's Allergy and Asthma Guide'' (Robert Rose; $17.95) helps parents differentiate between the two. Allergies affect 25 percent of children and encompass a variety of problems, including asthma, hay fever hay fever, seasonal allergy causing inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose and eyes. It is characterized by itching about the eyes and nose, sneezing, a profuse watery nasal discharge, and tearing of the eyes. and food allergies Food Allergies Definition Food allergies are the body's abnormal responses to harmless foods; the reactions are caused by the immune system's reaction to some food proteins. . The editors - Dr. Milton Gold along with allergists and asthma specialists from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto - cover common conditions, testing methods, hereditary links, how to control household allergens and how to educate children to live with their allergies. BODY WORKS: For the budding scientist or doctor in your life, pick up the Fandex Family Field Guides' ``The Body'' (Workman Publishing; $9.95) by Dr. Stephen Rudin. The guide to human anatomy and physiology contains 50 cards with vivid illustrations that explain how the body works. The deck reviews organs, bones, muscles and nerves and even includes a brief primer on cell biology. CAPTION(S): 4 photos Photo: (1) AUSTIN (2) no caption (``Tae Bo Flex'') (3) no caption (book: ``The Complete Kid's Allergy and Asthma Guide'') (4) no caption (``The Body'') |
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