looking for a TV keep fit guru

September 16, 2006 5:39 PM

This is embarrassing, but here goes. I used to be a fan of Denise Austin - a perky TV exercise guru -and her daily workouts which ran for months on cable (east coast).

I became a loyal sucker for the whole package, the psychological prod of a show at a certain regular daily time with an invisible crowd of fellow imagined exercisers doing the same routine simultaneously, the changing sunny outdoors backdrop, the privacy, her oddly brisk but relaxed schtick, the way you could calibrate your own efforts (weights/speed etc) to higher levels as you became fitter. I kept at it amazingly well (for me) with very happy results. (Back in the local indoor pool for laps, plus some cycling). Denise disappeared off the air, things slowly slipped horribly- as they do. Now I've turned back into a lazy, weak, skinny-but-flabby, shy lump. Not remotely keeping up with my teenage sons, which is shaming. And I'm facing a huge home desk bound new editing project - through to the spring. I fairly urgently want to tie this new project mentally to reversing my sloth. Is anyone following anything on east coast cable they could recommend? Is there something worth paying for - say that comes with an add-on sports or other speciality channel? -that changes daily with an encouraging, non-irritating, plausible 'guru'? Something that's not only about weight loss, or yoga - but that is basic enough to at least start from a not very admirable level of fitness? I'd be really grateful for any suggestions - I only originally "found" Denise through a random conversation with someone with a similarly peculiar attitude to loving shared exercise with people who weren't there!

posted by Jody Tresidder to sports, hobbies, & recreation (11 comments total)

Why don't you just rent or buy some Denise Austin DVDs? My recollection from years ago when I worked at a video store is that she has a ton of them, and I'm sure she's made more since then.

Also, [more inside] is your friend.
posted by amro at 5:49 PM on September 16, 2006

Denise Austin is on every weekday morning at 7 and then at 7:30 on the Lifetime channel.
posted by Oriole Adams at 6:05 PM on September 16, 2006

Denise Austin does have a huge selection of inexpensive VHS and DVDs. Plus yoga and pilates to keep hep with the times. She also has a website.

If it works, might as well work it.

Discovery network makes a fitness channel as well, at least in my cable package.
posted by nanojath at 6:05 PM on September 16, 2006

What amro and 6:1 said.

Also, there are at least 2885 fitness DVDs out there - try 'em out (netflix is fabulous for this sort of thing).
posted by echo0720 at 6:15 PM on September 16, 2006

[moved the more to inside]
posted by jessamyn at 6:29 PM on September 16, 2006

To those who recommended the VHS or DVDs, it seems pretty clear that the OP wanted the routine of "having" to exercise for the show, everyday.

When you know the only chance you have to catch it is turning on the TV at 3:00pm, it seems harder to just procrastinate and let the Netflix pile up. I don't do TV exercise, but there has to be something on digital cable... Sorry I don't know more...
posted by ifranzen at 7:27 PM on September 16, 2006

I live in New York, and Denise is on Lifetime every morning.

And I also have a "FitTV" channel which is basically all workout, all the time, and they also have on-demand features which works sporatically...even more sporatically than the rest of the on demand stuff. I have Time Warner digital cable.
posted by lampoil at 8:06 PM on September 16, 2006

In addition to videos, there are an increasing number of Web-based tools that might motivate you and put you in touch with other fitness buffs. Take a look at 43Things, Traineo, We Endure and Exercise Radio.

Good luck--and let us know what works!
posted by NYCinephile at 6:01 AM on September 17, 2006

Everyone's right with the Lifetime. If that's a wierd time for you, get a TiVo. (I know what you're talking about--I have a total girl crush on her! Her enthusiasm and just genuine cheer make you totally believe it when she encourages you. "You did it! Good job!" Eeek. She's that one popular girl in high school who was actually nice to you during gym class, and you loved because of it.)
posted by mimi at 11:54 AM on September 17, 2006

Yourself fitness
And maybe a reminder in Outlook or something every day.
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 4:16 PM on September 17, 2006

Somehow I just lost my comment.
Will write it again tomorrow - briefly: I'm brimming with gratitude (and extremely sorry about messing up the "more inside" function - made me feel a dolt. Deservedly)
posted by Jody Tresidder at 8:07 PM on September 20, 2006