Yo.
I’m ALIVE & back from Coachella! Last week/weekend totally killed my editorial calendar when it comes to H+H, because the Coachella prepping struggle was SO real.
For those of you who witnessed my not-so-glamorous-but-kind-of-glamorous Coachella weekend on snapchat, get excited for the full recap of the shitshow coming this week! The behind-the-scenes of being a blogger will make y’all laugh, I think. Stay tuned.
Today’s post, on the other hand, is all about getting your shit together for summer. Think: swimsuit bod prep for more festivals, the beach, & lots of time lounging pool-side.
I’m chatting with my friend ( & major girl crush ), Katie Austin, about getting toned & tight for the coming warmer months.
One reason I LOVE Katie is because she’s a fitness guru with a realistic take on staying in shape. As a former D1 athlete, Katie really knows her stuff when it comes to maintaining a lean-but-strong physique. Her advice is super easy to follow, and her workouts are done mostly at home!
She’s making staying spicccy & lean easy for the every-girl. Also… look at her hottie bod. I’m dying.
Okay, I’ll shut up & just let her teach y’all a thing or two, LOLz.
So, y’all meet Katie Austin:
+ Introduce Yourself.
HIII everyone! My name is Katie Austin, and I’m originally from Alexandria, Virginia. I came to LA four and a half years ago when I got a lacrosse scholarship to play at USC! I decided to move on from playing lacrosse after a year and a half because I became the host of the sports show on our college station. I knew I always loved fitness, and thought TV hosting was my passion, I decided to combine the two loves and start making workout videos!
+ When did your love affair with fitness begin? What compelled you to share your fitness journey with the internet?
ACTUALLY my love affair with fitness probably started when I was just weeks old hahah. Sounds cliche, I know, but my first trip was when I was 6 weeks old traveling with my mama who had her own workout show for 25 years! My mom is Denise Austin, who’s been in the fitness industry since the early 80’s! I knew I always looked up to her in a career sense, but never really pursued it until I was in college (Which i think is normal! You don’t really think about a career like that in high school!) So when I was in my junior year of college, I started my blog and website all about fitness for girls. I love connecting with girls from all over the world and help them reach their fitness goals. It’s truly the most rewarding job I could ask for.
Okay, so let’s talk getting tight & toned QUICKLY for festival season & summer.
OKAY! SO! We have about 2-3 weeks til festivals, and 8 weeks til summer!! I’m a huge believer on in home workouts, because I think they can be SUPER effective not only on your bod but for your time!! You can get a killer workout in in the comfort of your own home, without wasting up to 30 min getting in and out of the gym. I’m also a big believer in HIIT workouts. For festival season, I have a great 10 day in home workout guide that can def help you lose weight and tone your muscles in just a short amount of time. It’s a little more cardio intensive and dietary restricted than my 8 week one, just because it’s way less time! (designed on how realistic girls can keep up with it based on length of time) But, if you’re looking for a more consistent guide that is more long term, then my 8 week one is great!! (** keep scrolling for a special lil discount code for both guides! **)
+ We’ll start in the kitchen: what do you recommend as far as diet goes to get fit quick and avoid bloating & inflammation?
I’ve never been a believer in counting calories, as I think it can get verrrry mental. But, I’ve always just thought about how the food I am eating will instead nourish my body.
For getting fit fast, of course you gotta stay away from all the processed foods! Even the ones that say “low calorie,” “low fat” or “diet” because turns out they usually just have more sugar (WORSE for us than fat). Try sticking to lots of great proteins, veggies, healthy fats, and good grains. EXAMPLE- grilled chicken, avocado, zucchini, and quinoa.
Try your best to cook your own meals at home, too! It’s a lot easier to eat healthier that way, and you know exactly what’s going in as the ingredients. I know you (Payton) agree with me on that! I always see your easy healthy meals in your Insta stories!!
+ What would a day of eating look like for you in this situation?
Honestly, it changes up a lot based on what I have in my fridge!! hahah I’m sure a lot of you can agree with me on that. But, every single meal i make is always really simple. I never have any crazy ingredients or spices that the average girl can’t get! I have a great video of the kinds of meals I like to have here on my YouTube video of “What I Eat In A Day.”
Though, I can tell ya I eat veggies with at least two meals a day. Whether that’s an egg scramble with some greens for breakfast, a salad for lunch, or grilled veggies on the side for din, I know I always gotta eat them in some way!
+ On to fitness: What do you recommend in terms of work out & recovery?
My workouts don’t use any gym machines, heavy weights, or anything too crazy. I’m a big believer in being PRACTICAL for girls. My workouts try to motivate girls to workout in a sense that it shouldn’t be intimidating or too intense. You don’t need to go to a gym if you don’t feel comfortable, you don’t need expensive equipment, and you don’t need even a whole hour to get in an effective workout. You can def break up a sweat and tone your body- in your own house, for just around 30 minutes a day. Nothing too crazy is necessary!
I have tons of amazing in home workouts on my Youtube here!!
+ Tell us ALL about your guides!
The guides are all in home workouts and you get new workout videos to follow along to every day! Most of the workouts range anywhere to 20 minutes, to 40 minutes, so they are super realistic to implement in your daily life. They can be used day to day as followed in the guide, or you can use the videos for whenever you don’t feel like going to the gym that day or when you’re traveling! I call them “dorm room workouts” because they are bodyweight workouts, or light weights, and can all be done in five feet of space!
Click Here for Katie’s Guides!
ALSO, just for you baller H+H readers: Katie has created a DISCOUNT CODE for 20% off her guides! Use code PAYTON20 if you want a little discount on one of her amazing workout plans!
If you want to see a little run-down/sampling of what you’re in for, click here or here.
So do y’all love her or WHAT??
I’m obsessed with her guides right now, because it’s so much easier to get in shape ( as a fitness semi-idiot ) when someone creates a plan for you. It’s like having a personal trainer without having to go into the gym and without being forced to spend a zillion dollars.
The workouts are no-fuss, quick, and straight forward. I love following along on her Instagram because she frequently posts the feedback she gets from girls doing her guide! Everyone is LOVING them!
Another plus: Katie’s energy is up-beat and motivating, which is perfect for those moments when you want to stop working out & just eat a hamburger already, LOL.
If you’re wanting to tighten and tone any extra jiggle for swimsuit season, Katie is your gal. I know I’ll be using some signature Katie Austin workouts to get my ass in shape for Fyre Festival in the Bahamas in early May. It’s necessary.
Happy sweating, y’all! Talk soon. xx
Great post! 🙂
Just bought the 10 day challenge!!! Can’t wait to get started tomorrow!
ahhh yay! good luck, beeb! xx