On ‘Dream Bigger’ Katie Austin Shares How to Make Your Fitness Routine Sustainable, Plus Tips on Career Transitions

Making a significant career shift can feel overwhelming. Still, sometimes the most inspiring stories come from people who step outside of their comfort zone and redefine what success looks like. On the latest episode of The Dream Bigger Podcast, host Siffat Haider sat down with model and wellness entrepreneur Katie Austin to talk about her path from sports journalism into fitness, content creation, and beyond.

The conversation delves into how Austin navigated her own career transitions, the lessons she learned about fitness and self-confidence along the way, and why finding joy in the journey is more important than chasing perfection. For anyone in their late 20s or early 30s considering a change, her story is both motivating and refreshingly honest about what actually works in real life.

What makes Austin’s story resonate is that it didn’t follow a straight line. She grew up surrounded by the fitness world but initially pursued a career in sports journalism. She later embraced wellness as her true calling—but on her own terms, building a platform that blends movement, positivity, and practicality. Along the way, she’s been candid about the struggles, mindset shifts, and real talk that helped her find her footing.

Growing up in fitness, but taking her own path

When Haider asked about her early connection to the industry, Austin explains, “I was an athlete my entire life, and so I was always training and working out, but I never thought of fitness as a career ever. Which might sound funny, because if you don’t know, my mom had her own TV show for 24 years, one of the longest-running fitness TV shows. Her name is Denise Austin.”

Even with a legendary figure like her mother paving the way, Austin didn’t immediately see herself following the same route. She studied sports journalism at USC and set her sights on becoming the next Erin Andrews. But after realizing that so many women were “lost in my exercise and my fitness journey,” she began experimenting with creating her own workouts on YouTube, ones that felt different from the industry standard.

Learning to love workouts for new reasons

One of the most significant adjustments occurred when her college athletic career came to an end. “When I stopped playing lacrosse, I had this weird mental battle in my head where I’m not training for anything anymore and there’s no need for me to work out for two, three hours a day and push my body to the limits,” she says. “It took me years, years to understand that a 30-minute workout, even if I’m not sweating, can actually be a workout”.

That mindset shift—away from punishment and towards joy—helped her reconnect with movement in a sustainable way. “It took me two, three full years to learn how to love working out and know my why behind I’m working out,” Austin explains. “For me right now, it’s not like I’m trying to build a lot of muscle or lose weight. It’s really to be the best version of myself.”

Why 20 minutes can change your day

Part of that “why” turned into her popular 20-for-20 program. “Try to wake up 20 minutes earlier every day and get in a 20-minute workout to start your day. I have this program on my app. It’s 20 for 20. You do 20-minute workouts for 20 days, and that’s like a perfect jump start,” she shares.

Her philosophy is about keeping things realistic: “Some of the best shape I’ve ever been in is a 20-minute workout paired with a 20-minute walk on top of that. Because I feel my happiest self, right? It’s not something that’s straining my body. I feel like I’m gaining energy.”

Austin’s methodology also centers around sustainability. She outlines the four “pillars” she believes every fitness routine should include: strength training, Pilates, cardio, and flexibility. “You can’t just strength train. You can’t just do Pilates, you can’t just do cardio. You have to have all four of those pillars, in my opinion,” she says.

Building balance by keeping routines flexible

Life on the go doesn’t mean fitness has to take a back seat. “When I travel, what I love to do is wake up 20 minutes early and just do a 20-minute workout,” Austin shares. “Even if it’s just stretching or if it’s like mobility or whatever it is, just moving my body helps me so much.”

She also emphasizes that doing something is always better than nothing: “When I get home, I don’t feel so fucking off track. I never like feeling like that. So, I feel like it’s so much easier just to jumpstart. Like if you get home from a trip on a Sunday to jump start on that Monday morning.”

Turning career shifts into confidence

Austin’s story is about more than workouts—it’s about finding purpose in career transitions. From college athlete to aspiring broadcaster to fitness entrepreneur, she built a life that combines creativity, resilience, and wellness. The heart of her advice is simple: Consistency beats perfection, and showing up for yourself—whether in a 20-minute workout or a career leap—can completely change your outlook.

Austin’s perspective offers a reminder that reinvention doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Sometimes, it’s about taking small steps, making a shift in mindset, and remembering why you started in the first place.

Read Next

• A Look Back at Sharon Osbourne’s Legendary Career As Ozzy Retires from Black Sabbath
• A Boomer’s Guide to Unapologetically Living Your Best Life
• After Astronomer, It’s Time to Retire the ‘Work Spouse’ for Good