Intuitive eating runs in Katie Austin’s genes. Guided by her fitness icon mother, Denise Austin, the fitness personality and entrepreneur is carving her own path by offering a balanced approach to food that prioritizes adding nutrition without sacrificing flavor.
In 2018, she created the Katie Austin app, which has over 375 on-demand workouts and over 275 recipes that she says are “simple, healthy, yet delicious.” Although it was her mother who first introduced her to the field of fitness, Katie’s passion for fitness and healthy eating continued throughout her life.
An athlete at every stage of life, she played lacrosse at the University of Southern California and later became a host of sports such as the Super Bowl and the NBA Awards. In 2022, she was named Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Co-Rookie of the Year. But, amid her busy life, Austin says she’s been whipping it up in the kitchen.
Her popular TikTok account reaches over 743,400 people and she herself regularly comes up with recipes that not only pack bold flavor and indulgence but also balance the body’s needs for a healthy lifestyle.
Austin says, “My motto was, what can you add to your day and what can’t you subtract? I see a lot of food trends that promote ‘what to eat a day’ and dieting, but in my opinion, you know me.” If you think more about what you can add to the foods you love, it goes a long way for your mindset, mental health, and overall feelings around food.”
We talked to Austin about food additions and subtractions, how to prioritize health while battling a busy schedule or a persistent sweet tooth, and her three favorite recipes out of the 275 she’s concocted across her website and TikTok. Below, Austin answers questions about these topics and more.
PS: I’d love to talk more about your personal motto of looking at food additions, not subtractions. In your recipes, you prioritize both health and taste. How do you maintain that balance?
Katie Austin: My goal is always to keep it simple: the simpler you keep it in the kitchen, the easier it is to be consistent. For me, keeping it balanced means sticking to five to seven ingredients and going back to the weekly staples you love about two or three times a week.
I like to choose a base—say, it’s green leafy vegetables, or rice, or pasta, or noodles—and then a good lean protein. It could be something like salmon, chicken or ground turkey. Then I pour at least two vegetables. My favorite zucchini, spinach, broccoli and tomatoes. Then I always like to add a bit of flavor; That’s where the deliciousness comes from. It could be a good sauce, parmesan cheese, avocado or a good herb. The easiest way to keep it balanced is to simplify cooking.
PS: Many people think that healthy food doesn’t always taste the best. Are there flavors or spices that make you feel like you’re going a long way?
those: I’m a big believer in herbs: everything from parsley, basil – anything fresh and natural that I love. And then, I also love garlic. Fresh garlic can always elevate a meal and is such an easy addition.
As for the flavor, I’ll strain the protein with no flavor or salt and pepper ahead of time, then add spices and herbs a week later for a fresh kick. It’s a really easy way to switch up a meal every time you sit down to eat and give yourself some flavor without going overboard or throwing out too much in the preparation process.
PS: What are your favorite additions that can balance out some foods that are considered less nutritious?
those: I love adding avocado and arugula to everything, but my favorite right now has to be white beans. I am addicted to white beans. They are very good and full of excellent fiber. In soups, they’re amazing, in salads, they’re amazing, in bowls, they’re amazing. If you boil white beans for 45 minutes, they will be very creamy. You can throw a good pasta in there, and even if it’s not super low carb, you’ll still find a source of protein and a healthy plant-based addition. I love white beans, they are so convenient because you can keep them in cans without spoiling easily.
PS: What are your tips for someone who wants to prioritize a healthy diet, but may have a very strong sweet tooth? Or tend to crave “drunken food”? Or someone who feels too busy to spend time in the kitchen preparing meals?
those: Finding what works for you and deciding how you feel about yourself is really important because I had a huge sweet tooth and craved late night binges, but if I had a big breakfast in the morning, I would. Less desire at night.
For a sweet tooth, I think sugar is highly addictive and so the less you have of it, the less you’ll crave it. Maybe you have to train for two weeks or look at healthy sweets – I love chocolate covered bananas and ate them last night. It’s all about finding what works for you and what makes your body feel good.
For busy people, I’d say the single pan baking sheet recipe should be your number one. You can cut some vegetables like zucchini, potatoes, peppers and chicken sausage. Throw it all on a baking sheet, add some olive oil and some spices, maybe some chili powder, then bake it for 30 minutes. There you have a delicious, healthy, fast meal.
PS: What are your three favorite recipes on your page?
those: My one pan pasta was amazing. Any dish baked in my one pan is delicious and very easy and delicious. My second favorite might be my egg salad. I had it for breakfast this morning and was obsessed with the egg salad. It’s actually my number one recipe on my site. Then the third recipe I love is my pesto; You can sneak in other vegetables like spinach or arugula. Pesto is an easy way to get the nutrients you need.
PS: Any advice or wisdom you’d like to pass on to someone who wants to prioritize taste and health in their diet?
those: Mindful eating is really important to me and it took me a while to figure out what it really is, but once you get it down, you’ll never diet in your life. I’m a big believer in balance and when I don’t restrict myself, that’s when I’m at my healthiest.
Once I thought about my food and drink before my wedding. There’s this stereotype that you have to lose weight before your wedding, so two months before my wedding, I was obsessing over my diet, telling myself I couldn’t have a piece of toast and it totally backfired.
I think when you’re not overthinking your food, you’re eating smart, and allowing yourself to have what you crave, while still thinking about ways to fuel your body, that’s when you eat healthy. Don’t eat healthy foods like, “I’m doing this to lose weight.” Think about how food makes you feel. Think about what makes your insides healthy and don’t worry about the outside as it will come.
Shahamat Uddin is a freelance writer who mostly covers queer and South Asian issues, but also related lifestyle topics and entertainment. His family is from Sylhet, Bangladesh, but after growing up in Roswell, GA, he now lives in Brooklyn with his cat, Butter. Outside of PS, he has sidelines in Teen Vogue, Vogue, Vogue India, New York Magazine, Them, The Nation, and more.
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