Katie Austin Shares Her Perspective on Healthy, Intuitive Eating

The SI Swimsuit model and health coach believes in balance, not restriction.

Katie Austin was photographed by James Macari in the Dominican Republic. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Wherever health and wellness is concerned, we know we can turn to certified fitness trainer and health coach Katie Austin. The four-time SI Swimsuit model offers sculpt, HIIT and strength workouts on her app, and regularly shares her knowledge and expertise on social media.

The 30-year-old recently sat down with POPSUGAR to talk all things health and wellness—and our biggest takeaway from the article was the wisdom Austin shared related to intuitive eating.

“Intuitive eating is really important to me and it took me a while to understand what that actually is, but once you have that down, you’ll never diet in your life. I’m a huge believer in balance and when I don’t restrict myself, that’s when I’m healthiest,” Austin told the outlet. “ ... I think when you don't overthink your food, you eat intuitively, and allow yourself to have the things that you’re craving, while still thinking about the ways to fuel your body, that’s when you’re eating healthier. Don’t eat healthier in a way that's like, ‘I’m doing this to lose weight.’ Think about how the food is going to make you feel. Think about what will make your insides healthy and don't worry about the outside because that will come.”

Katie Austin was photographed by Ben Watts in Portugal. Swimsuit by Princess Polly. Belly chain by Island Swim. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

When it comes to eating intuitively, the Katie Austin App is a great tool to have in your pocket (literally) to find healthy and tasty recipes that suit what you’re craving. A few of our favorites include Vegetarian California-Style Sliders, Roasted Corn High-Protein Frittata and Crispy Baked Beef Tacos.