Erin Andrews had a whirlwind 2016: She hosted two more seasons of Dancing With the Stars, reported from the sidelines for Fox NFL (and is Super Bowl bound), finally found closure in her horrific hotel-stalker lawsuit, and got engaged to former pro hockey player Jarret Stoll. This week, the sportscaster revealed she has also been battling a serious health issue: She was diagnosed with cervical cancer last year. After undergoing two successful surgeries, she told Sports Illustrated she is now in the clear. In an interview with Health conducted a few weeks before she dropped her health bomb, Andrews described herself as “lucky”—and she clearly has a lot to smile about on the horizon. The new brand ambassador for Orangetheory Fitness, Erin opened up about how she winds down after her most stressful days, what makes her “lose it” at work, and the part of her engagement that surprised her the most.
My morning routine:
"I’m usually up by 7:30, then I go take a workout class. But first I have to have breakfast. That’s one thing about me—I don’t skip a meal. So I’ll go down stairs, have a cup of coffee, turn on SportsCenter or the NFL Network and have a bowl of cereal. After I work out, then I kind of have another breakfast because I need some protein. My guy usually has a smoothie waiting for me when I get home."
The last big surprise I had was when…
"My guy proposed. The fireworks went off at Disneyland, and it was Christmas time and I just thought, oh my God. It was just so sweet because you always think guys don’t really care. Or they don’t take the time to plan. He really went for it. He actually bought two rings and he let me choose. Isn’t that amazing? I then still made him pick because I said, 'I want to have the one you want me to have.' He did a good job."
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Since getting engaged, life has been…
"Awesome. We went through a lot this past year. So yes, this has been truly awesome. He’s cute because I never thought he would be the type of guy who’d want to talk about the wedding so much. To be honest with you, I thought we’d get engaged and not get married for another four years because that’s how long it took us to get engaged! We’re getting married in the summer."
When it comes to wedding planning…
"I actually feel more like the tomboy with it. He is more the one who wants to talk about planning. I just talked to my stylist this past week and was like, 'Can you help me? Because I don’t know what to do.' But I came home the other day and my guy was on Pinterest, and he had a suggestion for what the flower girls could wear. How adorable."
My definition of me time is…
"Wearing sweats or workout clothes and absolutely no makeup, hair in a ponytail or a high bun, and sneakers or my UGG slippers at home. My fiancé and I always call it 'Chill McGee.' I just want to be Chill McGee in my Nike sweats. Face just freshly washed, and then just laying and watching a Sex in the City marathon and checking up on Twitter. Chill McGee days are just so perfect."
The toughest thing about finding time for fitness…
"I am on the road all the time. I might be home, especially now, two days out of the week. I am living out of a suitcase. I am not eating the way I want to eat. Until I discovered Orangetheory, I was just going on Yelp and seeing if there was a barre class, a yoga class, or a Pilates studio in the area, and I would never know the workout that I was getting. There are over 550 Orangetheory studios across the United States. They do cardio. They do strength training. And what’s amazing is that I could be in Pittsburgh doing a workout, and my girlfriend’s in Florida, and she’s like, 'Did you go yet today?' It’s this same workout at the entire studio nationwide that day."
When I need a little extra motivation on the road…
"I do a Body By Simone online video because I need to be pushed. I can’t be expected to go to a hotel gym. I’ll be in the little gym and I’m on Twitter. I’m picking my face in front of the mirror. That’s what’s happening."
I know I got a solid workout when…
"I have to go home and wash my wash my hair after. I’m like, OK—you’ve had a good one. That’s when it’s serious."
The body part I love to tone is…
"My arms. I can get my arms pretty toned before anything else in my body. And then there’s my legs, and I’m like, 'Please just be like my arms!' Legs are my problem area."
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My favorite workout leggings are…
"Alo. All the way."
The career advice I’d give other women is…
"Support each other. Lift each other up. I think it’s so important that girls are supporting other girls no matter what industry they’re in. I’ve had a ton of critics say a lot things to me, and I think the saddest part for me is a lot of them have been females. Listen, I get it: We’re all competitive. You want to be the best in your business. But when I find women that I think are doing an amazing job and are somebody that I look up to in the field, I try to make sure I tell them. You should spread the love and say, 'Hey, great job,' or, 'I look up to you. You’re a huge mentor.'"
I wish I knew when I was younger to…
"Stay out of the sun. Protect my skin. I used to just fry the heck out of myself, like lying out on my roof with baby oil style. Oh dear God!"
One of my biggest motivators is…
"My dad. My dad is my best friend and that’s the reason why I’m in this industry. I lose it when dads come up to me and say something like, “My daughter wants to be like you.” A funny story: We went to Montana for the holidays, but I had to leave to work Christmas Eve night. I left and I was crying on the plane, and this guy looked over me and goes, “My goddaughter is a huge fan of yours, and she’s actually going into the industry because of you.” I turned and sort of cried, “Tell her not to do it because she doesn’t get to celebrate the holidays with her family!” He caught me at a weak moment— clearly."
I think aging gracefully means…
"Not losing yourself. You should still try to figure yourself out as you get older. And hopefully you actually continue to become better versions of yourself."
To me, marriage is about…
"Truly learning to grow old with someone. Recently I was driving for an hour with this male car driver, and he told me he had been married 60-something years. I asked him, “What’s the key?” And he said to me, “You have to not just love each other, but you have to like each other.” You have to be friends, and you have to be really good friends. You can love the guy, but you also need to be buddies. My guy and I totally have that. We’ve really been through a ton."