NFL broadcasting icon Erin Andrews has learned that staying fit and healthy means always being able to make adaptations in the short-term in order to keep those long-term goals in check. At age 43, the sportscaster and television personality has managed to stay in shape despite the pressures of a hectic travel schedule, the stresses of covering live football games, and a multitude of other business interests that threaten to sap her work out time on any given day.
M&F Hers sat down with the popular Fox Sports lead sideline reporter to find out how she stays motivated to keep fit. We learned that staying healthy is all about being passionate, taking good care of yourself, and finding individual balance.
Be inspired by others
When figuring out the kind of athlete we want to be, or the physique that we would like to achieve, it’s always a good idea to observe those that are already crushing it. “I work in football, right?” says Andrews. “So, I look at a lot of these guys, that I cover, and having a front row seat to the best and fastest and talented athletes out there, and how they take care of their bodies, the way they train, what they eat. I’m 43, and watching a 44-year-old Tom Brady kinda shock everybody week in and week out… that really motivates me.”
Erin Andrews earned the nation’s admiration for her competitive spirit in 2010, when she placed third on “Dancing with the Stars.” It meant showing the public a side to herself that had not previously been seen while also requiring her to push the boundaries of her physical limits. “It was one of the toughest things that I have ever done,” says Andrews. “Like, I work out all the time, I can do cardio, I grew up as a dancer but first of all; ballroom training is completely different from any sort of tap, ballet, or jazz that I had ever taken … and I have horrific posture as it is. You gotta tuck your bum in and be really close and sensuous with your partner when I’m like the biggest goofball ever. It was phenomenal. I thought it was so great.”
Not only did Andrews enjoy the process of challenging herself, but she gained muscle and lost approximately 15 pounds of body fat.
Get checked out regularly
In January, 2017, the popular presenter announced that she had previously been diagnosed with cervical cancer. Fortunately, the disease had been found during a regular check-up, but the road to recovery involved two surgeries. These days, Andrews works with companies such as Hologic to encourage more women to see a doctor on a regular basis.
“I knew, when I announced that I’d had it, that it would be a big story,” says Andrews. “What I didn’t realize was the data that came with it, how many women are affected by cancer, how many women don’t go to the doctor. When I did come out, and unveil that I’d had treatment for it, surgeries and so forth, there were so many women that said to me ‘oh my gosh, I’m so glad that you said something, because now I need to go make an appointment with my doctor’, and that’s crazy to me because I go every single year and we still found it, so all of that was very, very shocking to me.”
Accept and adapt to days that challenge your fitness goals
Erin Andrews has learned to accept that each day is unpredictable and that life will often find ways to tempt us into missing a workout or making a less healthy food choice. But she also recognizes that it’s ok to accept this, as long as we try to make the best out of even the most hectic of schedules.
“I definitely try to work out every single day,” says Erin. “I know that there are going to be days where I’m not physically or mentally able to do that, but if I have one day that I can’t get it in, then I’m like, ‘OK.’ It’s really hard when you are running around with work, and you have 20 minutes in an airport and you haven’t eaten anything for the last seven to eight hours. It’s really hard when there’s a salad or a burger. Sometimes you go for the burger, but that’s why; when I’m at home, or on the road, if there’s a green juice offered in the hotel, I’ll have it. I try to have a ton of water. I just try to be really smart because I know that there are going to be times where I’m not able to be [as healthy] as I want to be.”
For Erin Andrews, cutting the unprocessed carbs and eating more veggies, along with eating lean protein is a sure-fire way to drop fat, but she has no desire to look too skinny and she also admits that fasting just isn’t for her. “I gotta be honest, when I don’t eat, everybody around me knows about it, and that’s not good,” laughs Andrews. “My biggest thing is portion control. I do love to eat. I’m married to somebody [Jarret Stol] who loves to eat. We’ll order 15 appetizers. I’ve always been a ‘guys girl’ in that sense. I love a beer; I love enjoying, the whole [social] experience, but it’s moderation that I know I need to be good at. Do I need that roll with my dinner? No! Can I cut out the mash potatoes and the fries? Yes! It’s just trying to be really smart with it.”
Train in a variety of ways
“I used to be really big into going to bootcamp or taking a Pilates class, but it’s really hard now, with my schedule and also the pandemic. So, I’m grateful for all the stuff I can do at my house,” says Andrews, who is a keen Peloton enthusiast. “I’m obsessed, and this is not an ad! It’s something that has become a huge part of my workout routine. I love it so much. I find their music to be fantastic, I find the trainers to be wonderful, and it really does push you the way you need it. Whether it’s 20-minutes, or an hour that you have [free]. And, what works out for me so well is their app. I can go down to a hotel treadmill, or I can use it and go outdoor running or walking. There’s strength training, they have all these awesome things. I use their meditation app to calm down at night,” she continues. “I also follow Melissa Wood, and she does this kind of ‘Pilates yoga’ as well. Some days, when I don’t want rigorous training, or anything like that, I’ll (workout) to her. I also have a Tonal, and I really like that when I’m home, because I feel like it allows me to lift the heavier weights that I don’t really do with free weights. So, I’m kinda somebody that has my hands on all these different workout apps.”
Find your passion
For Andrews, her WEAR clothing line has been a great way to combine a love of sports and fashion, creating official team apparel that can be worn outside of the game. The concept has grown form strength-to-strength, and her WEAR by Erin Andrews range is now launching its first ever collection for the National Hockey League, joining existing lines such as the NFL, NBA and select NCAA schools. “We wanted it to be something that you could wear and cheer for your team anywhere and everywhere,” says Andrews. “And not just the day of the game or the match. I have a wonderful creative design team and a stylist that actually dresses me for football games and she creates the gear that we wear. I’m very hands-on with it, and the design, and creating the looks.”
There’s an old saying that suggests that if you find a job that you love, you’ll never work a day in your life, but some would say this oversimplifies things, because you can still work hard at the things you love, but perhaps with a lot more passion!
