Weekends aren’t the healthiest for about… 95 percent of us (that’s not science, that’s just an estimated guess). Especially with football season kicking off, our Sundays have less to do with meal prep and a whole lot more to do with skipping that Sunday morning workout, eating too many buffalo wings, and drinking more beer than we said we would.
While that’s not the worst thing in the world (because we love fun), we’re curious how the queen of football season, Erin Andrews, manages to stay healthy. She’s a helluva lot busier than we are: She’s on airplanes every week to get to games, yet she still manages to feel and look good (#goals for those arms and legs). And the best part is that she has fun while doing it. So we asked her to tell us the secret to surviving crazy-busy weekends, considering we’re still struggling to get out of bed at 11 a.m.
Sundays are a day of work, not rest.
Erin isn’t cracking open a beer at an 11 a.m. tailgate; instead, she’s getting up at daybreak to prep for a busy workday. “For most people, weekends are a time for relaxing, but I spend almost half of the year traveling for work every weekend during the NFL season!”
She rolls out of bed and throws on some workout clothes, but doesn’t always work out in them (same, girl, same!)… but for very different reasons. “During the football season, I’m in a different city each week, so I usually wake up, and the first thing I think is, ‘Where am I?’ I’ll throw on workout clothes and head down to the meeting room to grab some breakfast, study, and meet with my crew to prep for Sunday’s game.”
She lets her skin breathe.
While we might go into Sunday Funday wearing last night’s makeup, Erin prefers to go bare. “I like to give my skin a break, so I try not to wear a ton of makeup when I don’t have to. I’ve always been pretty good about sticking to a skincare regimen to make sure my face is clean and moisturized, and I always wear SPF. Right now, my routine includes NeoCutis eye cream, NeoCutis hydrating serum, and EltaMD SPF 46 sunscreen. Sundays are a different story since I’m on camera, so that calls for a full face of makeup and hair!”
Brunch isn’t a three-hour meal.
So, Erin, you don’t go for the bottomless Bloody Mary special at Sunday brunch? Us either……. “I absolutely love breakfast. I usually have some eggs (scrambled or over easy), crispy turkey bacon, a fruit smoothie, and a pot of coffee. For lunch, I like to keep it light with some soup and salad. We go all out for Saturday night dinners with my FOX crew. It’s me and 25 guys, so of course, they like to eat well (and a lot), so that means soup or salad to start, an appetizer, entree, and dessert.”
She eats PB&Js on game day.
We’re into this idea, and it’s probably way better than dunking tortilla chips into a bucket of nacho cheese. “Sundays during the season are a struggle. I spend so much of the day on the go that I like to do a large breakfast that will hold me over until after lunch. Typically I’ll do eggs, bacon, fruit, a side of pancakes or French toast… I may not eat all of it but I try to fuel up as much as possible for the day.
“At the game, I’ll usually have a quick PB&J sandwich and some trail mix whenever I get a break. Then it’s straight from the field to the airport, where I’ll grab a sandwich before catching a flight home. Sundays are definitely a hard day because it’s usually not the healthiest eating, but I try to make the best of what’s available.”
She still enjoys alcohol but goes for the light stuff.
We drink spiked seltzer too (celebs… they’re just like us). “My drink of choice is definitely White Claw Hard Seltzer.* With my busy schedule, it’s important that I don’t negate all of the hard work I do throughout the week. White Claw is low-calorie, gluten-free, and free of any artificial ingredients, so it allows me to drink without feeling guilty. It’s great after a workout or outdoor activity, and a night with friends. I even had it at my wedding!”
This is the secret to those legs for days.
“Weekend workouts are a must. I have to do them for my sanity. That’s why Orangetheory Fitness* works so well for my hectic lifestyle—I can always find a location wherever work takes me. On Saturdays, I’ll find a nearby OTF studio to get a good hour-long sweat session in.
“Sundays are harder since I have to be on the field so early, but I’m on my feet all day, running around [that field] as many times as I can. Portion control is [also] really big for me throughout the week. I’m so religious with workouts because I know my work weekends can be crazy. I always want to make sure I get in my workouts to balance out all the things I may indulge in on the road.”
The keys to good travel.
We are definitely keeping these tips in mind for our upcoming travel plans. “I try to hydrate and get as much rest as I can. To help, I always have my Tempur-Pedic travel pillow with me; it offers great neck support, and you never know what kind of pillow you’re going to get stuck with at a hotel. This way I know I’ll get a good night sleep.
“I’ve also started taking collagen for overall health and wellness, and Vital Proteins has these really great travel packs of collagen peptides, which are super convenient for on-the-go people like me.”
The Takeaway
Since the majority of us don’t need to bring our A game on Sundays, we can’t fully relate to Erin’s weekend agenda, but we can get motivated by her healthy habits. We know what we’ll be trying this weekend before our Sunday Funday kicks off: a balanced breakfast and a workout. Once we get to the bar, it’s going to be a few light sparkling seltzers and then a PB&J when the munchies kick in at home.
*Full disclosure: Erin is a brand ambassador for White Claw and Orangetheory Fitness, but we know she also happens to be a big fan IRL.
