ET's Nancy O'Dell Shares Her Secrets to a Balanced Life in 'First for Women'

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First for Women

The ET host opens up about her morning routine, eating habits and more.

Nancy O'Dell is sharing her secrets to a balanced life! 

The ET host looks fit and fabulous on the cover of First for Women's latest issue, and inside the magazine, she reveals all about her morning routine, eating habits and more. 

"I'm becoming more and more of a morning person, so I can get things done before my daughter gets up," O'Dell, mom to 11-year-old Ashby, explains. "I get up and get my coffee, then I'll do the elliptical, let the dogs out, have some breakfast and answer a bunch of emails. That way I'm free to focus on her and take her to school." 

O'Dell jokes that sometimes she has "72 things on my to-do list," but she doesn't let herself get too stressed out over it. Instead, she looks for words of wisdom in one of her favorite books, Daily Scripture Reading and Meditation. "When something stressful happens, I try to put it in perspective with everything else going on in the world," she says. 

First for Women

Lean eating is also a priority for O'Dell to make sure she's getting the most out of her day. "Breakfast is usually egg whites, Canadian bacon and fresh fruit," reveals the host, who adds that she looks for healthy snacks with fewer carbs, like chops and salsa or pita and hummus, uses leftover vegetables to make a healthy soup, and continues to take prenatal vitamins to help her look and feel her best. 

And at the end of a long workday, O'Dell can always count on some quality time with her daughter and a nostalgic TV show to help her unwind. "We are currently on the Gilligan's Island series," she shares. "I feel like I'm reliving my childhood through my daughter because these are all the shows I'd watch when I was young. It's so great to see that they hold up to time." 

O'Dell also makes sure to surround herself with friends and family as much as she can. The blonde beauty praises her "amazing sister and dad," but also can't help but gush about her pals from her days working at a news station in Charleston, South Carolina. "I'm very lucky and happy that I have those friendships from way back that I can maintain," she says. 

O'Dell's issue of First for Women is on newsstands through Oct. 11.