Hey CEC, What’s Your Secret

HEY CEC,

What’s Your Secret?

By Jami Appenzeller

We all know Cecily Tynan for being the awesome Chief Meteorologist at 6 ABC ACTION News, the evening shift. She has helped us all navigate this snowy February 2021 with grace, excitement and accuracy! We also know Cecily from the many feature stories, honorable awards and notoriety she has earned in her industry. Watching this dynamic woman all these years, I couldn’t help but think, does anyone else wonder what a day in the life of Cec (like her IG fans like to call her) might be like? I feel like I can relate to some degree, but she takes her workouts to another level and that leaves me having to ask - HEY CECILY ~ WHATS YOUR SECRET?

NAME: Cecily Tynan AGE: 52 JOB/TITLE: Chief Meteorologist 6abc KIDS: Luke 15, Emma 13 HUSBAND: Greg

She’s a super-hero mom with the demanding career, has maintained her strong marriage, and raised smart and uber-talented kids all while captivating her evening audience time and time again. Cecily is also an animal lover and active animal advocate, has an amazing flare for fashion that she shares with her audience nightly, and has a great sense of humor. Cecily has a youthful glow, a happy spring in her step, and yes, really does complete and rock those killer workouts she posts on IG! Add in water and snow skiing, cycling and running marathons - how the heck does she and can she accomplish everything?

Let’s cure our curiosity once and for all and get the answers right from the source! Cecily, who is a fun sport and likes to jump right in, happily shows us what a typical day is like. Enjoy, take it in, and we’ll see you all on the trail next to Cecily soon, right?

What does your day (Monday through Friday) typically look like in regards to time you wake?

I usually wake up around nine during the workweek, can’t get up much earlier since I work until nearly midnight!

Typical morning routine?

First thing: puppy snuggle! We are weak dog parents: We let our dogs sleep on the bed. So, as soon as I wake up, Sandy and Nala want lots of attention!

When do you fit in your workouts?

Usually mid-morning, before lunch. With my schedule, working late afternoon and nights, I have plenty of time to exercise before work. No excuses!

Kid time?

During the week, kid time is on my dinner break since I’m usually heading to work in the afternoon about the same time my children come back from school. With virtual school during the pandemic, I was able to see my kids a lot during the day. Weekends are entire kid time, all scheduled around their sports!

Cecily has a youthful glow, a happy spring in her step, and yes, really “ does complete and rock those killer workouts she posts on IG!“

Dog time?

Basically, whenever I’m not at work it’s me and them! They like to run with me, play in the basement while I work out, go for hikes, watch kid’s soccer games. Our dogs are spoiled!

Husband time?

As much as possible! Greg is former financial analyst, who retired early to become a stay at home dad and work from home investing. So, we get to see a lot of each other. Before he retired, we worked opposite shifts and barely saw each other. This is much better! He also coaches the kids in soccer and cross country.

What time is your work schedule?

I’m on the air during the 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. and eleven o’clock newscast. But there is a lot of prep time and behind-the-scenes work before. I usually get to work around 2:30 and leave for the day shortly before midnight. Unless there is severe weather. I usually go home for my dinner break after the six o’clock news so I can see my children.

What time do you go to bed?

Usually around 1:30 after work. It takes me a while to wind down

Favorite workout?

Slalom Waterskiing. It’s the best all over body workout I’ve ever found and it’s such a rush that you don’t realize you’re getting exercise until all your muscles are sore the next day. Second fav workout would be the FlowPoint Method workouts I do in my basement.

Favorite place to workout?

South Jersey Water Ski Club (where I slalom ski.)

Favorite healthy dish?

Sushi. My family and I could eat it every night. Although, with two teenagers, It ends up being a very expensive dinner. So, we usually only have it occasionally.

Favorite junk food?

Chocolate covered pretzels. White chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, I love it all and am not picky. I love the combination of sweet and salty!

Worst habit you wish you could break?

My late afternoon Diet Coke. I know it’s not good for me.

Music you are listenting to when working out?

None. I got in the habit of never running outside with music, because I think it’s dangerous. You can’t hear people or cars coming up behind you. When I started lifting and doing indoor workouts, I never felt like I needed music. I just listen to my thoughts and my body.

Favorite local hangout?

and we have so many great parks in the area!

Worst workout/the one you hate to do but make yourself do?

Pull ups! They are so difficult for me! I can do chin-ups, I can do push-ups. I’m working on a program so I can do them more easily. I’m up to three in a row. I want to get up to ten!

Funniest blooper you have made on air?

Arctic shot pronounced “Arctic Shart.” I think Preston and Steve still talk about it on the air. I was really embarrassed and then Adam said the exact same thing the next day! LOL

Best friends you have made during your career?

Oh, man, I could write a book! Practically every anchor at 6abc. Obviously, we are very close in the weather department, Adam Joseph is like my little brother. Our weather producer, Paul Trombello, also seems like part of the family. Rick Williams and I go way back. Erin O’Hearn’s family and mine have gotten together many times. I still keep in touch with Dave Roberts. My longest friendship during my career has to be with Amy Morris, who used to be our assistant news director, who is now the news director at WNBC in New York. We both started at WDBJ in Roanoke Virginia thirty years ago right out of college. It was so exciting when we worked for the same station again and, even though she has moved on, we still keep in touch.

Best friends you have made during your workout journey?

I started running with Lorraine Jasper twenty-five years ago when I first moved to this area. She was a wicked fast runner in a group called Fast Tracks, a women’s running group. She is a Master’s track athlete now. We still meet for lunch with another friend, Tracey, every now and then, even though we don’t work out together. Lorraine didn’t have a TV when I started running with her, so she had no idea who I was. We’ll always be friends.

Who is your mentor?

Robin Reed at WDBJ in Roanoke, Virginia. He is the anchor there now. But he was chief meteorologist when I first started in this business and really helped show me the ropes.

Who do you mentor?

Robert Johnson, a recent meteorology graduate at Penn State who interned with us and was trying to break into the business. He is clearly talented. He was applying for a position at our sister station in Raleigh, North Carolina, a station that doesn’t typically hire people right out of college. I talked to the news director and asked to give him a chance. He flew out, nailed the interview and the audition and got the job. He’s a rising star. He doesn’t need my help anymore. I have had a lot of young meteorologists reach out to me on LinkedIn and I am always happy to critique their reels.

If you could take a month off of work, what would you do different with your time?

Spend as much time as possible with my children. They are growing up too quickly!

Favorite vacation spot?

Costa Rica.

Goal for 2021?

Run a full -28/34 pass on the slalom course.

Well, we hope you have had as much fun learning more about Philadelphia’s heartthrob, as Cecily, as we did! She is a class act who gives life her all, and we are proud to feature this fun spotlight in PhillyFIT!

Jami Appenzeller, Publisher and Owner of PhillyFIT Magazine, since 2004. I have known Cecily in a professional setting since our early PhillyFIT days. We had the pleasure of doing a story on Cecily along with a photoshoot with her wonderful family. I best recall personally having some fun texting each other during our simultaneous pregnancies (due the same day) of our daughters, Savannah and Emma, both 13 now! Both being fit working moms, it was a bit of a race to see who would make it to the finish line (give birth) first mixed with a bit of eagerness to getting our pre-baby bodies back. I won the giving birth part, but I am almost certain Cecily won the ‘getting her bangin’ body back’ first!