Andi Dorfman Announces New Workout App Andorfins to 'Take the Intimidation' Out of Running

Andi Dorfman never considered herself a runner.

"I started out as someone who could not run a mile straight. I called myself a 'run/walker,'" Dorfman, 33, tells PEOPLE.

But when she committed to training for the New York City marathon in 2019 and documented her training progress on social media with the hashtag #Andorfins, that all changed. "When I started running, I found both my physical and mental well-being improve tremendously," she says. "I think now two things are more important than ever: our physical health and our mental health."

As Dorfman trained, #Andorfins grew into a "positive and cool" online community of runners from all over. And now, the former Bachelorette is bringing her followers something new — the official subscription-based Andorfins app launching Jan. 4.

"It’s a running app but so much more," Dorfman says.

Read on for more from the star about the launch of Andorfins, how she's been staying sane during quarantine and what she really thinks about The Bachelorette this season.

PEOPLE: You’ve inspired a whole community on social media with your workouts. Why was now the time to make it official with a new website and app?

ANDI DORFMAN: "I’ll start by saying it is absolutely geared for beginners and it’s absolutely about the Andorfins community. Running the marathon was intimidating as heck. So I want to take the intimidation out of it and for people to know whether you can run five miles or a quarter of a mile, this app is still for you. Andorfins essentially will take you from before you lace up your sneakers through your run and after with recovery videos including stretching and nutrition. My favorite part is that it doesn’t stop there. I don’t want to give too much away, but there are some other really interesting components of the app that teach good practices and tips for everyday life."

P: Did you ever think #Andorfins would take off as much as it did?

AD: "Absolutely not. It started as a hashtag because I was training for the N.Y.C. marathon in 2019 and sharing it on social media. People would tag me or DM me their running videos and photos. So I decided to create a hashtag so anyone could get involved. Now it’s become a full-on business with a website and merch and a mobile app."

P: How has your fitness routine changed the way you quarantine?

AD: "I run more, if you can imagine, since so many of the gyms had to close. But I found that my running has become more about my mental health. There are very few things that a good run can’t help you figure out. So I’ve absolutely used it as a crutch during some of the tough days that I’m sure everyone has experienced during quarantine."

P: What’s your quarantine uniform?

AD: "I love matching workout sets. There's something about looking good and feeling good, as cheesy as that sounds, and it always makes my run seem a little better. If I’m not in a workout set, I’m probably at the beach, so it’s cut-off jean shorts and a bathing suit."

P: What advice would you give to your 13-year-old self? Your 20-year-old self?

AD: "My 13-year old self, wow that’s way back! I feel like just like most 13-year-old girls, I went through phases of feeling insecure and bullied, so I would tell her to just hold on to herself. Don’t worry about the mean girls in school. Don’t worry about if the boys don’t like you, because one day, who knows, you might end up on a reality TV show, write a few books and then start a business, and no one will be making fun of you then!

My 20-year old self, I would say don’t plant your roots just yet. I’d tell her about the enormous and fascinating world that exists beyond what she has ever known and that it is hers to experience and conquer and to not be afraid to step out of what she thinks her life should look like, with a husband and children and the white picket fence. But to spread her wings and choose what she wants her life to look like instead of what it is supposed to look like."

P: What does self-care look like to you these days?

AD: "Self-care to me is taking care of my body by running of course, but also by treating it well afterward with recovery – Epsom salt baths, foam rolling and stretching. I am all about the at-home beauty regime, especially in quarantine. I love a good face mask. I’m super into this LED red light mask that I got online and any little face gadgets I can find. There is the part of self-care that is about treating myself. I drink a glass of wine almost every night and it’s my way of unwinding – people will say ‘how are you a runner and you drink wine, it makes no sense!’ – and I say, it’s all about the balance. Running is my physical stress reliever and then a good glass of Cabernet is my mental stress reliever."

P: What do you put on when you want to feel zen?

AD: "I either go to the beach and listen to the waves, or if I am at home, I will literally open my Calm app and put the sound of ocean waves on."

P: How do you motivate yourself when you don’t feel like exercising?

AD: "Great question. I think of two things. First: how I always feel after a workout, which is such a high and a feeling of accomplishment. Second: what I will accomplish during the 30 or 45 minutes I am not exercising, and it’s usually absolutely nothing – so that makes it an easy decision."

P: How has your lifestyle changed since moving to the West Coast?

AD: "I’ve definitely embraced the West Coast sunshine. But building Andorfins has me work harder than I ever have in my life, which I love. There is nothing better to me than grinding all day long and then going to the beach to watch the sunset for an hour. It’s a great balance of hustle and serenity that I have really embraced in L.A."

P: Are you watching this season of The Bachelorette?

AD: "Honestly, I don’t watch it much because it’s changed a lot in terms of how it’s edited. Having done it and then watching it I’ll find myself shouting at my TV and yelling ‘OMG that’s so not what she said,’ or ‘That’s totally spliced up to make her or him look a certain way!’ But then again I do the same with Real Housewives too! My advice for Tayshia, and the same advice I’ve given to Clare who I’m close with since we were on the same season back in the day, is to just relish in it all. Soak it all up. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that is amazing and will change the trajectory of your life in such a beautiful way, so don’t worry about the trolls or the people that talk negatively about you. Just live in the sunshine of it all and soak every moment up!"