We caught up with Gayle in NYC, where the CBS News anchor shared she never dreamed of being an S.I. Swimsuit cover model ... but hinted she really doesn't hate all the attention that comes with it.

She kinda said it all when she admitted, "I am still floating."

As for how she got ready for her big swimsuit photo shoot???

GK said she regularly hits the treadmill, undergoes strength training and eats a healthy diet. She also gave WeightWatchers a nod, confirming she's been on the weight loss program for years.

While she made it clear she wasn't endorsing the company as the go-to solution for weight loss ... she encouraged her fans to find solutions that work for them.

She continued ... "There isn't a one size fits all -- and everybody has to figure it out!"

This mantra is pretty similar to her bestie Oprah's new stance ... who infamously stepped down from the WeightWatchers board after admitting she used a weight loss drug to drop pounds.

At the time, Oprah said she wanted to avoid a conflict of interest ... as WW was venturing into the weight loss drug space -- just as she produced a special on that very trend.

Despite stepping down from the board, Oprah is still acting as the face of the company ... recently hosting a special for WeightWatchers -- where she apologized for perpetuating diet culture.

Though WW is now touting self-love and promoting medical intervention ... it seems Gayle is still a fan of the old program.