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Q & A with Meaghan B. Murphy
FG: How long have you been the editor of SELF magazine?
MM: I’ve been SELF’s Deputy Editor for two years. I started here as the Fitness Director eight years ago.
FG: What do you love most about your job?
MM: I love putting the fun in fitness for SELF’s audience of 12 million readers and digital users. We are constantly finding cool new ways for everyone to enjoy being active and healthy. It’s awesome that in my professional life I get explore my personal passions, like fitness, style and beauty. Learning new tips and tricks for making a healthy lifestyle easier never gets old!
What does a typical day at the office look like for you? There is no typical day! That’s what makes my job really exciting. In general, I spend most of my time consulting with trainers about innovative workouts that burn the most calories in the least amount of time; meeting with other editors about story ideas; collaborating with our art department about visuals; and editing copy.
How you effectively balance family, career and exercise? As a mom of 3 kids under 3, I’m a scheduling fanatic. Most importantly, I make sure to get my workout in every day otherwise nothing else good can happen. It’s about being really efficient during work hours and then going home for family time and fun.
FG: What’s your favorite form of exercise and why?
MM: I have to mix it up so I don’t get bored. I love to run, but I’m also constantly trying out different group exercise classes, at-home fitness videos, playing soccer with my pals. Anything that’s fun, so the time flies by quickly.
FG: Do you have a personal trainer?
I’m a certified trainer, so I make up my own workouts, and I share my personal picks on Twitter @meaghanbmurphy. I call it “#KYOA” or “Kick Your Own Ass.” This morning I did 50 toe touches, 50 bicycles, and 20 sit-ups which I repeated 3 times. Major ab attack!
What are some of your favorite healthy snack? I have celiac disease so I eat gluten free. My new favorite snack is “That’s It” bars. The apple/mango ones are 100 cals and made of apple and mango and like that name says, that’s it!
What’s your favorite healthy food? My husband is the chef in our house and has learned to make everything gluten free and clean for me. The kids don’t know the difference! He makes roasted brussel sprouts with sun dried tomatoes and pine nuts that I could eat every night!
If you only had ten minutes to exercise what would you do? HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training, is a method of cardio training that torches a ton of calories in a short amount of time, so that’s really effective. I get on the treadmill and in no time flat my sweat session is done. When I need motivation, I tell myself I’d rather be uncomfortable doing HIIT than on the beach in a bikini.
What can we look forward to in the upcoming year from SELF magazine? Lots of inspiring ideas for feeling and looking great every day! January kicks off with a complete 14-Day Slimdown program from a celebrity trainer that will help you jump-start your metabolism, shed pounds, get strong and commit to be fit. Every month in SELF, and every day on Self.com, there are cool ways to help you make the most of your body, your looks and your life — and have fun doing it!
FG: Special thanks to you, Meaghan for granting us this exclusive Q & A. We appreciate your participation!
