Maggie Q Workout and Diet
Actress
Born: 1979
Maggie Quigleyโs parents met in Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and she grew up in Hawaii. She was an athlete and won a partial scholarship to college where she planned to study to become a veterinarian. However, since she still needed money to pay for school, she tried modeling in Japan, Taiwan, and then Hong Kong, where she caught the eye of Jackie Chan. She was cast in the popular TV drama House of the Dragon and then went on to score roles in films such as Gen-Y Cops and Rush Hour 2. She has gone on to star in many more action films like Mission Impossible III and Live Free or Die Hard, and eventually landed the lead in the TV series Nikita and the role of Tori in Divergent. Q is famous for performing her own stunts. She is a vocal advocate of animal rights and was voted PETAโs Sexiest Vegan in 2017. She is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 120 lbs.
Known For:
Maggie Q’s Diet
Summary
As a staunch animal rights activist, it is no surprise that Maggie Q is a vegan, which means she eats no foods that come from animals, including meat, eggs, and dairy products. She gave up meat after speaking with a PETA employee 20 years ago in Hong Kong. While Q has glowing skin and a fantastic bod, she admits that her vegan diet isnโt the only reason. In fact, when she first eliminated animal products, she was having trouble with bloating, inflammation, and difficulty sleeping at night. It took many years, but she finally found a doctor who was able to help by adding probiotics to her diet. This, in turn, led to a partnership and the development of a supplement line called ActivatedYou. Q makes a point of eating lots of whole grains, leafy greens, and things like barley milk and spirulina, which is a type of algae. She also says that if there is nothing wholesome for her to eat, she will fast.
Estimated Macros
- Low Proteinย 20%
- Medium Fat 35%
- High Carbย 70%
Diet Details
Fear Not The Carb
Q advocates eating complex carbs, like brown rice. Unprocessed grains digest more slowly, and contain fiber, making it less likely youโll overeat, or cause spikes in blood sugar the way refined carbs do.
Trust Your Gut
Q says everything changed for her when she started taking probiotics. She says digestive issues can hit anyone, any size, on any diet and cause all kinds of seemingly unrelated health problems.
Juice It
Qโs favorite fresh juice is a blend of celery, apples, kale, cucumber, parsley, ginger and Swiss chard. She gets teased at work for โdrinking the lawn.โ
Nerdy Pastime
Q reads scientific journals on food science and nutrition in her spare time.
Needs Must
Q says it was hard to find vegan choices on the Nikita set where she spent long hours, and so she hired a personal chef who fed her every 2 hours.
Pass On the Donuts
Q says she needs a nutrient-dense diet in order to perform well, which makes it easier for her to bypass the dessert tray at the studio.
What to Eat
Vegetables, esp. dark, leafy greens
Fruit
Whole Grains
Legumes (beans, lentils)
Seaweed
Liquid Aminos
Spirulina
Flaxseed
Sprouted Nuts
Ginger
What to Avoid
Meat
Fish
Dairy
Eggs
Animal byproducts
Processed Foods
Chemical Additives
Artificial Ingredients
Junk Food
Q on Enjoying Veganism
โThe way to feel more fulfilled when including more veggies in your diet is to eat a โheavyโ grain with them. I love black, red and brown rice, and I mix them all together.โ
Q on the Magic of Probiotics
โWhen you wake up one day and realize something is different. Your senses are more powerful, youโre more alert, youโre more centeredโฆYour body feels alive. Then you realize thatโs the way you were supposed to feel all along.โ
Q on Eating at Work
โIf there is nothing ethical to eat, I fast. It gives me better clarity, and I celebrate it.โ
Q on Vegan Food
โIโm determined to show people how good vegan desserts can be.โ
Maggie Q’s Workout Routine
Weekly Routine
Switch It Up
Q does all sorts of workouts, from boxing to yoga, and everything in between.
Zen Focus
Q loves her yoga. She says it not only keeps her flexible and strong, but also helps her with focus which she needs on the job.
Partner Up
Because of her busy schedule, Q regularly works out with a trainer.
Daily Dose
Q works out every day and is always changing up her routine.
Cardio + Core
Q does high intensity cardio that requires lots of core strength.
Run, Bike, Swim, Donโt Repeat
Due to her varied routine that includes core exercise, plyometrics (jumping) and martial arts, Q hits every muscle group.
Exercise Style
A Sample Maggie Q Routine
Qโs exercise philosophy is simple: keep moving. She doesnโt lift heavy weights, so she doesnโt need much recovery time.
- Day 1: Yoga + 10k steps
- Day 2: Spin class
- Day 3: Yoga + 10k steps
- Day 4: Swimming
- Day 5: Yoga + 10k steps
- Day 6: Spin, swim, or run
- Day 7: Box, MMA, a sport such as soccer or tennis, or hike 10k steps
Q on her Exercise Routine
โI exercise every day and thereโs nothing I donโt do. I run, do yoga, I swim, I bike, I box. I love to box. Iโm a huge boxer.โ
Q on the Importance of Yoga
โIf I didnโt do yoga, I couldnโt fight on screen. It makes me strong, it makes me flexible.โ
Q on Doing Her Own Stunts
โI like the physical challenge. It’s fun for me.โ
Maggie Q’s Supplements
Probiotics
Qโs problems with inflammation, fatigue and difficulty sleeping through the night went away when she started taking probiotics. Probiotics not only help you digest food better, they can help you lose weight.
Get it here
Stress Support
Another product in Qโs line of health supplements is called Adrenalife which helps reduce stress, encourages healthy sleep and increases feelings of peace and calm.
Vegan Omegas
Qโs algae omegas contain omega 3, 6 and 9, making it suitable for vegans, and anyone with shellfish allergies.
Bone Support
Qโs Bone-Rich Plus contains vitamins C, D, magnesium and calcium that not only support strong bones, but also a healthy heart. The supplement also gives a boost to your digestion, mood, and sleep.
Digestive Enzymes
Digestive enzymes help break down food so your body can better absorb the nutrients, reducing bloating and gas.
Greens + Probiotics
Qโs Morning Complete daily wellness drink contains prebiotics, probiotics, green superfoods and antioxidants to kickstart your day.
Energy Formula
Qโs Mito Vitality contains niacin, amino acids and herbs which support your cellular energy-makers known as mitochondria.
Maggie Q’s Lifestyle
Culture Shock
Maggie Q first started calling herself by the shortened version of her last name in Hong Kong because the locals had difficulty with the pronunciation of โQuigley.โ
Bold Messenger
To promote vegetarianism, Q has appeared nearly nude a few times: once on a bed of chili peppers and another time wearing nothing more than a few lettuce leaves.
Tat Collection
Q has 5 tattoos, the biggest of which is a large phoenix on her hip. She says the phoenix represents her free spirit, and how she went from being broke to amazing success.
Pup Queen
Q has a large collection of rescue dogs, and has had up to 8 at a time.
Q on her โGlamorousโ Life
โI donโt do anything but sleep when Iโm not working. I have no life. Iโm no fun. All I want to do is sleep and get ready for the next day. Itโs awesome.โ
Q on her Rough Beginning in Show Biz
โI literally did the same thing that my mother did when she left Vietnamโฆdidnโt speak the languageโฆhad no money.โ
Q on her Martial Arts Learning Curve
โI had never done a day of martial arts in my life when I started in the business. I couldnโt even touch my toes.โ
Q on Personal Growth
โWe rarely grow when weโre happy. We grow when weโre hurt.โ
Q on Hard Knocks
โWeโve all, at some point in our lives, been in a position where we have felt powerless.โ
