Lifestyle Health Michelle Monaghan Doesn't Obsess Over Her Body: 'I Need to Be an Example for My Daughter' Actress Michelle Monaghan gives herself leeway with workouts on busy days, and tries not to obsess over her body to set a good example for her daughter By Julie Mazziotta Julie Mazziotta Julie Mazziotta is the Sports Editor at PEOPLE, covering everything from the NFL to tennis to Simone Biles and Tom Brady. She was previously an Associate Editor for the Health vertical for six years, and prior to joining PEOPLE worked at Health Magazine. When not covering professional athletes, Julie spends her time as a (very) amateur athlete, training for marathons, long bike trips and hikes. People Editorial Guidelines Published on February 8, 2017 01:47PM EST Photo: Arthur Belebeau/SHAPE Magazine After 14-hour days on set, Michelle Monaghan doesn't always get in a workout — and that's just fine with her. The busy actress — who stars in films like The Path, Patriot's Day and Sleepless, just to name a few — says she's become less stressed about exercise over the years. "I throw myself a bone and don't get too worried about it," Monaghan, 40, says in SHAPE's March cover story. "I know that when I have time again, I can kick it up a notch." One of the main reasons is that she doesn't want her 8-year-old daughter to be worried about her body image. "I also need to be an example for my daughter. That means I can't run around worried about what I look like," Monaghan says. "We're active together as a family — the kids go hiking and biking with us. But I don't obsess about what I eat." Arthur Belebeau/SHAPE Magazine Monaghan's mindset has changed over the years, and she's learned to appreciate what her body can do. "I love my shape because I know what it's capable of — running 13 miles, having two children, and learning to surf," she says. "I love my body so much; it's profoundly amazing. I have enormous gratitude for it." "Years ago, when I started working out, it was about getting my body in shape. But now the mental benefits outweigh the physical ones." Arthur Belebeau/SHAPE Magazine And along with having a low-key attitude toward exercise, Monaghan says she doesn't fret about her diet — and that she just can't stomach fruit. "I have never liked fruit. To make up for it, I have a green juice every morning, which is totally devoid of fruit but has tons of vitamins from vegetables," she says. "A typical day of eating for me is eggs or oatmeal for breakfast, soup or salad for lunch, and fish or meat and lots of veggies for dinner." RELATED VIDEO: What Do Michelle Monaghan and Kim Kardashian Have in Common? And she fully indulges in high-calorie foods like Quarter Pounders from McDonald's and an array of cheeses — just don't bother giving her chocolate for dessert. Arthur Belebeau/SHAPE Magazine "I don't have a sweet tooth; I have a savory tooth," Monaghan says. "There are six or seven cheeses in my fridge at all times. My idea of snacking is putting cheeses on a platter with prosciutto and crackers and sitting in front of it and stuffing my face."