Megan Johnson McCullough – Fitness Model Interview and Photos

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Megan Johnson McCullough – Fitness Model Statistics

  • Name: Megan Johnson McCullough
  • Date of Birth: 04/02/1986
  • Height: 5’6″
  • Weight: 125 pounds
  • Hair Color: Blonde
  • Eye Color: Hazel
  • Location: Oceanside, California

Megan Johnson McCullough – Fitness Model Interview

Can you tell us a little about your background?
I grew up in Oceanside which is a beautiful city in sunny, southern California. The only time I have left was when I received a full ride basketball scholarship to play in Denver, Colorado. I started my M.A. in Physical Education & Health Science and received my California Teaching Credential. Due to the scarcity of teaching jobs, especially P.E. (Physical Education), I started personal training at a local corporate gym. After 6 years, I knew I wanted to open my own studio, and today, I have owned Every BODY’s Fit for 7 years! Over the years, I have become an NASM Master Trainer, Fitness Nutrition Specialist, Senior Fitness Specialist, Wellness Coach, Lifestyle & Weight Management Specialist, Corrective Exercise Specialist and I’m certified to teach Yoga, Zumba, Cycle, and Aqua. I’m currently working on my Doctorate in Health & Human Performance. I’m happily married and my pug (Steve Nash) is the mascot at my gym. Another fun fact is that I’m a professional natural bodybuilder and have gotten to travel the world to places like South Korea, Italy, and Australia.

How and why did you get started in fitness?
My dad is the winningest coach in California high school basketball history, so as a daddy’s girl, I grew up playing hoops. My work ethic to be the best at basketball got me into the fitness mentality of lifting weights and doing cardio. At first, after playing in college, I did coach basketball, but found that the fitness side (strength and conditioning) was my strong suit to be able to help others. Even in high school, at a time when nobody really lifted weights, especially girls, you could find me with the football players working to get stronger.

What is the best thing about being fit and living a healthy lifestyle?
I want to change lives through fitness and I live as an example of this daily. I walk the walk! When I’m on stage at a competition, I am inspiring others to be their best. Exercise is medicine and movement brings happiness. When a person become their best self, they become better in all aspects of their life. Older grandparents can enjoy their grandchildren, parents can be more active with their kids, and people spend less time sitting and more time moving which means more time to live.

Who is your biggest fitness influence?
I have always looked up to Jane Fonda. As cliché as it sounds, she is timeless and built an empire starting out with workout tapes. She embodies health, beauty, and grace to me. She inspires others to be fit. She is a champion in my eyes who was in everyone’s living room at one time. Now she has books and a T.V. career that has thrived because of her commitment to her health.

What is your greatest achievement so far?
My greatest achievement at my studio is helping a client lose 119 pounds. His life completely changed. He went from an introvert to a great friend. He is still my client today and comes to all my local competitions to support me on my fitness journey too. He is my greatest example of changing someone’s life through fitness. Had he not come to me, he may not still be with us today.

What is your favorite body part on yourself and on the opposite sex?
I love my abs! My 6 pack is my year-round self check that I’m staying on top of my game. This goes the same for the opposite sex. A 6 pack means you work hard and eat right and live the lifestyle that requires this look.

What kind of cardio do you like best and why?
Burpees and jump rope. Not everyone’s favorite, but interval training with these two moves gets the heart rate up while toning. I guarantee someone will see changes in their body when doing this versus steady state cardio on a machine.

What type of nutritional supplements do you use?
None! I’m a proud, professional ALL-natural bodybuilder.

What do you think of the latest fitness trends like P90X, Insanity and CrossFit?
I think trends come and go, but I preach and teach lifestyle change. You have to find a modality that is sustainable. Sometimes going hard and doing ballistic movements sets you up for injury and the crash and burn effect later down the road. Yes, these high intensity exercises work, but the body can only take so much high impact. Exercise should reward the body, not punish it.

What type of food or supplements do you consume pre-workout and post-workout?
I typically have egg whites and green beans for my pre-workout meal. For post-workout, I have a scoop of almond butter and a protein shake. This way I’ve got fuel in my tank for a hard workout and then I can use the shake to repair and build after training. On my high-carb days, I have oats instead of eggs as meal #1.

How do you deal with cravings for junk foods, sweets and salty food?
My relationship with food is almost non-existent. I feel so guilty if I cheat that I actually never have in my 3 years of bodybuilding besides my designated cheat meals when allowed. I do like frozen yogurt, but I can honestly say that I work too hard to just let a moment of taste set me back.

What are the contents of your refrigerator?
Eggs, ground chicken, green beans, almond milk, lean beef and sweet potatoes (which I like cold).

What are your top 3 favorite exercises and why?

  1. Lat Pull Downs: I need my back to be wide for figure competitions and trying to achieve the V-taper is key.
  2. Sit Ups: I can do abdominal exercises for days, but I see the best results from this move and there are so many varieties like adding a bicep curl, a Russian twist, or punching at the top of the movement.
  3. Pull Ups: I like the assisted machine to do different ranges like 1/2 to full or top half then full reps. Again, my back needs the most attention in order to achieve a wide shape and tiny waist.

What tips do you recommend for eating out at restaurants to stay on a clean diet?
Always look at the menu first in order to see if there are suitable choices. Ask for plain chicken, a salad with no dressing, and steamed veggies. Keep it as simple as possible! You have to be that person that makes the order difficult for the waiter 🙂 But hey, you have goals.

What does your gym playlist look like and what’s your favorite song to listen to when training?
Believe it or not, Motown. I love the oldies. Smokey Robinson, Sam Cook, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Tammy Terrel, and Stevie Wonder.

What is the most challenging thing you deal with about consistently staying in top shape?
The process can be isolating, especially prior to a competition. In a world that equates food with celebration and love, eating out and attending social events can be hard. I just have to bring my own food, be ready for questions, and know that I can still enjoy myself without the eating aspect. I turn down a lot of free food 🙂

Please describe your normal diet. What do you eat in a typical day to stay in shape?

  • Meal #1: 2 egg whites, 2 whole eggs and 4 ounces of green beans.
  • Snack: Protein shake and 1 scoop of almond butter.
  • Meal #2: 6 ounces of ground chicken, 4 ounces of green beans.
  • Meal #3: 4 ounces of salmon, 8 asparagus spears.
  • Snack: Protein shake.
  • Meal #4: 4 ounces of tilapia, 4 ounces of green beans.
  • Meal #5: 4 ounces of tilapia, 4 ounces of cauliflower.

If you could share only one fitness tip that has really helped you succeed, what would it be?
Always show up! Rain, shine, sick, or just not in the mood, you have to do your workouts and eat right. You don’t wake up everyday wanting to do burpees, but you do them for the results and the end goal. Workouts are meetings you don’t miss. My clients find this reliable and committed trait about me and know that I care if they show up or not.

How does your family, friends and significant other react to and deal with your strict fitness lifestyle?
My husband is my greatest cheerleader and supporter! My dad follows right after. My closest friends know that it’s going for a walk and talk or coffee not eating when they want to hang out. They all help me balance the rest with fitness. Sometimes I need to be told to go to a movie or just watch TV. I live my life on my feet always.

What are your top 5 tips for losing body fat and getting shredded?

  1. Clean eating is a must. Find a nutrition plan to follow that you can stick to.
  2. Interval training. Cardio that gets you out of your comfort zone is the type that works best.
  3. Find a trainer or program that holds you accountable. There are set days and times, which lessens your chance of skipping.
  4. Workouts at least 5 days per week. I like to hit a little bit of everything, every day or you can try horizontal or vertical loading for strength exercises.
  5. Hydration, sleep, and wash your hands. Don’t let your immunity suffer because poor health means missed workouts and bad choices.

What are your top 5 tips for building muscle and packing on size?

  1. Lifting heavy!
  2. Add red meat in your diet at least 2 days per week.
  3. Use machines because you can load more weight on them.
  4. Forget the scale. Weight doesn’t matter anymore; it’s the reflection in the mirror.
  5. No steady-state cardio like running for 30 minutes which can burn through earned muscle.

What is your workout routine like?

  • Monday: Back and Shoulders: 20-15-15-12-10 reps, 4-5 sets 75% max – Lat Pull down, Seated Row, Pullups, Seated Overhead Press, Underhand Front Raises followed by group workout at my studio with clients that hits arm (usually 5 rounds of 20 reps), and 45 minutes of Tabata interval training.
  • Tuesday: Legs: 20-15-15-12-10, 4-5 sets 75% max – Leg Press, Squats, Hack Squats, Leg Extension, Hamstring Curl followed by group workout with my clients that hits arms usually 5 sets of 20 reps, and 20-30 minutes Intervals on StairMaster.
  • Wednesday: Biceps and Triceps: 20-15-15-12-10 reps, 4-5 sets 75% max – Curls, Hammer Curls, Pushdowns, Dips, Kickbacks followed by group workout at my studio with clients that hits legs (usually 5 rounds of 20 reps), and 45 minutes using stairs outside and small step platform inside 2 minutes of each.
  • Thursday: Repeat Monday workout.
  • Friday: Repeat Tuesday workout.
  • Saturday: 1 hour of arms, 1 hour of legs, 1 hour of cardio doing 5×5 sets which is lifting for 5 reps, pausing for 5 seconds and repeating for 5 sets total; cardio is plyo box jumps 15×15.
  • Sunday: 2 hours of total body workouts with my clients that focus on compound exercises like lunges with curls or squats with upright rows

What is your favorite healthy food and your favorite cheat food?
My favorite healthy food is oats and cinnamon. I could eat that all day, every day. Add a banana and I’m in love! My favorite cheat food is a tie between sweet potato fries and frozen yogurt, but ideally I’d have both 🙂

How do you stay motivated?
Competitions give me deadlines and goals. I must have something in the near future to reach for because otherwise, I can just workout and workout, but not really push myself. I workout for a living so I need to aspire higher to get better results.

What does the future hold for you?
This year I will be traveling to South Korea and Australia again for competitions. I’m also in my 2nd year of my Doctorate. I hope to be a celebrity trainer or a trainer for a professional sports teams. I’m putting these goals out to the universe. I plan to continue to help all of my clients at my studio and grow my business as much as I can so I can reach as many people as I can!

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