Meg Hughes graduated from Quinnipiac in 2006, and is currently pursuing a Masters of Science degree at Northeastern University in Clinical Exercise Physiology. Meg published her own book entitled “Dorm Workout” just 20 months after graduating from QU! “Dorm Workout” teaches people how to workout in whatever amount of time they have, in whatever space they find themselves in! So if you don’t feel comfortable with the meatheads in the gym, and you don’t like wearing sleeves while you work out, go to DormWorkout.com and learn more about Meg’s techniques!
What inspired you to begin creating your own dorm workouts and then to create a book about it?
Actually it was my sister who inspired my book. I was a senior at Quinnipiac and a physical therapy major so during fall finals I was studying in theblaw library and she gave me a call (she was a freshman in college at the time) and was stressed because she didn’t have time to workout and did I have any tips for workouts she could do in her dorm room. So I gave her some ideas and she laughed and said “that’s great. You should write a book.” we hung up the phone and I couldn’t ge the idea out of my head. At the time I was working for celebrity trainer Ellen Barrett, who is still in New Haven, and I brought the idea up to her and she said do it!
How did you go about getting Dorm Workout published just one year after graduating from Quinnipiac?
It was a long journey, ok it felt like a long journey, really I guess it was only 20 months, so my mentor Ellen helped me write my book proposal and then sent it off to here book agent. In my head I was already counting on this project paying off my student loans, I mean she was published, this guy made that happen, and it was a great idea. Reality check big time! Even with her support the book agent didn’t take me on, as well as about 5 others. I was too young and inexperienced was the number one reason given (if they even called me back). So then I was at a fitness conference and a seminar that I went to was talking about “are you the next big thing” and how to market yourself and all this. What I took away from this conference was if I believed in myself I could make it happen. I called up a friend of mine who is a graphic designer and a photographer, I told him I had a business proposition for him and we set out to self publish.
What were you involved in at Quinnipiac that gave you the tools and inspiration to choose this career path?
Actually, I had already been teaching fitness classes when I entered Quinnipiac, and Tamy Riley at the gym here at Quinnipiac gave me a job teaching while u was in school. My mum was an aerobics instructor, so I grew up in the atmosphere, I was 17 when I taught my first class (step and pump, I was awful ha) and when my mum asked me how I liked it I told her “if I could make a living doing this I would be the happiest person!” Which of course she said please mother of God go to college! I was a physical therapy major yet in my senior year I realized that I was in the right genre just not the right field. My physiology professor gave me the best advice to tske some time to find out what you really love doing, so i did. Currently I am now finishing up my M.S. In Clinical Exercise Physiology at Northeastern.
Tell us about one of your favorite professors while at QU.
One? I’m a dork, and loved most of my professors in the physical therapy department. They rock! I mentioned above my human physiology professor, Dr. Kaloustian who I still keep in contact with. Also, before he was the dean of the School of Health Science, Dean O’Connor was my biology lab professor two semesters my freshman year. I loved all of the time he spent and knowledge he gave. I still look to him for educational advice, he actually recommended Northeastern’s program to me and checks in after each semester.
What is your favorite way to exercise? What was your favorite way during your four years in Hamden?
I am obsessed with yoga, and that’s what I really do for myself to zen out. For toning it’s all about Pilates for me.When I was at Q’pac I spent my time running, figured skating at Northford Ice Pavilion (where Quinnipiac hockey use to play before our facility was completed), and teaching.
Was there something in particular you loved to do during your time at QU, and look back on with fond memories today?
Study break trips to Ray and Mikes! You have no idea, especially now that I am back studying and all that jazz, how much I miss it. But really besides that, just all the at activities that Quinnipiac offered, I was an OL, my PT girls and I did powder puff football, and playing ultimate frisbee on the quad!
What is your ultimate goal for your career and Dorm Workout?
Just to inspire people to move their bodies and get healthy. I would love to someday open up my own studio but I am also loving the work that I have been doing during my clinical rotations, especially at Children’s hospital Boston. So I guess I will go where ever life takes me and I feel that it will take me where I need to go.
Do you have any special workout secrets you’d like to share with us fellow Bobcats?
Enjoy every single second of your time at Quinnipiac. Do everything you possibly can to absorb it all!
Biggest secret that I have discovered: If someone tells you that you cant, just try harder, and of course, stay happy and healthy :)