The Reach Out: Margaret Hoover
What motivates the CNN political commentator and host of PBS' Firing Line to stay active? Which sport did she pick up during the pandemic?
Margaret Hoover is the host of PBS’ Firing Line with Margaret Hoover, a public affairs, multi-platform program that engages in long-form interviews and an exchange of ideas with the guiding principle that civil discourse is a civic responsibility.
Hoover is also a CNN political contributor and the author of American Individualism: How A New Generation of Conservatives Can Save the Republican Party.
Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Daily News, The Daily Beast, and on FoxNews.com
She is the President of American Unity Fund, a political organization focused on achieving full freedom and equality for LGBT Americans.
Ms. Hoover serves on the boards of Stanford University's Hoover Institution, the Hoover Presidential Foundation, the Belgian American Educational Foundation, The Markle Foundation, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Hoover previously served in The White House under President George W. Bush, in the Department of Homeland Security, on Capitol Hill and on two presidential campaigns.
I spoke with Margaret Hoover about why regular exercise is important to her.
As a busy journalist and mom, how do you make being active part of your life?
I try to make sure I do something active — whether that’s weights or cardio — five times a week, but I think it's fair to say I do four times a week. Even when I’m able to get 20 minutes of exercise in, I still count that as a win. If I can get 45 minutes of both cardio and weights in while my kids are at school, that’s even better. If I’m really short on time, I still try to do some push-ups or use resistance bands.
Did your workout routine change during the pandemic?
Yes! I discovered that I love tennis! I’ll never forget when Dr. Debra Birx, the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator at the time, said during a press conference before Memorial Day in 2020 that playing tennis is a great activity that can be done outside — just remember to mark your ball.
There was a public tennis court near our house, and I just started going to clinics and hitting balls back and forth against the wall. Even though I’m still a beginner, I love it.
I also count myself super lucky to have a friend who let me use her home gym while she stayed at her boyfriend's house during the pandemic. I used her Peloton -- which I liked so much that we ended up getting one of our own — and weights. With the gyms closed, having her home gym at my disposal saved me!
Were you a regular gym-goer before the pandemic?
I was a total gym person before, but I actually haven’t gone back. I do everything from home now. I’ll go to the hotel gym when I'm traveling, but that’s it.
Until I stopped going to the gym during the pandemic, I didn’t fully appreciate how important the weight training aspect of my workout had been. I was playing a lot of tennis -- getting a lot of cardio -- but I could feel that I was no longer building the strength that I needed around my joints. So now I do weight training a minimum of twice a week.
Do you like to wear a fitness monitor?
Absolutely! I love having all of this data — and I want credit for everything! I wear an Apple watch, as well as an Oura Ring to track my sleep and recovery.
It’s funny — every morning, without fail, after I’ve been running around getting my kids ready for school, my Oura will ask if I’ve just finished a workout. So it notices my increased heart rate and movement and assumes I’ve been exercising!
While exercising do you listen to (or watch) CNN? Or maybe podcasts or music?
I definitely use the time to multitask for work, so I will often listen to the audiobooks of my upcoming interview guests. Sometimes when I'm on the Peloton, I'll choose a scenic ride and listen to an audiobook instead of an instructor's guided ride. I’m still raising my heart rate!
I will also watch CNN or catch up on my husband's CNN Reality Check segments. He records late at night, so I’m never able to see them until the morning. I also love to listen to the Bulwark podcast.
What motivates you to keep active?
Right now, it really is my addiction to tennis! I got hit by the tennis bug, and I know that if I don't stick to a good strength training routine, I won’t be able to keep playing. My knees will hurt too much and I'll get injured. So a huge incentive for me is to keep my muscles strong so that I can play tennis. Thankfully, since I started a specific strength routine a year ago, I haven’t had any pain or injuries while playing.
Is there a sport or activity that you would like to try?
I was a distance swimmer growing up and have always enjoyed endurance exercise. My brother competes in Ironman triathlons! I’d like to do some cycling, but as a cautious mother of young kids, I know that I’d be extra careful — road cycling can be dangerous. I think I’d also like to try surfing. It looks like a lot of fun!
Thank you, @MargaretHoover😀 I hope you enjoy surfing and cycling as much as you love tennis!
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