Michelle Monaghan in Bathing Suit Has "Perfect Weekend"

Michelle Monaghan had some fun in the sun with her friends over the weekend. The 46-year-old actress showed off her fabulous figure in a swimsuit, celebrating some of her best pals. "A perfect weekend was had!" she captioned the series of snaps. "Still glowing and gleeful as hell from my time spent with the dearest, raddest friends and my most favorite of cohorts. #happyanniversary." How does the star make 46 look like 26? Read on to see 7 of Michelle Monaghan's top tips for staying in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!

Michelle fuels her body for success. She starts her morning with a big meal. "Breakfast is my fuel for the day. It might be a bowl of goat's-milk yogurt with granola, berries,and raisins, and maybe shaved almonds and flaxseed thrown in, and a banana smoothie," she dished to Women's Health. For lunch she gravitates toward salad. "I never ate them before I got pregnant; now I eat them three or four times a week." Other lunches she likes? Turkey sandwiches with avocado and a slice of Swiss cheese, and homemade soup, "broccoli, cauliflower, butternut squash—make a big batch and you have it for days." For dinner, you will often find her feasting on fish, including trout and salmon, paired with steamed or roasted veggies or brown rice. "Good ol' Iowa ribeye" is something she will indulge in on occasion. "I've never been on a diet," she added. "I don't think they make sense. Ultimately, it's eating sensibly…but if I'm at a restaurant, all bets are off!" 

Exercise is a part of Michelle's lifestyle. She works out with a trainer three days a week for hour-long sessions. During her grueling workouts she does cable work, squats, lunges, and step-ups. "It's a push to make myself go—it's hard!" she says. "But whenever I get off my lazy butt, I'm happy I did," she says. 

Michelle knows that friends make fitness fun. "Going on a hike with a friend or my husband works for me because it doesn't feel like exercise," she told Women's Health. "You're catching up or having a gossip session, and time goes by quickly. This weekend my husband and I played beach volleyball with friends and worked up the greatest sweat."

Michelle likes to drink her nutrients. "I try to drink green juice three times a week— kale, celery, spinach. Sometimes that replaces my coffee," she told Women's Health. "I also bought a Vitamix blender. It purees everything."

In addition to working out with her trainer, Michelle revealed to Shape that she is big into fitness classes. She particularly likes Pilates, deeming it "really challenging." She added: "I find that it's a good balance for my running, which makes my muscles tight. Pilates loosens me up. I also love SoulCycle. I played a Spin instructor in a movie, and at the time I thought, There's no way I'm getting on a bike. But SoulCycle had just opened in L.A., so I went with friends. The lights were off, candles were burning, and we were hooked. It's like church!"df44d9eab23ea271ddde7545ae2c09ec

Michelle also takes advantage of one of the most efficient free workouts there is. "I run a half marathon every year with Maria, my best friend from my hometown in Iowa. I've known her since I was a kid. We usually do races in different cities, so we'll make a weekend out of it. It's great because there are days when I have to do an eight-mile run, and I'll get a text from Maria saying, 'I did eight miles! Did you do yours?' Training with her helps motivate and encourage me," she told Shape. 

Looking good isn't the only objective of Michelle's when it comes to fitness. "I get crabby when I don't work out. Just ask my husband! [Laughs.] I really depend on exercising to relieve stress. Last week, I was overwhelmed and I thought, I need to go for a run or a hike to clear my head. I had a to-do list that was a mile long, and I didn't know what to tackle first. When I run, it helps put everything into place," she told Shape. "Years ago, when I started working out, it was about getting my body in shape. But now the mental benefits outweigh the physical ones. That's why I love going for a hike in the morning. There's something about climbing a mountain that's symbolic-you set your intention and what you want to focus on. I think about what I have to do today or what I have to accomplish this week. It allows me that space where there's no one else around."