( Health.com ) -- Sitting in an L.A. cafÃ© , I see no sign of Michelle Monaghan , 35 , whose career has soared since playing Tom Cruise 's love interest in `` Mission : Impossible III . '' Could it be that the famously down-to-earth star -- who grew up in Winthrop , Iowa , Population : 850 -- has turned diva ? Just then , a redhead in the back waves ( she has dyed her hair for a role ) . Soon , all worries about her having gone Hollywood vanish . Sipping mint tea , she talks workouts , health scares , and her secret weapon for PMS . Q : In your new film , Machine Gun Preacher , you play the wife of an ex-drug-addict-turned-evangelist who crusades to protect Sudanese children from the horrors of war . What drew you to it ? When I was growing up , my parents took in foster children . From a young age , I learned that there are a lot of children in need . I am a firm believer that you can make a difference in someone 's life -- whether they 're thousands of miles away , or on your own block . Q : How has your childhood put your Hollywood life into perspective ? I come from a very working class background . My dad worked in a factory for 40 years . We all put ourselves through school . So I 've never felt entitled to anything . Q : Your daughter , Willow , is 3 . What did you do to get your body back in shape after having her ? I started with ab work , since after pregnancy the abs are shot . For the first time , I enjoyed working out : It was having that reprieve for an hour of alone time . It gave me more energy . Health.com : 6 rules for a healthy postpartum slim down . Q : How do you stay in shape these days ? I do squats , lunges , strength training . I ran a half-marathon in April with my cousins , mom , and aunts . It was amazing . After that , we had big plans to do the Chicago Marathon , but two weeks later , we were asking , `` Are we really going to do it , or were we just on a runner 's high ? '' I have n't run since ! Q : What is the toughest part of working out for you ? Just getting there ! I 've gotten down the stairs and thought : workout or post office ? It 's either physical torture or mental torture . So sometimes I go with the mental torture and stand in line at the post office in my workout gear . Q : What body part are you proudest of ? I have nice muscle tone in my arms . I ca n't really take credit for it , though -- all the members of my family do . A lot of arm wrestling happened in our family growing up ! Health.com : Get gorgeous arms . Q : Do you have any body challenges ? The old bum and thigh area . I hope most women agree with me ! [ Laughs . ] Keeping it toned , dealing with cellulite . I hate when I feel it move after me . Q : Any health regrets ? I smoked for almost 10 years . I really regret that . Thankfully , I came out on the other side . I hope my lungs are repairing themselves now . Q : You 've known your husband [ Australian graphic designer Peter White ] for nearly 11 years . Do you find he `` gets '' you ? He gets me on every level . During `` that time of the month , '' he knows to bring me a Snickers bar . He 's good like that ! And a few years ago I had a mole on the back of my calf , and he was adamant that I get it checked . In Australia , they 're very aware of skin cancer . I finally went and it was skin cancer . I had quite the chunk taken out of my leg . I 'm so grateful he noticed it . I clearly now realize he has a keen eye and wonder what other imperfections he 's noticing ! [ Laughs. ] . Health.com : Is it a mole ... or skin cancer ? Q : So , cosmetic surgery -- for or against ? I do n't think it 's for me . The acting that I respect is about conveying emotion without really speaking . I 'm not saying I jump for joy when I see new laugh lines , but I would try every possible recourse before going under the knife . Q : With all you juggle , how do you stay in touch with your sensual side ? A new bra goes a long way -- and when I say a new bra , I mean a real treat , like one from La Perla . Not the matching sets ; I like to mix and match . And if I can finagle a foot massage , I will give you the moon . Copyright Health Magazine 2011 .
Monaghan plays Michelle Monaghan love interest in the new ` ` Mission : Impossible III says she started with ab work after her pregnancy . `` I ran a half-marathon in almost 10 years with my cousins , mom , and aunts . It was amazing , '' Michelle Monaghan said .