Lauren Mowery, Travel Editor, Wine Enthusiast, New York, (USA)

Years In Industry:
Nine years writing about wine. Also in that time, completed Diploma WSET and passed Theory MW, ready to sit practical in 2021.
 
My Biggest Challenge To Wellness:
Being the travel editor for a wine magazine, I spend half the year on the road. Most of that time involves meeting winemakers to taste through their portfolio, then visiting restaurants to meet sommeliers and discuss their food and beverage programs. To wit, I eat rich, meat-heavy meals typically accompanied by wine both at lunch and dinner. I try turning wine down or asking for smaller pours so I can just taste, but everyone’s eager to show off their hard work, so the pressure makes it a challenge to say no.
 
Plus, despite the move towards wellness within the hotel industry, it’s still rare for a property in wine country to have robust fitness equipment – or simply a treadmill that’s not facing the wall of a stuffy, windowless room. I wish I could say I love to run outside – that would make life easier.
 
Finally, I’m going to put it out there because someone needs to talk about it – I have the worst constipation and I know other women suffer the same. What about men? I’ve tried fiber pills, special tea, running (I hate constipation more), guzzling all the coffee in sight, skipping breakfast, drinking celery juice, etc. My research suggests that a change in diet, one’s circadian rhythms, and plane travel all adversely affect the gastrointestinal system. The resulting feeling is terrible – one of bloat and discomfort from tight-fitting clothes. Really, the person who comes up with a solution will be rich.
 
How I Keep It Together To Stay Well:
I’ve gotten better at saying no. “No bread, thanks.” “No more than a sip, thanks.” “No dessert, thanks. Yes, I mean it – no dessert, thanks.” I constantly remind myself my long-term health is at stake. I sleep terribly in hotels. I’m the Goldilocks of pillows – they’re too fat like a gourd or too thin like a pancake. If my mind can rest, I notice the pillow less, so I listen to meditation apps in bed. I go everywhere with my Yoga Paws. If I can’t get into a gym, I slip on the gloves and socks. They provide a mat-like surface for poses in a hotel room. I’ve memorized a few sequences which I can modify into an energetic workout or a poor woman’s massage which unravels neck kinks from flying.
 
However, the hard work is done when I get home. I barely drink but for a really good bottle on the weekend; I blend every green I can find into a Vitamix smoothie; I dump turmeric on all my tofu spinach dinners, and I cut back on meat, bread, sugar, and dairy. It’s the only way, though I’m still amazed how fast I rebound after a week of diet change, which gives me hope I’m only shaving off years and not decades.
 
You can connect with Lauren on Instagram @chasingthevine Twitter @chasingthevine and at Wine Enthusiast.