“You look great. Have you lost a lot of weight?” At a recent wine dinner in Italy, a colleague blurted this out in front of a dozen people. A compliment yes, but clumsily uttered in front of old and new business associates is not usually how one wishes to receive it.
I spend a quarter of the year on the road. My job as a wine educator, judge, publisher, and Master of Wine student requires I eat and drink for a living — a lot. Even with the best of intentions, getting to a gym is tough when I’m on someone else’s schedule from dawn to dusk, or in a tiny hamlet in Italy that, while charming, has never seen a treadmill in its 600 years of existence.
A few years ago, that lifestyle caught up with me. I was traveling constantly, exercising less, and eating more than I should. My waistline expanded, my energy dropped, and a health scare forced me to take stock. For the first time, I realized I couldn’t keep going the way I had been.
Over the last two years, I have dropped over twenty pounds without GLP-1s, fad diets, or quick-fix drugs. Industry friends who’ve known me for more than a decade noticed the change and started asking for my method. The truth is that, despite the glamorous appearance of this career path, many people working in the wine and hospitality businesses struggle with their health and weight. Many also struggle with addiction.
So, while this has been a deeply personal journey — and not one I ever thought I’d share publicly — I realized my story might help others facing similar challenges.
Through trial, error, and research, I’ve landed on a formula that works for me: fasting, weight training, and a nutritional shake.
(This is not medical advice. Fasting is not suitable for everyone. Please speak with your doctor if you have concerns about your health and the best practices to address them.)
My Backstory
It all started with a health scare.
About two years ago, I developed muscle twitches in my arms and then my legs. I went to a neurologist who sent me to multiple doctors. It took a year and many medical bills to solve it. Initially, ALS and other degenerative neurological disorders were discussed—potential diagnoses that will scare you straight.
Through a battery of tests, doctors discovered my symptoms derived from nutrient depletion. I wasn’t absorbing vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from my food. The root cause: a relatively benign but incurable condition that had led to a significant B-12 and other vitamin deficiencies.
The diagnosis coincided with another reality: I was entering midlife, a stage when women naturally lose muscle mass and shifting hormones make weight harder to manage, particularly around the abdomen. Even with years of exercise behind me, belly fat had become resistant in a way it hadn’t before.
Months of hand-wringing and late-night research down dark rabbit holes led me to my current 3-part regimen and one I’ve been able to stick to easily.
Fasting
While researching ways to improve my health without committing to lifelong daily caloric restriction, I came across a DIY five-day “fasting-with-food” protocol. The idea is to eat a mix of soups, bars, and other lighter foods with a vitamin supplement. Delivering the right balance of micro- and macronutrients in the foods helps the body believe it’s fasting while still receiving some fuel.
The reason users continue with this form of fasting is that it actually allows for light bites. Having a small bowl of soup helps establish a normal eating routine. Imagine attempting a water fast while your family enjoys lunch and dinner in front of you; this scenario illustrates why the failure rate for food-free fasting is high.
I tried it for three months, which is the recommended duration to observe changes in bloodwork. I had a reduction in key health markers such as blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, and inflammation.
Studies suggest it can improve insulin sensitivity and potentially lower risk factors for chronic disease at a cellular level. Recent research suggests fasting can reduce prediabetes markers and signs of aging by 2.5 years.
Then, I pivoted to a 16:8 routine for maintenance and have kept the weight off and my bloodwork healthy.
That being said, extended fasting can lead to nutrient deficiencies, a problem I already had, so I needed to counter my program with an all-in-one shake that was not only nutrient dense but also rich in fiber, protein, and even digestive enzymes.
Nutritional Shake
The next piece of my formula is a whole body meal shake. After my health diagnosis, I became more conscious of how often I was likely missing out on nourishing food both on the road and between fasts. Long flights, wine dinners, and time zone changes don’t add up to a balanced diet, and grabbing whatever was available only compounded the problem.
I’ve tried enough powders to know that most of them focus on just one thing—protein, greens, or probiotics. That leaves gaps and, frankly, it makes it more confusing to organize your daily meals around.
The one I use now, Ka’Chava, was designed to close those gaps in a single shake. Each serving delivers 25 grams of plant protein, 6 grams of fiber, plus adaptogens, probiotics, omega-3s, and 26 essential vitamins and minerals — in total, 85+ superfoods, nutrients, and plant-based ingredients. For me, it quickly replenishes and keeps me consistent when travel makes healthy eating harder.
I don’t use it as a daily meal replacement, but I rely on it in specific situations: early flights when airport food means a muffin at best, days when wine judging pushes lunch to 4 p.m., or evenings when I want something quick post-gym that isn’t another restaurant meal. When I’m home, I’ll get creative and add in frozen fruit and fresh greens. On the road, I just mix it with water. It’s easy to stick a few packets in my luggage.
My standbys are chocolate and vanilla, but I recently tried the new strawberry flavor, which tastes like a childhood milkshake. My favorite indulgence is chocolate blended with peanut butter, coconut milk, and a banana — it tastes like a peanut butter cup milkshake.
What I like about Ka’Chava is that it wasn’t created as “just another meal replacement powder.” Founder Simon Malone built it out of his own search for balance. After years in the corporate grind, relying on convenience food left him depleted. He started experimenting with nutrient-dense whole foods like maca root, chia seeds, camu camu, and sacha inchi. Ka’Chava grew out of that personal exploration and reflects the idea that nutrition isn’t only about appearance, but also how resilient, focused, and energized we are day to day.
For me, it’s become one of the few habits I’ve stuck with: a safety net between fasts, a way to stay nourished through long travel days, and a small ritual that actually feels good to look forward to.
Weight Training
For years, I leaned heavily on cardio exercise because it felt easier. I’d always strength trained, but I got lazy about it. Then I developed plantar fasciitis, a foot injury that lingered for four years. Running was no longer an option, and the weight crept on. Ironically, I’d been ignoring the one form of exercise I could have intensified all along.
Starting in your thirties, human bodies lose 3–5% of muscle mass per decade unless they actively work to maintain it — a process called sarcopenia. Hormonal shifts, less activity, and changes in how our bodies use protein accelerate the decline. Less muscle means a slower metabolism, because muscle burns more calories at rest than fat.
But the benefits go beyond metabolism. Strength training supports bone density, balance, and joint health — key defenses against fractures and injuries later in life.
And strength training doesn’t require a full gym. Free weights, resistance bands, kettlebells, or even bodyweight exercises like push-ups and squats all count. I even pack resistance bands in my luggage for a few quick exercises in the morning. They’re light as a feather and every gram counts when pesky airlines staff decide to weigh your luggage.
What matters is working both upper and lower body consistently. A balanced approach supports posture, prevents injuries, and makes everyday movement easier (creaky knees!). If you’re new, a few sessions with a trainer are worth it to get form right before continuing on your own.
It doesn’t take hours a day either. Two to three 30–45 minute sessions a week are enough to see change, especially when paired with good nutrition.
Since I committed to weights, fasting, and supplement shakes, my plantar fasciitis has finally resolved. I can’t prove one caused the other—correlation is not causation—but my health improved dramatically and the injury hasn’t returned. Another benefit of weight training in middle age: toning muscle is one of the most effective ways to keep skin looking firm, a concern no amount of expensive creams will fix.
On the Road Again
I didn’t set out to reinvent my health routine, but my 3-part program has worked in a way nothing else did. After years of colleagues asking for tips, I’ve finally written it down.
This is not medical advice, and it may not work for everyone, but it’s the formula that has kept me on track through constant travel and the realities of midlife.
Indeed, I write this mid-flight after a week of wine judging and carb-loading on khikali and khachapuri in Tbilisi, Georgia. Looking forward to my Ka’Chava choco shake and getting back in the gym this week.