This Leesburg, Va., couple are a Jack (food photography is one of his skills) and Jill (she’s a registered dietitian nutritionist, among other roles) of healthy, satisfying culinary trades via OhCarlene (carlenethomas.com). They’re hungry to pen a book too.
Shot on location at Birkby House, Leesburg, Va.
You will find me exercising… Carlene: on our Peloton with Cody Rigsby’s ’90s playlist classes. Chris: by renovating [our] house. I think of it as functional wellness.
My go-to superfood is… Carlene: salt. It makes everything taste better, including the vegetables you hate. Chris: ginger.
I swear by… Carlene: anything the Follain team recommends for my natural makeup/skin routine. They do the heavy lifting [by] finding the best of each line. Chris: a face mist in the morning to help wake up, and I’m comfortable sharing that.
My dream wellness retreat is… Carlene: a culinary and wine tour of New Zealand with lots of hiking—with extra wine stops in Marlborough. Chris: a standard vacation. Since we don’t have kids, that includes limited technology and lots of food.
My three tips for maintaining a healthier life are… Carlene: have support; find your why; know that every decision has a factor of price, quality and time, and you’ll have to sacrifice one. Chris: marry a dietitian; cook more at home; surround yourself with positive people you enjoy.
When we want to escape, we go to… Carlene: St. Thomas. We can sit on the beach and do nothing. Chris: St. Thomas or Glenstone Museum. It restricts the amount of foot traffic for a better experience.
Photography by: Greg Powers
