Meet the Clarksville military wife whose wine workout video went viral
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Experts say a little exercise is good for the body while a little red wine is good for the heart. One local fitness enthusiast has found a way to enjoy both at the same time.
Megan Vaughan, a military wife in Clarksville, and her husband filmed a video of her doing tricep curls with a bottle of wine attached to the barbell. Each time she lifts the weight, the bottle is tipped to her mouth and she takes a sip.
The video has gone viral and has more than 36 millions views on Facebook and climbing.
A 'really scientific' process
The idea came when Vaughan and her husband, JB Vaughan, moved to Clarksville from Kansas in July. While unpacking, she came across the barbell and had the idea to fashion a bottle of wine to it.
The couple duct-taped an empty Merlot bottle to the barbell and carefully filled it with boxed wine for the correct weight and pour.
"I was just going to stick it on, but my husband said 'No we got to do it right,' so we got really scientific with it," she said, laughing.
The video was shared by UNILAD and since then, she has had press interviews from the DailyMail in England and a military spouse website.
"It's cool to see this happening because it's just a stupid idea, and my husband was totally thinking I was crazy for it, but we've been really lucky. It's fun — it's fun to watch."
A love for fitness and wine
Vaughan has made other funny wine workout videos, she said. She is a radio personality with two horses and a husky, and doesn't actually work out with alcohol and does not encourage people to do the same, she said. The videos are just for fun.
It all started a few years ago when a friend tagged her in a cartoon of a girl drinking wine and doing push-ups.
"And like a lightbulb went off in my head," she said.
She grabbed her husband to film a similar video, and it gained 27 million views. Vaughan said she knew she was onto something and kept making more. She has made six or seven so far, she said, but her barbell video was by far her most popular.
"I'm really into fitness - I always have been - but I also really love my wine," she said.
Reach Regional Feature News Reporter Anyssa Roberts at 931-217-1827 or aroberts2@gannett.com.