Feeding the Soul | How Melissa Urban Overcame Trauma and Drug Addiction to Help Others Live Their Healthiest Lives - Whole30

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Episode Description

Today, we sit down with Melissa Urban, co-founder and CEO of Whole30, a movement that promotes healthy dieting through a 30-day program cutting out foods such as grains, soy, legumes, and dairy. A 6 -time New York Times bestselling author, Melissa has been featured in the New York Times, People, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Dr. Oz, and Good Morning America. She was also ranked #19 on Greatist’s Top 100 Most Influential People in Health and Fitness.

After spending most of her 20s as an addict, Melissa turned her life around at 26. With the help of her personal trainer, she went on a 30-day diet which later inspired the start of Whole30. Since then, Melissa has been working to serve the needs of her community, focusing on helping people sustain their health for the long-term..

[trigger warning: sexual assault, drug addiction, self-harm]

Show Notes

02:27 A Vanilla Childhood: Melissa grew up in a traditional white, middle- class family with a devoutly Catholic stay-at-home mom. How did her mother’s sacrifices provide a picture-perfect childhood?
03:05 Food is Love: Melissa recalls the weekly food-filled gatherings at her grandparents’ house that exemplified the tight-knit, loving spirit of her large family. But how did her family fall short when it came to dealing with negative events?
05:47 Shattered Innocence: After experiencing grooming and sexual assault from one of her older family members, the innocent, naive disposition of Melissa’s sheltered childhood was completely shattered. How did this affect who she became in the following years?
13:22 Under Wraps: In the summer after senior year, Melissa finally opened up to her parents about the assault. How did she feel when their response mirrored the family’s practice of pushing on as if nothing was wrong?
20:52 Broken Identity: Coming into college, Melissa’s assault had taught her that her value was tied to her body. How did this mentality eventually push away those closest to her?
27:16 Numbing the Pain: How did Melissa’s infatuation with drugs impact her junior year of college?
31:36 Prisoner of Addiction: At this point, Melissa was no longer using drugs recreationally. They were now silent killers that had become her lifeline.
41:50 Divine Intervention: What cosmic revelation motivated Melissa to go to rehab, and how did that allow her to experience true happiness again?
47:30 Forging a New Path: Melissa knew that to maintain her recovery, she had to change. How did she foster and maintain healthy habits to resist against temptation and drug relapse?
51:54 Fit and Proud: As Melissa started building this new identity around her healthy habits, she developed a passion for cross fit. How did she become an outspoken and well-known member of the community?
55:15 Whole30: How did going to a seminar about the paleo diet inspire Melissa to start a 30 day nutritional experiment that eventually evolved into her Whole30 program?
1:00:00 All or Nothing: As Whole30 began picking up steam, Melissa knew she had to choose between the program and her 9 to 5. What gave her the confidence that Whole30 would be more than just a pipe dream?
1:01:48 It Starts With Food: As demand for Whole30 continued to climb, Melissa explains her decision to write her first book, which makes it to the New York Times bestseller list. How did the book help Whole30 expand its reach beyond the crossfit community?
1:06:00 Parting Words