Do The Thing, with Whole30's Melissa Urban
41 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 1.3K ratingsEating healthier, exercising, setting boundaries, managing your money, recovering from addiction, healing from trauma, eliminating toxic relationships...we all have a thing we've been working on, but despite our best intentions, we just can't make it stick. This new podcast from Melissa Hartwig Urban, Whole30 co-founder and #1 New York Times best-selling author, explores what’s been missing every time you’ve tried to do the thing, so you can finally change the pattern and level up for good.
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Episodes
Hypothangry | Dr. Vickie Bhatia
August 18, 2020 07:00 - 40 minutes - 27.6 MBHypothangry: Imagining a hypothetical confrontation, then playing out the fight you’d hypothetically have with that person inside your own brain. Fantasy fights are often conducted with loved ones or friends, but can occur with total strangers. (See: “hypothetically angry,” the cousin-once-removed of “rehearsing disaster.”) Today, licensed clinical psychologist and Whole30 Certified Coach Dr. Vickie Bhatia comes back to the podcast to unpack why we create hypothetical situations in our head a...
Concussion 101 | Dr. Molly Parker
August 11, 2020 07:00 - 41 minutes - 28.9 MBI got a concussion in December 2018. It took me 15 months to recover, and the symptoms still come up to this day when I’m stressed, flying, or in a hot tub. I knew nothing about concussions, and certainly didn’t expect depression, panic attacks, skittering vision, or debilitating exhaustion. By the time I was finally diagnosed, I was terrified, confused, and felt very alone. Some of my earliest reassurance was @mollyparkerpt’s Instagram page. It was a treasure trove of concussion information,...
The Morning Routine | Just Melissa
August 04, 2020 07:00 - 47 minutes - 32.3 MBMy morning routine is nothing short of sacred, gifting me calm, grounded energy, a happier mood, and improved stress resilience as I move throughout my day. In this episode, I’ll share the history of my mornings, starting twenty years ago fresh out of rehab right up through today, working around parenting and COVID. I’ll detail what, how, and why I do what I do each morning, how to identify pain points in your own mornings, and share a dozen practical tips for crafting your own morning routin...
Tell Me About Yourself | Holley M. Kholi-Murchison
July 28, 2020 07:00 - 42 minutes - 29.1 MBHolley M. Kholi-Murchison (she/her) is an entrepreneur committed to shaping the future of work and learning for evolving professionals. She teaches and coaches through her communication studio Oratory Glory, and is a founding partner at HOLI. Brands, a think tank that prepares people from historically-marginalized communities to self-actualize. In this episode, we’ll discuss Holley’s book, Tell Me About Yourself, and why most of us suck at creating accurate and artful responses to this common...
Slip into Something Less Comfortable | Scott Carney
July 07, 2020 07:00 - 50 minutes - 34.7 MBScott Carney (he/him) is an investigative journalist, anthropologist, and the author of my cold shower bible, What Doesn’t Kill Us, and his new book, The Wedge. In this episode, Scott explains that, thanks in large part to technology, we’re all a little TOO comfortable, and it’s making us sick, weak, and fragile. By adding sensation variability to his own life (in the form of ice baths and Wim Hof breathing techniques), Scott developed superhuman levels of endurance and quieted a persistent a...
Summer Hiking 101 | Kristen Bor
June 30, 2020 07:00 - 50 minutes - 34.5 MBIf you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know I am a voracious hiker. I love inspiring you to get out on your local trails, but I often hear the idea of hiking is intimidating, and you’re not sure where to start. In this episode, my friend and outdoor adventurist Kristen Bor of Bearfoot Theory will walk you through your next hike start to finish, based on the way I plan and prepare for a day on the trail. We’ll cover finding the right trail for your hiking goals, how to dress, how to pack, what ...
Cold Showers with Ed Sheeran | Just Melissa
June 23, 2020 07:00 - 46 minutes - 32.3 MBIn this Just Melissa episode, I share all the details of yet another self-experiment with life-changing results—cold showers. When I vowed to take a freezing cold shower every day for 30 days in February 2020, I hoped they would be the missing factor in finally overcoming my health challenges. What I never expected is how much I’d grow to love them, and how much they'd play a major role in my self-care during the pandemic. Today, I’ll dive into the research that led me down this path, what th...
I Am Racist | Just Melissa
June 16, 2020 07:00 - 46 minutes - 32.1 MBI’ve been on hiatus for several months now, and I’m not exactly tiptoeing back in, #blacklivesmatter. I’m also going to say the word “racist” a lot. If that makes you uncomfortable, this episode is definitely for you. Today, I’m talking to my white listeners about my own anti-racism work, through the lens of the Four Question framework of Byron Katie. The Four Questions have been helping me identify stressful thoughts and move past them into growth and action for more than five years. In this...
Your Path to Effective Trauma Therapy | Dr. Nicole LePera
January 28, 2020 08:00 - 48 minutes - 33.5 MBDr. Nicole LePera (she/her), also known as The Holistic Psychologist, is the founder of the Mindful Healing Center in Philadelphia, and trained in clinical psychology at Cornell University and the New School. In this episode, Dr. LePera breaks down the various forms of trauma therapy for the body and mind, sharing the practices that have proven the most effective. She’ll cover what trauma is (hint: it’s far more extensive than just the “Big-T” experiences like assault or abuse), how trauma a...
How to Not Drink | Just Melissa
January 21, 2020 08:00 - 46 minutes - 31.9 MBIn this Just Melissa episode, I’m helping you navigate the questions, peer pressure, and social challenges that may arise when you commit to a sober lifestyle, do a Whole30, or take on an “I’m not drinking right now” experiment. I’ll share how to say no gracefully when offered a drink; how to handle questions like “why aren’t you drinking” or statements like “you’re no fun;” and how to respond to peer pressure in a firm but polite way. I also cover how to adjust your social circle, plan event...
Fix Your Gut | Dr. Michael Ruscio
January 14, 2020 08:00 - 48 minutes - 33.3 MBDr. Michael Ruscio (he/him) is a Northern California-based clinical researcher, functional medicine practitioner, and author of Healthy Gut, Healthy You. He’s also the guy I text when I’m having trouble with MY digestion. In this episode Michael breaks down the what, why, and how-to of gut health—what it means, how it gets messed up in the first place, and what you can do right now to fix it. We’ll cover the unexpected ways issues in the gut can manifest in the body (insomnia, anxiety, thyroi...
My Own Worst Enemy | Nedra Glover Tawwab
January 07, 2020 08:00 - 43 minutes - 30 MBNedra Glover Tawwab (she/her) is a licensed clinical social worker and founder of the North Caroline-based Kaleidoscope Counseling. In this episode, Nedra and I dig deep into the subject of self-sabotage—where despite all our good intentions, we are our own worst enemy. In her trademark no-nonsense style, Nedra goes straight to the root and demystifies these tendencies, sharing where self-sabotage starts, how to spot the trend in your own life, and small shifts you can make right this moment ...
The Work of Byron Katie | Just Melissa
December 31, 2019 08:00 - 39 minutes - 27 MBIn this Just Melissa episode, I walk you through a session of The Work (Byron Katie’s approach to questioning stressful thoughts) done with my own therapist after I sustained a concussion in December 2018. My accident left my physically incapable of doing everything that made me “me”—going to the gym, hiking, reading, working, socializing—and brought on a bout of depression and a crisis of self-worth and value. Through this intimate retelling, I’ll show you how I used The Work to question my ...
Habit Level: Atomic | James Clear
December 24, 2019 08:00 - 48 minutes - 33.3 MBJames Clear (he/him) is a writer and speaker focused on habits, decision-making, and continuous improvement, and the author of the international best-selling book, Atomic Habits, which has sold more than 1 million copies worldwide. In this episode, James breaks down the science of habit into practical, actionable steps to help you shift from feeling stuck to doing the thing, whether you’re trying to start something new or break a pattern that isn’t serving you. He’ll explain his two minute ha...
What is the Whole30, from Co-Founder MU | Just Melissa
December 17, 2019 08:00 - 43 minutes - 29.7 MBYou’ve probably heard of the Whole30 by now. Maybe you’ve thought about doing one yourself, heard rave reviews from a friend, or read about it in your favorite magazine. Now, you’ll hear for yourself how the Whole30 really can change your life in 30 days, and how to get started with your own Whole30 transformation. In today’s episode, Whole30 co-founder and CEO Melissa Urban explains the program in her own words, including the Whole30’s inception in 2009, and the unexpected life-changing resu...
Whole30 Friends & Family | Just Melissa
October 15, 2019 07:00 - 41 minutes - 28.9 MBIn this “Dear Melissa” episode, Melissa (she/her) celebrates the release of her new book, The Whole30 Friends and Family, by answering listener questions about talking to friends and family about food in a way that brings you closer together, not further apart. Melissa helps you craft your Whole30 elevator speech, hold your boundaries in social situations, and respond to defensiveness or criticism about your “weird diet” gracefully. She also explains how to navigate dinner invitations while o...
Making Social Media a Happy Place | Just Melissa
October 08, 2019 07:00 - 35 minutes - 24.5 MBIn this Just Melissa episode, I’m sharing five strategies I’ve used over the years to create a healthy, boundaried, positive relationship with social media. It’s not always easy to feel like your Instagram feed is a happy place. All too often, our engagement on social media makes us feel anxious and less-than; powerless against what pops up in our feed or alerts. If you’re a slave to the ping, can’t stop mindlessly scrolling, get stuck in the comparison trap, or feel like your social media co...
Food, Recipes, and Cultural Appreciation | Celeste Noche
October 01, 2019 07:00 - 34 minutes - 23.8 MBCeleste Noche (she/her) is an editorial and documentary photographer based between Portland, Oregon and San Francisco, CA. Through her photos of food, travel, and portraits, she advocates for diversity and inclusivity, seeking to share stories of underrepresented communities. In this episode, Celeste and I discuss the difference between cultural appropriation and appreciation when it comes to food and recipes. We give examples from her home city of Portland, why working to identify and correc...
Crying in Yoga | Jessamyn Stanley
September 24, 2019 07:00 - 51 minutes - 35.2 MBJessamyn Stanley is an award-winning yoga instructor, intersectional activist, and author of 'Every Body Yoga.' She broke boundaries for plus size bodies with her February 2019 cover of Yoga Journal, and speaks across the country, advocating for body acceptance, female empowerment, and African American and LGBTQ inclusion. In this episode, we talk about why stillness is undervalued in today's modern world, why yoga is so impactful for releasing stored trauma and pain, and why pigeon pose make...
Going to #Church | Just Melissa
September 17, 2019 07:00 - 33 minutes - 23 MBIn this Just Melissa episode, I answer one of your most commonly asked questions on Instagram: Why do you call the mountains “church?” I explain my relationship with God/the Universe/Mother Nature; the moment the Utah mountains became my church; and how everyone can find the same kind of connection and guidance in nature, regardless of your spirituality (or lack thereof). Maintaining this theme, I go on to share a story of a recent hike; a 10-miler in the pouring rain. Not so much church, thi...
#mindright | Todd McCullough
September 10, 2019 07:00 - 38 minutes - 26.6 MBTodd McCullough (he/him) is the founder of TMAC Fitness and creator of the TMAC20 program, offering 20 minute no-equipment workouts for everyone from beginners to elite athletes. He’s also one of my closest friends. In this episode (recorded in my kitchen), Todd shares the background and how-to of his four-part “mindright” meditation practice. He’ll explain how football injuries and a cold ocean led him to meditation; Melissa talks about the first moment she realized mindright was magic; and ...
Talking to Strangers | Just Melissa
September 03, 2019 07:00 - 31 minutes - 22 MBIn this Just Melissa episode, I explore my “Melissa talks to strangers” experiment from 2013, the unexpected impact this simple practice has had on every area of my life, and how I've turned these initially awkward efforts into an easy, fulfilling daily habit. I’ll share how you can transform normally mundane social exchanges into meaningful encounters that can spark joy, spread happiness, and leave you feeling more present and connected; provide tips for starting your own talking-to-stranger...
Coach Me Through the Whole30 | Jacob Henriquez
August 27, 2019 07:00 - 44 minutes - 30.5 MBJacob Henriquez is the Atlanta-based 2019 Whole30 Certified Coach of the Year, and Community Manager for Whole30 Approved brand The New Primal. Jacob specializes in motivation and creating self-accountability, and runs an ongoing LGBTQ+ Whole30 Support Group.In today’s episode, we’re both here to help you crack the code to a successful Whole30, going beyond the advice in my books. We share our best insider tips for all phases of the Whole30, including planning and preparing, socializing, navi...
There’s a Crystal in my Bra Right Now | Magdalena McClellan
August 20, 2019 07:00 - 41 minutes - 28.3 MBMagdalena McClellan (she/her) helps you redirect your current life course to health, happiness and spiritual fulfillment through her intuitive gifts and various energy modalities. She uses crystals and their properties as tools to help clients to tap into their truth, heal from past hurts, move toward energetic balance, and find deeper purpose. In today’s episode, I open the discussion exploring how to respectfully appreciate these traditions and practices brought to us from other cultures wi...
The Truth About Divorce | Drew Manning
August 13, 2019 07:00 - 41 minutes - 28.8 MBDrew Manning (he/him) is the New York Times best-selling author of Fit2Fat2Fit: The Unexpected Lessons from Gaining and Losing 75 lbs on Purpose, and the author of Complete Keto, which helps people achieve a complete transformation using a ketogenic approach. He’s known for his straightforward and empathetic fitness and health coaching, and has been a close personal friend of mine for years. In today’s discussion, we’re talking about how we each navigated our very public divorces. Today, we'l...
Lessons from a Recovering Perfectionist | Dr. Vickie Bhatia
August 06, 2019 07:00 - 39 minutes - 27.3 MBDr. Vickie Bhatia (she/her) is a licensed clinical psychologist and Whole30 Certified Coach who helps her patients improve mood, overcome fear and anxiety, increase self-worth and connection, and handle emotions in a healthy way. She’s also a self-proclaimed recovering perfectionist—something we have in common. I used to think about perfectionism as one of my best personality traits. So why did striving for perfection feel so lonely, painful, and exhausting? Today we discuss the dark side of ...
How I Bomb-Proofed my Self-Confidence | Just Melissa
July 30, 2019 07:00 - 36 minutes - 25.4 MBIn this “Just Melissa” episode, Melissa (she/her) goes back nearly 20 years, sharing how a decade of reliance on external validation to fill her up left her feeling empty and unworthy. With the help of her therapist and a tool she calls the “Self-Review,” she was finally able break out of this cycle, and feel confident in her own worth and value. Melissa outlines the specific “Self-Review” process her therapist taught her, shares how she uses the practice in her own life, and walks you throug...
104 Things You Can Do for Depression NOW | Dr. Ellen Vora
July 23, 2019 07:00 - 45 minutes - 31.3 MBDr. Ellen Vora (she/her) is a board-certified psychiatrist, medical acupuncturist, and yoga teacher who takes a functional medicine approach to mental health. Today’s discussion is a treasure trove of practical, no-cost actions you can take NOW to improve symptoms of depression without pharmaceutical intervention. From diet to sleep, time in nature to breathwork, tapping to Reiki, Dr. Vora empowers you to see how just a few small habit changes can make a huge difference in your mental health....
Still Not Drinking Right Now + The Judgment Backpack | Just Melissa
July 16, 2019 07:00 - 31 minutes - 21.5 MBIn this two-part episode, Melissa (she/her) gives an update on her ten-month “I’m not drinking right now” experiment, sharing all of the surprising ways that not drinking alcohol has positively impacted her life, and why she’s still not calling herself “sober.” She also explores part two of the “judgment” discussion from Episode 10, providing a framework to help you see other people’s judgment in a different way, and teaching you how to drop it for good.Continue the conversation with me @meli...
Setting Boundaries and Navigating the Feel-Bads | Dr. Nicole LePera
July 09, 2019 07:00 - 44 minutes - 30.8 MBDr. Nicole LePera (she/her) is a holistic psychologist and founder of the Mindful Healing Center in Philadelphia; and trained in clinical psychology at Cornell University and the New School. Today, we talk all things boundaries: what they are, why we need them, how to set them, and how to hold them. We also share stories from our own lives that illustrate why setting boundaries is so darn hard, what a truly effective boundary sounds like, and Nicole’s number one tip for keeping all of your re...
Imposter Syndrome + What Judgment is Really About | Just Melissa
July 02, 2019 07:00 - 35 minutes - 24.6 MBIn this two-part episode, Melissa (she/her) talks about imposter syndrome: the behaviors she’s noticed contributing to this feeling in her own life, and her own practical tips to keep imposter syndrome at bay. She also talks about how to stop being so judgmental of others, and offers three concrete strategies for rewiring your brain out of the habit of judgment and back onto the path of your highest self. Continue the conversation with me @melissa_hartwig on Instagram. If you have a question...
Cooking, Kids, and Keeping it Simple | Michelle Tam
June 25, 2019 07:00 - 37 minutes - 25.6 MBMichelle Tam (she/her) is the creator of the Saveur Award winning food blog Nom Nom Paleo. After leaving her job as a night shift pharmacist to found her blog, Michelle went on to author two New York Times best-selling cookbooks and produced a Webby-award winning cooking app with her husband, Henry Fong. She’s also been a friend since 2009, when Paleo meant eating like a caveman and making your own mayo was a regular occurrence. Today, we’ll talk about how she got into Paleo and her time on t...
Your Budget is your Baby | Tiffany Aliche
June 18, 2019 07:00 - 35 minutes - 24.2 MBTiffany Aliche (she/her), also known as the Budgetnista, is one of America's favorite personal financial educators, and specializes in empowering women to create, implement, and automate their personalized financial freedom plan. Her LIVE RICHER Challenge movement has helped over 700,000 women from 100+ countries, by inspiring and empowering them to achieve their financial goals. Today, we’ll discuss why we have such a hard time talking about money, why your singular focus on getting debt-fre...
Saying No to Social Invites + Your Self-Care Love Language + Recovering from Food Freedom Fumbles | Just Melissa
June 11, 2019 07:00 - 31 minutes - 21.5 MBIn this three-part episode, Melissa (she/her) explores whether you really have to say yes to that social invitation (especially if you don’t want to), how your love language can shine a light on the most effective self-care practices for you, and how to recover from a food freedom fumble without doing another Whole30. Continue the conversation with me @melissa_hartwig on Instagram. If you have a question for Dear Melissa or a topic idea for the show, leave me a voicemail at (321) 209-1480. Do...
You Need a Side Hustle (Here’s How) | Chris Guillebeau
June 04, 2019 07:00 - 29 minutes - 20.5 MBChris Guillebeau (he/his) is a New York Times best-selling author, lifetime entrepreneur, and the host of the Side Hustle School podcast. In his new book, 100 Side Hustles: Unexpected Ideas for Making Extra Money Without Quitting Your Day Job, Chris shares stories of regular people with jobs, responsibilities, and busy lives, who start moneymaking projects in their limited time. In today’s podcast, he’ll share why you (yes, you!) need a side hustle, tricks to help you target potential opportu...
Build a Life You Don’t Want to Escape From | Holly Whitaker
May 28, 2019 07:00 - 31 minutes - 21.7 MBHolly Whitaker (she/her), is the founder of Tempest, Inc., a digital platform for the treatment and support of alcohol mis-users. She believes recovery isn’t about discipline, willpower, or even abstaining, but building a life you don’t want to escape from. Today, we’ll discuss her own experience with alcohol and recovery, the problems with how drinking is portrayed in the media and pop culture, my own “I’m not drinking right now” experiment, and how you can explore your relationship with alc...
Navigating Depression as a Couple | Brandon Talbot
May 21, 2019 07:00 - 37 minutes - 26 MBBrandon Talbot (he/his) is a former professional volleyball player, NASM Master Trainer, and jiu-jitsu competitor. He’s also my boyfriend, and one of more than 16 million Americans living with depression. In this intimate conversation, we examine the effect depression has had on his life and career as an athlete, the tactics he uses today to pull himself back into the light, how I’ve navigated discussions around his suicidal thoughts, and how best to support your loved ones during their dark ...
Whole30 and Weight Loss + Rehearsing Disaster + “Are You Pregnant?” | Just Melissa
May 14, 2019 07:00 - 31 minutes - 21.5 MBIn this three-part episode, Melissa (she/her) explains whether staying on the Whole30 longer than 30 days is the way to achieve additional weight loss goals, how mentally “rehearsing for disasters” when you find things going well in your life can backfire so hard, and how to gracefully but firmly respond to people asking if you’re pregnant because you turned down a drink. Continue the conversation with me @melissa_hartwig on Instagram. If you have a question for Dear Melissa or a topic idea f...
How to Keto (The Right Way) | Dr. Will Cole
May 07, 2019 07:00 - 37 minutes - 26.1 MBDr. Will Cole (he/his) is a leading functional-medicine doctor, author, and ketogenic diet expert. Melissa and Dr. Cole talk about the history and modern applications of the ketogenic diet, examines why your individual goals, context, and health history must dictate the way you implement these principles; how to apply keto in the way that's right for you; and whether keto plus the Whole30 is a good fit. Continue the conversation with me @melissa_hartwig on Instagram. If you have a question f...
Hacking the Whole30 with the Four Tendencies | Gretchen Rubin
April 30, 2019 07:00 - 36 minutes - 24.8 MBGretchen Rubin (she/her) is a best-selling author, speaker, podcaster, and creator of the Four Tendencies framework. Melissa and Gretchen discuss the Four Tendencies (Upholder, Questioner, Obliger, and Rebel), how each tendency relates to inner and outer expectations, and how knowing your tendency can help you be more effective in changing any habit. They also break down how to approach the Whole30 for each archetype, so you can work with your tendency (not against it) to maximize Whole30 suc...
Coming Soon: Do the Thing with Whole30's Melissa Urban
April 17, 2019 15:10 - 1 minute - 1.19 MBJoin Melissa Hartwig Urban, Whole30 co-founder and best-selling author, with her brand new podcast, Do The Thing. Launching April 30th 2019.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices