Melissa Hartwig, Founder of Whole30, on Addiction and How Hitting Rock Bottom Inspired an International Health Movement

Melissa Hartwig is the creator of one of the most successful diets of all time, Whole30. Chances are you or someone you know has tried Whole30, with the goals of increasing energy, losing weight, and improving health but also to cut the damaging emotional ties we all hold with food. What started as a husband-and-wife experiment quickly became an international movement that has spawned a mega-successful website, three best-selling books, numerous must-follow social media accounts, and more. Melissa is known as the super-fit poster child for the Whole30 lifestyle, displaying the kind of positive, entrepreneurial, and vibrant life that so many of us aspire to lead. However, many people are unaware of the fact that Melissa’s interest in health started after she hit rock bottom as a heroin and ecstasy addict who spent all day, every day, using. In this episode, Melissa shares her untold story for the first time, touching on everything from the trauma that started her drug problem to her divorce, the creation of Whole30, and her life as a thriving single mom who has positively affected millions. To contact Jason with comments, questions, or speaker ideas, please e-mail podcast@mindbodygreen.com. For all sponsorship inquiries, please e-mail sales@mindbodygreen.com. Want to join our podcast newsletter? Sign up here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices