Melissa Urban

Melissa Urban

Melissa Urban is an 8x New York Times bestselling author (including the instant bestseller, The New Whole30) who specializes in helping people establish healthy boundaries and successfully navigate habit change. She has been featured by the New York Times, People, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Today Show, and Good Morning America, and is a prominent keynote speaker on boundaries, building community, health trends, and entrepreneurship. She lives in Salt Lake City, UT with her husband, son, and two rescue doodles.
By Author

Articles/Recipes


Whole30 Air Fryer Scotch Eggs Blog Hero
  • Appetizers and Snacks
  • Breakfast
  • Recipes
Whole30 Air Fryer Scotch Eggs with Braised Spinach and Harissa Dipping Sauce
This is one protein-packed breakfast!
Dear Melissa—Melissa Urban wearing a light blue jean top and darker blue jeans, cooking on a wooden table top, and smiling at the camera.
July 29, 2024, 3:42 pm
  • Dear Melissa
Dear Melissa, has the Whole30 gone soft? I miss your tough love.
Dear Melissa, You’ve talked about how the voice, tone, and language in The New Whole30 has evolved over the years. I appreciate that you’ve...
Plant-Based Chorizo Stir-Fry Over Cauliflower Grits Recipe Hero
Plant-Based Chorizo Stir-Fry Over Cauliflower Grits
This Plant-Based Chorizo Stir-Fry Over Cauliflower Grits is for lovers of heat, with just the right amount of spice to light up your taste buds.
A female dietitian sitting in her office, working on her laptop.
July 11, 2024, 3:00 am
  • Whole30
Elimination diets, privilege, and the Whole30
One of the most common criticisms I hear about the Whole30 is that an elimination and reintroduction program like ours should only be prescribed...
Can Kids Do a Whole30?
July 9, 2024, 3:00 am
  • Diet and Nutrition
  • Whole30
Can your kids do a Whole30 with you?
Many parents consider bringing their kids along on their Whole30 journey in an effort to make meal planning easier, introduce more whole foods into...
June 27, 2024, 1:02 pm
Kombucha on the Whole30
Kombucha—a fermented tea—is a delicious beverage that may add some probiotic benefits to your already healthy Whole30 diet. But "Is kombucha Whole30-compatible?" isn't the...
The Plant-Based Whole30
June 18, 2024, 12:41 pm
The New Whole30: Find your best approach to plant-based eating
I distinctly remember the first time I was introduced to the Impossible Burger. It was  March 2019, and I was walking the floor at...
The New Whole30
June 13, 2024, 1:45 pm
  • Whole30
The Evolution of Whole30: Embracing Flexibility and Inclusivity
In 2014, when I was writing The Whole30, I was quietly separating from my marriage, parenting a one-year-old, and running a business. My self-talk...
Dear Melissa—Melissa Urban wearing a light blue jean top and darker blue jeans, cooking on a wooden table top, and smiling at the camera.
June 4, 2024, 6:42 pm
  • Dear Melissa
  • Food Freedom
  • Troubleshooting
Dear Melissa: My Food Freedom Plan When I’m Home Alone
Dear Melissa, My husband is away for work often, and being home alone for days on end makes my Food Freedom plan go right...
Dear Melissa—Melissa Urban wearing a light blue jean top and darker blue jeans, cooking on a wooden table top, and smiling at the camera.
May 14, 2024, 11:22 am
  • Dear Melissa
Dear Melissa and Friends: Fueling Good Energy and Metabolic Health with Dr. Casey Means
In this special Dear Melissa & Friends, Whole30 CEO Melissa Urban chats with Casey Means MD, co-founder of Levels Health and author of the...
Dear Melissa—Melissa Urban wearing a light blue jean top and darker blue jeans, cooking on a wooden table top, and smiling at the camera.
April 30, 2024, 2:20 pm
  • Dear Melissa
Can I have dessert on the Whole30?
Dear Melissa, do “desserts” made of fruit go against the spirit of the Whole30? Would you say it’s a bad idea to combine fruit...
Dear Melissa—Melissa Urban wearing a light blue jean top and darker blue jeans, cooking on a wooden table top, and smiling at the camera.
April 17, 2024, 10:05 am
  • Dear Melissa
Dear Melissa, can I do a modified Whole30?
“Hey Melissa—can I do the Whole30, but modify it?” —Love, so many people on Reddit Dear Reddit (and everyone else), I get some version of...
Dear Melissa—Melissa Urban wearing a light blue jean top and darker blue jeans, cooking on a wooden table top, and smiling at the camera.
March 28, 2024, 1:20 pm
  • Dear Melissa
Building Healthy Habits into Your Weekend Routine
My husband and I have weekend "treat days" that include large amounts of alcohol, candy, chips, fast food, and bonding.
February 15, 2024, 12:20 pm
  • Food Freedom
  • Reintroduction
3 Tips for Transitioning from Whole30 Reintroduction into Food Freedom
Congratulations, Whole30 alumni! You’ve completed 30 days of elimination, checked off a whole host of Non-Scale Victories, and worked through your carefully planned reintroduction...
Dear Melissa—Melissa Urban wearing a light blue jean top and darker blue jeans, cooking on a wooden table top, and smiling at the camera.
February 14, 2024, 6:00 pm
  • Dear Melissa
Embracing Change with The New Whole30
Your flagship book, The Whole30, came out in April 2015—almost nine years ago. Have you thought about updating that book, and if so, what...
Whole30 Reintroduction: Four Common Mistakes
January 30, 2024, 12:03 pm
  • Reintroduction
Don’t make these 4 reintroduction mistakes
Congratulations on finishing your Whole30 elimination phase! You feel better than ever and secure in your new healthy habits, but are still excited to...
Dear Melissa—Melissa Urban wearing a light blue jean top and darker blue jeans, cooking on a wooden table top, and smiling at the camera.
January 25, 2024, 11:36 am
  • Dear Melissa
How to deal with stress beyond food
Dear Melissa, I just finished my January Whole30, and I feel amazing! I have more energy, my skin is glowing, I’m no longer bloated all...
January 24, 2024, 12:00 pm
  • Reintroduction
How to prepare for Whole30 reintroduction
The 30-day elimination phase of the Whole30 gets a lot of attention. It is called the Whole30, after all, and participants and the media...