April 13, 2025 • 37 mins
What happens when your body finally gets exactly what it needs? Melissa Bee’s journey from corporate burnout to vibrant health reveals the transformative power of the carnivore lifestyle. After developing debilitating tinnitus in 2010 and receiving a bleak medical outlook, Melissa refused to settle for a lifetime of medications. Her healing journey took a pivotal turn while prepping for a bikini bodybuilding competition, where a temporary shift in nutrition unlocked life-changing benefits that extended far beyond aesthetics. Now in her 40s, Melissa feels more energized and clear-headed than she did in her twenties, and she channels this vitality into coaching women facing autoimmune issues, hormone imbalances, and stubborn weight gain.
Through her coaching, she empowers clients to reclaim their health through proper nutrition, movement, and mindset. Melissa’s mission is clear: this isn’t about looking a certain way—it’s about feeling fully alive.
Follow her on Instagram @melissabe.au or join her next Carnivore Live event.
Carnivore Live - Melbourne 2025
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Today's guest is Melissa B.
Melissa comes to us fromAustralia.
She is dedicated to empoweringwomen to regrant in energy, lose
weight and live optimally.
She is active on social mediaand engages with the carnivore
community, shares insight andhosts discussions with experts
in the field.
Melissa, welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Tony, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
I'm super excited to have you on and share your story
of how you got into carnivore.
I was lucky enough to be on oneof your carnivore chats and
it's kind of how we connected.
But you've had some pretty bignames on there so far.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Yes, yes, I've.
I do have a really greatnetwork I'll just call them
friends now within the carnivorecommunity, through, you know,
just connections I've made, butalso the events that I hold.
So the beauty of the carnivorecommunity is that there's never
really any distance betweenpeople.
It's everyone just wants to beconnected with everybody, and I
(00:54):
think it's part of who we are interms of what we're here to do,
which is share our experienceswith others and empower people.
So, yeah, that's that's.
The beauty of these connectionsis that we come together, we
share our stories and then weempower other people, hopefully
to do the same.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Yeah, and a lot of the people that are on you know
your your chats, you know it'scrazy.
We think of these people, asyou know, rock stars in the
community, and all you got to dois send them a DM like, hey,
would you, would you like to beon a podcast or a live?
And they're like, yeah, sure,absolutely.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
They're really good like that.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Yeah, um, and speaking of uh stories, you know
, the big thing that I want totalk about, to get this kicked
off, is your story and what ledyou to the carnivore diet, you
know, and what changes uh didyou experience as you went
through this transition, youknow, physically and mentally.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yes, absolutely.
I always like to start back in2010, where I had a heap of
unrelated health issues that ledto me one day being at work and
my left ear starts ringing veryloudly.
It's very dizzy.
I had vertigo.
I was diagnosed afterwards withtinnitus a ringing in the ear
(02:09):
that never goes away.
I was told to take steroidnasal sprays and blood thinners
for the rest of my life andthere was nothing that could be
done for me, and I rememberwalking out of that meeting
saying to myself if my body hascreated this, then my body can
perhaps work at healing it.
And so it led me on a journey ofkind of health and
(02:32):
self-discovery to find the rightpeople to educate me really on
what was going on within my body, and I was just so out of
balance in so many ways that Ihad.
I was a big sugar eater, I waseating a lot of carbs, you know.
I would start the day I wasworking a stressful corporate
job in the city concrete jungle,fluoro lights and I would have
(02:56):
Red Bull and a packet of lolliesin the morning for breakfast.
So that's how I was starting myday, and so I had ignored all
the signs that my body wastrying to tell me that you're
just not treating me very well,and I ignored them all and then,
at its worst, my ear startsringing to get my attention and
so that kind of set me on thepath of right.
(03:16):
Well, what am I eating?
How am I living?
What products am I breathing in, putting on my body, having the
home, how am I thinking andfeeling?
What am I doing in my life?
That can either help or hinderhow I feel, and a lot of that,
you know, has to do with thechoices that we make every day
with regards to daily ritual.
(03:38):
You know, before I came on herebecause it's early here in
Australia, I went outside.
It's pretty dark at the moment,but you know, make sure I put
my bare feet on the ground, do alot of earthing and gratitude
in the morning, meditation,breath work.
So I wasn't aware of any ofthat before.
(03:58):
I found the right people tokind of introduce me to it, and
then I started practisingeverything, because when your
silence gets taken away from you, you pretty much want to do
anything to try and get it back,your silence.
So, yeah, I spent a year oflearning a heap of different
(04:19):
modalities, ways of living.
Back then it was more of apaleo diet, so you know, what I
wouldn't eat from that now isprobably rice, mainly rice, and
maybe some seeds as well.
But yeah, so I had a reallygreat result after 12 months of
dedicating time to healingmyself inside and out, and
(04:42):
through that process I lost alot of weight and I was feeling
great.
Yeah, and that's that's kind ofhow my events started.
Come back to events afterwards,but, and then I kind of had two
children, went off the wagon alittle bit, then I got divorced,
went through a couple of yearsof stressful times and and yeah,
(05:03):
I put all this weight back on,wasn't taking care of myself, I
was really just in survival mode.
And so I've just kind ofexplained to you my 20s and 30s
and got to 2020 and I decided,okay, everything's kind of
settled down in my life.
Now it's time to come back toself and, you know, just do
(05:26):
whatever I had done it in thepast which I had been successful
at, you know, especially tolose weight.
So I implemented all of themand I'm very kind of holistic, a
very conscious woman, and Ijust did all the things that I
thought would help me and theydid.
I lost, you know, a fair bit ofweight on my own and it set me
(05:47):
on the path.
And then I ended up meeting alocal PT and coach here who had
a certain program.
After I told him I'd lost someweight, and he's like you know
what?
You don't know what thisprogram could do for you, you
should try it.
And I'm like you know this isthe time for me.
And so I stepped into that kindof not knowing what I was
getting myself into.
And that's where I really goteducated and taught a lot about
(06:09):
keto and changed eating tomostly keto and then doing a lot
of um, well, doing regularweight training and and my body
just started to completelytransform.
Um, when your body transforms,I feel like you drop.
I think I dropped another 10kilos after that and you just
physically shed layers, whichalso then enables kind of like
(06:33):
emotional layers to come up andbe shed and you become a whole
new person, you know.
And so in my late, late 30s I'mnow 41, I started to feel like
an energy and a vibrancy andkind of living in a way I hadn't
lived before and that excitedme a lot.
And so to continue, because I'malways about self-improvement
(06:57):
and evolving as a person and I'mlike you know, I should maybe
try doing a bikini bodybuildingcompetition just for the fun of
it, to see how far I can takethis.
And, um, yeah, in 22, 2022.
Uh, I, I started prep for thatand just about four weeks out, I
(07:19):
was um, very sick with COVIDand I lost a couple weeks of
prep, which is not very goodwhen you're planning to get on
stage in a really tiny bikini.
And as I got better, my coachjust said you know, mel, and I
was very aware of carnivore atthat point because he made me
very aware of it.
I was doing a lot of researchinto it anyway.
So you should just jump oncarnivore now.
(07:40):
Like this is the time you gotto give it all you got.
I'm like, okay, fine, I'll giveit a shot.
So I did for four weeks andlike what it did to my body was
just amazing.
Like it, my body never lookedlike that ever.
But you know like aestheticallyit worked for what I was using
it for at the time.
But like, then I started to,once I started to kind of get
(08:02):
out of that um prep period, Irealized how amazing I felt and
that I was kind of living in anew way and and I knew that
whatever my body needed was inwhat I was eating and I didn't
really need to even go back toeating keto anymore.
Uh, and I stayed eatingcarnivore and just the
(08:23):
experience I have had with thatbeing like clear vision, you
know my skin, my hair's growing,my nails, the energy I have,
the way I see life, the way I'mthinking, you know, like it's
kind of up-leveled me and that'swhat I love about it and that's
what I'm so passionate about.
(08:44):
Like this is not a diet to loseweight, and yes, it's what I
love about it and that's whatI'm so passionate about.
Like this is not a diet to loseweight and, yes, it's what I
stepped into it for and maybethat's just the way I needed to
get me into it, get me started.
But now it's like gosh, whywould you want to live any other
way than this?
So, yes, I've had moments whereI've maybe gone back into a bit
of Keto-vore and just realisedthe difference and I'll never,
(09:06):
ever choose to stay there.
I always come back, always endup coming back to Carnivore,
because it's like why would youdrive a Ferrari, then go and
drive a Toyota and then you know, not want to come back to the
Ferrari and so I love, you know,eating Carnivore because of how
it makes me feel.
And when I speak to peopleabout this it's like look, I
(09:28):
know you want to look the way Ilook, but I actually really want
you to feel the way I feel andin most cases, kind of what they
want.
They just don't know it yet.
They want to feel better.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Yeah, absolutely, and it seems like a pretty natural
progression too.
And I feel like I see it a lotof people that go to paleo.
That was really really big 10years ago where people are on
more of this whole foods kick.
Which is?
It's better than the?
So the SAD diet, standardAmerican Diet, right?
(10:00):
I'm assuming you guys saystandard Australian diet at this
point, yeah very, very highlypackaged foods, highly processed
or ultra processed, ultrapalatable things.
So I think paleo it's a betterstart.
You know, it's a way to kickoff and not go cold turkey, if
you will.
But then keto a lot of peopleget into the keto space.
(10:23):
They just feel it's simpler andeasier, and then even
carnivores even easier, becauseyou don't have to worry about
well, is this a net carb, isthis a?
How much fiber can I have?
You just eat meat until you'refull and then you feel good.
Where in the point?
How was your hearing, you know,at one point was it like from
(10:43):
paleo or keto, where you feltlike that was starting to
resolve itself?
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Yeah.
So with the paleo back in 20,say 11, I significantly lowered
the ringing, significantly.
I reversed any kind of issue,medical issue I'd had during
that time or health issue, uh,and I was feeling pretty good.
And, um, I now know what makesit worse and that's, you know,
(11:10):
through my own experiences Withketo and carnivore.
Same thing it's very, very low.
There are other.
You know the ear ringing isn'tjust linked to diet, but diet is
a really, really big part of it.
So, yeah, I've been able tolower it.
You know I've been able to.
(11:32):
You know, keep my body, maintainmy body and my physique.
My health has been very stable.
You know energy level's high.
You know all of my.
I get regular blood work done,all very, very, very normal.
I had blood pressure test donethe other day and he just says,
for your age, that is just youare so on point with your blood
(11:52):
pressure.
He said, you know so all of my,all of my blood results have
always been great.
It's just your, your body isliving in your body is kind of
living optimally, you know yeah,and you did hit the nail on the
head about people come to thediet one.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
It's again weight loss is a big thing.
It's a part of it, uh, as partof this journey, and a lot of
people try different dietsbecause of weight loss.
But, like you said yourself,it's it's not necessarily about
the weight loss.
Yeah, you'll lose some weight,but it's really about how you
feel, because how many people inthis world have done diets
quote unquote diets right, andthey're miserable.
(12:34):
They may look great but they'rejust miserable.
You know counting calories everysingle day.
You know you're hungry all thetime.
It's more of like a punishmentversus you go to carnivore.
Can you lose and gain weight oncarnivore?
In my opinion, yes, becauseI've done.
Right now I'm eating as much asI can because I'm just getting
(12:55):
out of the winter time and I'mtrying to put a muscle on.
Uh, I have some competitionsthat I need to do, so I'm trying
to put on muscle.
So I've gained weight and I eatpurely carnivore.
So, but I can lose weight veryeasily as well.
But how I feel during the timeis is completely different than
how I used to lose weight or puton weight in the past.
(13:17):
You know, I'm not avoiding fat,I'm not limiting my protein,
I'm not limiting myself in a waywhere I feel so run down that I
feel almost sick and comingfrom like bikini right and any
type of bodybuilding, that'slike the norm.
People are just like walking ondeath's door as they get onto
(13:38):
the stage.
Did you feel that amongst someof the other competitors.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Yeah, I think when I would go to my posing class I
could see how they were lookingand feeling and I was just like,
wow, I can't resonate with whatthey're saying, how they're
looking and feeling at all.
I was very, very happy, feelingreally great.
You know, all the time, andyou're right, like most people
(14:04):
talk about diets and they don'tlike doing them, which is
probably why they don't stick tothem, you know.
And but if you're eating andyou're eating carnivores, it's
like, oh, I love what I eat.
My body just craves it so muchin the morning that you actually
love.
You know, we talk about a lot ofpeople talk about it being so
restrictive.
You know I couldn't restrict myfood that much and it's like,
(14:25):
well, what are you restrictingin life actually by eating all
this variety of food, where I'mtelling you to restrict your
food and you gain so much lifeback.
You know, and that's where thecontrast I like to share with
people it's like you don't wantto lose the variety in your food
, yet you're losing variety inlife by eating everything and
(14:48):
what it's doing to you.
So, hey, I would take thatrestriction in food to gain what
life gives me because of it,and that's a really important
point for people to consider ifthey're wanting to try this way
of life.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
And it's.
I don't even look at it asrestricting.
It's because, if we look at aproper human diet, like with the
things that Sean Baker, kenBerry talk about, right, this is
a proper human diet, this iswhat we're designed to eat.
We're not restricting things.
We're actually taking thingsout that shouldn't really be
there in the quantities thatthey are.
(15:26):
And again, you're going to havethe camp of animal-based Like
I'm going to have fruit everyonce in a while.
The camp of uh, animal basedlike I'm gonna have fruit every
once in a while, like in, inreality, that that those would
be seized, very seasonal thingsand in sparing moderations, but
you know, not to the level of,you know, packaged foods that we
have accessible at the uhcorner market.
(15:47):
They just keep grabbing andgrabbing and grabbing.
So when people talk aboutrestriction, it's I'm like it's
not really restricted.
I'm taking things out thatreally even shouldn't be in
there in the first place.
But, yeah, having anotherhandle on life and feeling good,
I mean that's more importantthan cupcakes.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Yes, yes, and you know there's always a
conversation about socializing.
Yes, yes, and you know there'salways a conversation about
socialising.
I met some people some peoplewho are quite a bit older than
me yesterday invited me to lunchand we were talking about
socialising.
They were all carnivores andalso they were just new into
carnivore.
They said, oh, you know, whenwe go and socialise, we don't
(16:33):
want people to look at usweirdly because this is how we
eat, or that we're not touchingthe wine or we're not eating
salad.
So totally your choice.
You, totally your choice whatyou do, and just lead by example
.
Don't give them any reason toquestion you.
Just do what you want to do andlet them ask you what you're
doing when you are, you know,losing weight and glowing and
(16:54):
you're feeling energetic andvibrant, you know.
So just because other peopleare not eating or drinking, what
you are when you're out doesn'tmean that you can't go and
socialize and just choose theright things whilst you're out.
You know, yesterday we had abig platter of seafood, a big
platter of grilled seafood,grilled meats, and it was just
beautiful, was just beautiful.
(17:14):
You know, just gonna pick theright places and how about your?
Speaker 1 (17:19):
your like family members, people around you when
you started making thistransition.
Were they giving you someconcern at first?
Or were there, you know, orwere they really kind of hip to
understanding, kind of whatcarnivore was at the time?
Speaker 2 (17:32):
no, not really.
No, I'm really still.
There's still a lot of peoplethat don't understand it.
But, um, I am of greekbackground, so it's very common
for us to be eating grilled,grilled meats, so that's okay.
Um, no, there's a lot of peoplethat don't quite understand it.
However, again, I just say lookat me and tell me if you think
(17:57):
I'm malnourished, tell me if youthink I'm not eating what I
should be, tell me if you thinkmy energy is low or it's
impacting me in any way.
And I don't think I've gotanything to say about how I
present to the world, because,you know, I probably feel better
now in my 40s than I did in my20s and my 30s.
(18:17):
I've kept my weight down.
I've got way more energy.
You, know, just happier and justmore vibrant than I have ever
been.
I actually feel like I was whenI was 18, when I had the world,
you know, ahead of me.
You know finishing high schooland young and hormones are
firing and there's just so muchthat carnivore does for you that
(18:40):
I wasn't feeling in my 20s and30s because of how I was eating.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
It's very funny how people get into this.
Aging is a part of life andtherefore I need to, you know,
go with the flow of not feelinggood and just kind of chalk it
up to aging.
And I agree with you.
I think I'm stronger now.
My body composition is probablythe uh, but besides, like,
(19:07):
maybe like endurance racing forme, that's when my body
composition was really low Uh,besides that, taking time off
from long endurance races, youknow my body comp has leveled
out.
I feel great, I have energy, I'mstronger than I've ever been
and, like you said, like I am, Ifeel way better than I did in
my twenties.
I'm 36.
Now I there's, I can runcircles around me, my 20 year
(19:31):
old self, and I think a lot ofpeople you know I have knee pain
.
Therefore, because I'm old, youknow I, you know not going to
do those kind of exercisesanymore because I'm older, I
think it's just kind of you knowthe norm and I feel like, again
, like you said, lead by exampleof, you know, you're still
working out, you're still doingall these things and you're
(19:52):
still thriving out.
You're still doing all thesethings and you're still thriving
and feeling better than you didyesterday.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Absolutely, Absolutely.
You don't have kids, do youTony?
Speaker 1 (19:59):
You have two.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
one Do, you Do?
Speaker 1 (20:03):
I have children.
I do not have children.
No, no.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
So so I, yeah, I've got kids and so in my twin in
say like 30, yeah, my 30s prettymuch.
My kids were little and they'relike 10 and 12 now.
But I remember times where Iwas so out of breath I didn't
have energy to run after them.
We were at the zoo one day andit was hot and I remember they
(20:27):
were running ahead of me and Ijust didn't have energy.
I just had, you know, my backwas hurting, I felt sluggish and
I'm like my kids were little, Icould barely run after them.
And now, at 10 and 12, like now, I've got more, way more energy
and I'm able to give up withthem, you know.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
And do you instill kind of like a carnivorous diet
with the kiddos, or they have alittle bit more, you know,
animal based, or how do you kindof you know, prescribe not
prescribe.
I should say prescribe.
But how do you kind of planyour kiddos meal?
Because it's it's again, Idon't have any kids, but I
believe it's difficult,especially when they're amongst
(21:09):
other kiddos and other familiesand they don't kind of follow
the same things that you doamongst other kiddos and other
families and they don't kind offollow the same things that you
do.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Yeah, I it's hard because when I also I'm divorced
and my kids don't spend theirwhole time with me, so I can
only control what I can control,and that through a spanner in
the works in the early stages,because I was back, you know,
paleo, clean eating, all of that, which is great when my kids
were young.
(21:41):
So I was really to the book anddoing everything as best I could
before I got divorced and thenafterwards I didn't have the
kids all the time and so thenyou know, there were other
influences involved in theirfood choices.
So all I do my best is to keepthem eating a good, healthy,
clean, whole food diet as bestas I can.
I also think 10 and 12 is areally hard age to get them to
(22:04):
eat anything that I want them toeat, because they'll just say
no, I don't want it and theyjust won't eat it and they
probably prefer to go hungryrather than eat what I'm telling
them to.
And I remember when I was theirage and I, my parents kind of
did the same thing to me and I,you know, I wish they hadn't
(22:25):
done that to me back then,because things like eggs or eggs
, mainly eggs cheese, milk werethree things that my parents
kind of forced me to have, andso I don't drink milk, which I'm
okay with.
I don't eat cheese, which I'mokay with, but eggs is a real
issue because I really wish thatI could do it, but I just can't
do it.
And, yeah, that's because itwas kind of forced on me.
(22:49):
And so, with my kids, I justlead by example and watch what
I'm doing.
My forced on me, and so with mykids, I just lead by example
and watch what I'm doing.
My daughter will eat a steakwith me for breakfast like no
problems, you know, and I lovethat before she goes to school.
My son not so much.
I don't force, I just show themand eventually, when I teach
them and explain to them whythey're coming around a bit,
(23:10):
it's great.
I'm obviously in control of thefood in the home, as is any
parent, so I do my best to keepit as clean, healthy as possible
.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
Yeah, absolutely.
And then kind of on the topicof teaching you know coaching
right and working with peopleand helping them transform their
lives.
You know you mainly work withwomen, but what are the biggest
challenges that those clientsface and how do you help them
navigate that?
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Yeah, what I'm seeing is a lot of women coming to me
at the same stage of life kindof as I am, or even a little bit
older.
My kids have grown up.
I've had these years of notputting myself first.
A lot of them are reallyoverweight and living very
sluggish lives, you know, reallyoverweight for women in their
(24:01):
40s and 50s, and they just wantto get their lives back.
They want to get themselvesback and a lot of them are
saying you know, I want to lookin the mirror and really love
who I see.
I want to go and buy clothingand feel comfortable in them.
I want to.
I need my energy back.
They've all got some kind ofautoimmune thyroid hormone thing
(24:22):
going on and, yes, that is whathappens with women around this
time of their lives, but doesn'treally have to, and not so
early.
So, yeah, their main struggleis like I know I need to make a
change.
I don't think I can do it on myown.
I need you to hold my handpretty much and hold me
accountable the whole way, andyou know I don't jump anyone
(24:43):
straight into carnivore unlessthey really come to me and want
to.
We do it slowly, like I did, Ithink.
I think keto is a great way toget started and then move into
carnivore.
And then we look at movement.
We look at movement.
So what kind of movementthey're doing in their day?
I like to get everybody liftingweights at some point, because I
(25:04):
think it's really important forus to build muscle and be
strong as we age.
And then mindset, because youknow, again, we've put everybody
before us for a really longtime and it's about kind of
coming back to self and sayingwho am I, what do I deserve,
what am I worthy of and how do Ideserve to be living.
(25:25):
So what I do with my clientsover 90 days is just get them
eating well, moving well,thinking well, and usually in
that 90 days I'll drop a goodload of body fat and be feeling
amazing.
And the idea is that I havethis kind of toolkit that I
(25:45):
slowly kind of unravel over the90 days and then after that
they're equipped with not onlythe knowledge and the tools but
the experience to say, okay, nowyou can go off and do that on
your own and they usually do sothat they can then live life how
they want to.
And that's my purpose is just,you know, I couldn't have had an
(26:11):
experience and not want toshare it with other people,
which is why I want to do thiswork, and I am doing this work
with women, which also thenleads to my event.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Yeah, yeah, I think dr, dr kilts, which we'll
probably mention in a momenthere.
But dr kilts, he said carnivoreis like a really really like
well-kept secret but but youcan't stop telling people, right
, like it's a secret you have,but you just can't stop telling
people.
And I think it is important ofthis is why people do Like it's
a secret you have, but you justcan't stop telling people.
And I think it is important ofthis is why people do the chats,
(26:39):
it's why people do podcasts,it's why people share stories,
it's why people are now, youknow, mentioning Carrie Mann,
are trying to get, you know,documentaries made about this,
because it's so life-changing,so kind of fast forwarding into
your carnivore live events.
You know what made you thinklike, hey, I'm going to be able
to kind of have like this bigevent.
Was it like, uh, oh, I know Ican do this?
(27:01):
Or you're like, oh, I'm alittle scared to start this, but
we're just going to go for itanyways?
Speaker 2 (27:05):
Well, actually, um, back in 2011, when I had, you
know, that year of verysignificant personal growth, I
said the same thing back then Idon't want to have this
experience.
Maybe there's other people thatare searching for this
information and need it too.
So I started running retreatweekends, which then led to
(27:26):
wellness days, which then led tolike book launch events, film
screening launches and anythingto do with kind of health,
wellness, sustainability, evenlike personal development.
I was holding events, you know,right through that time.
For the last 10 years or so,I've been running events to
(27:49):
share information with people.
So, yeah, when I hadn't run anevent for a little while, having
you know, kind of come out ofsome stressful years, and I
thought, well, you know, there'sa lot going on in the US, why
don't I contact?
I'd already made some contactwith people because I was
already connecting with a lot ofa few people in the carnival
(28:09):
community.
So I already had some niceconnections through podcasting
and interviews and things likethat.
So I just said to them hey, Isent emails out to everyone who
I thought would be great toattend this event as a guest
speaker.
I said, hey, if I run an eventin Australia, would you come?
And that, one by one, it waslike yep, we're there.
(28:32):
Chafee Bella, kerry Mann andAdam from Healing Humanity,
professor Bart Kay, anthonyFayez, natalie West, bradley
Marshall, a local doctor here,dr Carolyn Harris, and, like it
was an amazing event.
And just by the way, when I Iremember when I released the
tickets for that event, Ithought I don't know where, I
(28:53):
don't know any other carnivoresin my kind of space, only a
couple.
I don't know where.
I don't know any othercarnivores in my kind of space,
only a couple.
I don't know how many peopleare going to come to this.
And then all of a suddenthere's just people booking
tickets from all over Australiaand New Zealand and even someone
came from America to attendthis event and it was full, full
house, and it was a amazing day, like very empowering.
(29:15):
Um, everyone was so excited tobe there, and even even for me,
as an organizer, to to see allthese incredible people that
we'd, you know, maybe only seenon podcasts and youtube videos
and on your socials all cometogether and they all those
speakers, had never really meteach other either.
So, yeah, it was.
It was a great, uh, it was agreat day.
(29:38):
So, yeah, that's how I got torunning events and, um, yeah,
we're doing another one in aboutI don't know three weeks, I
think, in in melbourne.
Uh, australia, dr kilts iscoming down.
Bella carnivore ray got a lotof um local speakers.
We're doing a um, a carnivorein professional sports segment
(29:58):
as well panel.
So, um, yeah, we have localbusinesses involved that have
you know, tallow products anddifferent, you know, supplements
and and, uh, earthing blanketsand all that kind of thing.
So, um, yeah, it is really anexperience.
People come and have a greatexperience on the day and
hopefully leave either empoweredto make some changes or just
(30:21):
fired up about what they alreadydo.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
That's gotta be so rewarding to like.
I know a lot of work goes intothat, so thanks for putting
those types of events on.
I know there's a lot oflogistical things you have to
get done of just guests andtraveling and making sure
everything is just right for thepeople that are registering,
but yeah, it's got to be superrewarding to feel so good, to
(30:44):
just step back when it's allsaid and done, like, wow, this
was a really great event.
I mean, people are yeah, likeyou said, people are coming from
all over to rub elbows and withpeople in the carnivore
community and also learn alittle bit more as well.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Yes, yeah, absolutely .
But sometimes I hear, actuallypretty often, carnivores feel a
little bit isolated and, justlike we talked about family
before, a lot of people,especially new into carnivore,
who aren't that confident yet inwhat they're doing.
Sometimes they're a little bitunsure whether what they're
doing is right or not and um,and so they keep quiet, they
(31:23):
don't tell anyone in theircircles and they feel a little
bit um alone on their journey,and so the beauty of these
events is to get people all intoa room where they don't have to
hide what they're doing and whothey are and how they you know
how they feel and, um, yeah,they're around like-minded
people.
Which I think is most importantabout community and live events
is the bringing together ofpeople for a common cause.
(31:46):
You know, and like you said,carnivores like to tell
everybody about their experience.
This man, these people I metwith yesterday, one of them in
particular, had been likelifelong chronic pain in his
knees, his body, he wasoverweight, he'd had cellulitis,
very unwell, and he startedcarnivore just last week and
(32:09):
overnight his knee pain wentaway.
Yesterday he walked to theshops for the first time in he
doesn't know how long and he wascrying, you know, just could
not believe that all it hadtaken was for him to change his
diet like this and what it'salready given him in four days.
And he's a truckie, an Aussietruckie, so he drives trucks,
(32:33):
you know.
And he said I'm telling all ofmy truckie mates and I'm, you
know, I just want to telleverybody about this, because
you know, he said, I'm angrythat I didn't know about this
beforehand.
I'm angry that I've beenthrough so many years of pain
and struggle and it took me fourdays, not even overnight, to
feel the difference already.
(32:54):
So I guess that's that's whypeople are talking about it,
like us.
Speaker 1 (32:59):
Uh-huh, you know, so many people don't know that
they're walking aroundchronically inflamed, right,
there's just so muchinflammation in the body and
they're just so used to itbecause this is their quote,
unquote state of normal, justbased off of what they've been
eating day after day.
But when you start to take thataway, oh my gosh, just the, the
(33:20):
veil is lifted, you feel great.
You, you know, those littleaches and pains start to go away
.
I hear it all the time.
People talk to me.
Anybody that I get that comesto me for carnivore.
Uh, within a few days, if not aweek, that one nagging issue
lower back, severe pain in theknee or hands.
It's like, hey, I don't reallydon't have that pain anymore.
(33:40):
I'm like, yeah, because you'renot, you're not constantly
inflamed, right.
But yeah, we get the storiesall the time and it's great.
And you know, I appreciate yousharing your story with us and
continuously having thecarnivore chats, putting on the
lives for everybody to come andsee.
And when is the one?
In Melbourne?
Is it April 26th?
April 26th yes, yes, okay, andthere's still tickets available.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
Yeah, still tickets available.
I'll give you the link.
You can share it maybe in thenotes.
And yeah, definitely ticketsavailable.
It's going to be an amazing day, you know, like to have all of
those um experts in one room,you know, and to learn from them
and to speak with them.
You know, like in person is isa huge opportunity for anyone
interested in either startingcarnivore or you're doing
(34:25):
carnivore and need some, youknow, a bit of a boost with
regards to information andknowledge, maybe to keep you
going.
Yes, yes, it's, it is anopportunity.
We'll put it that way,definitely.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
Yeah, and, and for some of the listeners, if they,
you know, if they can't make itout there, can't make it to
Melbourne, uh, you know theywant to kind of contact you for
coaching.
Where can they uh find you orconnect with you?
Speaker 2 (34:49):
Yes, absolutely.
I live on Instagram.
Instagram is where I liveonline, so it's at Melissa B.
So M-E-L-I-S-S-A-B-E dot A-U.
So, yeah, come see me there andconnect with me and I, you know
, I I every day try to sharesomething inspiring, educational
, you know, any value, or evenjust my clients' stories and
(35:13):
experiences to you know.
Just support the communityaround me.
They've come to me.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
So I like to give, give as much as I can to support
them.
Yeah, yeah, well, keep keepsharing your story, keep helping
people.
You're doing a fantastic joband and you know once again,
yeah, hey, thanks for coming on,I appreciate it, and one of
these days we'll we'll have torun into each other at one of
these events, for sure.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Yes, Well, hold on a minute.
I'm coming to meet stockTennessee in in the middle of
May.
Speaker 1 (35:43):
I'm not going to.
This is like the fourth orfifth time I've been on the
podcast with somebody.
They're like, hey, you're goingto go to meet stock.
I'm like I can't.
I have a um, a kettlebellcertification that I'm going to.
It's my dad's birthday weekendand I missed last year.
So I got to come this year andI just had Sally Norton on the
(36:03):
last episode and she's like areyou going to come to MeStock?
I was like, not this year but2026, I will be there, I will
make sure, and I think they'regoing to have it back in
Tennessee again.
So I would love to seeeverybody there.
Unfortunately, you're gonnahave to fill me in, uh, how it
was.
But uh, hopefully within theyear we'll cross paths yes,
(36:24):
definitely, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
You have to come to our next carnival live next year
.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
Yeah, you got it all right well.
Thanks again, melissa, forcoming on, and thanks for
everybody listening to anotherepisode of the primal
foundations podcast thanks forhaving me.
Today's guest is Melissa B.
Melissa comes to us fromAustralia.
She is dedicated to empoweringwomen to regrant in energy, lose
weight and live optimally.
She is active on social mediaand engages with the carnivore
community, shares insight andhosts discussions with experts
in the field.
Melissa, welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Tony, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
I'm super excited to have you on and share your story
of how you got into carnivore.
I was lucky enough to be on oneof your carnivore chats and
it's kind of how we connected.
But you've had some pretty bignames on there so far.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Yes, yes, I've.
I do have a really greatnetwork I'll just call them
friends now within the carnivorecommunity, through, you know,
just connections I've made, butalso the events that I hold.
So the beauty of the carnivorecommunity is that there's never
really any distance betweenpeople.
It's everyone just wants to beconnected with everybody, and I
(00:54):
think it's part of who we are interms of what we're here to do,
which is share our experienceswith others and empower people.
So, yeah, that's that's.
The beauty of these connectionsis that we come together, we
share our stories and then weempower other people, hopefully
to do the same.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Yeah, and a lot of the people that are on you know
your your chats, you know it'scrazy.
We think of these people, asyou know, rock stars in the
community, and all you got to dois send them a DM like, hey,
would you, would you like to beon a podcast or a live?
And they're like, yeah, sure,absolutely.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
They're really good like that.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Yeah, um, and speaking of uh stories, you know
, the big thing that I want totalk about, to get this kicked
off, is your story and what ledyou to the carnivore diet, you
know, and what changes uh didyou experience as you went
through this transition, youknow, physically and mentally.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yes, absolutely.
I always like to start back in2010, where I had a heap of
unrelated health issues that ledto me one day being at work and
my left ear starts ringing veryloudly.
It's very dizzy.
I had vertigo.
I was diagnosed afterwards withtinnitus a ringing in the ear
(02:09):
that never goes away.
I was told to take steroidnasal sprays and blood thinners
for the rest of my life andthere was nothing that could be
done for me, and I rememberwalking out of that meeting
saying to myself if my body hascreated this, then my body can
perhaps work at healing it.
And so it led me on a journey ofkind of health and
(02:32):
self-discovery to find the rightpeople to educate me really on
what was going on within my body, and I was just so out of
balance in so many ways that Ihad.
I was a big sugar eater, I waseating a lot of carbs, you know.
I would start the day I wasworking a stressful corporate
job in the city concrete jungle,fluoro lights and I would have
(02:56):
Red Bull and a packet of lolliesin the morning for breakfast.
So that's how I was starting myday, and so I had ignored all
the signs that my body wastrying to tell me that you're
just not treating me very well,and I ignored them all and then,
at its worst, my ear startsringing to get my attention and
so that kind of set me on thepath of right.
(03:16):
Well, what am I eating?
How am I living?
What products am I breathing in, putting on my body, having the
home, how am I thinking andfeeling?
What am I doing in my life?
That can either help or hinderhow I feel, and a lot of that,
you know, has to do with thechoices that we make every day
with regards to daily ritual.
(03:38):
You know, before I came on herebecause it's early here in
Australia, I went outside.
It's pretty dark at the moment,but you know, make sure I put
my bare feet on the ground, do alot of earthing and gratitude
in the morning, meditation,breath work.
So I wasn't aware of any ofthat before.
(03:58):
I found the right people tokind of introduce me to it, and
then I started practisingeverything, because when your
silence gets taken away from you, you pretty much want to do
anything to try and get it back,your silence.
So, yeah, I spent a year oflearning a heap of different
(04:19):
modalities, ways of living.
Back then it was more of apaleo diet, so you know, what I
wouldn't eat from that now isprobably rice, mainly rice, and
maybe some seeds as well.
But yeah, so I had a reallygreat result after 12 months of
dedicating time to healingmyself inside and out, and
(04:42):
through that process I lost alot of weight and I was feeling
great.
Yeah, and that's that's kind ofhow my events started.
Come back to events afterwards,but, and then I kind of had two
children, went off the wagon alittle bit, then I got divorced,
went through a couple of yearsof stressful times and and yeah,
(05:03):
I put all this weight back on,wasn't taking care of myself, I
was really just in survival mode.
And so I've just kind ofexplained to you my 20s and 30s
and got to 2020 and I decided,okay, everything's kind of
settled down in my life.
Now it's time to come back toself and, you know, just do
(05:26):
whatever I had done it in thepast which I had been successful
at, you know, especially tolose weight.
So I implemented all of themand I'm very kind of holistic, a
very conscious woman, and Ijust did all the things that I
thought would help me and theydid.
I lost, you know, a fair bit ofweight on my own and it set me
(05:47):
on the path.
And then I ended up meeting alocal PT and coach here who had
a certain program.
After I told him I'd lost someweight, and he's like you know
what?
You don't know what thisprogram could do for you, you
should try it.
And I'm like you know this isthe time for me.
And so I stepped into that kindof not knowing what I was
getting myself into.
And that's where I really goteducated and taught a lot about
(06:09):
keto and changed eating tomostly keto and then doing a lot
of um, well, doing regularweight training and and my body
just started to completelytransform.
Um, when your body transforms,I feel like you drop.
I think I dropped another 10kilos after that and you just
physically shed layers, whichalso then enables kind of like
(06:33):
emotional layers to come up andbe shed and you become a whole
new person, you know.
And so in my late, late 30s I'mnow 41, I started to feel like
an energy and a vibrancy andkind of living in a way I hadn't
lived before and that excitedme a lot.
And so to continue, because I'malways about self-improvement
(06:57):
and evolving as a person and I'mlike you know, I should maybe
try doing a bikini bodybuildingcompetition just for the fun of
it, to see how far I can takethis.
And, um, yeah, in 22, 2022.
Uh, I, I started prep for thatand just about four weeks out, I
(07:19):
was um, very sick with COVIDand I lost a couple weeks of
prep, which is not very goodwhen you're planning to get on
stage in a really tiny bikini.
And as I got better, my coachjust said you know, mel, and I
was very aware of carnivore atthat point because he made me
very aware of it.
I was doing a lot of researchinto it anyway.
So you should just jump oncarnivore now.
(07:40):
Like this is the time you gotto give it all you got.
I'm like, okay, fine, I'll giveit a shot.
So I did for four weeks andlike what it did to my body was
just amazing.
Like it, my body never lookedlike that ever.
But you know like aestheticallyit worked for what I was using
it for at the time.
But like, then I started to,once I started to kind of get
(08:02):
out of that um prep period, Irealized how amazing I felt and
that I was kind of living in anew way and and I knew that
whatever my body needed was inwhat I was eating and I didn't
really need to even go back toeating keto anymore.
Uh, and I stayed eatingcarnivore and just the
(08:23):
experience I have had with thatbeing like clear vision, you
know my skin, my hair's growing,my nails, the energy I have,
the way I see life, the way I'mthinking, you know, like it's
kind of up-leveled me and that'swhat I love about it and that's
what I'm so passionate about.
(08:44):
Like this is not a diet to loseweight, and yes, it's what I
love about it and that's whatI'm so passionate about.
Like this is not a diet to loseweight and, yes, it's what I
stepped into it for and maybethat's just the way I needed to
get me into it, get me started.
But now it's like gosh, whywould you want to live any other
way than this?
So, yes, I've had moments whereI've maybe gone back into a bit
of Keto-vore and just realisedthe difference and I'll never,
(09:06):
ever choose to stay there.
I always come back, always endup coming back to Carnivore,
because it's like why would youdrive a Ferrari, then go and
drive a Toyota and then you know, not want to come back to the
Ferrari and so I love, you know,eating Carnivore because of how
it makes me feel.
And when I speak to peopleabout this it's like look, I
(09:28):
know you want to look the way Ilook, but I actually really want
you to feel the way I feel andin most cases, kind of what they
want.
They just don't know it yet.
They want to feel better.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Yeah, absolutely, and it seems like a pretty natural
progression too.
And I feel like I see it a lotof people that go to paleo.
That was really really big 10years ago where people are on
more of this whole foods kick.
Which is?
It's better than the?
So the SAD diet, standardAmerican Diet, right?
(10:00):
I'm assuming you guys saystandard Australian diet at this
point, yeah very, very highlypackaged foods, highly processed
or ultra processed, ultrapalatable things.
So I think paleo it's a betterstart.
You know, it's a way to kickoff and not go cold turkey, if
you will.
But then keto a lot of peopleget into the keto space.
(10:23):
They just feel it's simpler andeasier, and then even
carnivores even easier, becauseyou don't have to worry about
well, is this a net carb, isthis a?
How much fiber can I have?
You just eat meat until you'refull and then you feel good.
Where in the point?
How was your hearing, you know,at one point was it like from
(10:43):
paleo or keto, where you feltlike that was starting to
resolve itself?
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Yeah.
So with the paleo back in 20,say 11, I significantly lowered
the ringing, significantly.
I reversed any kind of issue,medical issue I'd had during
that time or health issue, uh,and I was feeling pretty good.
And, um, I now know what makesit worse and that's, you know,
(11:10):
through my own experiences Withketo and carnivore.
Same thing it's very, very low.
There are other.
You know the ear ringing isn'tjust linked to diet, but diet is
a really, really big part of it.
So, yeah, I've been able tolower it.
You know I've been able to.
(11:32):
You know, keep my body, maintainmy body and my physique.
My health has been very stable.
You know energy level's high.
You know all of my.
I get regular blood work done,all very, very, very normal.
I had blood pressure test donethe other day and he just says,
for your age, that is just youare so on point with your blood
(11:52):
pressure.
He said, you know so all of my,all of my blood results have
always been great.
It's just your, your body isliving in your body is kind of
living optimally, you know yeah,and you did hit the nail on the
head about people come to thediet one.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
It's again weight loss is a big thing.
It's a part of it, uh, as partof this journey, and a lot of
people try different dietsbecause of weight loss.
But, like you said yourself,it's it's not necessarily about
the weight loss.
Yeah, you'll lose some weight,but it's really about how you
feel, because how many people inthis world have done diets
quote unquote diets right, andthey're miserable.
(12:34):
They may look great but they'rejust miserable.
You know counting calories everysingle day.
You know you're hungry all thetime.
It's more of like a punishmentversus you go to carnivore.
Can you lose and gain weight oncarnivore?
In my opinion, yes, becauseI've done.
Right now I'm eating as much asI can because I'm just getting
(12:55):
out of the winter time and I'mtrying to put a muscle on.
Uh, I have some competitionsthat I need to do, so I'm trying
to put on muscle.
So I've gained weight and I eatpurely carnivore.
So, but I can lose weight veryeasily as well.
But how I feel during the timeis is completely different than
how I used to lose weight or puton weight in the past.
(13:17):
You know, I'm not avoiding fat,I'm not limiting my protein,
I'm not limiting myself in a waywhere I feel so run down that I
feel almost sick and comingfrom like bikini right and any
type of bodybuilding, that'slike the norm.
People are just like walking ondeath's door as they get onto
(13:38):
the stage.
Did you feel that amongst someof the other competitors.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Yeah, I think when I would go to my posing class I
could see how they were lookingand feeling and I was just like,
wow, I can't resonate with whatthey're saying, how they're
looking and feeling at all.
I was very, very happy, feelingreally great.
You know, all the time, andyou're right, like most people
(14:04):
talk about diets and they don'tlike doing them, which is
probably why they don't stick tothem, you know.
And but if you're eating andyou're eating carnivores, it's
like, oh, I love what I eat.
My body just craves it so muchin the morning that you actually
love.
You know, we talk about a lot ofpeople talk about it being so
restrictive.
You know I couldn't restrict myfood that much and it's like,
(14:25):
well, what are you restrictingin life actually by eating all
this variety of food, where I'mtelling you to restrict your
food and you gain so much lifeback.
You know, and that's where thecontrast I like to share with
people it's like you don't wantto lose the variety in your food
, yet you're losing variety inlife by eating everything and
(14:48):
what it's doing to you.
So, hey, I would take thatrestriction in food to gain what
life gives me because of it,and that's a really important
point for people to consider ifthey're wanting to try this way
of life.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
And it's.
I don't even look at it asrestricting.
It's because, if we look at aproper human diet, like with the
things that Sean Baker, kenBerry talk about, right, this is
a proper human diet, this iswhat we're designed to eat.
We're not restricting things.
We're actually taking thingsout that shouldn't really be
there in the quantities thatthey are.
(15:26):
And again, you're going to havethe camp of animal-based Like
I'm going to have fruit everyonce in a while.
The camp of uh, animal basedlike I'm gonna have fruit every
once in a while, like in, inreality, that that those would
be seized, very seasonal thingsand in sparing moderations, but
you know, not to the level of,you know, packaged foods that we
have accessible at the uhcorner market.
(15:47):
They just keep grabbing andgrabbing and grabbing.
So when people talk aboutrestriction, it's I'm like it's
not really restricted.
I'm taking things out thatreally even shouldn't be in
there in the first place.
But, yeah, having anotherhandle on life and feeling good,
I mean that's more importantthan cupcakes.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Yes, yes, and you know there's always a
conversation about socializing.
Yes, yes, and you know there'salways a conversation about
socialising.
I met some people some peoplewho are quite a bit older than
me yesterday invited me to lunchand we were talking about
socialising.
They were all carnivores andalso they were just new into
carnivore.
They said, oh, you know, whenwe go and socialise, we don't
(16:33):
want people to look at usweirdly because this is how we
eat, or that we're not touchingthe wine or we're not eating
salad.
So totally your choice.
You, totally your choice whatyou do, and just lead by example
.
Don't give them any reason toquestion you.
Just do what you want to do andlet them ask you what you're
doing when you are, you know,losing weight and glowing and
(16:54):
you're feeling energetic andvibrant, you know.
So just because other peopleare not eating or drinking, what
you are when you're out doesn'tmean that you can't go and
socialize and just choose theright things whilst you're out.
You know, yesterday we had abig platter of seafood, a big
platter of grilled seafood,grilled meats, and it was just
beautiful, was just beautiful.
(17:14):
You know, just gonna pick theright places and how about your?
Speaker 1 (17:19):
your like family members, people around you when
you started making thistransition.
Were they giving you someconcern at first?
Or were there, you know, orwere they really kind of hip to
understanding, kind of whatcarnivore was at the time?
Speaker 2 (17:32):
no, not really.
No, I'm really still.
There's still a lot of peoplethat don't understand it.
But, um, I am of greekbackground, so it's very common
for us to be eating grilled,grilled meats, so that's okay.
Um, no, there's a lot of peoplethat don't quite understand it.
However, again, I just say lookat me and tell me if you think
(17:57):
I'm malnourished, tell me if youthink I'm not eating what I
should be, tell me if you thinkmy energy is low or it's
impacting me in any way.
And I don't think I've gotanything to say about how I
present to the world, because,you know, I probably feel better
now in my 40s than I did in my20s and my 30s.
(18:17):
I've kept my weight down.
I've got way more energy.
You, know, just happier and justmore vibrant than I have ever
been.
I actually feel like I was whenI was 18, when I had the world,
you know, ahead of me.
You know finishing high schooland young and hormones are
firing and there's just so muchthat carnivore does for you that
(18:40):
I wasn't feeling in my 20s and30s because of how I was eating.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
It's very funny how people get into this.
Aging is a part of life andtherefore I need to, you know,
go with the flow of not feelinggood and just kind of chalk it
up to aging.
And I agree with you.
I think I'm stronger now.
My body composition is probablythe uh, but besides, like,
(19:07):
maybe like endurance racing forme, that's when my body
composition was really low Uh,besides that, taking time off
from long endurance races, youknow my body comp has leveled
out.
I feel great, I have energy, I'mstronger than I've ever been
and, like you said, like I am, Ifeel way better than I did in
my twenties.
I'm 36.
Now I there's, I can runcircles around me, my 20 year
(19:31):
old self, and I think a lot ofpeople you know I have knee pain
.
Therefore, because I'm old, youknow I, you know not going to
do those kind of exercisesanymore because I'm older, I
think it's just kind of you knowthe norm and I feel like, again
, like you said, lead by exampleof, you know, you're still
working out, you're still doingall these things and you're
(19:52):
still thriving out.
You're still doing all thesethings and you're still thriving
and feeling better than you didyesterday.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Absolutely, Absolutely.
You don't have kids, do youTony?
Speaker 1 (19:59):
You have two.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
one Do, you Do?
Speaker 1 (20:03):
I have children.
I do not have children.
No, no.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
So so I, yeah, I've got kids and so in my twin in
say like 30, yeah, my 30s prettymuch.
My kids were little and they'relike 10 and 12 now.
But I remember times where Iwas so out of breath I didn't
have energy to run after them.
We were at the zoo one day andit was hot and I remember they
(20:27):
were running ahead of me and Ijust didn't have energy.
I just had, you know, my backwas hurting, I felt sluggish and
I'm like my kids were little, Icould barely run after them.
And now, at 10 and 12, like now, I've got more, way more energy
and I'm able to give up withthem, you know.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
And do you instill kind of like a carnivorous diet
with the kiddos, or they have alittle bit more, you know,
animal based, or how do you kindof you know, prescribe not
prescribe.
I should say prescribe.
But how do you kind of planyour kiddos meal?
Because it's it's again, Idon't have any kids, but I
believe it's difficult,especially when they're amongst
(21:09):
other kiddos and other familiesand they don't kind of follow
the same things that you doamongst other kiddos and other
families and they don't kind offollow the same things that you
do.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Yeah, I it's hard because when I also I'm divorced
and my kids don't spend theirwhole time with me, so I can
only control what I can control,and that through a spanner in
the works in the early stages,because I was back, you know,
paleo, clean eating, all of that, which is great when my kids
were young.
(21:41):
So I was really to the book anddoing everything as best I could
before I got divorced and thenafterwards I didn't have the
kids all the time and so thenyou know, there were other
influences involved in theirfood choices.
So all I do my best is to keepthem eating a good, healthy,
clean, whole food diet as bestas I can.
I also think 10 and 12 is areally hard age to get them to
(22:04):
eat anything that I want them toeat, because they'll just say
no, I don't want it and theyjust won't eat it and they
probably prefer to go hungryrather than eat what I'm telling
them to.
And I remember when I was theirage and I, my parents kind of
did the same thing to me and I,you know, I wish they hadn't
(22:25):
done that to me back then,because things like eggs or eggs
, mainly eggs cheese, milk werethree things that my parents
kind of forced me to have, andso I don't drink milk, which I'm
okay with.
I don't eat cheese, which I'mokay with, but eggs is a real
issue because I really wish thatI could do it, but I just can't
do it.
And, yeah, that's because itwas kind of forced on me.
(22:49):
And so, with my kids, I justlead by example and watch what
I'm doing.
My forced on me, and so with mykids, I just lead by example
and watch what I'm doing.
My daughter will eat a steakwith me for breakfast like no
problems, you know, and I lovethat before she goes to school.
My son not so much.
I don't force, I just show themand eventually, when I teach
them and explain to them whythey're coming around a bit,
(23:10):
it's great.
I'm obviously in control of thefood in the home, as is any
parent, so I do my best to keepit as clean, healthy as possible
.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
Yeah, absolutely.
And then kind of on the topicof teaching you know coaching
right and working with peopleand helping them transform their
lives.
You know you mainly work withwomen, but what are the biggest
challenges that those clientsface and how do you help them
navigate that?
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Yeah, what I'm seeing is a lot of women coming to me
at the same stage of life kindof as I am, or even a little bit
older.
My kids have grown up.
I've had these years of notputting myself first.
A lot of them are reallyoverweight and living very
sluggish lives, you know, reallyoverweight for women in their
(24:01):
40s and 50s, and they just wantto get their lives back.
They want to get themselvesback and a lot of them are
saying you know, I want to lookin the mirror and really love
who I see.
I want to go and buy clothingand feel comfortable in them.
I want to.
I need my energy back.
They've all got some kind ofautoimmune thyroid hormone thing
(24:22):
going on and, yes, that is whathappens with women around this
time of their lives, but doesn'treally have to, and not so
early.
So, yeah, their main struggleis like I know I need to make a
change.
I don't think I can do it on myown.
I need you to hold my handpretty much and hold me
accountable the whole way, andyou know I don't jump anyone
(24:43):
straight into carnivore unlessthey really come to me and want
to.
We do it slowly, like I did, Ithink.
I think keto is a great way toget started and then move into
carnivore.
And then we look at movement.
We look at movement.
So what kind of movementthey're doing in their day?
I like to get everybody liftingweights at some point, because I
(25:04):
think it's really important forus to build muscle and be
strong as we age.
And then mindset, because youknow, again, we've put everybody
before us for a really longtime and it's about kind of
coming back to self and sayingwho am I, what do I deserve,
what am I worthy of and how do Ideserve to be living.
(25:25):
So what I do with my clientsover 90 days is just get them
eating well, moving well,thinking well, and usually in
that 90 days I'll drop a goodload of body fat and be feeling
amazing.
And the idea is that I havethis kind of toolkit that I
(25:45):
slowly kind of unravel over the90 days and then after that
they're equipped with not onlythe knowledge and the tools but
the experience to say, okay, nowyou can go off and do that on
your own and they usually do sothat they can then live life how
they want to.
And that's my purpose is just,you know, I couldn't have had an
(26:11):
experience and not want toshare it with other people,
which is why I want to do thiswork, and I am doing this work
with women, which also thenleads to my event.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Yeah, yeah, I think dr, dr kilts, which we'll
probably mention in a momenthere.
But dr kilts, he said carnivoreis like a really really like
well-kept secret but but youcan't stop telling people, right
, like it's a secret you have,but you just can't stop telling
people.
And I think it is important ofthis is why people do Like it's
a secret you have, but you justcan't stop telling people.
And I think it is important ofthis is why people do the chats,
(26:39):
it's why people do podcasts,it's why people share stories,
it's why people are now, youknow, mentioning Carrie Mann,
are trying to get, you know,documentaries made about this,
because it's so life-changing,so kind of fast forwarding into
your carnivore live events.
You know what made you thinklike, hey, I'm going to be able
to kind of have like this bigevent.
Was it like, uh, oh, I know Ican do this?
(27:01):
Or you're like, oh, I'm alittle scared to start this, but
we're just going to go for itanyways?
Speaker 2 (27:05):
Well, actually, um, back in 2011, when I had, you
know, that year of verysignificant personal growth, I
said the same thing back then Idon't want to have this
experience.
Maybe there's other people thatare searching for this
information and need it too.
So I started running retreatweekends, which then led to
(27:26):
wellness days, which then led tolike book launch events, film
screening launches and anythingto do with kind of health,
wellness, sustainability, evenlike personal development.
I was holding events, you know,right through that time.
For the last 10 years or so,I've been running events to
(27:49):
share information with people.
So, yeah, when I hadn't run anevent for a little while, having
you know, kind of come out ofsome stressful years, and I
thought, well, you know, there'sa lot going on in the US, why
don't I contact?
I'd already made some contactwith people because I was
already connecting with a lot ofa few people in the carnival
(28:09):
community.
So I already had some niceconnections through podcasting
and interviews and things likethat.
So I just said to them hey, Isent emails out to everyone who
I thought would be great toattend this event as a guest
speaker.
I said, hey, if I run an eventin Australia, would you come?
And that, one by one, it waslike yep, we're there.
(28:32):
Chafee Bella, kerry Mann andAdam from Healing Humanity,
professor Bart Kay, anthonyFayez, natalie West, bradley
Marshall, a local doctor here,dr Carolyn Harris, and, like it
was an amazing event.
And just by the way, when I Iremember when I released the
tickets for that event, Ithought I don't know where, I
(28:53):
don't know any other carnivoresin my kind of space, only a
couple.
I don't know where.
I don't know any othercarnivores in my kind of space,
only a couple.
I don't know how many peopleare going to come to this.
And then all of a suddenthere's just people booking
tickets from all over Australiaand New Zealand and even someone
came from America to attendthis event and it was full, full
house, and it was a amazing day, like very empowering.
(29:15):
Um, everyone was so excited tobe there, and even even for me,
as an organizer, to to see allthese incredible people that
we'd, you know, maybe only seenon podcasts and youtube videos
and on your socials all cometogether and they all those
speakers, had never really meteach other either.
So, yeah, it was.
It was a great, uh, it was agreat day.
(29:38):
So, yeah, that's how I got torunning events and, um, yeah,
we're doing another one in aboutI don't know three weeks, I
think, in in melbourne.
Uh, australia, dr kilts iscoming down.
Bella carnivore ray got a lotof um local speakers.
We're doing a um, a carnivorein professional sports segment
(29:58):
as well panel.
So, um, yeah, we have localbusinesses involved that have
you know, tallow products anddifferent, you know, supplements
and and, uh, earthing blanketsand all that kind of thing.
So, um, yeah, it is really anexperience.
People come and have a greatexperience on the day and
hopefully leave either empoweredto make some changes or just
(30:21):
fired up about what they alreadydo.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
That's gotta be so rewarding to like.
I know a lot of work goes intothat, so thanks for putting
those types of events on.
I know there's a lot oflogistical things you have to
get done of just guests andtraveling and making sure
everything is just right for thepeople that are registering,
but yeah, it's got to be superrewarding to feel so good, to
(30:44):
just step back when it's allsaid and done, like, wow, this
was a really great event.
I mean, people are yeah, likeyou said, people are coming from
all over to rub elbows and withpeople in the carnivore
community and also learn alittle bit more as well.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Yes, yeah, absolutely .
But sometimes I hear, actuallypretty often, carnivores feel a
little bit isolated and, justlike we talked about family
before, a lot of people,especially new into carnivore,
who aren't that confident yet inwhat they're doing.
Sometimes they're a little bitunsure whether what they're
doing is right or not and um,and so they keep quiet, they
(31:23):
don't tell anyone in theircircles and they feel a little
bit um alone on their journey,and so the beauty of these
events is to get people all intoa room where they don't have to
hide what they're doing and whothey are and how they you know
how they feel and, um, yeah,they're around like-minded
people.
Which I think is most importantabout community and live events
is the bringing together ofpeople for a common cause.
(31:46):
You know, and like you said,carnivores like to tell
everybody about their experience.
This man, these people I metwith yesterday, one of them in
particular, had been likelifelong chronic pain in his
knees, his body, he wasoverweight, he'd had cellulitis,
very unwell, and he startedcarnivore just last week and
(32:09):
overnight his knee pain wentaway.
Yesterday he walked to theshops for the first time in he
doesn't know how long and he wascrying, you know, just could
not believe that all it hadtaken was for him to change his
diet like this and what it'salready given him in four days.
And he's a truckie, an Aussietruckie, so he drives trucks,
(32:33):
you know.
And he said I'm telling all ofmy truckie mates and I'm, you
know, I just want to telleverybody about this, because
you know, he said, I'm angrythat I didn't know about this
beforehand.
I'm angry that I've beenthrough so many years of pain
and struggle and it took me fourdays, not even overnight, to
feel the difference already.
(32:54):
So I guess that's that's whypeople are talking about it,
like us.
Speaker 1 (32:59):
Uh-huh, you know, so many people don't know that
they're walking aroundchronically inflamed, right,
there's just so muchinflammation in the body and
they're just so used to itbecause this is their quote,
unquote state of normal, justbased off of what they've been
eating day after day.
But when you start to take thataway, oh my gosh, just the, the
(33:20):
veil is lifted, you feel great.
You, you know, those littleaches and pains start to go away
.
I hear it all the time.
People talk to me.
Anybody that I get that comesto me for carnivore.
Uh, within a few days, if not aweek, that one nagging issue
lower back, severe pain in theknee or hands.
It's like, hey, I don't reallydon't have that pain anymore.
(33:40):
I'm like, yeah, because you'renot, you're not constantly
inflamed, right.
But yeah, we get the storiesall the time and it's great.
And you know, I appreciate yousharing your story with us and
continuously having thecarnivore chats, putting on the
lives for everybody to come andsee.
And when is the one?
In Melbourne?
Is it April 26th?
April 26th yes, yes, okay, andthere's still tickets available.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
Yeah, still tickets available.
I'll give you the link.
You can share it maybe in thenotes.
And yeah, definitely ticketsavailable.
It's going to be an amazing day, you know, like to have all of
those um experts in one room,you know, and to learn from them
and to speak with them.
You know, like in person is isa huge opportunity for anyone
interested in either startingcarnivore or you're doing
(34:25):
carnivore and need some, youknow, a bit of a boost with
regards to information andknowledge, maybe to keep you
going.
Yes, yes, it's, it is anopportunity.
We'll put it that way,definitely.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
Yeah, and, and for some of the listeners, if they,
you know, if they can't make itout there, can't make it to
Melbourne, uh, you know theywant to kind of contact you for
coaching.
Where can they uh find you orconnect with you?
Speaker 2 (34:49):
Yes, absolutely.
I live on Instagram.
Instagram is where I liveonline, so it's at Melissa B.
So M-E-L-I-S-S-A-B-E dot A-U.
So, yeah, come see me there andconnect with me and I, you know
, I I every day try to sharesomething inspiring, educational
, you know, any value, or evenjust my clients' stories and
(35:13):
experiences to you know.
Just support the communityaround me.
They've come to me.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
So I like to give, give as much as I can to support
them.
Yeah, yeah, well, keep keepsharing your story, keep helping
people.
You're doing a fantastic joband and you know once again,
yeah, hey, thanks for coming on,I appreciate it, and one of
these days we'll we'll have torun into each other at one of
these events, for sure.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Yes, Well, hold on a minute.
I'm coming to meet stockTennessee in in the middle of
May.
Speaker 1 (35:43):
I'm not going to.
This is like the fourth orfifth time I've been on the
podcast with somebody.
They're like, hey, you're goingto go to meet stock.
I'm like I can't.
I have a um, a kettlebellcertification that I'm going to.
It's my dad's birthday weekendand I missed last year.
So I got to come this year andI just had Sally Norton on the
(36:03):
last episode and she's like areyou going to come to MeStock?
I was like, not this year but2026, I will be there, I will
make sure, and I think they'regoing to have it back in
Tennessee again.
So I would love to seeeverybody there.
Unfortunately, you're gonnahave to fill me in, uh, how it
was.
But uh, hopefully within theyear we'll cross paths yes,
(36:24):
definitely, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
You have to come to our next carnival live next year
.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
Yeah, you got it all right well.
Thanks again, melissa, forcoming on, and thanks for
everybody listening to anotherepisode of the primal
foundations podcast thanks forhaving me.
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