Melina Costanza is a competition powerhouse and the 2021 US Boulder National Champion. She opened up recently about her struggles with an eating disorder and decided to step away from competitions. We talked about her foot injury and surgery, why patent law is similar to climbing, how sports glamorize suffering, getting stronger during recovery, how gratitude can impact your training, and fun facts about Melina from ketchup to baby teeth necklaces.Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!rhinoskinsolutions.comUse code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!And check out EP 22 with Justin Brown to learn more about how to use Rhino products!Check out Chalk Cartel!chalkcartel.comUse code "NUGGET" at checkout for 20% off your next order!Check out Crimpd!crimpd.comOr download the Crimpd app!Check out Rumpl!rumpl.com/nuggetUse code "NUGGET" at checkout for 10% off your first order!Check out PhysiVantage!physivantage.com (link includes 15% off coupon)Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order! We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, and Zach EmeryBecome a Patron:patreon.com/thenuggetclimbingShow Notes: thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/melina-costanzaNuggets:0:06:25 – Update on Melina’s foot surgery and recovery0:10:27 – The patent bar exam, and similarities between patent law and climbing0:15:15 – Legos, and being a nerd growing up0:16:45 – How taking her first physics class improved her climbing0:19:30 – Modern volume climbing0:24:06 – How Melina is thinking about her climbing moving forward, and training for upcoming competitions0:26:20 – Plans to get back into sport climbing, and Melina’s Tumbler account0:28:31 – Why Melina decided to quit climbing in college0:33:36 – Fun in competitions, and only doing competitions that she wants to be at0:36:48 – Expectations and pressure, and competing to win vs. competing to not lose0:42:25 – Competitions as data, and “shoulding”0:45:21 – Melina’s Instagram post about her eating disorder, and the story of breaking her foot0:50:40 – The distortion your mind experiences with an eating disorder, and how sports glamorize suffering0:57:42 – How your identity becomes entangled in an eating disorder, and rewriting the stories you tell yourself1:01:53 – The importance of including fat and carbs in your diet, and getting stronger quickly once she started fueling properly1:09:54 – Taking a leap of faith, and being vulnerable publically to help others1:15:40 – A comment from Nicole1:16:23 – Patron question from Katja: What inspired her to go public with her story?1:19:13 – Not letting her eating disorder define her1:20:09 – Did talking about it publically help?1:22:53 – Patron question from Ana: Did anyone bring up Melina’s weight as a concern?1:24:50 – Patron question from Eric: How would someone bring up concerns about an eating disorder in a tactful way?1:27:10 – Patron question from Zachary: How does Melina deal with intrusive thoughts around weight? How does she balance performance with recovery?1:30:52 – Disconnecting morality from food, and sweets1:34:31 – How not eating enough disrupts sleep1:37:30 – Fun facts with Melina Costanza!1:37:37 – Tattooing people in high school1:39:02 – Ketchup1:40:44 – Container store1:42:05 – Whiteboards and houseplants1:43:54 – Taylor Swift1:47:41 – Doja Cat1:49:46 – Sharks1:50:18 – The meat packing industry in the early 1900s1:51:59 – Parents and academics1:54:17 – Training at home during covid with her brother, and the role of gratitude in training1:59:07 – Current training, and getting strong2:04:29 – Training her fingers for the first time, and using the Tindeq (use code NUGGET for $10 off!)2:07:47 – How hard can Melina climb with one foot?2:09:18 – More fun facts with Melina!2:09:50 – Frozen peas2:10:46 – Baby teeth necklace2:11:50 – Forensic pathology DVDs2:15:02 – Raw octopus2:15:49 – Medival torture museum, and developing confidence2:19:15 – Fencing2:20:20 – Olympic aspirations2:21:23 – A couple of questions from Tyson Schoene2:26:19 – Wrap up

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