The Psyche Behind the Physique

Maddy Michielssen
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Fitness
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to "The Psyche behind the Physique," the podcast led by IFBB Bikini Pro and Team MPowered Fitness head coach, Maddy Michielssen. Aimed at lifestyle and bodybuilding athletes, this podcast offers tips, inspiring stories, and practical advice to enhance your mindset, physique, and preserve your longevity as an athlete. Whether prepping for a competition or pursuing a healthier lifestyle, join Maddy and guests as they share experiences and insights to keep you motivated & connected. Tune in and become part of a community that celebrates our journeys and inspires your limitless potential. Join team MPowered HERE Follow Maddy's Pro Journey HERE on YouTube | Find Maddy on IG HERE

  1. 2d ago

    Eat More of the Right Things: Nutrition Made Simple for the Active Woman

    What if the way you’ve been trying to “eat like a woman”… has been quietly working against the athlete you actually are? In this episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, Maddy sits down with Nikki Corrine, founder of Edibowl in St. Pete, Florida, to explore how bowl‑style meals, smarter sourcing, and more diversity on your plate can completely transform the way athletic women fuel their bodies. So many high‑performing women train hard, work hard, and try to “eat clean”—but underneath that often lives under‑fueling, low energy, gut symptoms, hormone imbalances, and a constant fear of eating more. This conversation unpacks why those patterns aren’t random—and how shifting from “shrinking” to fueling can change everything: from performance and recovery to mood, digestion, and long‑term health. Maddy shares her own bowl strategy as a functional nutrition practitioner—including the thumb‑fat / carb‑base / protein‑fist / cupped‑color framework—and Nikki breaks down how Edibowl thinks about macros, micronutrients, fiber, diversity, and sourcing to create meals that actually match a woman’s output. Together, they dive into the practical side of fueling for female athletes—from under‑eating and over‑training to mineral status, seed oils, and how to build balanced bowls across different cuisines. This episode will help you understand: The difference between “eating like a female” and fueling like an athletic womanHow to build bowls using a simple visual framework (fat thumbs, carb base, protein fist, cupped color)What polyphenols and minerals are—and why they matter if you trainWhy dietary diversity and fiber matter for gut health, hormone balance, and long‑term resilienceHow to think about lean vs. fatty proteins for both performance and hormone healthSmart ways to use tools like Clean 15/Dirty Dozen without getting obsessiveWhat to look for when sourcing meat and fish to better support your bodyPractical ways to fuel well at home and when you’re ordering outIf you’ve ever felt hungry multiple times per day, train hard, and still feel like your plate is “too small” or “too beige,” this episode will help you build meals that finally match the woman—and the athlete—you really are. 🎯 Inside 1:1 coaching at MPowered Coaching Collective we blend physique strategy, functional nutrition, training, lifestyle support, and deep body awareness so you can stop chasing a body at the expense of your health and start building one that actually supports your life. Join HERE. 📲 Connect with @madsmichiefitness on IG with your biggest takeaway or topic requests 🔗 Find Nikki/order Edibowl here

    Eat More of the Right Things: Nutrition Made Simple for the Active Woman

  2. Jul 5

    Finding Peace at a Number That Used to Rob Me of It

    In this solo episode, Maddy opens up about the mental and emotional shift of stepping away from bodybuilding, releasing old “safe” scale numbers, and learning to find peace in a body that supports hormone health, cycle restoration, strength, and true food freedom. She shares what it looked like to move from rigid tracking and physique-driven metrics into a more intuitive, grounded relationship with food — while still honoring nutrition, protein, fiber, performance, digestion, and body awareness. Maddy also breaks down how old neural pathways around weight, body image, and control can keep us stuck in goals we no longer truly want. This episode is for the woman navigating body changes, learning to eat intuitively, rebuilding trust with herself, or realizing that her healthy body may not weigh what her depleted body once did. 🎯 If you’re in a season of stepping away from dieting, rebuilding trust with your body, restoring your cycle, learning how to eat intuitively, or wanting to pursue physique goals without sacrificing your internal health, we would love to support you inside MPowered Coaching Collective. Our 1:1 coaching blends physique strategy, functional nutrition, training, lifestyle support, and deep body awareness so you can stop chasing a body at the expense of your health and start building one that actually supports your life.Join HERE. 📲 Connect with @madsmichiefitness on IG with your biggest takeaway or topic requests

    Finding Peace at a Number That Used to Rob Me of It

  3. Jun 21

    Training for Life: Running, Rest, and the Mindset to Say “Yes I Can”

    What if the strongest version of you isn’t the one who always pushes harder—but the one who knows when to pause, pivot, or rest? In this episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, Maddy sits down with Brandee, founder of Pinellas Run Club in St. Pete, Florida, to talk about mindset, running, and redefining what it really means to be “mentally tough.” Brandee didn’t grow up loving to run. In high school and college, running was tied to punishment and weight loss. Training for her first half marathon, she hated the process and walked away from the sport for years. It wasn’t until later in life—after moving to St. Pete, finding community through run club, and doing a lot of inner work—that running found her again in a completely different way. Together, Maddy and Brandee explore: How revisiting something later in life can feel empowering when you’re equipped differently mentallyWhy mindset is more than “just push harder”The power of 1% better, instead of chasing dramatic overnight changeHow to tell the difference between a discipline problem and true fatigueWhy rest can actually be the more mentally demanding “rep”Showing up when there’s no big, time-sensitive goal on the calendarThe importance of pause, quiet, and nervous system safety in deciding what’s nextBrandee’s race story—rolling her ankle mid-marathon, choosing to keep going, and discovering she was far stronger than she thoughtIf you’ve ever hated something the first time you did it (running, dieting, lifting, prep…) and wondered if it could ever feel different—or if you’re in a season where you’re tired, between goals, or unsure what’s next—this conversation will help you see mindset, rest, and identity through a completely new lens. 🎯 Inside 1:1 coaching at MPowered Coaching Collective, we don’t just focus on your physique—we help you rebuild your body, your hormones, and your relationship with yourself from the inside out. Apply to work with us 1:1 below. Join HERE. 📲 Connect with @madsmichiefitness on IG with your biggest takeaway or topic requests 🔗 Find Brandee/follow her journey here Local to 🌴 St Petersburg? Check out PRC here

    Training for Life: Running, Rest, and the Mindset to Say “Yes I Can”

  4. Jun 7

    When You’re No Longer Training for Something: Staying an Athlete Without a Target

    What happens when the race you’ve built your life around… ends? In this episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, Maddy sits down with her friend Corin, a seasoned marathoner who went into her 13th marathon at the Glass City Marathon in Toledo, Ohio fully believing this would be the one that qualified her for Boston. She trained smarter, managed an injury well, tapered intentionally, and focused on mindset—only to have race day derailed by unexpected GI issues from new gels. But this conversation isn’t just about a race that didn’t go to plan. It’s about what came after. Maddy and Corin unpack the emotional crash that followed: low motivation, not wanting to leave the house, skipping workouts she’d planned, and feeling unmoored without the structure and identity of marathon training. They explore the fears so many women face after a big goal or intense season—whether it’s a show, a Hyrox, a wedding, or a major fat loss push: Who am I if I’m not “the runner” or “the fit girl”?What if I lose this level of fitness and conditioning?Can I actually trust myself to find a new rhythm I feel proud of?Maddy breaks down how the brain’s Reticular Activating System (RAS), Default Mode Network, and amygdala can trap you in a loop of “I’m failing,” even when you’re actually doing the hard, necessary work of transitioning. Together, they talk about redefining what “hard” really is—how, for an endurance athlete, it might be easier to override your body and keep grinding… and far harder to slow down, honor recovery, try new forms of movement, and let your athlete identity expand beyond one sport. This episode will help you: Normalize the post-race / post-show / post-goal crashSeparate your identity from any single season, sport, or physiqueUnderstand how your brain’s filters shape what you see as “evidence”Gamify a new chapter so it feels exciting, not like a downgradeSee rest, variety, and pivoting as growth—not failureLean on community and the right people when you feel lost between chaptersIf you’re in that weird in-between—no longer in the peak, not yet in your next thing—this conversation will remind you that you’re still an athlete, you’re still allowed to evolve, and you don’t have to navigate the “after” alone. 🎯 Inside 1:1 coaching at MPowered Coaching Collective, we don’t just focus on your physique—we help you rebuild your body, your hormones, and your relationship with yourself from the inside out. Apply to work with us 1:1 below. Join HERE. 📲 Connect with @madsmichiefitness on IG with your biggest takeaway or topic requests 🔗 Find Corin/follow her journey here

    When You’re No Longer Training for Something: Staying an Athlete Without a Target

  5. May 24

    Understanding Yourself to Transform Yourself: Leveraging Strengths in a World That Tells You to Fix Yourself

    What if the patterns you’ve been trying to “fix”… aren’t flaws at all—but misapplied strengths? In this episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, Maddy sits down with Brandon Miller, CEO and co-founder of 34 Strong and certified Gallup CliftonStrengths coach, to explore how understanding the way you’re wired can completely transform the way you approach health, fitness, and personal growth. So many high-performing women pride themselves on discipline, drive, and high standards—but underneath that often lives burnout, self-criticism, comparison, and a constant pressure to do more. This conversation unpacks why those patterns aren’t random—and how they may actually be rooted in your greatest strengths operating in their “basement” rather than their “balcony.” Maddy shares her personal experience working with Brandon, and how learning her own strengths helped her release guilt, build self-awareness, and create more alignment in both her life and her coaching. Together, they break down how this work applies directly to the patterns Maddy sees every day in her clients—from overtraining and under-eating to impatience, comparison, and the inability to slow down. This episode will help you understand: Why focusing on strengths is more powerful than fixing weaknessesWhat “balcony vs. basement” means—and how it shows up in your lifeThe psychology behind overtraining, control, and self-criticismWhy some women struggle more with comparison and impatienceHow self-awareness can improve both your mental and physical resultsPractical ways to start working with yourself instead of against yourselfIf you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything right—but still feel stuck, frustrated, or disconnected—this episode will help you see yourself in a completely new way. 🎯 Inside 1:1 coaching at MPowered Coaching Collective, we don’t just focus on your physique—we help you rebuild your body, your hormones, and your relationship with yourself from the inside out. Apply to work with us 1:1 below. Join HERE. 📲 Connect with @madsmichiefitness on IG with your biggest takeaway or topic requests 🔗 Take your Clifton Strengths Assessment HERE (Click Discover Your Top 5 Strengths) and listen to Coach to Coach HERE

    Understanding Yourself to Transform Yourself: Leveraging Strengths in a World That Tells You to Fix Yourself

  6. May 10

    Last to First: What the Kentucky Derby Can Teach You About Confidence, Strategy, and Finishing Strong

    What if your past results aren’t proof you’re not capable… but proof you’ve been running the wrong race? In this solo episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, Maddy breaks down the 2026 Kentucky Derby upset where Golden Tempo came from last place to win at 23–1 odds—and uses it as a powerful metaphor for your own health and fitness journey. From starting at the “back of the pack,” to changing strategy mid-race, to conserving energy and executing a fierce late finish, this story becomes a lens for how women approach fat loss phases, preps, reverses, and long-term transformation. Maddy dives into why so many high-performing women quietly count themselves out before they even begin, giving more power to old evidence than to who they are now. She unpacks the difference between belief and fantasy, urgency and strategy, grit and good design—and why “trying harder” isn’t the same as running a smarter race. In this episode, you’ll explore: Why your past attempts don’t have to define your identityThe danger of turning failed outcomes into a personal verdictHow “coming out of the gates blazing” leads to burnout and inconsistencyWhy foundation work (maintenance, reverse dieting, muscle building) is not wasted timeHow to remove unnecessary friction so success feels more sustainableThe mindset traps that make you self-sabotage near the “finish line”How comparison pulls you out of your lane and ruins your own strategyWhat it looks like to steward your goals instead of trying to control everythingIf you’ve ever felt behind, embarrassed by how many times you’ve restarted, or tempted to assume “it always goes this way for me,” this episode will challenge that narrative—and invite you to run this race differently. 🎯Inside 1:1 coaching at MPowered Coaching Collective, we don’t just focus on your physique—we help you rebuild your body, your hormones, and your relationship with yourself from the inside out. Apply to work with us 1:1 below. Join HERE. 📲 DM @madsmichiefitness to connect or share your biggest takeaways and topic requests!

    Last to First: What the Kentucky Derby Can Teach You About Confidence, Strategy, and Finishing Strong

  7. Apr 26

    Softening to Heal: Why Letting Go Was the Hardest Thing I Ever Did

    What if the very thing you’ve been praised for your entire life… is the very thing quietly holding you back? In this episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, Maddy sits down with Kate Hastings to unpack the concept of “softening”—and why it may be the missing piece for so many high-performing women. From being raised to push harder, achieve more, and stay in control… to living in a constant state of stress, rigidity, and disconnection—this conversation explores what happens when strength becomes survival, and survival becomes a prison. Maddy shares her personal journey through burnout, hormonal dysfunction, and loss of her cycle—and how learning to soften, slow down, and rebuild trust with her body ultimately led to true healing. Kate expands on this through the lens of identity, femininity, and emotional safety—highlighting how many women have only ever known how to operate in “go mode,” and why stepping out of that can feel unfamiliar, even unsafe. This episode will help you understand: The hidden cost of always being “on”Signs you may be stuck in a chronic stress or control patternHow nervous system regulation impacts hormones and overall healthThe difference between discipline and self-trustPractical ways to begin softening without losing yourselfIf you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything right—but still not feeling your best—this conversation is for you. 🎯Inside 1:1 coaching at MPowered Coaching Collective, we don’t just focus on your physique—we help you rebuild your body, your hormones, and your relationship with yourself from the inside out.Apply to work with us 1:1 below. Join HERE. 📲 DM @madsmichiefitness with your biggest takeaway or topic requests and connect with Kate here

    Softening to Heal: Why Letting Go Was the Hardest Thing I Ever Did

  8. Apr 12

    The Real Reason You Can’t Change (It’s Not What You Think)

    In this episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, Maddy is joined by coach and HYROX athlete Doug Stossmeister for a raw, powerful conversation on identity, resilience, and what it actually takes to change your life. Doug shares what it was like growing up in extreme scarcity in rural Alaska—where survival wasn’t a mindset, it was reality. From driving boats to school to navigating food insecurity, his upbringing shaped a deeply ingrained belief: everything is on me. But what happens when that mindset starts holding you back? Together, Maddy and Doug unpack how early environments shape our relationship with food, discipline, self-worth, and even our bodies. They explore the hidden patterns that keep women stuck—not just in their fitness journeys, but in careers, relationships, and identities that no longer align. This episode dives into: Scarcity vs. abundance mindset in health and lifeWhy so many women stay stuck in cycles of burnout and restrictionThe fear of becoming someone new (and why it keeps you stagnant)The emotional and mental toll of chasing physique goals without alignmentWhat it really means to “choose happy”—and why it’s not selfishHow to navigate major life pivots, even when you’re terrifiedIf you’ve ever felt stuck between who you are and who you know you could be… this conversation will hit deep. Because transformation isn’t just physical—it’s identity. ⚡ After coaching hundreds of women through fat loss, hormone healing, and body recomposition… I can confidently say: it’s not just about doing more—it’s about doing what’s right for your body. If you’re ready for that level of support, apply for 1:1 coaching below. 🎯 Join MPowered Coaching Collective for lifestyle & contest prep — where physique goals meet functional health and community. 📲 DM @madsmichiefitness with your biggest takeaway or topic requests and connect with Doug here

    The Real Reason You Can’t Change (It’s Not What You Think)
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Welcome to "The Psyche behind the Physique," the podcast led by IFBB Bikini Pro and Team MPowered Fitness head coach, Maddy Michielssen. Aimed at lifestyle and bodybuilding athletes, this podcast offers tips, inspiring stories, and practical advice to enhance your mindset, physique, and preserve your longevity as an athlete. Whether prepping for a competition or pursuing a healthier lifestyle, join Maddy and guests as they share experiences and insights to keep you motivated & connected. Tune in and become part of a community that celebrates our journeys and inspires your limitless potential. Join team MPowered HERE Follow Maddy's Pro Journey HERE on YouTube | Find Maddy on IG HERE

Information

  • Creator
    Maddy Michielssen
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    59
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © MPowered Fitness LLC 2024
  • Show Website
    The Psyche Behind the Physique

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