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. When the Number Isn’t Neutral: Healing Your Relationship with the Scale

    3D AGO

    When the Number Isn’t Neutral: Healing Your Relationship with the Scale

    Why does a single number have the power to change your entire mood? In this episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, we’re unpacking the psychology of the scale — and why weight is rarely just about weight. If you’ve ever stepped on the scale and felt your stomach drop… If you’ve ever felt proud of yourself until a number told you otherwise… If you’ve ever let a reading determine what kind of day you were allowed to have… This episode is for you. Today, we’re diving into why certain “trigger numbers” feel emotionally loaded, how control becomes wired to safety, and why so many high-achieving women unknowingly outsource their confidence to a device sitting in their bathroom. We’ll talk about: • Why weight fluctuations feel personal • How identity gets attached to body size • The nervous system response behind scale anxiety • Why chasing a lower number can become addictive • The biological reality of daily weight changes (water, hormones, stress, digestion) • How to know when the scale has stopped being a tool and started being an authority • And how to reclaim internal authority without abandoning your physique goals This conversation isn’t about giving up on excellence. It’s about learning to pursue strength, health, and ambition without self-punishment. Because the scale measures your body’s response to external stimuli — not your worth, not your discipline, and not your identity. 🎙️ If this episode resonated with you and you’re ready to build a healthier relationship with your body, your hormones, and your goals, my team and I would love to support you. 🎯 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

    41 min
  2. When Life Says ‘Not Yet’: Burnout, Capacity, and Rebuilding Your Strength | Psyche Behind the Physique

    JAN 31

    When Life Says ‘Not Yet’: Burnout, Capacity, and Rebuilding Your Strength | Psyche Behind the Physique

    When life tells you “not yet,” how do you respond? In this powerful episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, Maddy sits down with Christian to talk about capacity, burnout, emotional resilience, and what it really means to rebuild yourself when life forces you to slow down. This conversation goes far beyond fitness. We dive into: ✨ How to recognize when you’re operating beyond your capacity ✨ The hidden signs of burnout and emotional exhaustion ✨ Why “not yet” seasons are often necessary for growth ✨ Rebuilding confidence after feeling stuck or overwhelmed ✨ Letting go of hustle culture and learning to honor your nervous system ✨ How identity, mindset, and self-worth impact your physical health ✨ Creating sustainable strength — mentally, emotionally, and physically If you’ve ever felt: • Burnt out • Overwhelmed • Behind in life • Disconnected from your body • Like you’re “failing” because things aren’t moving fast enough …this episode is for you. This is a real, raw conversation about learning to trust timing, rebuild your foundation, and step into your next season with clarity and strength. 🎙️ Whether you’re an athlete, high-achiever, busy woman, or someone navigating change — this episode will remind you that slowing down is not quitting. It’s preparing. 🎯 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 & Connect with Christian here!

    58 min
  3. I Did Everything Right — and Still Felt Awful

    JAN 18

    I Did Everything Right — and Still Felt Awful

    What happens when the smallest version of you isn’t the strongest — or the happiest? In this episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, Maddy sits down with Halle, a lifelong athlete and coach, to unpack what it really means to be strong in a world that rewards shrinking, over-training, and constant intensity. Halle grew up in organized sport — swimming, gymnastics, track — and swam competitively in college. Like many former athletes, the transition after sport left her searching for identity, structure, and purpose in fitness. What began as lifting to stay active eventually evolved into a coaching career — and a deeper philosophy around performance, health, and sustainability. Together, we explore: Why the smallest body is often not the healthiest or strongestThe psychological impact of leaving organized sportFitness as a mental and emotional tool — not just an aesthetic pursuitHow chronic high-intensity training can quietly lead to burnoutThe difference between pushing your limits and punishing your bodyWhy routines matter more than trendsHow to redefine progress beyond the scaleThis conversation is for the woman who loves training — but is ready to stop letting fitness control her life. 🎧 If you’ve ever felt torn between wanting to be strong and feeling pressured to be smaller, this episode will meet you exactly where you are. 🎯 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 & Connect with Halle here!

    1h 2m
  4. Keep, Change, or Flip: A Smarter Way to Set New Year Goals Without Burning Out

    JAN 4

    Keep, Change, or Flip: A Smarter Way to Set New Year Goals Without Burning Out

    In this reflective and empowering solo episode, Maddy shares a conversation she didn’t plan — but felt deeply called to record. What started as a last-minute pivot turned into an opportunity to speak on something that has quietly changed the lives of her clients, friends, and herself for years: how we approach change at the start of a new year. In a wellness culture that often mocks New Year’s resolutions — or frames growth as either “do nothing” or “reinvent everything” — Maddy offers a more grounded, compassionate framework for real transformation. She introduces the Keep / Change / Flip method: a practical, nervous-system-aware way to reflect on the past year without shame, set intentions without burnout, and move forward without erasing who you already are. Maddy also shares a personal ritual she’s practiced since childhood — creating a “treasure map” (often called a vision board) — and explains why physically engaging with your goals, seeing them daily, and being intentional with language can quietly shape the actions you take all year long. This episode is not about becoming a “new you.” It’s about honoring what worked, releasing what didn’t, and courageously flipping what once served you — but no longer aligns with who you’re becoming. In this episode, we explore: Why the New Year can be a powerful motivator — without requiring a complete resetThe difference between behaviors you should keep, change, and flipWhy starting goal-setting from pride (not self-criticism) leads to better follow-throughHow “flips” often require support — not because you failed, but because your life evolvedWhy macro tracking, rigid routines, or extreme saving may need to shift as goals changeHow physical vision boards (treasure maps) influence daily decisions and manifestationThe importance of language, intention, and nervous system safety when setting goalsWhy real growth happens through alignment — not controlThis episode is for the woman who: Feels motivated by a fresh start but doesn’t want to burn herself outIs tired of “all or nothing” thinking around goalsKnows some habits worked — but senses others need to evolveFeels stuck between structure and freedomWants growth that feels intentional, grounded, and sustainableIf you’ve ever felt conflicted about New Year’s resolutions — or unsure how to move forward without undoing your progress — this conversation will help you reframe change as something supportive, not punishing. Growth doesn’t require erasing yourself. It requires clarity, compassion, and the courage to evolve. 🎧 Listen now to reflect on your year, reconnect with what matters, and create a path forward that actually fits your life. 🎯 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

    33 min
  5. Breaking the Binge Cycle Without More Rules

    12/21/2025

    Breaking the Binge Cycle Without More Rules

    In this deeply honest and grounding episode, Maddy sits down with podiatrist, practice owner, HYROX athlete, and longtime client Taylor Staudt to unpack a truth that’s rarely talked about in the health and fitness space: Coaching isn’t just for weight loss — it’s support infrastructure for change. Taylor shares her full journey: from rapid weight gain during a season of intense life stress, long-distance marriage, and business ownership… to years of binge eating that felt like part of her identity… to finally breaking the cycle — not through stricter plans, discipline, or “starting over,” but through sustained support, nervous system safety, and a shift away from aesthetics as the primary goal. Together, Maddy and Taylor explore how binge eating is often a stress response, not a character flaw — and why so many women relapse not because the work didn’t work, but because support is removed during moments of transition. This episode covers: Why most women enter coaching for weight loss — and why that’s rarely the real issueHow binge eating, restriction, and food anxiety are often rooted in change and nervous system dysregulationWhat actually allowed Taylor to go 5+ months binge-free for the first time in a decadeWhy relapse doesn’t mean failure — it points to unmet needs during life transitionsThe difference between using a coach for approval vs supportHow performance-based training (HYROX / hybrid training) reshaped Taylor’s relationship with food and her bodyWhy fueling more, eating consistently, and releasing rigid structure created better physique resultsHow shifting the goal from “weight loss” to quality of life, fertility, and long-term health changed everythingThis conversation is for the woman who: Feels stuck in cycles of dieting, bingeing, and restartingThinks she “just needs more discipline”Panics when structure disappearsOr wonders why progress falls apart during vacations, relationship changes, or big life shiftsIf you’ve ever felt ashamed for needing support — or frustrated that weight loss never seems to stick — this episode will help you see that the issue was never you. Healing doesn’t happen through control. It happens through safety, support, and staying resourced through change. 🎧 Listen now for a powerful reminder that health coaching isn’t about fixing you — it’s about walking with you while your life evolves. 🎯 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

    53 min
  6. Inflammation, Fertility & the Female Body: Why ‘Doing Everything Right’ Still Isn’t Working

    12/08/2025

    Inflammation, Fertility & the Female Body: Why ‘Doing Everything Right’ Still Isn’t Working

    In this episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, Maddy sits down with St. Pete–based PA, fertility specialist, and functional women’s health practitioner Hannah Newman to unpack one of the most misunderstood topics in women’s health: the quiet, chronic inflammation that can quietly sabotage ovulation, hormones, and your ability to conceive—even when you’re “healthy” on paper. Together, they zoom out on allostatic load—your body’s cumulative stress bucket—and break down how under-fueling, perfectionism, overtraining, gut issues, autoimmunity, blood sugar swings, and even your water bottle and cookware can add up to a body that doesn’t feel safe enough to reproduce. From Hashimoto’s and PCOS, to birth control, GLP-1s, and the vaginal microbiome, this conversation bridges conventional medicine, functional testing, and real-life lifestyle shifts that actually move the needle for fertility. You’ll hear practical strategies for: Understanding allostatic load and why stress is more than just your job or workoutsSpotting subtle signs of low-grade inflammation in your gut, skin, cycle, and immune systemUsing labs smarter (thyroid beyond TSH, glucose + insulin + A1C, hormones with correct cycle timing, BBT, HRV)Nourishing fertility with enough carbs and fats instead of hiding behind “high protein” and volumetric eatingKnowing when HIIT, long deficit phases, and being “too lean” start to work against your hormones and ovulationSupporting autoimmune conditions (like Hashimoto’s, IBD, rheumatoid arthritis) in a fertility-conscious wayBuilding a supplement toolkit that actually serves you: magnesium, omegas, antioxidants, vaginal probiotics, inositol—and when to test before you takeNavigating birth control and GLP-1s without tanking your hormones, gut, or chances of conceivingReducing environmental toxins (plastics, fragrances, water, air) without driving yourself crazyUsing strength training and reverse dieting to rebuild a more resilient, fertile metabolism🎧 If you’re a high-performing, Type-A woman who “does everything right” but is battling irregular cycles, unexplained infertility, hormone chaos, or burnout from chronic dieting and training—this episode will change how you see your body, your stress, and your fertility. 🎯 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. Connect with Hannah here.

    1h 5m
  7. Stop Quitting Early: How to Push Through Mental Walls in Your Workouts (Without Overtraining)

    11/22/2025

    Stop Quitting Early: How to Push Through Mental Walls in Your Workouts (Without Overtraining)

    In this episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, Maddy sits down with St. Pete performance coach and HYROX specialist, Coach Caleb, to unpack the mental side of going hard in the gym, on the road, and on the race course. Fresh off her HYROX Chicago race, Maddie shares how a former ballet dancer and wakeboarder discovered she’s actually “kind of good” at sport—and how much of that breakthrough came down to mindset, not genetics. Together, they break down why your brain taps out before your body, what the central governor theory actually means for your training, and how to know when to keep pushing vs. when to back off to protect your joints, hormones, and long-term progress. From redlining in group fitness, to building true endurance, to recognizing the subtle “whispers” of burnout and adrenal fatigue, this episode is a masterclass in mental toughness with boundaries. You’ll hear practical strategies for: Rewriting what “hard” actually looks like in your trainingUsing breathwork and micro-goals to get through mental wallsTraining at lactate threshold without frying your nervous systemPushing to failure safely for strength, hypertrophy, and performance gainsNavigating fear of looking stupid, being “the slow one,” or doing it wrong in class🎧 If you’re a runner, hybrid athlete, group fitness regular, or lifter who knows you’ve got more in the tank—but your mind keeps hitting the brakes—this one will change the way you show up for your workouts. 🎯 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. Connect with Caleb here

    55 min
  8. Underfueled & Overtrained: How Female Athletes Rebuild Performance, Hormones, and Joy

    11/08/2025

    Underfueled & Overtrained: How Female Athletes Rebuild Performance, Hormones, and Joy

    In this episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, Maddy sits down with friend and fellow athlete Rosie—a semi-pro soccer player and recent half-marathoner—to unpack the quiet crisis of female athletes: training like a pro while fueling like a hobbyist. Together they explore the identity shift from perfection to performance, how to spot under-fueling (hint: your brain knows first), and why carbs and fats are the unsung heroes in a protein-obsessed culture. You’ll hear real talk on nervous-system regulation as the new pre-workout, the tightrope between discipline and obsession, and how “optimal” becomes unsustainable when it ignores your actual life. If you’ve ever hit your numbers and still felt foggy, flat, or fried—this one’s your permission slip to eat for clarity, capacity, and consistency. You’ll learn: Fueling as mindset (not math) and using hunger as data—not dangerWhy cognitive fatigue shows up before physical fatigueThe role of carbs + fats in hormones, thyroid, recovery, and moodRed flags that “discipline” has slid into obsessionHow 80% consistency beats 100% control for long-term performance🎧 If this helped, share it with the teammate who’s learning to soften without slowing down. 🎯 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. Connect with Rosie here

    1h 14m
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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
    48
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © MPowered Fitness LLC 2024
  • Show Website
    The Psyche Behind the Physique