In this inspiring episode, host Maddy Michielssen, IFBB Bikini Pro and founder of the MPowered Coaching Collective, is joined by two-time overall bikini champion Alexa Sotere to discuss the emotional and mental intricacies of breaking out of "the cycle" as a competitor.

🎙 Through personal stories, pivotal moments, and practical insights, Maddy and Alexa explore:

• The allure and challenges of staying "in the cycle" and why stepping out feels so daunting.
• How routine and control can serve us, but also hinder growth when they become fear disguised as discipline.
• The importance of balance, self-trust, and making intentional decisions around food, training, and life.
• Practical tips for navigating extremes, building self-trust, and redefining indulgences as part of the experience.

Through relatable analogies, like their NYC trip and the "Cake, Cookies, and Bergdorf’s" discussion, Maddy and Alexa shed light on how letting go of perfectionism and embracing flexibility can lead to greater fulfillment and progress🗽

Ready to take the next step in your own journey? Whether you’re just starting with weight loss, working on functional health, or stepping into competition prep, the MPowered Coaching Collective has a spot for you. Join us and become a better student of your body—because you only get one!

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for new episodes every other Saturday.

IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Madsmichiefitness⁠⁠⁠⁠ | YT: @⁠⁠⁠⁠madsmichiefitness⁠⁠⁠⁠

IG: Alexalift

⁠⁠⁠⁠Join⁠⁠⁠⁠ MPowered Coaching Collective for your lifestyle & contest prep needs -- where physique goals meet functional health

This week, host Maddy Michielssen, IFBB Pro and founder of the MPowered Coaching Collective, dives into one of her most transformative rituals—one she’s been practicing every December for the past five years. This simple yet powerful exercise will help you reflect on the past year, uncover invaluable insights, and gain clarity on your goals for 2025.

Through six thoughtfully crafted questions, Maddy guides you on a journey of self-reflection that reveals where you are now and where you truly want to go next. Along the way, she shares personal stories, including a life lesson from a pitch-black mountain road in California, and offers a framework to stop, start, and continue habits that align with your authentic path.

🎙 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The importance of reflection before setting meaningful goals.
• How to align your goals with your "what" and "why" for lasting motivation.
• A practical approach to identifying what to stop, continue, and start in the new year.
• How to create resolutions with deeply personal, intrinsic meaning.

This episode is packed with actionable advice to help you enter 2025 with purpose and empowerment. Plus, Maddy’s reflections on her own growth and the expansion of MPowered Coaching Collective will inspire you to take the reins of your health and well-being.

💡 Ready to reflect, recalibrate, and create a year that feels authentically you? Tune in now and take the first step toward living well in 2025!

Ready to take the next step in your own journey? Whether you’re just starting with weight loss, working on functional health, or stepping into competition prep, the MPowered Coaching Collective has a spot for you. Join us and become a better student of your body—because you only get one!

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for new episodes every Saturday.

IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Madsmichiefitness⁠⁠⁠⁠ | YT: @⁠⁠⁠⁠madsmichiefitness⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Join⁠⁠⁠⁠ MPowered Coaching Collective for your lifestyle & contest prep needs -- where physique goals meet functional health

In this episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, host Maddy Michielssen, IFBB Bikini Pro and founder of the MPowered Coaching Collective, dives into the parallels between running and pursuing health and fitness goals. Inspired by her experiences at a local run club, Maddy shares five transformative lessons that apply to any journey—whether you’re chasing a pro card, recovering from burnout, or striving for a healthier lifestyle.

She explores how mindset shapes success, the dangers of comparison, and the importance of pacing yourself to avoid burnout. You’ll learn how to focus on your unique goals, invest in the right tools and support, and define your own finish line without letting fear or outside influences pull you off course.

This episode is packed with actionable advice to help you find peace in your progress and celebrate the steps you’re taking toward your healthiest, happiest self.

🎙️ Tune in to reflect, reset, and reclaim your path to success.

Ready to take the next step in your own journey? Whether you’re just starting with weight loss, working on functional health, or stepping into competition prep, the MPowered Coaching Collective has a spot for you. Join us and become a better student of your body—because you only get one!

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for new episodes every Saturday.

IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Madsmichiefitness⁠⁠⁠⁠ | YT: @⁠⁠⁠⁠madsmichiefitness⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Join⁠⁠⁠⁠ MPowered Coaching Collective for your lifestyle & contest prep needs -- where physique goals meet functional health

Welcome to The Psyche Behind the Physique with your host, Maddy Michielssen—IFBB Bikini Pro and founder of the MPowered Coaching Collective! This week’s episode dives into the holiday season, a time that should be filled with joy and connection but often becomes a battleground for perfectionism and self-doubt.

Maddy shares personal insights and actionable strategies to help you break free from food-related anxieties, embrace balance, and cultivate self-trust. From shifting your mindset and redefining nourishment to savoring the moments that matter most, you’ll learn how to truly thrive this holiday season.

Whether you're worried about maintaining your goals, navigating holiday gatherings, or simply showing up for yourself with love and compassion, this episode is your step-by-step guide to feeling empowered, confident, and present.

Let’s redefine success this season and make it your most fulfilling one yet. 💖

🎙️ Tune in for actionable insights, personal stories, and a call to balance in your wellness journey.

Ready to take the next step in your own journey? Whether you’re just starting with weight loss, working on functional health, or stepping into competition prep, the MPowered Coaching Collective has a spot for you. Join us and become a better student of your body—because you only get one!

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for new episodes every Saturday.

IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Madsmichiefitness⁠⁠⁠⁠ | YT: @⁠⁠⁠⁠madsmichiefitness⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Join⁠⁠⁠⁠ MPowered Coaching Collective for your lifestyle & contest prep needs -- where physique goals meet functional health

In this heartfelt episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, Maddy Michielssen is joined by a very special guest—her mother, Terry—to explore the transformative power of holistic health in fitness and life. Together, they dive into Terry’s journey with natural medicine, how it influenced Maddy’s coaching philosophy, and the essential balance of mind, body, and spirit in achieving lasting success.

From navigating corporate stress to overcoming chronic health challenges, Terry shares her insights on blending natural and allopathic approaches for optimal well-being. Maddy reflects on her own struggles, including an eating disorder and hormone imbalances, and how functional medicine helped her heal and redefine success as an IFBB Pro.

Listeners will gain practical takeaways on incorporating holistic self-care, trusting the process, and applying these principles to any goal—whether it’s weight loss, regaining a cycle, or earning a pro card. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation that will empower you to rethink your approach to health and fitness.

🎙️ Tune in for actionable insights, personal stories, and a call to balance in your wellness journey.

Ready to take the next step in your own journey? Whether you’re just starting with weight loss, working on functional health, or stepping into competition prep, the MPowered Coaching Collective has a spot for you. Join us and become a better student of your body—because you only get one!

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for new episodes every Saturday.

IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Madsmichiefitness⁠⁠⁠⁠ | YT: @⁠⁠⁠⁠madsmichiefitness⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Join⁠⁠⁠⁠ MPowered Coaching Collective for your lifestyle & contest prep needs -- where physique goals meet functional health

In this week’s episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, IFBB Pro and head coach Maddy Michielssen sits down with her athlete and friend, Miki, fresh off her first competition stage. Together, they tackle a topic often overlooked yet crucial for competitors: the mental and physical challenges of reverse dieting post-show. From the science behind neural pathways in prep to the struggle of re-establishing a healthy relationship with food after intense discipline, Maddy and Miki share invaluable insights.

Miki opens up about the unexpected challenges she faced reversing with a healthy food mindset, while Maddy provides tips for rewiring the brain, maintaining accountability, and navigating the emotional highs and lows of this phase. They discuss the importance of a supportive coach in the reverse journey and practical strategies to stay grounded and disciplined. Whether you're in a reverse, prepping, or aiming to strengthen your relationship with food, this episode offers guidance, science-backed strategies, and encouragement to keep progressing.

Ready to take the next step in your own journey? Whether you’re just starting with weight loss, working on functional health, or stepping into competition prep, the MPowered Coaching Collective has a spot for you. Join us and become a better student of your body—because you only get one!

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for new episodes every Saturday.

IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Madsmichiefitness⁠⁠⁠⁠ | YT: @⁠⁠⁠⁠madsmichiefitness⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Join⁠⁠⁠⁠ Team MPowered for your lifestyle & contest prep needs -- where physique goals meet functional health

In this week’s episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, IFBB Pro and MPowered Coaching Collective head coach Maddy Michielssen gets real about something that might hit close to home—and ruffle a few feathers. Maddy opens up about her own struggles with control disguised as "health," the hidden challenges of post-show transitions, and how she redefined her relationship with food.

If you’ve ever confused control with balance or felt guilt over indulging, this episode is for you. Maddy reminds us that true health is about listening to your body, enjoying life’s moments, and finding freedom in food—whether that’s enjoying a hubcap-sized pancake or learning to trust your hunger and fullness cues.

Ready to take the next step in your own journey? Whether you’re just starting with weight loss, working on functional health, or stepping into competition prep, the MPowered Coaching Collective has a spot for you. Join us and become a better student of your body—because you only get one!

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for new episodes every Saturday.

IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Madsmichiefitness⁠⁠⁠⁠ | YT: @⁠⁠⁠⁠madsmichiefitness⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Join⁠⁠⁠⁠ Team MPowered for your lifestyle & contest prep needs -- where physique goals meet functional health

In this week’s episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, host Maddy Michielssen dives into the power of extreme ownership and self-accountability. Building on last week's discussion on how we can unconsciously thrive in dysfunction, Maddy shares personal insights from a recent family trip to Watsonville, CA. She reflects on how shifting from rigid expectations to intentional, realistic actions allowed her to stay aligned with her health goals without compromising joy and presence.

Maddy breaks down how you can stop falling into the trap of weekend resets, unrealistic vacation expectations, or struggles with eating out by embracing the mindset of ownership. Through practical tips on setting clear intentions, adapting without guilt, and navigating social situations with grace, she encourages listeners to own their journeys fully—without excuses or victim mentality.

This episode is packed with relatable stories, actionable strategies, and empowering takeaways to help you move away from all-or-nothing thinking. Whether you’re prepping for the holidays, family trips, or simply the weekend ahead, you’ll learn how to align your actions with your goals and make consistent progress without sacrificing life’s meaningful moments.

Tune in now and get inspired to own your journey—because lasting change starts with accountability. Don’t forget to subscribe for weekly episodes, and if this message resonates, check out Maddy’s coaching options linked below!

IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Madsmichiefitness⁠⁠⁠⁠ | YT: @⁠⁠⁠⁠madsmichiefitness⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Join⁠⁠⁠⁠ Team MPowered for your lifestyle & contest prep needs -- where physique goals meet functional health