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 life
• Why so many women stay stuck in cycles of burnout and restriction
• The fear of becoming someone new (and why it keeps you stagnant)
• The emotional and mental toll of chasing physique goals without alignment
• What it really means to “choose happy”—and why it’s not selfish
• How to navigate major life pivots, even when you’re terrified

If 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

What if fertility isn’t something you prepare for when you want a baby… but something you’ve been building your entire life?

In this episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, I’m joined by Dr. Carolyn Nygaard, naturopathic doctor and midwife, to break down the real drivers of fertility, pregnancy health, and early childhood development — through a functional, root-cause lens.

We dive into how autoimmunity, inflammation, environmental toxins (like microplastics), and nervous system health all play a role in conception, pregnancy outcomes, and even the long-term health of your child.

This conversation is for the woman who wants to feel informed, empowered, and proactive about her health — whether she’s preparing for pregnancy or simply wanting to better understand her body.

🧠 IN THIS EPISODE:

• Why fertility is built years before conception
• Autoimmunity + inflammation’s role in fertility
• Microplastics + hormone disruption
• Preconception health (for both partners)
• Nervous system + stress impact on pregnancy

Fertility is not random — it’s a reflection of your internal environment. Your body must feel safe to reproduce. And the choices you make today can influence not just your health… but the health of your future children.

🎙️If this episode resonated with you, and you’re wanting personalized support with hormones, gut health, inflammation, or a fertility-safe training and nutrition plan — my team and I would love to walk alongside you. We work with women at every stage — from athletes to those healing their cycles, preparing for pregnancy, or rebuilding after burnout.

🎯 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 Dr Ngyaard here

In this episode, I sit down with Kierin Hopping, a HYROX Worlds Pro and Boston Marathon qualifier, for an honest conversation about what it really looks like to train at a high level as a woman.

We talk about the shift from aesthetic goals to performance goals, how Kierin’s relationship with food changed after bodybuilding, what it means to fuel for endurance and hybrid performance, and why having a menstrual cycle is one of the clearest signs that your body feels safe and supported.

This episode also dives into the side of athleticism that people don’t talk about enough: overtraining, imperfect recovery, the mental load of discipline, and the reality that even elite athletes are still learning how to balance performance with health.

We cover:

• the transition from bodybuilding to marathon running and HYROX
• healing a disordered relationship with food through performance-based goals
• under-fueling, low energy availability, and menstrual health
• balancing aesthetic goals with athletic goals
• signs your training load is outpacing your recovery
• what beginner athletes get wrong about HYROX
• why progress does not require perfection

This is such an important episode for female athletes, high achievers, and women who want to train hard without losing themselves in the process.

🎙️ If you’ve ever felt like you had to have your training, recovery, body composition, or nutrition perfectly dialed in before you could succeed, this conversation will challenge that belief in the best way.

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 and connect with Kierin here

In this episode of The Psyche Behind the Physique, host Maddy Michielssen sits down with naturopathic physician and founder of Naturopathic by Design, Dr. Corina Dunlap, for an honest and deeply educational conversation about what healing actually looks like when we stop chasing quick fixes and start addressing root causes.

After experiencing her own breaking point with chronic infections, digestive pain, hair loss, and debilitating fatigue, Dr. Dunlap discovered the transformative power of naturopathic medicine — a moment that reshaped both her health and her career. Today, she works with women across the country helping them reconnect physiology, nervous system safety, environment, and lifestyle as part of sustainable healing.

Together, Maddy and Dr. Dunlap unpack what naturopathic medicine truly is — beyond common misconceptions — and how it works alongside conventional medicine rather than against it.

In this episode, we explore:

• The difference between naturopathic and allopathic medicine — and where each excels

• Nervous system regulation, the HPA and HPO axis, and why stress physiology drives hormone dysfunction in women

• Female energy, play, nature, and connection as legitimate biological medicine

• Functional diagnostic testing including DUTCH hormone testing, GI Mapping, micronutrient panels, mold testing, mineral analysis, and food sensitivities

• How functional testing complements traditional bloodwork

• When prescriptions are necessary — and when root cause work matters most

• Supplements women actually benefit from (and the ones often overused)

• Whether there are conditions naturopathic medicine cannot address alone

🎙️ If you’ve ever felt dismissed, stuck between medical systems, or unsure where to start when your body stops responding the way it used to — this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and science-backed perspective.

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 and connect with Dr. Dunlap here

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

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!

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 strongest
• The psychological impact of leaving organized sport
• Fitness as a mental and emotional tool — not just an aesthetic pursuit
• How chronic high-intensity training can quietly lead to burnout
• The difference between pushing your limits and punishing your body
• Why routines matter more than trends
• How to redefine progress beyond the scale

This 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!

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 reset
• The difference between behaviors you should keep, change, and flip
• Why starting goal-setting from pride (not self-criticism) leads to better follow-through
• How “flips” often require support — not because you failed, but because your life evolved
• Why macro tracking, rigid routines, or extreme saving may need to shift as goals change
• How physical vision boards (treasure maps) influence daily decisions and manifestation
• The importance of language, intention, and nervous system safety when setting goals
• Why real growth happens through alignment — not control

This episode is for the woman who:

• Feels motivated by a fresh start but doesn’t want to burn herself out
• Is tired of “all or nothing” thinking around goals
• Knows some habits worked — but senses others need to evolve
• Feels stuck between structure and freedom
• Wants growth that feels intentional, grounded, and sustainable

If 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