Elle and Mel are back after a 4 month unplanned hiatus, because such is life! They do a catch up on things they are prioritizing for the year which includes podcast and book recommendations, tips for sticking to goals, a discussion on human psychology, social media and the metaverse? It's a little bit of everything as a light and unstructured intro back. If you have questions or episode suggestions please find us at @squatsnthoughts_ on Instagram or email us at [email protected]

Elle and Mel offer tips for increasing your step count in your day and share the reasons why you should care. From longevity to weight management, getting up and getting active, beyond just hitting the gym can be a great addition to your life. Listen for some inspiration and ideas, you connect with us on Instagram at @squatsandthoughts_

Elle and Mel sit down with Kat and Shan of Clear Cut Fitness (@clearcutfitness) to talk about women's health, specifically as it relates to lifting, training and life. They both discuss how their lack of knowledge on women's health lead to a history of injuries. We also go over their experiences with birth control, why the fitness industry lacks knowledge on women's health as well as Kat's personal struggles with PMDD and how that has affected her both inside and outside the gym. If period talk makes you uncomfortable, it just means you should listen to this episode twice instead of once.  Follow Kat (@1flykat) and Shan (@clearcutshan) on Instagram for more information on women's health and join them for their FREE webinar on November 17, 2021 at 7pm EST by signing up here: tinyurl.com/katandshan

Elle and Mel address their one month long hiatus and have a casual catch up chat to answer the question of where the heck have we been? We talk about school, IPF worlds, returning to the gym and just life in general. Don't forget to connect with us on Instagram @squatsnthoughts_

So you've decided you want to compete in powerlifting. How do you know when you're ready to step on the platform? When are you strong enough? Do you know what to expect on meet day? Elle and Mel share what they've learned from their competition experiences, as well as helpful tips and advice for lifters new to the sport - from kilo conversions, to bringing extra underwear. Follow us on Instagram @squatsnthoughts_ and email us at [email protected]

Mel and Elle talk to nutrition coach and competitive powerlifter, Maria Manrique all about RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), what it is, how she got became interested in it, as well as how to spot it in yourself. We talk about weight cutting in powerlifting and what lessons we've learned along the way. Maria offers some insight on how she approaches nutrition coaching for her female clients and some advice for the general population. You can learn more about the services she offers at theeatmethod.com and reach out directly on Instagram @theeatmethod to work with her!

Can you heal from trauma and PTSD using the power of the mind? How do our childhood patterns condition us, and can we change these situations using our subconscious mind? Tony Eng, a certified massage therapist and yoga & bodywork instructor who has explored the world of bodywork for over a decade, joins us on this episode about wellness and harmonizing the mind, body, and soul. He also shares what strategies has aided his healing journey with Topical Steroid Withdrawal. Find and connect with Tony on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tonyeng.bodywork or visit his website at tonyengbodywork.com.

To celebrate the opening of gyms in Ontario, Canada, Elle takes you along for a solo episode where she talks about how everyone's return may look different and this may be the end of the road for many people's old goals. She also spends the other half of the episode discussing quarantine weight gain and why both accepting it and wanting to change something are not mutually exclusive and it's okay to be honest with yourself. This is the perfect episode to keep you going through your first gym workout of the season! 

Elle and Mel delve into the topic of menstrual cycles, birth control and all the fun stuff that comes along with it. They go over and discuss what potential effects your cycle may have on your training at different times of the month, how to manage those issues and also diversity among women in their experiences. They also discuss birth control and their experiences with it as well as why they choose to take it or not take it and how that potentially influences their training. It's a fun and lighthearted episode about the shared female experience, but it's meant to serve as a learning opportunity for anyone interested!

From eczema to Topical Steroid Withdrawal, Melody goes into her lifelong journey dealing with skin challenges that most people aren’t even aware of. Helpful resources: https://itsan.org https://nationaleczema.org/warnings-for-topical-steroids-eczema https://nationaleczema.org/tsw-need-to-know https://www.instagram.com/tsw_atlas https://www.instagram.com/itsan.nonprofit "Preventable" Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMbtf3C8BZk Follow us on Instagram: @squatsnthoughts_ Email us: [email protected] Follow Mel's TSW journey: @skininflamesblog & skininflames.com (coming soon)