Get Merry

This week we're getting real, honest and a little bit ranty. We share OUR opinions, they could be against yours, or maybe you resonate? 

We chat about how we got through our own binge eating (and for one of us, bulimia) all those years ago. We bring this topic up again because lately it feels like the world is swinging backwards. The body-acceptance era we lived through seems to be disappearing, ultra-thin is back "in" again, with Ozempic and Botox everywhere we look.

We share what actually helped us heal the binge eating: letting go of restriction, eating the pasta, moving our bodies from a place of acceptance instead of punishment, and slowly learning to trust ourselves again.

We chat about the pressure women feel, why a moving, expressive face is such a beautiful thing and how ageing is a privilege.

In this episode:

• Why we're revisiting binge eating now and why it matters more than ever
• How restriction fuelled our binge eating and the years it took to unwind it
• The magic of eating without guilt and trusting your body's natural rhythm
• Our honest thoughts on the Ozempic + Botox, and the pressure around it
• Why a moving, expressive face is beautiful... and why ageing is a privilege
• How our Yoga practice and self-acceptance, along with pasta made life so much better!

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Blue Zones, where some of the longest-living people enjoy olive oil, fresh bread and big plates of veggies. We chat more about them on episode 192 HERE.
• An older podcast episode on binge eating, episode 91 (worth a listen).

This episode is our personal story, not professional advice. If you're struggling with food, eating or body image, please reach out, in Australia, the Butterfly Foundation is there to help on 1800 33 4673.

So much of our healing came back to our MerryBody practice, Yoga, Pilates and meditation that's all about moving with acceptance, not punishment. If this episode made you think OH damn, I need a change, consider this your invitation. Join MerryBody and feel the difference for yourself, download the App now!

Always merrymaking,

Emma + Carla 

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We're back, two episodes in a row (look at us go!), we're chatting all things reading: why fiction is its own kind of self-help, how a good book is the ultimate antidote to endless scrolling, and how we are in our romantasy genre era. We really didn't do this topic justice, just getting back into the groover of podcasting.

We get into reading as a presence practice (hello, kind of a meditation), why doing things just for the joy of it is so underrated. And a little tangent on why a business needs a whole lot more than money to feel successful. Plus, of course, all the books we've been reading.

Key takeaways:

• Fiction is self-help in disguise. Stories help us process emotions, build empathy, shift perspective and feel less alone, often more enjoyably than a stack of "become a better you" books ever could.
• Reading is the perfect scroll-stopper. When you're deep in a story, you're participating, not consuming, which is why a book leaves you restorative instead of drained like an Instagram-to-TikTok spiral.
• It's a beautiful presence practice. If silent meditation feels hard, reading a chapter before bed (phone in another room!) is single-focus, calming and great for sleep.
• Let go of needing an ROI on everything. You're allowed to read, paint, or learn purely for the joy of it. Not every activity has to "better" you or make money, and that includes how you approach learning.
• Don't knock the "cliché" books. Romance and romantasy aren't lesser reads. They're fun, human and absolutely worth reclaiming (and yes, Fourth Wing is worth the hype x 100000).

Resources & books mentioned:

• My Brilliant Friend series – Elena Ferrante
• Women Who Run With the Wolves – Clarissa Pinkola Estés
• Fourth Wing (The Empyrean series) – Rebecca Yarros
• A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR), Crescent City & Throne of Glass series – Sarah J. Maas
• The Seven Sisters series – Lucinda Riley
• Zodiac Academy series – Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti (I kind of put this down but it's actually so good!!)
• The Ascended, Riftborne & Duskbound – Greenwich & Lennox
• Mile High / The Windy City series – Liz Tomforde
• The Poisoned Daughter (standalone)
• Alphabet Weekends – Elizabeth Noble
• Confessions of a Shopaholic – Sophie Kinsella
• Off Campus (book-based series)
• Kayla Books – Canadian book reviewer on Instagram (good recommendations)
• Got a book rec for us? Get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!

Read for the joy of it. Move for the joy of it.

This whole episode is really about doing things for the sake of doing them, not because of what you'll get out of them. And this is kind of similar to our ethos with exercise too!

MerryBody is our Yoga, Pilates & Meditation app made for exactly this kind of joyful, no-pressure practice, short, feel-good classes with zero "fix yourself" energy. Roll out your mat and join us: merrybodystudio.com/ — or download straight from your app store: geni.us/merrybody

Dreaming of going deeper? The School of MerryBody Yoga Teacher Trainings are all about falling in love with the process, not just chasing the certificate (yes, you'll absolutely get certified, it's Yoga Alliance approved!. Our 200 Hour, Yin Yoga, and Yamas & Niyamas trainings are open now: 200 Hour YTT · Yin Yoga YTT

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We're back!! The last time we hit record was November 2025… and somehow it's now June 2026. Oops. But while the podcast went quiet, everything else got busy (in the best way).

Life and business update, we didn't get to everything... and far out did I (Emma) always say LIKE that much. Noted, and now working on this forevermore.

In this episode:

• Carla's about to have baby number two, any day now!
• Emma's has ittle house on a mountain in Italy
• We completely rebuilt and relaunched the MerryBody app, the one we've dreamed about for years!
• The tiny app features that have doubled our members' class finishes
• Why movement really is medicine
• A very Merrymaker tangent on community + staying grounded when the world feels a bit much

Right now we have all this exciting begin again energy. So good to be back. Let us know if you have any podcast topic ideas!

Have a play with the brand-new MerryBody app, if you've never tried MerryBody, head on over here and get your personalised 3 Day Class Plan: https://merrybodystudio.com/plan

If you loved this episode, share it with friends and family. Get in touch, we would love to hear from you, message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters.

Always merrymaking,

Emma + Carla

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do we have a mind of our own in the world of AI? What even is real or AI? We chat about the rise of AI-generated content and the impact of influencer culture.

This is what we spoke about during the episode

• AI-generated influencers are looking more and more realistic, especially when they mimic everyday “normal” online life. Crazy we know!
• How influencer culture affects people's choices more than they realise, from shopping to self-image.
• Slowing down, practising presence and questioning trends help you stay true to you.
• Fashion trends create sameness.
• How to practice critical thinking and stay connected to your own values instead of just repeating opinions from your feed.
• Yoga, meditation, presence and how slowing down helps you connect to yourself.
• Stay informed but notice media bias.
• How we use AI in our business while still keeping our own creativity and ideas. Is it possible?!

If you're not yet a MerryBody member, sign up for a 7-day trial not just to exercise daily but also to practise self-acceptance.

If you loved this episode, share it with friends and family. Get in touch, we would love to hear from you, send us an email to [email protected] or [email protected] or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters.

Always merrymaking,

Emma + Carla

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to week two of our podcast comeback! In this episode, we're diving deep into something you've been asking about for ages: how to teach yoga online. We're taking you behind the scenes of how we create our MerryBody online classes. Mic issues, sister fights on set, and all the real talk about what it takes to film Yoga and Pilates classes!

This is what we spoke about during the episode

• We looked back on our very first online class recordings in 2018 and reflected on how far we’ve come since then, both in confidence and production quality.
• Feeling comfortable, confident and connected with your videographer makes such a big difference when you're filming online classes.
• We follow the one-take rule and approach filming like we're teaching in person, which keeps everything authentic and seamless even when we fumble, miscount or say left when we mean right.
• Our filming setup includes five cameras, professional lighting and lots of natural light because it creates the most beautiful look for our classes.
• Our monthly themes guide everything we create, from class titles to the actual movements we choose.
• We broke down our full production workflow from start to finish.
• We're brainstorming the idea of creating something to help other yoga and Pilates teachers build their online offerings, so let us know if that's something you'd be interested in.

If you're not yet a MerryBody member, sign up for the 7-day trial not just to exercise daily but also to practise self-acceptance.

If you loved this episode, share it with friends and family. Get in touch, we would love to hear from you, send us an email to [email protected] or [email protected] or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters.

Always merrymaking,

Emma + Carla

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been 6 months! Can you believe it. But we are back! And excited to be back. This episode is literally a sister chat, we have no idea if anyone will get to the end of it haha. But you know, we hesitated a moment before hitting publish then thought... no we have to publish it! It's been 6 months after all! So here we go, episode 439 on the Get Merry Podcast Show!

This is what we spoke about during the episode

• We built an online Yin Yoga course (we are running it right now, and yes, it's amazing!).
• We ran the 2025 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Cohort. Another beautiful cohort! 
• We went to Italy for a month with the whole family, Emma got married in Martina Franca! 
• And yes, we are actually planning next week's episode! 

If you're not yet a MerryBody member, sign up for the 7-day trial not just to exercise daily but also to practise self-acceptance.

If you loved this episode, share it with friends and family. Get in touch, we would love to hear from you, send us an email to [email protected] or [email protected] or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters.

Always merrymaking,

Emma + Carla

P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage.

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In this episode, we take inspiration from the iconic “Mean Girls” scene where the Plastics nitpick their flaws. We chat about self-criticism, body image, social media comparisons and how to choose a path of self-acceptance instead. If you're sick of those thoughts... "all the things wrong with me" kinda thoughts... tune in!

This is what we spoke about during the episode

• Social media and influencers affect the skincare culture which leads to young girls wanting anti-aging products.
• How do we welcome in less comparison and judgement, and more peace, more acceptance and joy?
• Practising self-acceptance daily is a reminder of the truth that you are amazing just as you are. This is why we created MerryBody.
• You can't just practise self-acceptance in the moments where you need it.
• If you put a pause in between that self-criticism thought, it allows you to add reasoning and questioning of that thought.
• Carla just laughed off a comment about her postpartum belly. That's self-acceptance!
• Self-acceptance doesn’t mean complacency. It means taking care of yourself holistically, not just being "thin" or what the world thinks you should look or feel like.

If you're not yet a MerryBody member, sign up for the 7-day trial not just to exercise daily but also to practise self-acceptance.

If you loved this episode, share it with friends and family. Get in touch, we would love to hear from you, send us an email to [email protected] or [email protected] or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters.

Always merrymaking,

Emma + Carla

P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we ran a Chakra Workshop and decided to publish it to our podcast. During the session we chat about the 7 main Chakras, where they are within the body, what they're linked to in regards to emotions, spiritual and physical.

The highlight of the session is a guided colour visualisation to welcome balance and awareness of each of these energy centres. Then we finish the session with a short Q+ A about our upcomoing Yoga Teacher Training!

If you enjoy this chat and it's sparked a big curiosity, our Yoga Teacher Training 2025 could be a great next step for you. Our very last early bird session is now live!

This is what we spoke about during the episode

• Chakra translates, in Sanskrit, to wheel or disc, they are also known as energy centers. Each of these energy centres corresponds to different aspects of your life.
• The Base Chakra or the Muladhara chakra (red) is right at the base of the spine and represents our safety, our stability, our physical needs, and how grounded we feel.
• The Sacral Chakra or Svadhisthana (orange) is our Chakra just below the navel that's linked to our creativity and emotional health.
• The Solar Plexus Chakra, or Manipura (yellow), is located in the upper abdomen and is linked to your inner power, confidence and self-discipline.
• The Heart Chakra or the Anahata chakra (emerald green or pale dusty pink) is right into the center of your chest and is linked to love, compassion, and connection for yourself and for others.
• Vishuddha Chakra or the Throat Chakra (blue) is linked to the idea of speaking up or speaking your truth.
• The Third Eye chakra, or Ajna (indigo), is linked to your intuition or inner wisdom. When you are balancing your third eye, you will trust your intuition and feel like you have a very clear mind.
• The Crown Chakra or Sahasrara (bright light white or violet) is also known as the Thousand Petal Lotus. You'll feel connected to something greater when this chakra is balanced.
• Experience the beauty of colour visualisation in this Chakra workshop! From the base of your spine to the crown of your head, embrace the vibrant life force within and feel more centred than ever before.
• We answer some of your Yoga Teacher Training questions.

If you loved this episode, share it with friends and family. Get in touch, we would love to hear from you, send us an email to [email protected] or [email protected] or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters.

Always merrymaking,

Emma + Carla

P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage.

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In this episode, we dive deep into the concept of Yoga Sutra 2.33 Pratipaksha Bhavana. But really, we go on all kinds of tangents! From global issues like Gen0cide and climate change, to bringing self-awareness to our own reactions and letting go of control.

And also! We are running this FREE workshop soon! During the workshop, you will learn how to tune into your body, mind, emotions and energy with your chakras! We invite you to a chakra workshop happening on the 16th of April.

We're going to go through each of the chakras and talk about how you can balance and align each of them in a very practical way that will help drive self-awareness and focus your energy.

Hop on the waitlist for our Yoga Teacher Training 2025 to sign up for the masterclass!

This is what we spoke about during the episode

• When you're overwhelmed by negative thoughts, choose to cultivate the opposite. But just like everything in Yoga, this is a practice. It doesn't just happen.
• Pratipaksha Bhavana is a tool that helps you stay in alignment to the Yamas and Niyamas. Listen to our 10-part snack-sized Yoga philosophy series on the Yamas and Niyamas.
• The wild world we’re living in and how it’s affecting our mental and emotional state.
• The emotional rollercoaster we all ride and how Yoga philosophy helps us stay grounded.
• Nischala Joy Devi’s translation and interpretation of Pratipaksha Bhavana helps to change your attitude rather than hoping to change the situation or the people who cause you to be unhappy. 
• Anand Mehrotra's translation talks about how Sutra 2.33 is all about practising the Yamas and Niyamas. When you find yourself uncertain and terrified by life, use your tools and bring Ishvara Pranidhana into your consciousness. Surrender. 
• Powerful reminder: you can’t control others, but you can choose your response.
• Navigate anxiety by welcoming in excitement for your life. 
• Yoga Sutras are wonderful tools and constant companions to guide you and help you move through life.

If you loved this episode, share it with friends and family. Get in touch, we would love to hear from you, send us an email to [email protected] or [email protected] or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters.

Always merrymaking,

Emma + Carla

P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage.

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This episode is inspired by Winnie the Pooh.

There is no hurry. We shall get there someday." — Winnie the Pooh

Also! If you are into a little bit of woo woo, but not too much woo, this is for you!

Learn how to tune into your body, mind, emotions and energy with your chakras! We invite you to a chakra masterclass happening on the 16th of April. We're going to go through each of the chakras and talk about how you can balance and align each of them in a very practical way that will help drive self-awareness and focus your energy.

Hop on the waitlist for our Yoga Teacher Training 2025 to sign up for the masterclass!

This is what we spoke about during the episode

• Everything moves at a rapid pace, attention spans are getting shorter than ever, It's time to slow down.
• When it comes to business, we can't just sit back and let things happen. 
• Slowing down is about presence and experiencing life.
• Meditation is one of the ways to live a slower present life. It helps you go through life situations with less stress and more calm. Try this Positive Affirmation meditation. Try this meditation: I Am Strong.
• Consider a digital detox. Swap your morning scroll for a mindful moment.
• We are making some updates to the MerryBody app and one of the goals is to help our members be able to track and celebrate their wins.

If you loved this episode, share it with friends and family. Get in touch, we would love to hear from you, send us an email to [email protected] or [email protected] or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters.

Always merrymaking,

Emma + Carla

P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.