Elle and Mel interview Dr. Sarah Kashdan, a Registered Naturopathic Doctor and NCCAOM Diplomat of Acupuncture from Fort Collins, Colorado who stumbled on the profession after her own run in with Ovarian cancer. The conversation centres around being your own health care advocate, balancing western and eastern medicine, her journey into powerlifting and how that has helped shaped her as a person today.

Find Dr. Sarah Kashdan at @coloradonaturedoc on Instagram or if you're in the area, she sees patients at Rocky Mountain Natural Medicine in Fort Collins, Co. Follow us on Instagram @squatsnthoughts_ and email any questions and comments to [email protected].

Alcohol or fitness? Do you have to choose? What about alcohol and general health? Elle and Mel have a conversation about their personal relationships with alcohol consumption starting from high school, into university and now into their mid-20s. They share listener reasons for not drinking alcohol and speak to what some of the science says in terms of whether it will affect your performance. Follow on Instagram @squatsnthoughts_ and email any questions and comments at [email protected].

What does it mean to be beautiful and what does that have to do with the latest beauty trends and standards? Elle and Mel have a conversation about how different standards of beauty were implanted into their minds at a young age and how that has changed over the years. The conversation touches on differences across cultures, body size, cosmetic procedures, personal insecurities and how our societal expectations still influence us even when we know better.

Follow us on Instagram @squatsnthoughts_ and email any questions and comments to [email protected].

How do you train to save a life and what goes into training to be a first responder? What are the benefits to being an online trainer?  Is it easier to train the general population or athletes? Does our body type determine how fast or slow our metabolism is? What does it mean to be evidence-based as a personal trainer? Find out the answer to these questions and more in this incredible episode with guest Kyle Poland.

You can find Kyle on Instagram @tactical_fit.

Follow us on Instagram @squatsnthoughts_ and email any questions and comments to [email protected].

Mel interviews Elle in this episode all about her time as a vegan or plant-based powerlifter. Elle goes over the day she switched from life as an omnivore who heavily relied on animal products to someone who ate 100% vegan for over 3 years. She also goes over her thoughts on vegan cult(ure) and what was the turning point when she moved away from her black and white approach to food. Vegans, omnivores and everything in between are all welcome to listen in on the conversation. Follow us on Instagram @squatsnthoughts_ and email any questions and comments to [email protected].

Has going to the gym ever made you feel intimidated? Do you feel like womxn are treated differently in the weight room than others? We share some stories from our past and discuss how we wish we handled things and some tips for those struggling to feel comfortable in the gym which can often feel very unwelcoming. We also share some shocking listener experiences you won't want to miss! Follow us on Instagram @squatsnthoughts_ and email any questions and comments to [email protected].

What if we told you gaining weight may be just what you need? Elle and Mel sit down with powerlifter and gym-owner Emma Zilberman-Vegas of Make Your Mark Fitness to discuss how all 3 of us have experienced and embraced weight gain over the years as we've gotten stronger. We touch on some of the obstacles we have each encountered including unsolicited comments, unnecessary weight cuts and the difficulty in embracing the scale and having to buy clothes in a new size. 

You can find Emma on Instagram at @makeyourmark_fitness and to find out more about their gym and other training service, visit www.makeyourmarkfit.com. Follow us on Instagram @squatsnthoughts_ and email any questions and comments to [email protected].

The first episode of 2021 is here! Elle and Mel are here to talk all about leaving the 2020 dumpster fire behind and moving forward into the new year. They go over lessons learned in 2020 and talk about whether they stuck to their resolutions for the year. They also reflect on what they think the new year will bring and what changes and expectations they have for themselves after experiencing one of the toughest years to date. 

Follow on Instagram @squatsnthoughts_ and email any questions and comments to [email protected].

What makes a great powerlifting coach? Elle & Mel sit down with their powerlifting coach Austyn Ryan to talk about coaching, training and life in 2020. We talk about his history with lifting and where he stands now, his experience coaching men vs. women, how his perspectives have changed over the years as well as personal successes and setbacks. You can find Austyn on Instagram @austynryan and if you’re interested in coaching visit his website at https://www.apexpowerperformance.com/ or email him at [email protected].

Follow us on Instagram @squatsnthoughts_ and email any questions and comments to [email protected].

How’s your relationship with food? Elle & Mel get vulnerable and take you on a journey into their childhood and unpack the events that lead to a strained relationship with food. They also discuss where their relationship with food currently stands and provide some insights on what they have learned along the way. For information on disordered eating behaviours and eating disorders please visit the following websites: https://nedic.ca/; https://ontario.cmha.ca/documents/understanding-and-finding-help-for-eating-disorders; https://cmha.ca/mental-health/understanding-mental-illness/eating-disorders

Follow on Instagram @squatsnthoughts_ and email any questions and comments to [email protected].