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Elle and Mel have a discussion about the wave of people on TikTok switching from lifting weights to lower intensity exercise such as walking, yoga and/or pilates. They comment on some of the misinformation coming from certain creators with respect to lifting and calorie deficits and have a discussion on how fitness trends come and go and decide what we would do if we ever decided to leave the gym for good. You can find us on Instagram at @squatsnthoughts_ !

This episode is not recommended for those currently healing or living with eating disorders or disordered eating behaviours. Elle embarks on a solo episode this week where she shares her recent and current experiences with cutting for her upcoming meet. She makes several realizations along the way as she decides to take a gentle approach with as little restriction and micromanaging as possible and finds success with it. Follow us on Instagram @squatsandthoughts_ and share the episode with those in your life.

Elle and Mel spend this week's episode reading through and reacting to various reddit "Am I The A*****e" posts directly related to gym and fitness. Join them for some laughs and nuanced discussions of what actually constitutes "assholery" and help us identify who the real a*****e in the situation is. You can follow us on Instagram at @squatsnthoughts_ or send an email at [email protected] and let us know if you agree or disagree!

Elle and Mel take a look at some of ways traditional gym set-ups are not exactly the most accessible environments and what sorts of consideration the industry should be asking itself moving forward if they wish to increase accessibility of fitness. They touch on taken for granted assumptions about strength, sex, ability, size, financial stability and more and highlight the benefit that would come for everyone if we approached fitness with universal design. You can follow us at squatsnthoughts_ on instagram to participate in polls and questions or to suggest topics and give us feedback!

Elle and Mel open up about their thoughts on fitness influencers and their overall impact on the health and wellbeing of their consumers. They call on the need for increased transparency and accountability if the mission is ultimately to help foster good health and well-being and warn listeners of the need to be critical when consuming all forms of media even when it appears to be authentic. To engage with us follow on Instagram @squatsnthoughts_

In this episode Mel interviews Elle on all things occupational therapy since she is currently a first year student occupational therapist. She answers questions all the way from what even is occupational therapy to common misconceptions to the various practice areas and so so so much more. It's a long conversation but you'll likely step away a little more informed on all things OT. This is a very broad overview of the profession and is by no means comprehensive or exhaustive, but if you are looking for more information feel free to reach out to Elle directly through our instagram @squatsnthoughts_. For more information on occupational therapy in Canada you can visit: https://www.caot.ca/ or https://www.coto.org/

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!