Most people think “holistic health” is mystical. This episode proves it’s the opposite — it’s practical, scientific, and rooted in how your body actually works.

In Episode 073, Derek sits down with Ketty and Markus, the co-founders of The Energy Lab, to break down the body-first approach that has helped countless people improve their energy, stress, mobility, and performance.

Ketty shares how her struggle with binge eating and emotional eating led her into behavioral nutrition, while Markus explains how burnout pushed him into yoga, somatics, and breathwork — discovering firsthand that movement, breath, and stress physiology are deeply connected.

You’ll learn the real version of the Mediterranean diet, how breathwork activates OR calms the nervous system, and why joint pain, fatigue, and low motivation often come from years of stored stress.

In this episode:
• Why “holistic” actually means “whole,” not mystical
• How movement, breath, and somatics improve performance
• The problem with perfection-based health
• How to listen to your body’s cues
• Why the Mediterranean diet still leads longevity research
• How to build energy and consistency sustainably

Chapters:
00:00 — Welcome + Disclaimer
00:35 — Meet Ketty & Markus
00:54 — Ketty’s story: binge eating → nutrition coaching
03:10 — Starting The Energy Lab
04:24 — Markus’ story: burnout → yoga → holistic fitness
07:14 — What “holistic” actually means
10:24 — Why the body-first approach works
11:36 — Breathwork: connection & performance
13:18 — Somatics for stress OR activation
15:31 — How breath influences athletic performance
16:29 — Movement → mental performance
18:58 — Learning from cultures around the world
23:12 — Why people struggle with nutrition habits
26:29 — The Energy Lab “experiment-first” philosophy
29:03 — Mediterranean diet explained properly
31:08 — Listening to your body's internal cues
33:08 — Joint pain & stored stress
35:35 — Derek’s Achilles injury story
36:00 — Sleep & stress
36:53 — Mediterranean diet: real version vs modern version
42:15 — How Ketty & Markus eat day-to-day
45:12 — Imperfection > perfection
47:00 — Consistency & small actions
47:54 — Follow & connect with Ketty and Markus

Follow the Guests:
https://www.theenergylab.co/

https://www.youtube.com/@theenergylab

https://www.instagram.com/theenergylab.co/

https://www.instagram.com/markus.moves/

https://www.instagram.com/ketty_in_sicily/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/wellnesscoachketty/

CTAs:
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