Unleash Your Inner Athlete

Julia Pizzichemi

The Podcast motivating, moving and maximising midlife high performers, elevating them from damaging decline to dynamic performance. This is more than lifting weights it is about lifting life in later life. Host Julia Pizzichemi with 26 years of industry experience at elite level is interviewing the best minds from the world of health, fitness, sport and business sharing the latest research, tips, techniques and stories you need to get you and keep you not just fit and healthy but mentally, physically and emotionally at your peak and winning for the long-term.

  1. JAN 20

    Beyond Medicine: How to Create the Perfect Conditions for Your Body to Heal

    Is medicine enough to keep us healthy? 🏥✨ When it comes to our wellbeing, we often think in extremes: medicine vs. lifestyle, science vs. spirituality, or treatment vs. prevention. But real healing doesn't live in binaries—it lives in integration. In this powerful episode, we explore what it truly means to create the right conditions for the body to heal. We dive into a model of health that honors the physical, emotional, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of life. While medicine is essential when life is on the line, what sustains us day-to-day are the choices we make, the connections we build, and the environments we create. Today’s guest, Mark Jackson, embodies this philosophy. As the Founder & CEO of Vitaspan, Mark is leading the future of predictive and preventative healthcare using advanced AI. He is redefining health as more than just the absence of disease—it’s the presence of balance, resilience, and possibility. 🚀💻 Mark also gets vulnerable and shares his own powerful healing journey—moving from a life of relying solely on prescriptions to discovering a root-cause, integrative approach that transformed his life. In this episode, we discuss: The 5 Dimensions of Healing: Why your social and spiritual life is just as important as your physical stats. The Role of AI in Prevention: How Vitaspan is using technology to predict health issues before they become crises. Root-Cause vs. Symptom Management: Moving from "fixing what's broken" to "sustaining what's whole." The Power of Environment: How the spaces and connections we build dictate our daily vitality. Mark Jackson is a globally experienced leader who has worked across Fortune 500 companies and private equity ventures. His mission at Vitaspan is centered on innovation and impact, fueled by his personal transition from symptom management to deep, proactive, and personalized healthcare.

    58 min
  2. JAN 6

    Genetic Testing 2026: The Ultimate Guide to Preventative Health!

    What if the secret to your best health and fitness has been written in your DNA all along? Today we’re talking about something that could completely change the way you think about health and fitness — using your DNA to create a truly personalized approach. My guest is Dr. Sam Decombel, CEO of FitnessGenes and a pioneer in genetic testing for fitness and health. We’ll explore how understanding your genes can help prevent long-term health problems, fine-tune your fitness plan, and unlock a healthier, longer life. This is about moving beyond one-size-fits-all — and into the future of individualized healthDr Sam BioDr. Sam Decombel is a visionary leader and scientist at the forefront of innovation in the fitness and health industries. As the CEO of FitnessGenes, leading DNA testing company for  fitness and health, Sam combines her deep expertise in genetics with her passion for helping people live longer, healthier lives through DNA insights.With a PhD in genetics and years of experience leading teams at the intersection of science and business, Sam is dedicated to transforming the fitness industry through innovation. Under her leadership, FitnessGenes has developed business solutions that allow fitness and health professionals to deliver tailored fitness and wellness programs using the latest genetic science.Sam is a sought after speaker on topics such as: The role of genetics in personalising fitness and healthInnovative strategies for retention and differentiation in the fitness industryThe future of fitness: science, technology, and innovationThe role of the fitness industry in preventative health Passionate about the industry’s role in preventative health, Sam offers unique insights that bridge cutting-edge science with actionable strategies for fitness businesses. Her engaging and data-driven approach resonates with audiences ranging from gym owners to fitness directors and health professionals.

    54 min
  3. 12/02/2025

    STOP Treating Symptoms: The SHOCKING Reason Your Pain Always Comes Back

    Why Your Pain Always Returns (And How to Fix It) I'm thrilled to introduce our new episode, "STOP Treating Symptoms: The SHOCKING Reason Your Pain Always Comes Back." If you've ever felt trapped in a cycle of temporary relief, this conversation is essential for your long-term health, life, and well-being. 👉The Benefit of Understanding ThisWhen you learn to look beyond the surface, you discover the root cause—whether it's chronic stress, emotional buildup, or structural misalignment—that is the true source of your discomfort. This understanding is profoundly liberating: you gain the power to stop the endless cycle of treating symptoms and instead focus on permanent, sustainable healing. The result is restored energy, clarity, and the ability to reclaim a life free from recurring pain.👉The Cost of Ignoring This LieIf you continue to ignore the root cause, the consequences are severe: you stay locked in the Pain Loop. You waste time, money, and emotional energy on solutions that offer only temporary relief. More critically, the underlying issue continues to worsen, leading to chronic inflammation, emotional exhaustion, and a systemic belief that you are destined to live with pain, thus sabotaging your overall success and well-being.If you’ve ever been told your injury is ‘unfixable’ today’s guest is the one people call when they’ve tried everything else. From the British Army to Formula 1, from elite athletes to everyday heroes, Nell Mead has a track record of solving the unsolvable. 🌟Today, we’re diving into how she does it and more importantly, how you can take control of your own recovery. We’ll talk about empowering yourself through physical self-testing and self-assessment, why functional test resets are game-changers, and how to treat the root causes of pain, not just the symptoms. Nell will explain her groundbreaking Health & Performance Pyramid, and why her approach goes far beyond the mechanical addressing emotional and cognitive factors to restore integrated body function.

    47 min
  4. 11/18/2025

    SHOCKING TRUTH: Your Success Is Limited By Your Worst Habit (The Health Blueprint)

    Most urgent realization for anyone striving for higher achievement. We often look for external reasons for failure, but this concept proves the biggest obstacle to your growth is actually internal and completely within your control. Your worst habit, whether it’s chronic lack of sleep, poor nutrition, or persistent procrastination, is not just a flaw; it is a hard cap on your potential. By recognizing and dismantling this one negative pattern, you remove the hidden force that is suppressing your energy, clouding your judgment, and ultimately limiting your success. This realization forces a powerful shift: you stop looking for external hacks and start investing in your core health blueprint. This investment instantly unleashes suppressed energy and focus, clearing the pathway for sustained achievement. You realize that mastering your daily habits is not a chore, it is the direct, most effective route to limitless success and optimal well-being. My guest today on Unleash Your Inner Athlete is a real breath of fresh air in the increasingly noisy fitness space, and who prides herself on fitness without the fluff.Getting back to fun, practical, science backed strategies without the “wellness wankery” I am so excited to sit down with The lifestyle Ninja herself-Hayley FieldHayley is a Nutritionist, Sleep, Stress & Recovery Coach, Applied Neuroscience & Brain Health Practitioner, Menopause Coach and Cognitive Behavioural Therapist. Find out how she went from broken back and bedridden to the lifestyle Ninja working with some of the highest achieving female founders.

    50 min

About

The Podcast motivating, moving and maximising midlife high performers, elevating them from damaging decline to dynamic performance. This is more than lifting weights it is about lifting life in later life. Host Julia Pizzichemi with 26 years of industry experience at elite level is interviewing the best minds from the world of health, fitness, sport and business sharing the latest research, tips, techniques and stories you need to get you and keep you not just fit and healthy but mentally, physically and emotionally at your peak and winning for the long-term.