Our Sleeved Life Podcast:
Welcome back OSLP family! Today, we’re talking to Michael Tecku. Thank you for joining us, Michael!
Michael Tecku:
Who are we talking to on this podcast?
Transformation & Journey
Our Sleeved Life Podcast:
We’re just talking to the community. We’re a bunch of people that are on weight loss journeys and we all have to definitely drink water and protein. Like those are the two that we have to do, hence we got them together. I was like, we gotta do this. It’s so important. Like I’m actually training for a body competition and now I have to do 140 grams of protein a day.
Michael Tecku:
Okay, what’s the competition?
Our Sleeved Life Podcast:
So it’s called the radical body transformation. It’s in Toronto every year in June. And I just went and supported a bunch of friends that tried it and I fell in love. It’s not like your body builder per se; it’s more of just your transformation. Considering I used to be over 308 pounds… Yeah, I lost 129 pounds and I’ve been pretty much maintaining for the past almost 10 years. I had the sleeve, the gastric sleeve surgery. The sleeve is where they take 80% of your stomach out, leaving a little tube. Gastric bypass creates a small pouch and reroutes the intestine to help food move faster. That’s the difference.
Michael Tecku:
Phenomenal. Would you have had a gastric bypass, or what do you mean by…
Our Sleeved Life Podcast:
I did the sleeve, and it’s done wonders for me. It’s given me a reset—I know what to eat, I’m more active, do hiking, outdoor stuff, and just needed that reset. My family always ate carbs galore; it was just an assumption we’d be big. In my mid-twenties, I realized I don’t have to be this way. I can be whatever I want and don’t have to follow my family’s path.
Michael’s Journey with Nutrition, Protein & Supplements
Michael Tecku:
It’s been a lifelong journey for me. My mom was diabetic and overweight, and I was the chunky kid in school with brownie issues. None of us really learned about health growing up. My story as the smart kid meant I ignored fitness and sports. It wasn’t until after college I started questioning limits—maybe I could start a business, maybe I could get in shape. I convinced myself you can’t be both smart and fit, but realized later you can. My identity shifted when I decided I was a fit person.
During COVID, I started a cookie company for fun, but realized selling cookies wasn’t helping people, or myself. That’s what led to Momentum Shake; I spent three or four years obsessed with living a healthy life and making something good for others.
Our Sleeved Life Podcast:
Community is about getting better each day, and the name momentum really fits. Like with advertising, you need to remove triggers for food addicts. Fast food ads were a problem for my podcast listeners and I worked to get them removed.
Michael Tecku:
Incentives drive the world, and I’m focused on creating a masterpiece now. I want to see how good a company I can make and how far I can push myself—choosing the best ingredients like Irish whey protein and outstanding cocoa, not the cheapest. The goal is the “Ferrari” of supplements: expensive, high-quality, and actually enjoyable to drink.
Our Sleeved Life Podcast:
That’s a good problem to have—making something healthy and enjoyable.
Health Challenges & Resilience
Michael Tecku:
During COVID, my girlfriend—who ran a dance studio—woke up one morning and couldn’t see out of her left eye. After rounds of doctors, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which was terrifying. The lack of clear guidance from doctors and the overwhelming stress emphasized the need for something truly helpful and honest, which became the origin of Momentum.
Our Sleeved Life Podcast:
Was she okay?
Michael Tecku:
Her vision came back, mostly—about 95%. New medication helped and her brain scans are improved, but it’s still something we monitor.
Our Sleeved Life Podcast:
It’s a big wake up call, and health challenges drive innovation and motivation to help others.
Habits & Mindset
Our Sleeved Life Podcast:
It’s important to shift your mindset about food and health. Small daily changes work better than drastic ones. Ten years out, I’m still maintaining my loss, but life events like divorce and illness caused some regain. I had to take ownership, talk about it, and plan so I wouldn’t just eat out of stress.
Michael Tecku:
You need a system that survives real life—not just ideals. Creating an identity shift, not just setting a goal, brings sustainable change. I visualize who I want to be and structure my day as if I’m already that person. Planning ahead for setbacks, like vacations or holidays, is key.
Systems, Routine & Planning
Our Sleeved Life Podcast:
I prepare food before leaving for events and always make sure I get protein—especially traveling, like for cruises. The plan is what keeps me on track. Healthy habits and setting up routines make everything easier.
Michael Tecku:
Going on a cruise or facing tempting situations can be managed by shifting your mindset to abundance. There’s always another meal coming, and you don’t have to eat everything now—you’ve already paid for the experience. Think of the value in maintaining your health over “getting your money’s worth” eating.
Our Sleeved Life Podcast:
Even with surgery, you have to practice stopping before you’re full. That difference is key, and it doesn’t come overnight. Practicing healthy choices and maintaining identity is what keeps progress going.
Closing Thoughts
Michael Tecku:
Resilience is not just surviving setbacks but improving because of them. Building habits and systems that thrive in chaos mean you don’t have to fear problems—you prepare for them. Set big goals and focus on who you become along the way.
Our Sleeved Life Podcast:
Little projects every day, like making your bed, build accomplishment. If you take control, happiness and confidence follow. Life throws challenges, but with routine, self-care, and planning, you build momentum—and success becomes inevitable.
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