"Health is not about the weight you lose but the life you gain"

I have long Covid and need to lose weight to increase energy and improve other health issues. I did not know what to expect from the Momenta course especially as it was done via Zoom so that was a new experience in itself – and a great one. I have been on other weight loss programmes that revolve around a target goal, which once that destination is reached, have no future signposts.

Momenta on the other hand is a continuous journey rather than a destination. When setting out on a journey one needs directions and guidance, and those were provided perfectly by our Momenta presenter Martina.

Martina is a fellow traveller on the Momenta road and was able to point out the potholes and wrong turns with the voice of experience. Having someone who had actually walked the walk before and was still travelling was invaluable as she had complete credibility and trust from the group.

Early on I latched onto the following motivational phrase:- Health is not about the weight you lose but about the life you gain. For me this sums up the benefit of Momenta in that it is not about decreasing weight, but rather increasing health. While I have constantly lost weight during the programme, it is the subsequent increase in health that actually makes a difference in my life.

When looking back on the journey already travelled I glibly sum it up as Rules, Tools and Joules* (*not Momenta speak, but I chose this, as neither Calories nor Energy rhyme!). Having blissfully avoided any real understanding of how my lifestyle was being impacted by my diet choices, Momenta woke me up to reality. Martina was able to explain the ‘Rules’ on what to do and what to avoid. Alongside this was a set of tools to fix and maintain healthier choices. Martina also explained how exercise could be adopted for different levels of ability and so the connection between the energy needed for a full healthy life and the type of food required to fuel it became clear.

The course was a lot more than knowledge transfer though, it was motivational because Martina cared about each member of the group and had an innate empathy that was sympathetic and always constructive.