Weight Management

Eric

I lost 50lbs with MV Nutrition. I ran marathons, competed in triathlons, read the zone, fit for life, Atkins, and just about everything else I could get my hands on. No matter what I did, I couldn't seem to drop any weight. Manuel was the first person to actually help me achieve my goals. I went from 240lbs to 188lbs. I'm 12% body fat now and I've never felt better. It was relatively easy (compared to what I had been doing), and the best money I've ever spent

Jane

"If you are looking to make a positive change in your approach to food and eating and to understand what good nutrition is, then Manuel Villacorta is the right nutritionist for you. My brain was jumbled with Atkins/South Beach/no carbs/good carbs/eat this/dont' eat this, and through Manuel's guidance I discovered that I had lost sight of what truly healthy eating was. His instruction, food plans, advice on exercise, and insights into health eating have transformed my life over the last year. Under his tutelage, I've lost weight equivalent to the size of a small child, have added regular exercise to my life and love it, know how to splurge on a dessert yet work it into my eating plan without feeling guilty, and now have an honest, healthy relationship with food...no more sneaking or stuffing my face...all thanks to Manuel. If you want to change your life, call him today!"

Denise

I lost thirty-two pounds with MV Nutrition and I am a true size six without undergarment tricks! I am 5’ 6” with a medium frame and my ideal weight should be between 130 to 149. Before I became a client of MV Nutrition I weighed 175 lbs and was a size twelve. I would never leave the house without wearing hot, constricting, uncomfortable and expensive under garments. I was fooling myself into thinking that I wasn’ t that big. The sad part was, earlier that same year I hit my “ uh-oh” weight of 182. I tried to lose more weight on my own but was unsuccessful. I did join a high-tech gym and lost a few pounds. However, I cheated at the gym by not pushing myself very hard on the elliptical machine. I still had poor eating habits and the food I was eating had very little nutritional value. I was consuming a ton of cheese, butter, mystery calorie take-out Vietnamese food, frozen pepperoni pizzas, chocolate ice cream bars, and drinking champagne. I also loved to cook, but never measured how much olive oil, butter and cheese I was adding to my meals.

When I decided to call MV Nutrition my nutritionist, Sarah Koszyk, helped me realize the choices I was making were mine. Sarah helped me decide to make healthy choices without feeling deprived. She gave me great suggestions in changing my meals to include a lot more fresh fruits and vegetables, and she encouraged me to try ones that I had never tried before. Who knew that I would love fennel? In addition to the bi-monthly half-hour counseling sessions I became extremely diligent in filling out my daily on-line food record. MV Nutrition has an amazing website that is customized to your weight loss plan. It includes how many servings of carbohydrates, how much lean protein, fats, fruits and vegetables you need each day and tells you what you have left to eat or if you have gone over in your portion allotment. This was a very important tool that helped me stay on track and kept me honest about what I was eating. Plus it has an activity feature that shows you which types of exercises burn the most calories. I really started to understand the consequences of the unhealthy choices I would sometimes make.

During my weight loss journey I learned how to eat and cook healthy, flavorful meals that are filling and very satisfying. Sarah also helped me discover my own unique exercise routine that I truly enjoy and have incorporated into my daily life. I have become a dance student at ODC’ s Rhythm and Motion fusion rhythm class which I take three times a week. This class is a high energy aerobic dance workout and students learn real dance moves that range from modern dance, jazz, hip-hop, Afro-Cuban and Brazilian. It’ s amazing! I also attend classes at the Bar Method three times a week. Thanks to MV Nutrition for helping me reach and maintain my weight loss goal. I encourage anyone who’ s been on the fence about seeing a nutritionist to call MV Nutrition to get healthy and stay healthy! My life is forever changed and I am so grateful for this experience!

David

After progressively gaining weight over the previous 5 or so years, I peaked out at approximately 225 lbs around September of 2007. After seeing a picture from a recent trip to the river, I was shocked by what I had become. This was not the 'Me' I thought I was, nor who I wanted to be! I enrolled in Manuel’s program and by July of 2008, I was down to 172 lbs for a total loss of approximately 53 pounds. At first, adapting to the program was particularly challenging. But with time, experimentation with different foods I liked, support from my family and Manuel, it became easier and easier until healthy eating and exercise became a normal part of my every day lifestyle. You can eat almost anything you like; the secret is moderation, a health balanced diet and regular exercise. That is what Manuel, and his nutritional program taught me. If you see yourself in my picture, take steps to do something about it. You will not regret it!

Janet

Having struggled with weight nearly my entire life, at age 45 I didn’t have the energy or desire to continue that struggle. I gained 120 lbs. over the next 9 years. When my doctor told me I required medication to reduce my cholesterol and that I was technically diabetic, I was scared straight -- straight to MV Nutrition. Since then (September 2008), I’ve worked with Sarah Koszyk and, a year later, I’m happy to say I’ve lost 100 lbs! Sarah’s knowledge and compassion were instrumental in helping me reach that goal. Of course, I’ve had a few slips along the way, and under her counsel, I didn’t feel the usual guilt and was able to immediately return to making healthy choices. Sarah started me on a healthy eating plan so I’m now eating 5 to 6 small meals a day and I don’t ever feel deprived. MV’s on-line journal played an important role in aiding in my weight loss and will be a huge part of my maintenance program. I’m entering an exciting new phase of my life!! My weight is no longer preventing me from doing things I used to enjoy. In August 2009, I began training for a 100-mile bike ride with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training. Sarah immediately changed my weight loss plan (I was 5 lbs. from my goal weight) to a sports nutrition plan that would keep my energy level sufficiently high to participate in an endurance sport. This winter, I’m returning to skiing, a sport I haven’t participated in in the last 10 years. And the ultimate recreational sport -- clothes shopping -- is high on my list of fun activities. The "icing on the cake" is that my kids are proud of my success. Sarah helped me understand that it really is all about healthy food choices and exercise, and if I can do it, anyone can. Sarah's the consummate nutritionist-- simply put, she’s AWESOME!!

Michael

About 12 months ago, in October of 2008, I sat on the edge of my bed one morning and painfully admitted to myself that I had become a pathetic physical mockery of what I used to be.

At my peak condition, when I was a nationally ranked rower in college, I weighed 215, had a phenomenal cardio capacity, and had about 11% body fat. 20 years later I weighed 260, had a bad back and knees, and couldn’t even play soccer with my 5 year old without taking a break every 3 minutes. My body fat was at a frightening 28%, and for all intents and purposes I had stopped exercising. I was depressed, had low energy, and was often in a poor mood. I got sick at the drop of the hat. Mostly I tried not to have my photo taken because I couldn’t bear to see what had happened to me.

As I sat on my bed that morning and admitted the truth, I resolved right then and there to make a change. That day, I stopped eating sweets. The following week I slowly started my workout routine again, building up to a pace of 3-4 workouts a week, with a good mix of cardio and weights. I felt better about myself, and I lost about 8 pounds in 2 weeks. By January of 2009, I had lost another 2, but no matter what I did, I couldn’t do any better.

I was stuck at 250, no matter how much I exercised. I was looking for ways to make progress beyond that barrier, and had the good fortune to get introduced to the Sarah at MV nutrition in April of 2009. In the next six months, I blasted through my target of 230 pounds, and by the end of October, I was down an astonishing 40 pounds, weighing in at 210 with a body fat of 18%.

I rowed in the Head of the Charles Regatta with my college team this year, my energy is way up, my family is delighted with my newfound positive attitude and good mood, and I haven’t gotten sick yet this year. My knee and back issues have disappeared.

So what changed? My workouts weren’t significantly different. It was all about the nutritional intake. I have learned that weight and fitness management are 90% about what I put in, and only 10% about my exercise.

I simply didn’t know what I was doing wrong nutritionally or how to keep track of my nutrition. Sarah gave me remarkably simple guidelines and educated me about how to stay within them. She gave me access to a phenomenal online program for keeping track of my eating, and then really helped me figure out what was realistic and doable given the constraints of my family and work obligations. She never pushed me, but always encouraged me and gave me highly relevant and useful guidance and advice.

I feel like I have a new lease on life. I am excited about work, my family, and my health in a way that I never have been before. I owe it all to Sarah and the folks at MV. (And to my wife Mariam who found them for me and gently encouraged me to try them! It’s the best decision I ever made.)

Steven, Vice President of Consulting Firm

"As head of Global Operations for a major consulting firm, I never seemed to have time to focus on eating healthy and as such had been steadily gaining weight for years. My doctor told me it was time to make a change and so I contacted Manuel Villacorta. I have been working with Manuel now for 7 months and couldn't be happier with the results. For the first four months we focused on weight loss and my numbers speak for themselves. I have lost 27 pounds, lost 6 inches in my waistline and my percentage body fat is down from over 26 to under 13%. In addition, my overall cholesterol is now in the normal range with my good cholesterol raising from 41 to 59 and my bad cholesterol falling from 151 to 129. The key to all of this was that Manuel provided me with the tools and knowledge required to make healthy choices (like how to determine optimum portion sizes or to make tradeoffs between carbohydrates, proteins and fats to create a high energy and balanced diet). For example I learned in one of my early meetings that by increasing my fat and fiber consumption at breakfast and protein consumption at lunch I would have more energy and loose weight. For the last three months we have focused on keeping the weight off and it has been a success all around. Many times in the past I had lost weight but as soon as the diet was over I gained it back quickly. With Manuel it was not about a diet, but building my knowledge and skills to make a permanent change in the way I approached what I am eating everyday. Thank you again - Manuel"

Jen, HR Manager

"Weight loss in the new millennium has taken on a life of its own. There are so many different options for people to lose weight, between medication, diet centers, surgery and the zillions of diet formulas that are out there for people to try. Just over three years ago, I made a decision to change my life and I looked at all these different weight loss options. Ultimately, I decided I wanted to try to lose weight "the old fashioned way", through changing the way I ate and incorporating exercise into my life. I really wasn’t sure at the time that it would have the life changing experience it did, but I am so glad that I chose the route I did.

In June of 2004 I was tipping the scaled at just over 370 pounds. Not only was I overweight, at the age of 34 I was on two different medications for high blood pressure and had been diagnosed as a pre-diabetic. I knew that if I did not make some changes in my life, I may not live to see my 35th birthday. I went through the various diets available and had great success for a period of time. During this time I also hired a personal trainer and incorporated exercise into my life – but this only went so far. After just over a year I found myself reaching a plateau with my weight loss. This caused much anxiety as my worst fear was gaining the weight back. I knew I had to do something different and after much thought decided that I needed to look at possible professional assistance to help me on my journey.

A friend of mine had recommended a nutritionist to me several months prior and I had held on to the contact info in the event I ever got up the nerve to go see one. I was terrified. The thought of weighing all of my food and measuring things did not please me at all.. I love food and the thought of having to measure it was not something I ever thought I wanted to do. But, I knew that portion control was probably an issue for me and if I was truly dedicated to the lifestyle I was living, I needed to make this commitment.

Manuel almost immediately made me feel comfortable. He gave me faith that he could help me in this part of my journey. As soon as I started with Manuel my relationship with food changed. My roommate told me that he noticed a difference in me. He said that I no longer live to eat but rather I eat to live, and that was one of the greatest compliments anyone has ever given me. I still love food, but now, down 165 pounds, I have such a different relationship with it. I no longer run to the fridge when I am feeling down. I now know what a real portion of chicken looks like. I have such a great understanding of how much fuel my body needs, and I know how to feed my body correctly. I also know my "trigger foods". I know there are certain foods that I cannot have around – as they are ones in which I have a hard time controlling myself with. In the past I would turn to these foods for comfort – my number one trigger food is probably Peanut Butter. Although I can have peanut butter – I know that I cannot, and I mean cannot have it in my house! Part of this journey has helped me to recognize that – and know that it is ok, so long as I am aware of my behavior.

Not only has my relationship with food changed, my relationship with an active lifestyle has changed. I never imagined I would be a person who planned activity on the weekends, which involved exercise. If someone would have told me a few years ago that I would be actually making plans to work out, I would have told them they were crazy.

This is my life now. I eat healthy and I live an active lifestyle. I am now off all of my high blood pressure medications. I did this solely through diet, exercise and determination. If a day goes by where I am not at the gym, on my bike, or working out with my personal trainer, it doesn’t feel like a normal day. Also, the days of eating out and ordering take out are no longer. I will occasionally treat myself to dinners out – but they generally include grilled fish and vegetables, instead of pizza and fried chicken. I look at myself differently now – I can truly say that I know that I will never go back to the lifestyle I lived before

Working with Manuel has been life changing. Manuel will teach you that this is not a diet, or a phase you will be going through. You will embrace that this is a lifestyle that you have chosen to live and cannot imagine living your life any other way. I am so glad that I chose the route I did. I am so glad that I have taught myself how to live a healthy life—one that is filled with nutritious and good food. I am also so glad that I have kept my dedication with my exercise and fitness. It has made me the person I am today."

Arthur, Business Executive

“I have had a weight problem my entire life. I have lost weight in the past on some “extreme” programs but invariably when I would return to “regular” eating the next peak always seemed higher than the last. When I walked into Manuel’s office eleven months ago, on the advice of a good friend, I had reached a new high weight, had little energy, and was suffering from a variety of weight-related physical ailments, including a bad back. I felt much older than my actual age, and I had little confidence that I could lose weight eating a balanced diet of real food. The program that Manuel developed for me has come to feel much less like a diet and more like a new way of life, certainly a new relationship with food. In 11 months I have lost almost 70 pounds and my waist is more than 10 inches smaller. (And I am buying clothes at Nordstrom’s instead of the Big & Tall places!) I have never felt hungry or deprived, and my energy level and sense of emotional well-being are both way up. I appreciate both the simplicity and the flexibility of the plan, which has enabled me to succeed even without a lot of time to cook and with a lot of business travel in my schedule. Manuel’s supportive approach and gentle coaching has truly changed my life.”

Nicole, Mother, professional and Shopper

"I had gained 60lbs with my first pregnancy in 2002, but it wasn't until my friends started having children that I noticed that like them I have tons of pictures of my son but what they have that I don't have is pictures with their children. I have managed to find two pictures of me and my son together in the first three years of his life. Sad. That was the moment I realized that although I fooled myself into believing that the weight gain didn't bother me, pictures (or lack of) don’t lie. It was time for a change.

I met Manuel through a mutual friend. He is truly amazing, kind and supportive. There are no tricks, no secrets, no magic pills or powders, just better understanding and choices that have changed my relationship with food. I have so far gone from a size 16 to a size 10. I feel like I've lost much more than the burden of weight. Gone are the feelings of guilt, and the actions of squashing that guilt with more food. I no longer hide from mirrors and love being able to walk into my favorite stores and know that what I pull off the rack will fit like a glove. For the first time in a long time, I am having fun and feeling good - really, really good. I highly recommend him to anyone who is ready to take control and make that change." Thank you Manuel, I can't take back those three years but you have helped me take back my life.

Carey, Event Planner

"For five years I told myself I was in shape and feeling good as I went from 185 to 195 and finally 217 lbs. My trainer finally said he couldn't provide the depth of information I would need for really losing and keeping weight off. I started with Manuel and in six months I was down to 180 lbs. I got the tools and coaching that I needed--not a diet but a lifestyle plan of healthy eating and weight management. The program busted the many myths of weight loss and maintenance and made a logical sense of the balance of calories in, calories out. It has made changing my eating habits sustainable, understandable and easy. Carbs at night? Certainly, all in moderation and balance."

Rafael

"I've struggled with my weight since I was a kid. I found my way to Manuel via my Physical Therapist, and since then I've lost more than 25 pounds, I feel noticeable healthier, and I now almost never get sick. Manuel takes a very straightforward approach to nutrition & weight loss. He is honest & direct while being very supportive and friendly. Looking at the experience in retrospect, there wasn't anything magical about the process -- if you're willing to put in the work, there's nothing about it which is a hardship. I was rarely hungry and things progressed pretty much exactly as Manuel said it would. I've already recommended him to many of my friends, and it's hard for me to imagine a more valuable return on my investment of time & money"

Cindy, Retired teacher, Grandmother

Dear Manuel, I've never felt better! At 58, I'm energetic, physically fit, and my thinnest in over 20 years. My biggest problem is shopping and re-shopping for clothes that fit. Instead of being unable to button my pants I'm now swimming in them!! I am so happy with the eating and exercise plan that you tailored for me. I never feel deprived or bored with food. I can have it all - wine, bread, cheese. I just have to count the servings and keep the balance so that I hit all the different food categories. Bread has always been my passion and biggest problem and I believed that any successful diet would have to totally eliminate my favorite food. Now I am thrilled to know that this is not true. Two of my yummy quick meals are 1/4 lb. of diet cut hamburger on wheat bread with mustard and a whole wheat tortilla with egg whites and laughing cow cheese lite. I start off every morning with your recipe for a banana muffin. I have learned so much from you and k now its not just about the number on the scale. It's about blood pressure, cholesterol, percentage of body fat, waist measurement, and most of all about the way you feel. And, I feel just GREAT! Thank you Manuel!"

John, Professional

"Manuel, I came to you seeking nutritional advice to reduce my body fat, which had been creeping up over the years. Through the personalized nutrition management program that you developed for me, and over the course of 8 sessions, I lost 14 pounds, my waist measurement went from 38 inches to 33.5 inches, and my body fact decreased 9.2 % (from 29.4% to 20.2%). You did wonders for me, acting as my personal nutrition "coach." If this wasn't enough, to top it all off, you're a heck of a nice guy!"

Adam, Producer Lucasfilm

"If as they say; "knowledge is power" then I can honestly say that after working with Manuel I feel like I've gotten a graduate degree in nutrition. I can now confidently go out to eat and know about serving sizes and am able to maintain a healthy weight. I can read food labels (numbers and symbols that were hieroglyphics before). I now understand the difference between a grain and starch, a very lean meat from a high fat meat and the real and long term benefits of limiting my intake of both sugars and fats. In the 23 weeks I've been following Manuel's plan I lost 25 pounds, 6.5 inches in my waist and 10% of body fat loss. Best of all, during that time, I never once felt deprived or penalized, I ate the same foods I've always eaten. The only and most important difference was that I changed the size of my portions. That's really all I did! I wasnÆt only eating boiled vegetables. I never had to eat cottage cheese or anything else that registered to me as punishment. In short, I can't recommend Manuel highly enough".

Sandra

"I had been doing the atkins/low carb diet for 4 years and wanted to start eating carbs again regularly. I had heard that people who go from low carb back to carbs usually gain weight. My goal was not only to add carbs back into my diet, but to lose weight. Since I've gone to Manuel(2 months), I now eat 5 servings of carbs/day AND I've lost 8 pounds. He assigns a customized formula to you, that allows you to eat a lot (more than I was eating before), but he shows you how to eat smart and reach whatever goal you have set for yourself. I am so grateful to have found Manuel. I highly recommend his nutrition system to anyone who is ready to get results and feel great!"

Patricia, Teacher

"Food used to run my life. I tried many diets and weight loss programs, only to fall back into my old bad eating habits. I realized that I had a problem and was lucky enough to find Manuel. He not only changed my eating habits, but more importantly changed my entire attitude towards nutrition and the importance of having a well balanced diet. I noticed within the first few weeks, a huge change in my energy level, my state of mind and my physical appearance. With the help of his coaching and support, I learned to love myself and have become a much more confident person! Food does not run my life anymore; I have a well balanced nutritional plan, a great new attitude, and I look great! Manuel has helped me lose over 20 lbs, and has made a huge impact on my life, self esteem and health! I couldn’t have done it without him!!!"

David

"I made the decision that it was time to lose my baby fat. A friend reminded me that Manuel was a registered nutritionist so I figured that would be the best place to start. I didn't think I was in bad shape but I was 208lbs on a 5'10 1/2 frame. To put it simply, Manuel has changed my life. EATING IS ALL ABOUT CHOICES. From day one I was never dieting but making better choices about what I ate. I eat what I want but I'm more aware of how certain foods apply to my daily life. With regular exercise 6 days a week and better eating habits I feel fantastic. I feel like I've been given second chance. I didn't think I was in bad shape but the tale of the tape doesn't lie. Thanks Manuel for everything!!!!!!!!"

Stephen

“No one walks into a Nutritionist's office because they're feeling terrific about themselves. I arrived after I had a poor reaction to cholesterol reducing medications and had to affect changes with diet. I had never met with a Nutritionist in my life and walked out with encouragement and practical ways to incorporate some great new habits. From the beginning as well as through our entire process Manuel has been completely available for me; part counselor, part confidante, part buddy- but always in my corner- I've been struggling with those same 25 lbs for as long as I can remember and I'm only sorry that Manuel didn't make it into my life sooner. By the way, I'm on perfect schedule with the weight loss goals we set in our first session and I look forward to continued excellent results in the future!"

Marilyn

"When my trainer told me that diet was 80% of my fitness program, I went to see Manuel. It was only when I followed his program I started to lose those pounds, and more importantly, my body fat percent dropped within a few weeks from 30.9% to 27.6%. With my new diet style and training, my cholesterol dropped 40 points in four months, something I couldn't do for years! Manuel teaches you to eat with common sense without losing the joy of eating."