In May of 2019, my doctor had me do some routine labwork. When the results came back she said, "your blood sugar and lipids are waaaaay off, I'm ordering you to go to a dietician/nutritionist immediately and have them go over your diet with a fine-toothed comb." Despite not previously knowing about any blood sugar issues, I had shot past pre-diabetic and was well into diabetic numbers. My triglycerides were off the charts. I asked my friends at the gym and many of them recommended MV Nutrition. Additionally, my partner had used MV Nutrition several years ago and had an excellent experience with them. Manuel at MV Nutrition explained to me all about metabolic syndrome, and what he would do for me to get it and my numbers under control. 6 months later all my numbers were perfect, I'd dropped 35 pounds, my bodyfat went from 28% to 19%, and I lost 7 inches on my waist. My doctor was astonished at how I'd progressed, and called me her "poster boy". The key components of the MV Nutrition program are: they set a daily calorie target, you log everything you eat and drink, and you eat a certain number of servings that they set from 6 different food categories. They identify "superfoods" in each category that they encourage you to choose from, but you have complete latitude in eating what you want as long as you hit the calorie and food category targets. Manuel is also a realist: he tells you to not worry about diet while on vacation, and if you are making good progress, you can take a cheat day every week. Logging all your food as accurately as possible is key, and MV Nutrition has their own app that makes this easy. Just having the awareness of what you are actually eating makes a huge difference. MV Nutrition aims to help you make food choices that are healthy, but that are varied and enjoyable enough that they become lifestyle habits, so that you can maintain your healthier you. I heartily endorse MV Nutrition! read more

My physician referred me to Manuel for us to work together to address some health issues where better nutrition and weight loss would be beneficial.  Working with Manual has been life changing!   His program teaches you how to have a better relationship with food, to make smarter choices, to understand your metabolism, to inform you on how our body works in processing food and adjust eating habits accordingly.  It is not a fad diet or a short term plan, it is designed to sustain your habits for a lifetime. I love food and cooking and there is nothing that I can't eat, I never once felt like I was "on a diet" or that I was being deprived of enjoying the food and meals that I love to eat.  It is about being more informed and making better choices and as Manuel likes to say "improving your relationship with food". I have lost over 15% of my starting weight thus far and several inches off my waist and this will continue and be sustained forever! Manuel is awesome to work with, super knowledgeable, genuinely supporting, encouraging and caring and without his help I would not have been able to gain these results let alone drive the long term changes needed to improve my health. This was also accomplished 100% via zoom meetings and messages since we are over 2,000 miles away from each other. Manuel is the real deal and is highly recommended! read more

I went to MV Nutrition for a number of health reasons which I don't need to get into here, but one of them was trying to rework my concept of health and fitness as I enter my 30s. Apparently, pounding down sugars and fats actually reads on your body when your metabolism slows down. damn. I wasn't feeling my fit self but I didn't know why because I was working out. Manuel taught me how to look at foods. Silly to say, but one of the most helpful things was the record keeping those first few weeks and learning to identify foods as what they are. He told me, you eat a lot of fats! I had no idea. The thing is when you look at alcohol (sugar), olive oil (fat), cream-based sauces (fat), meat (fat), milk that isn't non-fat...etc it all adds up. After measuring my personal metabolism and developing a plan for me (not some generic plan that works for someone else), he showed me proper portion sizes which was a huge help for me to physically SEE things. I learned to use the online record keeping system as a way of checking my progress for the day to see what allowances I had left and how to balance things out over the week (like when you know on tuesday you're going to have a happy hour drink, then you can have less fats on monday to compensate). My favorite thing? You don't count calories. You count servings of different groups. I found this a totally liveable way of managing food intake, I wouldn't even call it a diet. Nor does my husband who learned to eat the same way. In a very short amount of time I hit my goal, losing over 10 pounds, reducing my percentage of body fat, learning how to eat like an adult and feeling better about myself. It's a plan I've found I can totally keep up with, and definitely worth the cost because I'll take it with me forever. The office is really helpful as well. Josephine in particular was always prompt in replying to questions and sending insurance paperwork. Thank you, Manuel and MV Nutrition! read more

I have had a truly exceptional experience with Manuel and MV Nutrition. I am 28 and for the past 4-5 years, I have been pretty unhappy with my weight and overall health. I slowly put on weight after college and got up to about 215-220 pounds at the height of it. Being about 6'2, it wasn't the worst thing ever, but it was endlessly frustrating and I simply couldn't figure out a path to slimming down. Finally, I had enough and realized I couldn't get there on my own. Thus, I looked into some nutritionists and had screening phone calls with them. Manuel and his approach immediately stood out - not only did he offer a more thorough and long-term oriented approach, but it seemed like he genuinely cared about each client. Further, his approach was focused on being realistic and not seeking to make quick fixes through dieting or other methods, but truly making a sustainable change that aligned to my lifestyle. We talked for almost an hour the first time, showing me that he cares and knows what he is doing. His program is robust and customized - and it is effectively done virtually. I think the biggest things that made the difference are the following: - Education: I simply didn't understand food, calories, timing, etc in a way that would enable me to have a different relationship with food. I was shooting in the dark and as I look back on my diet, portions, activity, and behaviors, it is no wonder why I was overweight. I literally feel like I "see the light now" and am way more mindful of what I eat and how I approach my life - Process and Data: there is a clear process that works - you just have to be open to it and be disciplined (but you can still make mistakes - Manuel even celebrates those as learning opportunities). He also dives into meal tracking where you can really understand what you're eating and how it impacts weight loss. It's a blend of art and science and he does it well. - Sustainability: Multiple sessions occur - more upfront as you accelerate into the program and sessions after progress is made. This enables accountability, sustainability, and continued education. For example, after losing weight, we have focused more on superfoods and overall health now that I have the blocking and tackling down I have lost roughly 25 pounds - down to consistently 190. I am FINALLY happy with my body and have the toolkit to stay at this weight or lose a bit more. But I am sustaining where I am - I honestly don't see how I could spiral and gain weight - I am simply too aware and educated on food and exercise now and I have ingrained habits into my life and mind. Finally, Manuel is a delightful person - full of life, caring, funny, and truly cares about his clients. Plus he is excellent in doing this virtually. Couldn't recommend him more. I proactively asked him if I could write a testimonial and review because I have been so pleased with the process and wanted to pay it forward and help him help others on their weight loss journey. read more

Hi, I consulted with MV Nutrition in 2015 for weight loss. I remain disappointed from the experience and would not recommend this business to anyone. The service was very expensive and here is what I got: -2 in-person appointments, one where they measured my metabolism (my gym does this as well for free), and 1 follow-up phone call -online access to a custom app developed by MV Nutrition (I like MyFitnessPal much better and it is free!) -a cookbook (I found the recipes to be too exotic with ingredients that are hard to find in San Francisco and the smoothies bloated me) -a few powder supplements to make the smoothies (they are all available for purchase at Whole Foods) Overall, I did not loose any weight!! I also found that this office doesn't care so much about its patients since the service was not as personalized as I would have liked (I mean, I could just buy a cookbook if I wanted to for much, much less money and I didn't get much out of the consultation appointments) and no one followed up with me to see how I was doing. It really felt like they took my money, did their pre-planned routine of service, and then said goodbye. This felt like a rip-off. Bottom line: save your money and invest it in a personal chef, a great gym, a handful of cookbooks, and some new gym clothes. This business does not meet the expectations for a nutritionist. read more

I found MV Nutrition by accident on here. Even though I'm very athletic, I was definitely overweight! By overweight, I don't mean that I was obese. I was NOT obese to start with... just needed to get some stubborn 10-15 lbs off. I worked my butt off (literally) with a trainer at a gym and my pants are STILL feeling tighter each week!!! *shocked* That's NOT how it's supposed to work!!! GRRRRR!!! Christina gave me a body fat analysis. EGADS!!! Body fat % WAAAAY too high!!! I kept track of my food in a journal and we went over what I normally eat. Yup! Fats too high!!! Carbs too high! Not enough veggies and leaner proteins (fish, turkey, chicken, lowfat cheese.) I got introduced to proper snacking and portion control. (Proper snacking is definitely something I was lacking given all the food that passes by around here at the office.) The weight started melting away. The great part is that it wasn't THAT difficult a transition either, b/c Christina works with you on making "small gradual changes." Christina also worked with me on adjusting my new food changes and lifestyle to my husband's "not so healthy" lifestyle. Two months later: I've lost 8 lbs off my 5' 3.5" frame so far. My body fat % has dropped two points. My pants are fitting very nicely. No more "I am really NOT pregnant" belly!!! Someone commented this morning that my legs are slimmer. I won't look perfect, but I'll look a lot nicer by Nov. for a skating competition. I will hit my goal by Christmas! Other goodie to consider: If you have health insurance and you ask your GP nicely for a referral to MV, your Aetna and Blue Cross health insurance DOES cover most of the cost of the session. Given my borderline high cholesterol level (I'm at 203!), it was very easy to justify the cost for MV thru my insurance. ETA 11/27/2007: WOW!!! They also managed to shoot down my cholestorol numbers too!!! My old numbers are as of 8/14/2006 at 139 lbs! The new numbers are as of 11/18/2007 (and now 125 lbs!!!!) Cholesterol: Old - 203; New - 172 LDL: Old - 134; New - 90 HDL: Old - 64; New - 63 (Note: Good cholestorol stayed the same!!!) Triglycerides: Old - 88; New - 30 Needless to say, my GP asked for their business card. MV Nutrition's gonna get a lot of referrals from him! :-) (If I could give them 5 more stars, I would...) ETA 12/3/2007: Original stats as of 8/25/2007: 8/25/2007: Weight: 137 lb BMI 23.5 Fat %: 31.9% Waist: 33.5" Hips: 39.5" Current stats as of 12/1/2007: Weight: 123.3 lbs BMI: 21.1 Fat %: 27.7% Waist: 28.5" Hips: N/A (not measured.) (Last measured was 10/6/07 and that was 37") 2/2/2008: Weight: 122.2 lbs BMI: 21.3 Fat %: 23.4% Total Fat Mass: 28.61 lb (12/1/2007: 33.61 lb) Muscle Mass: 93.61 lb (12/1/2007: 87.61 lb) I've gained 6 lbs of MUSCLES!!! :-D (Poses to flex her muscle and strike a muscle-bounded man's pose...) WOO HOO!!! I look and feel great!!! read more

I hired Manuel in January 2011 to help me pinpoint what could be changed in my diet to reach an athletic and lean weight, and came into the situation with above average nutritional knowledge. Almost two years later, I still feel negatively about the experience. I needed help finding ways to change patterns, reduce cravings for sugar, and deal with my history of insulin issues. I was assured that he had ideas and ways to assist with these goals. The diet he prescribed didn't lead to any weight loss and actually left me feeling ill a lot of days (to the point that I sometimes left or took a break from work)--the amount of protein I was expected to eat while eating an extremely low amount of fat made me loathe the site of turkey or chicken, which were very minor parts of my diet prior, and the heavy oatmeal/slow processing grain breakfasts left my stomach feeling upset and heavy most of the day. When I asserted this, very minor changes were made that I felt didn't really have impact. 1.5 years later, I find out through an elimination diet that I am in fact sensitive to gluten and very sensitive to nightshades--so eating oatmeal for breakfast was compounding my situation. Eventually, I asked for my remaining session to be refunded, which they did do, but all in all I feel I didn't get any value at all out of the experience. I probably wouldn't have written a critical review if a more significant amount of my money had been refunded, along with an acknowledgement that they probably shouldn't have taken me on as a client given my existing knowledge and specific goals. In short, if you already understand what you SHOULDN'T be eating, they aren't the best complex problem solvers. I do think that if you don't think about your food at all, don't cook, and/or are not yet educated about what foods are starchy, high glycemic, not good for you, etc, then they could help you. I do think that Manual is a nice person with great positive energy in general, and can greatly help people with specific nutritional advisement needs, but I felt he should have recognized in our consultation that we wouldn't be an effective fit for each other and steered me away from working with them. Instead, I was encouraged to sign a contract and pay a large lump sum which eventually resulted in no results. In comparison, I began seeing an acupuncturist a year or two later who had some very simple advice about proportions of macronutrients to deal with my insulin issue, and I began losing weight within two weeks and feeling like my blood sugar was less up-and-down. I also had a lot less aches and pains in my body due to eliminating grains (and gluten), and figuring out that I am reactive/sensitive to nightshades. Talk about a missed opportunity and a waste of a lot of money. read more

500 stars. I just washed my skinny jeans in hot water and dried them on high and they fit better than they ever did thanks to the help I've gotten from Manuel. I'm 10 lbs. into my program with another 10 to go and after that, I swear, I'm just going to walk around naked because I look good now and I'll look amazing when I reach my goal. Like many of the other reviewers, I was exercising more (every day, with fervor and angst), *trying* to eat less and then every time I got onto the scale, it was bad news and carried this bad news around with me into all facets of my life - I really wasn't feeling so great about myself. I AM committed and motivated, I was just buried in misinformation (mixed with a little denial - more afternoon cookies than I would openly admit to), and I also had a lot of good information I didn't know how to use. Manuel cleared this all up for me. He even gave me useful information in the free initial consultation, before my first paid appointment, so I could get started! After years of obsessing and worrying about my weight and what to eat, now I just calmly follow my plan, which is a nice balance - there are no "bad" foods. I don't feel deprived. If I go off the plan for a minute, it is okay, I only go off a bit and I can easily adjust to make up for it - Even Cookie Monster agrees that cookies are "sometimes" foods... not that I'd go to Cookie Monster for nutritional advice. I'm not sure what the opposite of a "vicious cycle" would be (virtuous cycle?), but since getting my diet on track, I feel better during my workouts (try running with a bag of sugar, then without and that is how much better it feels to run after losing 10 lbs), have better energy during the day and have fewer self doubts. Plus, all that energy and brain power I wasted on obsessing and worrying, I can put to good use playing guitar, training my dog to do back flips, jumping on trampolines, writing Yelp reviews... read more

Manuel is my nutritionist and he is fantastic. He's very straightforward and teaches you how to choose the best food for yourself and the plan he's made for me really works well. Checking in with him and going over the choices I've made is always very eye-opening. He's also just a nice and funny man! If you're serious about gaining or losing or just eating healthily, Manuel's your guy. read more

I lost 112.5 pounds in twelve months. Not a typo. In March of 2011 I was wearing 54" jeans, and 5XL/6XL shirts. By March of 2012, I was wearing 38" pants, and XL t-shirts. Sixteen inches of waistline. Cholesterol and blood pressure have plummeted. Here are just a few of the MANY lessons that Sarah Koszyk @ MV Nutrition taught me along the way: - portion control. I can look at a piece of meat and tell you how many ounces it is. Now I recognize a single serving of pretty much anything, just by eyeballing it. - how to food shop. I know what the important parts of the ingredient label are, and what the numbers mean for my health and for my weight loss. - how to eat out. I hate cooking for one, I eat out a lot. I was able to lose all this weight by eating the overwhelming majority of my lunches and dinners out. I know how to make the smartest choices now. - how to navigate difficult eating situations like parties, family events, office free-for-alls, and holidays. - I was diagnosed with diverticulitis during my year and Sarah had a bunch of tips for me to help me navigate living with that condition. - how to spread my caloric intake properly across the day for optimal weight loss - how to raise my good cholesterol as my overall cholesterol plummeted due to weight loss and eating better. And more! I met with Sarah every other week, and on the in-between weeks still went in and met with the office assistant to have interim weigh-ins to keep me on track. In my meetings with Sarah, we talked about my food records and whatever I wanted to talk about, whatever was going on in my head in terms of food, eating, and weight loss. Sometimes I had questions about how I should log something in the database. Sometimes I had questions about eating this vs. eating that. Sarah always had the answers. She helped keep me from fretting too much when I had weeks where I gained weight, getting me to focus on the downward trend of my weight, instead of that week's outlying data point. If I overate or made other bad decisions that effected my results, Sarah was not judgemental about them. I cannot stress the importance of accountability as part of my success. I worked harder because someone else was looking at the numbers with me every week. Eating Free is the sensible weight management program administered by MV Nutrition, developed by the company's founder and owner Manuel Villacorta. Changing my habits in order to "Eat Free" was difficult at first, but once I got the hang of it, it felt easy. I was never hungry; it turns out you can eat quite a bit of food if you are eating the right foods. In the first five weeks, I love 12 pounds. My best week (#27) was a 12 pound loss; my best four week period (#19-22) had me losing 17 pounds. For the first 8.5 months, I averaged 10 pounds of loss per month (2.5 pounds per week) for a total of 85 pounds lost. I was originally in pretty bad shape, physically and habits-wise. If I can do this, I assure you: anyone can. As I tell people all the time: If I can lose 112.5 pounds by Eating Free, then you can probably lose 10 or 20 or 50 or more yourself. read more

Manuel is awesome! Over the years, I have tried just about every diet out there and had become so confused with conflicting information about food and nutrition. Every time I would lose weight, I would gain it back and my health never improved. When my doctor told me I would need to start taking cholesterol medicine, I realized that I needed help. I called MV Nutrition and Manuel took the time to tell me about how he works, pointed me to one of the books he authored, scheduled an appointment for me, and assured me that he could help. I was skeptical, but figured I had nothing to lose. I immediately read his book, then started to adapt my diet prior to my first appointment. I discovered that I was eating healthy foods--but in very unhealthy portions and mixes. When I started to see Manuel, he took the time to explain things to me in a way I could understand. He also customized a plan for me--based on what I like. I have been seeing Manuel now for about six months and I have lost over 25 pounds, but more importantly, my cholesterol is now normal and my health is much better. I never had to take cholesterol medicine, and I am feeling so much better and empowered. I will continue to lose weight to meet my goal, but more importantly, I have learned so much more than a "diet" plan could teach me. Thanks to Manuel, I have changed how I approach nutrition and food. Thank you Manuel!!! read more

It's been a year since I started seeing Manuel at MV Nutrition. I suppose I should be embarrassed about waiting so long to write this, but in a way it's a good thing. A year later, I'm still a fan. What a difference Manuel has made. So let me say this: Manuel will not make you get healthy and/or lose weight. YOU have to make you. YOU have to want to. Here's what Manuel gave me: Information -- CURRENT information -- that no one else gave me. Support. Not judgment, but support. He is a kind soul who wants you to achieve success. He's good people and he knows his stuff. Tools. What you need to get from where you are to where you want to be. A year later, I'm living in a different state and I still benefit from Manuel's expertise, support and tools. From the first consultation, through his entire program, I learned more from Manuel than from any other nutritionist. EVER. If you've tried other programs and haven't achieved success, Manuel will teach you and help you see yourself in a new light. Try something different. If you've never tried anything, Manuel is the person to put on your team. You'll feel supportive, loved even, and you'll have the greatest opportunity for success right from the start. If what you're doing isn't working, what are you willing to change? This is where it all begins. It is no surprise the American Dietetic Association has just made Manuel their spokesperson. This man rocks. If you will take the first step, and the steps that follow, he will be the best resource and the most supportive person on your team. I simply can't say enough. He rocks. A year later, he STILL rocks. read more

Is there a button for 6 stars? 10 stars? 50 stars? There needs to be, just for places like this. 2006 was a very difficult year for me. I lost my mother very suddenly, and then my grandmother, as well. Of course, during difficult times what do we do? We eat. We eat at restaurants, we eat with our families, and we don't really pay attention to what we're eating. So of course, we gain weight. When I returned to San Francisco, I weighed 225 pounds, the heaviest I had ever been in my life. And I knew I needed to do something. A Google search for "san francisco nutritionist" yielded MV Nutrition, and then... Manuel changed my life. The secret to weight loss (and overall health) is diet & exercise. I had been exercising my whole life, but not really paying attention to how I ate. But Manuel told me not only how to eat, but what, and when, and how much. Dieting and weight loss doesn't require starving!! It just requires you to know what things to put into your body. I found that on many days of my diet (after a brief adjustment period) I felt just as fine with reduced calorie intake as I did eating my usual foods. And sometimes I even felt better! I had more energy, a clearer mind, and more self-confidence as my clothes started to just about fall off. (Although holding up your pants while running for the bus can be a pain. ;) Manuel is kind, friendly, compassionate, and great at what he does. When I came on board, the diet progam was managed via an amazing Excel spreadsheet that he coded himself. Now with their sophisticated web tools, I can monitor what I eat 24/7, no matter where I am, with just an Internet connection. Ultimately, not only did I get down below 200 pounds with Manuel's help, but I LEARNED HOW TO EAT. Now today, in my fridge, everything is low-fat / organic / soy / lite. Dieting and eating right is my main way of life! And it will be for as long as I live. So in addition to giving me the gift of weight-loss and a better self-image, Manuel has also given me the gift of dietary wisdom, and I'm sure 50 years from now, of life. Thankyou MV Nutrition. read more

I can't really believe I am a weight loss success story. You see, I have been trying to lose weight for 15 years. I have tried every diet imaginable - always on the quest to lose 15-20 pounds. I starved myself for years - until I met Manuel. He has taught me how to eat. He has taught me how to live. He has given me the tools to a healthy new lifestyle that I love. And I lost 25 pounds while reducing my body fat from 36% to 27% - working toward my goal of 24%. I have gone from a size 12 to a size 4. I never thought a size 4 would be available to me. I am in awe of what I have learned through this process. Here are some of my highlights and tips: Tip #1 - You need to EAT. I never knew that I needed to eat to lose weight. I thought starvation was the answer. I believed the media hype that if I ate like a bird and worked out like a tri-athlete, I would lose weight. That just doesn't work. You need to eat from all food groups. I eat everything now - cheese, fruits, carbs, fats, you name it, I eat it - I just make sure I track what I eat, and eat the right portions and quantities. I really enjoy my food now. Tip #2 - Moderate Exercise. Throw "no pain, no gain" out the window. Moderate, consistent exercise is the answer. It took me a while to learn this. I work with a trainer named Shelby Corkern Jacquez from Diakadi and she is awesome. I do personal training sessions two times a week and yoga a couple of days a week too. Tip #3 - It takes a while. You will lose weight - but it will come off slowly. You will have good weeks and bad weeks. You need to be patient with the process. Nothing works overnight. Be consistent, honest and stay committed and you will see results. If you are like me, you need to change your relationship with food and learn a whole new way of living. This takes a while, but boy is it worth it. Manuel changed by life. I invested in this process when I turned 39, wanting to be happy with my body and healthy when I turned 40. I will be in my bikini on the beach in Thailand on my 40th Birthday - achieving more than I ever thought I could. I can't thank them - and myself - enough. read more

This time last year I decided to sort my health out. I was at least 45 pounds overweight. At 35 it was time to sort things out. Fast forward twelve months I am around 45 pounds lighter. This happened through discovering juicing and starting to run. I moved to SF from Europe in August and signed up with Marathon Matts running group. He recommended the services of MV Nutrition and Sarah came along to speak with us. Juicing got me onto a healthy lifestyle yet I had no idea how to fuel for long runs. I decided to sign up with Sarah at MV. This was no easy decision. I was a 35 year old single guy and this initially felt like admitting defeat. Who wants to be taught how to eat? I certainly did not tell my friends I was seeing a nutritionist. Sarah immediately put me at ease. She was sympathetic without being condescending. She listened to me and built a plan around my lifestyle. The online part was good as were the meetings with Sarah. She never scolded or told me off, she guided me. Its almost like a pilot who has to make tweaks to his flight plan. I am now only a few pounds off my goal weight and I completed the half marathon and am training for my second one in SF in February! To you guys out there, dont feel shy. I know it took a lot for me to go to a dietician but it really paid off. I am getting a lot of compliments right now for being much slimmer, that outweighs the embarrassment I initially felt! I really recommend Sarah at MV! read more

Sarah was great. Here is what I learned: - how to eat nutritious balanced vegetarian meals - how to eat in moderation - how to fuel before morning runs and before a longer race - how to plan for a nutritious vegetarian backpacking trip The results: - I lost 25 pounds! (I weigh 127 now.) - 24 of those lost pounds were fat. It took me over a year to lose those 25 pounds but it wasn't painful and I'm confident that I can maintain this weight...and may continue to lose more still! Previously I had read things online, tried an online quick fix (that worked for only about a month, ha!), and exercised more...none of those worked for me. Sarah helped me change my daily food patterns in a way that I can keep for the rest of my life. Thanks! read more

MV Nutrition is the real deal. No fad diets, no false promises, just a professional, straightforward approach to health and nutrition. Their plans follow the diabetic exchange program, so instead of counting calories, points, whatever, you simply count servings of food groups. Of course, it's likely you'll be eating more servings of fruit and veggies and less servings of crackers and chips, but this is probably how it should be. Their services are pricey, but I wouldn't expect anything less given the high level of service I've received from Christina, my nutritionist. In the introductory 4-visit package, I received a body fat analysis, a resting metabolic rate analysis (to get a true picture of the number of calories I need each day), and a customized meal plan. I also was encouraged to contact Christina by phone or email any time I had a question about the plan. Most importantly, the plan was designed around my exercise goals - so I always knew exactly how much to eat to fuel my workouts and still lose weight. I can't say enough about MV Nutrition. If you want a sensible approach to health and nutrition - whether you're looking to lose weight or simply stay healthy - they may have the right program for you. read more

I was trying to do it on my own for the last couple of years with so-so results - I did Muay Thai (great results but couldn't keep up), I took up running (but found out that I wasn't getting proper nutrition thanks to Christina), changed my diet but found that it wasn't enough (again thanks to Christina). Hmm... seems like there is a familiar theme here. After working with Christina in late Feb-08 I couldn't be more pleased with the results so far. Christina sure has educated me about the food I consume and created a custom program based on my goals and metabolism. Worth every penny (It was either this or a brand new LCD HDTV). I think I made the right choice. read more

I'm a regular yelper and couldn't believe when I read a negative review for MV Nutrition. I actually met with Sarah 6 months ago and have had tremendous success. Not only was she sensitive to the struggles I was going through, but she actually assisted me with my medical condition, POS. Sarah worked with me despite my hectic schedule. She help me get organized, stay active, assisted me with a responsible eating plan, and was always sensitive to my physical and emotional needs. I'm back on track now and look better than ever. Best of all....I feel GREAT. Thanks Sarah!!!!! read more

Ok, so Manuel is a close and dear friend of mine - so you can only expect an excellent review. (Well, I would actually speak the truth if a friend didn't perform good service...) - Anyhow... I have not been on his nutritional plan, but I have eaten his dinners on many occasions and talk about very healthy yet, extremely delicious meals. I remember when he was preparing his way to get to where he is today, and I have to commend him for his true dedication to something he loves, and it shows. I honestly can say that I have a nutritionalist that has made me think about what and how I should eat in order to maintain a healthy and happy life. Oh, and I have the first gift certificate ever issued by MV Nutrition. Yippee!!! read more

Josephine Quiocho is an awesome nutritionist! The perfect balance, Josephine incorporates both holistic and scientific philosophies and techniques into her practice. She is patient and direct with her clients and has the knowledge to help you on you path to a healthy future. More importantly, she practices what she teaches, and lives a healthy nutritious lifestyle. Truly inspiring. -Stacy read more

Christina Lazzaretto of MV Nutrition has been a great asset to my overall training program. Her ability to listen to my nutrition needs and create a customized plan for me has been invaluable. Her knowledge of sports nutrition in particular, sets her apart from other dieticians, and has been useful to me in my triathlon and weight training. When Christina and I first began working together, I was trying to get stronger and leaner, mainly through weight training and general fitness. By working with her nutrition plan, my body composition changed - I dropped several body fat percentage points and lost weight. Now I am training for the Ironman, and she has been very adaptable with my program, changing my nutrition needs to accommodate a completely different type of training schedule, and the sports nutrition needs that go along with it. I will continue to work with Christina throughout my Ironman training and afterwards, as I adjust back to normal eating regimes. She is personable and empathetic and a joy to work with. I feel motivated and excited about nutrition! read more

This review is for Sarah at MV Nutrition. She is the absolute best and has made my pregnancy so much easier! I've struggled with my weight for years and have always been so nervous to get pregnant due to the changes that my body would go through. I've been journaling my experience in trying to get pregnant and now, being pregnant and I wrote down that Sarah is a miracle in my life. My husband and I agreed that if it weren't for Sarah and her supporting me through this, I don't know that I ever would have felt "safe" getting pregnant. One of the reasons that we haven't already gotten pregnant was my issues with my body and with food and exercise. Sarah has literally changed me in that way, and has shown me how to re-prioritize my life and my goals without sacrificing my health. Seriously, I don't think I can explain the impact that she has truly had on my life, and now my soon-to-be son's life. Sarah has seriously been unbelievable to me, and I just wanted to pass on my appreciation, although words can't really do it justice :) THANK YOU, SARAH, AT MV NUTRITION!!!! read more

What can you possibly say when everyone has already said it!. Manuel is great at what he does and is very nonjudgmental. This is truly a challenge you are willing to take and make it a lifestyle change. He gives you the tools and you put them to use. Thank you Manuel. read more

Anyone that is ready to lose weight needs to contact MV Nutrition. Manuel Villacorta and his staff are truly experts in nutrition. You will not only lose weight but you will truly gain an understanding of how your body uses food, giving you a more holistic approach to weight lose, rather than just "dieting". The use of MV Nutrition's website between meetings is an invaluable tool to help keep you on track. Our clients have seen amazing results with Manuel's guidance and counseling and so can you! read more

What to eat, when to eat, how to eat -- I've struggled with this as I get very busy during the day, skipping meals, grabbing a not-so-healthy snack in a pinch. Sarah helped me get through it without the nonsense of fad dieting. She and the folks at MV Nutrition are true professionals. Sarah really listens and talks through my time challenges to come up with workable solutions. She's friendly, sympathetic, and genuinely cares about getting you through your hurdles. She's also honest, down-to-earth and doesn't just throw information at you. We've gone through not only what to eat, but also strategies on how to tackle my schedule. She gives you real examples applicable to your life and schedule of how to apply the strategies throughout the day. I've been seeing results and highly recommend Sarah and MV Nutrition to anyone looking for a true change in their eating habits and lifestyle. read more

Update 8/20/09: In response to Manual V-after both my husband and I tried to speak to you personally about our issue with Sarah, you never responded but have now felt compelled to write a response to my negative review of Sarah. We even cc:d you on our email request to cancel our service, and if you were that concerned about us as clients, shouldn't you have called to ask why you were losing our business months ago? Why respond to a negative review now when you could have respectfully done so previously in person or on the phone? Thanks but it's a bit too late to tell me how your business runs or "should have run." For the record, Sarah and your assistant set up appointments with my husband and I ONLY during the intiation into the program (sit down meeting) and to take the metabolic tests. We came during the work week AND on a Saturday. We brought our work planners to each meeting and tried to set up appointments with Sarah, but she advised us that since we worked so far away from SF that email and phone would be the best option since she supposedly had other clients to whom she offered the same service. If these were not avenues to keep connected to clients, then why did your employee provide the options to us? Doesn't make sense does it. Take this negative review as a learning opportunity to make improvements within your company (i.e. better customer service training, improve services, etc) and reach out to your clients more to apologize to them if services were not rendered successfully according to expectations. As for Shelly C--I'm really happy that you had a positive experience with Sarah, however your experience does not invalidate what my husband and I went through in barely 30 days of lazy efforts, poor communication and unavailability from Sarah after our initial meetings. I stand by our experience because it is based on fact. Had I posted this months ago, would you have posted your review then? I find your timing highly suspect but to each his own. If you are a regular Yelper as you claim, why haven't you posted a review until now? You are the only person in Sarah's entire time at MV Nutrition to post a good review for her. I hope that my fellow Yelpers will see this and take serious note of the timing. Very suspect.... Original Post: My husband and I decided to give MV Nutrition a try for weight loss and sports nutrition counseling. We were assigned to Sarah. Unfortunately, I wish that we could have been given Manuel or Christina as mentioned in the other reviews. My husband and I are highly motivated people and just wanted to make structured lifestyle changes due to our busy work and travel schedules. As an option, Sarah offered to allow us to email and call her with our consultations. Whenever we would call or email Sarah for detailed answers to our questions, we would get short email responses back on when she is in the office to come visit or call her. Though we made it clear that due to our work schedules, it would serve us best to email her rather than calling from different time zones to appease HER schedule, this just fell on deaf ears. When I asked for deeper consulting for proper caloric intake for my marathon training and even had one of my training coaches reach out to Sarah, we hit dead ends with her--she would leave a message stating that she got our message and to call her back! For the money that my husband and I paid for MV Nutrition's consulting, Sarah missed the mark tremendously. We got to the point of asking if we could be switched to Manuel, and she said that once customers are linked to a consultant a "relationship is built" and they don't allow transfers. This was crazy! We only saw her twice for our initial appointments, but we took more initiative to ask questions and call her than she did for us. We ended up canceling the service barely a month after joining, especially after I got some bad random advice from Sarah to consume dairy the morning of a hill run! Never again will my husband and I waste our time and energy with such a lazy person. Buyer beware--I wish that Yelp would allow less than 1 star because she wasn't worth it! read more

For a grand they should me plastic food as portion examples and gave me an Excel Spreadsheet to enter what I eat daily ?? I was also taught how to shop at Trader Joes ?? Not really helpful. But to their credit they did refund my unused session costs. read more

A couple of years ago I moved to the bay area and went from eating buckets of pasta smothered in cheese to eating chicken breasts and grilled fish. However I gained 12 pounds!!! Horrified I went to numerous doctors, consulted another nutritionist and my personal trainer: all basically said I was eating right and just had to keep at it. DESPERATE I decided to tried Manuel at MV Nutrition. He's absolutely amazing. His knowledge goes far beyond nutrition, so he doesn't just give you a diet, he examines your blood work, lifestyle, family history, etc to really determine what your problems are and devise a strategy that will work for you. What sold me into the program was when he told me he would measure my body fat and metabolism before designing a diet plan. It just seemed a more scientific approach to the usual 'just follow these guidelines that work for everybody' deal. He designed a diet plan specific to my body type and taste (I don't eat vegetables and I need my spoonful of sugar in the morning). The diet is very reasonable and fulfilling. I just feel like I'm changing my lifestyle to a healthier one but I'm not sacrificing flavor or fulfillment. I like that it's very realistic - the amount of food you eat per day, the types of food you are allowed to eat (mmm...rice...), the pace with which you will achieve your goal weight, and your exercise requirements. The program is expensive, but for the first time in two years the scale is going down instead of up so it was worth it. I have also learned a lot... each consultation is pretty long - usually between 30-90 minutes - and Manuel takes the time to educate you about food, how to measure portions correctly and how to read food labels. His diet plan is very easy to follow since you measure portions instead of calories, and it offers some flexibility for those days you want to splurge. After hearing me rave about Manuel for months my mom decided to join as well and right away he discovered when reviewing her blood work that she had anemia - something that her own doctor didn't notice when she reviewed her exams. Needless to say my mom is extremely grateful she joined. read more

I have tried this program and through my own experience, I want you to make your own decision about trying this program. I am not here to defame MV Nutrition but I do think it's important that each person who is thinking about trying this program, know what they are getting themselves into. If you read my review and still want to try this program, great. This program isn't for everyone so be sure you have been to a doctor that has assessed your hormones, thyroid, intolerance issues and of course any medical issues. Don't expect MV Nutrition to assess these for you. Even though they are dietitians, this program is food based and not necessarily medically based. In order to really know what you should eat, you really should seek an assessment by a certified MD. Simply being able to eat whatever you want as long as you stay within their "point range," is not enough when there are so many other factors that contribute to how your body processes food and thus, gains weight. I found so many issues with the program itself, that it just wasn't the right program for me. First off, it's really important that you take care of any emotional issues or mental issues you might have that contribute to over eating before really trying any program. With that said, I will say that MV Nutrition helped me overcome some of my issues with being an emotional and social eater. That's the only praise I can give to this program. Keep in mind, that some issues might not even be your fault like hormonal imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, etc. which MV Nutrition does not address. They simply recommend eating whatever you want as long as it falls into a point system. A very similar model to Weight Watchers, except Weight Watchers is a much cheaper program and has tools that are usable and comprehensive. If you want a more scientifically backed book that's easy to read but explains why you might be gaining wait, check out "This is Why You're Fat" by Jackie Warner only $15 and you get more results and benefits if you stick to it. If you are going to try this program I suggest going directly to Manual instead of Sarah. I liked Sarah but I don't think she was as knowledgeable as I should have gotten considering how much I paid. When you are paying $1000 for a program and trusting a certified dietitian to guide you, you should get someone who is educated and professional. She also didn't asses my food needs very well. My contract stated that I should have gotten personalized menus tailored to my needs, which I never received from Sarah. All I got was a few plastic food examples, sample menus, a generic snack list, points to stay within and a website to log my food that doesn't work half the time and is not by any means a sophisticated website. When I load the website, it flashes a huge picture of a hamburger. It's like a subliminal message or something and is not helpful in reaching my weight loss goals. The website doesn't have half the foods MyFitnessPal does. Their phone ap is even worse. All it allows you to do is take a picture of your food so you can remember and log from the website later. You can't even scan packaged foods like MyFitnessPal lets you. Each program is $1000 so you would think that they would put more money into making usable and comprehensive tools. Manual said that the $1000 goes to the personal session, see a therapist if you are looking for more support or try Jenny Craig. Sessions are free and you only pay for food. When I wasn't seeing results Sarah would blame it on everything else except the food. "It's because you are getting close to your period." "You're gaining muscle." She never analyzed my food until I asked her if it was the foods I was eating. She looked at my log and said, "You are staying within your point range and eating consistently. No I don't see a problem." I was eating: mac and cheese, bacon, butter, pancakes. These are so foods to eat in moderation not every day but she never once told me that I should focus on healthier choices until the 8th week. By then, I had already lost 2 months because as it turns out, her super scientific metabolic rate test, gave me the wrong calorie level. I started out with a 1500 calorie level, which for someone who is not active, is a HIGH caloric intake. I gained about 4 pounds and then I maintained for about 4 weeks. Finally, I went to her and BEGGED her to let me go down to 1200. I followed the 1200 to a tee and saw minimal results. I was still eating fatty foods because she wasn't really guiding me in the way that I should have been guided. Manual was very nice when I asked for a refund. He really heard what I had to say. Be careful when choosing this program. There are a lot of other programs that are cheaper and that offer more benefits and results. Since trying this program, I started reading "The 17 Day Diet." I have lost 15 lbs. in half the time. read more

Manuel is AMAZING! I was a little hesitant to go at first, as I really did not know what to expect. I did not have a ton of weight to lose, but I definitely wanted to make changes in my eating lifestyle. I knew Manuel and his partner from the gym, and I when I found out his background and experience I got in touch with him. I can tell you honestly, within the first month I had lost 14 lbs! 11 lbs. of pure fat. I still have a little ways to go, but the eating changes in my life are making a huge difference. This is not a diet program, so one should not go in expecting to go on a diet. Manuel works with you on YOUR personal plan and goals. He works with you on what you like to eat, what your daily activity is, etc. I cannot recommend Manuel and MV Nutrition enough. I am very excited with the changes I am seeing. My energy is up, I feel so much better. read more

Christina has been great! I've lost about 23 pounds so far, and it has been relatively painless, and I feel great. It's amazing how much eating right can impact your energy level . Ok, so if you're going to take your health seriously, you've got to get over the sticker shock of a nutritionist. You're looking at like $500+ (if I recall correctly) for the first four sessions. Included in that are some great services - like measuring your resting metabolic rate, body fat, etc. with advanced devices - and in general, the costs can really come down over time once you get up to speed and get to "bare bones" appointment check ins. Also keep in mind, -There are very few "stand alone" nutritionists in the city. Many are at health clubs and stuff. -Nothing is more important than your health. -You pay enough for something, you're more likely to be successful. -The accountability of facing your nutritionist is a great motivator. -Included with the program is an online food log. -They give you great ideas for food that you may not have thought of. -If you could do this on your own, you wouldn't be looking for a nutritionist. So, I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical that these guys could do me good. My assumption was that I basically know what to eat and it was a matter of willpower. However, I discovered that the difficulty isn't just knowing what foods are bad for you and which are good - its managing hunger and energy. I have done a lot of weight watchers, jenny craig, nutri system, body for life, etc. Those programs have their uses - they just can't compete with MV nutrition's personalized service. Also, I think MV Nutrition does a better job of deliving a sustainable diet that manages satiety. Here's an example - Since I began the program, I generally eat flax seed meal on a high fiber cereal for breakfast. It actually really helps my feel satisfied all day and keeps my energy level. These little choices throughout the day add up and truly have an impact. It's not just about calorie measurement. Christina started me out by just eating breakfast "correctly"... and phased in the program relatively gradually. It's kind of funny, in some ways, there is psychological component to the sessions - how you're feeling and stuff, of course, impacts what you eat. Christina is good at listening and getting to know her clients so that she can make truly actionable recommendation to get around obstacles to eating right. Overall, I highly recommend MV Nutrition, and Christina is really great. read more

Met with Sarah who was helpful at first. However, when I came in for my first weigh in and follow up appointment, things went south. It was the middle of the day and I had just eaten lunch and had consumed quite a bit of water (like a liter). Still, she had me weigh in and I'd supposedly gained a pound since I'd started. I stuck with the program and began weighing myself in the a.m. every week (as Manuel suggests in his video) and I have to say the pounds are coming off. I have lost seven pounds in eight weeks. I will stick with this plan but can skip Sarah. In addition to the weigh in lameness, my insurance changed and suddenly--silence. Old insurance was one they could bill directly; new not. I stood by to see if they'd call and after ~3-4 weeks or so they did. Once they got news of the insurance change they were not so hot to trot. I remember asking why I had to come in every week and was told that I needed to so I would keep trying. I was ready to keep trying but not with morale breakers and flakiness. Manuel's program is good. I will probably try seeing him after I lose some more weight (total to lose = 30lbs). read more

MV Nutrition is amazing, especially Sarah. I've suffered from some pretty brutal IBS over the past few years, and over the course of 6-7 sessions made amazing progress. She completely transformed the way I looked and thought about food and really made a huge impact in my quality of life. She is super supportive and smart, not to mention a wonderful person as well. Highly recommended! read more

I am a 67 year old active hiker and peak bagger. I have always struggled with extra pounds. Since meeting with Manuel (2-2013) and following his guidelines, I have gone from 201.4 to 176, pounds, from 24.2% body fat to 17.7%, and a waist of 39" to 32". Portion control, 5 meals a day, plus physical activity worked its magic. I never felt deprived or very hungry. I eat out a lot and found his guidance worked at restaurants also! If i wanted to indulge, I just balanced it with the rest of the week. His guidelines are now becoming a life style for me. Thanks Manuel ! read more

I have struggled with my weight for my whole life. Six months ago, at the age of 40, I had resigned myself to being over-weight. I was approaching 300 pounds., was at 32% body-fat, my waist was 48 inches., and on top of all of this, I am a personal trainer in a gym! I was sleeping about 3 hours a night, felt exhausted upon waking, depressed, and had no energy to exercise. Then, I called Manuel Villacorta of MVNutrition. Manuel started by meeting me in person, finding out who I was, where I was at in my life, my relationship with food, and gradually taught me a simple template for living, eating, and losing weight, while "getting to eat" the foods I love!... vs., not getting to eat, and feeling restricted. He gave me his book, Eating Free, which I read that day! Being a personal trainer, I've read many health, fitness, and weight-loss books, most of which were fads, and none seemed realistic for the average person, or were a program that could be sustained, realistically, for life. This is where Eating Free is unique. Using the Eating Free program, I learned simple, realistic, healthy strategies such as; eating within 30 minutes of waking up, eating every 3-4 hours, and combining protein and carbohydrate, from foods I LOVE to eat!!!.. with each meal and snack, to control ghrelin, a hormone, if left un-checked, causes us to crave foods, and sometimes, overeat. Eating Free is packed with power-foods, high in nutrients, phytonutrients, and great-tasting recipes, snacks, shakes, and desserts for both omnivores, and vegans. Eating Free is NOT a diet, it truly is a way of living, and creating a new relationship with food and eating. I am lucky enough to live in San Francisco where Manuel has his office, and in working with Manuel for six months, I have lost a total of 76 pounds!!!., 20% less body-fat, and 12.5 inches off my waist! I am now 41, and am continuing to work with Manuel and the Eating Free program to reach my next goal of 195-200 pounds and 8% body-fat. The Eating Free program is something I can sustain and use for the rest of my life to stay healthy and energetic and live to my full potential! This wonderful change also allows me to inspire my clients and others to raise their standards, and live their lives to the fullest. At my current weight, it no longer hurts to walk or stand. I can train my personal training clients in the gym all day to help them reach their goals and change their lives, and still have tons of energy to have amazing workouts of my own! This Tuesday, after leaving Manuel's office for my coaching session, I was in a hurry to get back to work, was taking the subway, and ran to catch the train coming into the station. Six months ago, at nearly 300 pounds, running to catch a train, or running for any other reason, was not an option. However, at my new weight, just two days ago, I ran the entire length of the station platform (about 75 yards), caught my train, and got to work EARLY!!!... Thank you Manuel!...and Eating Free. If you have a bunch of weight to lose like me, 80+ pounds, or just want to lose that last 10-20 pounds, Eating Free is a realistic, healthy, reasonable, and sustainable program you can use to get results now, and keep the body you love, for the rest of your life! In health, happiness, and wellness, Matt Lyons Certified Personal Trainer, Corrective Exercise Specialist, NASM Movement Coach San Francisco, CA read more

MV is the best. I work with Christina and have quite a few of my clients working with her as well. She is honest, educated, compassionate, and patient. She worked with me before my 50 mile trail run in December. Because of her help breaking down my diet, I realized I was undereating during races and even during the day. YES and YES to finally find someone who gives a damn about nutrition and backs it up with an education. read more

Manuel Villacorta and his Eating Free plan gave me the tools, resources and support to change my habits, routines and perspectives around food and nutrition. As a professional in the corporate learning and development field, I am very familiar with the principles of coaching and getting people to try on new behaviors. And Manuel is the best of the best as it relates to taking the enormous amount of scientific data pertaining to nutrition and distilling it for the average consumer to understand and put to use in their daily lives. Manuel's regimen is more than a weight loss program. It is a lifestyle and wellness strategy that requires commitment and accountability on the part of the user. Manuel is an incredible accountability partner and coach who will work with you and your goals to ensure that you are able to make the changes necessary to live a productive and healthy life. But it is ultimately up to you to reap the rewards of such a program and invariably, some people who do not meet their own expectations will "shoot the messenger." We live in a society where everyone is looking to blame everyone else but themselves. You live an unhealthy lifestyle because of your choices...not anyone else. So if you are not successful with a program like this, it is all about "you" and not the program. Losing weight and changing your lifestyle habits is 100% up to the individual but you need to stop whining and just do it. Manuel will give you all that you need to be successful but he can't make you "stop whining!" Through this program, I lost over 30 lbs but more importantly I gained an incredible amount of knowledge and tools to put into place to make my life a much more healthy experience. I did not approach as a "check-list, to-do" item but more of a long-term commitment to remake my physical and emotional well being. This is not about a diet or the latest weight loss fad, it is an introduction to an overall process to gain more insight into your choices as it pertains to how we eat. I cannot recommend Manuel or his program enough. Go for it! read more

Last year i decided to go and see MV Nutrition. I needed to loose some extra body fat and I had no idea how. I tried doing cardio and eating less but that didn't really help. Then I met with Manuel and he sorted things out for me. Just after a few weeks I started to fit into my jeans much better again, I felt much better in general and my energy level was up again. Manuel makes it actually fun to pay attention to what I eat. As a vegetarian I thought it's hard to get the protein that I need but Manuel had great suggestions for me. The online success tracker that MV uses is really good and makes it so easy to see what food you still need to eat or ate too much of. MV Nutrition is well worth the time and money! read more

Manuel rocks. He set out a plan for me to achieve - lower my cholesterol and reduce my body fat. He made me aware of portion sizes, and gave me an education about food that I could never get from the internet or books. He gave me easy shopping lists, and a food diary tracker that a simpleton could follow. If only he could give me the strength to stop eating crap like Fried Chicken and Pecan pie (I'm a Southern girl, it's in my genes). I definitely think before I eat now, but there are times when I think I'm making a bad choice - but it's gonna taste oh so good. It's a life plan you gotta follow - and if you cheat - it's ok - just eat right for the rest of the week. It works, but it takes time to adjust your habits. read more