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Testimonials

Real Food for Real People

Denise Rene

I lost thirty-two pounds with Sarah 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 Sarah’s, I weighed 175 lbs and was a size twelve. I would never leave the house without wearing hot, constricting, uncomfortable and expensive undergarments. 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. When I decided to work with my nutritionist, Sarah helped me realize the choices I was making were mine. She 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. During my weight loss journey I learned how to eat and cook healthy, flavorful meals that are filling and very satisfying. Thanks to Sarah 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 Sarah to get healthy and stay healthy! My life is forever changed and I am so grateful for this experience!

Janet Gogna

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 Sarah. Since then (September 2008), I’ve worked with Sarah 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. 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 Mader

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 one 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. 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 Sarah 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%. 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 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 to my wife Mariam who found her for me and gently encouraged me to try it! It’s the best decision I ever made.)
Claire A.

If you are thinking of working with Sarah, for the love of all things good – DO IT! She meets you exactly where you are, gets to know you in a personal and friendly way, and helps you create a plan that will ACTUALLY work for you. She is always available, even via text at random times of day to help. I recall going out to eat one night and feeling stressed about what to pick, and she literally looked at the menu of the restaurant I was going to and talked me through my thought process – now that is dedication!

When I asked at our initial meeting if there were any foods I couldn’t eat, she said “well, if it’s rotten, don’t eat it.” haha – and that has been a guiding principal for me. I managed to lose 22 lbs in 6 months without running (I hate running) and without cutting anything out of my diet (and while eating chocolate every single day without fail). I have been trying to lose these 20 lbs for FOUR YEARS…so needless to say I am so happy and grateful to have been able to work with Sarah and reach my goal in a sustainable way.

I thought people who lost weight by a balanced diet were full of bananas. Thus, I would try ridiculous diets so I could lose weight super fast (shocker, it always came back). Well, not anymore! Sarah has guided and supported me away from the toxic dieting/guilt binging and into the magical world of balance and nutrition. If you are tired of feeling yucky about your body, energy, and eating habits, and want to make a long term solution, then work with Sarah. You will not regret it, I promise you!

Dave M.

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 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.

I cannot stress the importance of accountability as part of my success. As I tell people all the time: If I can lose 112.5 pounds with the help of Sarah, then you can probably lose 10 or 20 or 50 or more yourself.

Laurie

Sarah 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!!!!
Shane W.
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. I decided to sign up with Sarah. 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. To you guys out there, don’t feel shy. I know it took a lot for me to go to a dietitian 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!
Anna S.

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!

Andrea C.
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 is a true professional. 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 to anyone looking for a true change in their eating habits and lifestyle.
Jill H.
I chose to start working on my diet in order to feel better and eat healthier, If I lost weight along the way that would be an added bonus. I worked with Sarah and she changed my life! I spoke to Sarah about learning about a healthy overall lifestyle. She taught me a lot about portion sizes, keys to weight loss, and how to read labels. Prior to working with Sarah I had little to no knowledge on healthy eating. Since working with Sarah I have lost 13 pounds. I am sure that I have gained some through the holidays, but am confident it will go back down as I continue to eat healthy foods. I stopped exercising when I started working with Sarah and lost the weight anyway. I am really amazed! I did not think it would be possible to lose this weight in such an effortless manner! Prior to working with Sarah I could not fit into a dress that I wore 7 years ago (even with Spanx)– Now the dress is roomy on me and my pants are falling off me! I highly recommend Sarah!
Francisca J.
I am someone who has struggled with recent weight gain and emotional eating. After trying several fad diets where all I managed to do was lose some weight quickly and then gain back more, I have found Sarah’s advice was the easiest to follow. In reality, it’s quite simple and manageable especially as it is individualized. I think that’s especially important because no diet is one size fits all and to really lose weight you need to tailor what you eat to what you do and how your body burns calories. I have learned a lot about nutrition in the past few months that I would not have learned otherwise. If you want a complete, well-rounded approach to weight loss, then I recommend Sarah.
Laurie B.
Sarah Koszyk is absolutely amazing!! I have been trying to lose weight with no success for over four years. I’ve been over-training, under-eating and basically running myself into the ground. After just 2 meetings with Sarah, she identified where I had gone wrong and immediately knew the correct prescription for my success, not only with my weight loss but also with living a healthy and balanced lifestyle. She is extremely sensitive, super supportive, a great listener and is so knowledgeable about anything and everything! As you can imagine, after four years of unsuccessfully trying to lose weight, I had a lot of questions about why my program hadn’t worked for me. She was incredibly knowledgeable about every single topic that I asked about. Sarah taught me how to look at food as a friend, not an enemy. The food program she uses gives me the freedom to eat at a restaurant without guilt, and taught me how to create healthy and balanced meals that are satisfying. She is also well versed in all things exercise and sports related, and showed me that less is sometimes more! She helped me focus my workouts so that they were targeted and effective, instead of logging endless and ineffective hours on the treadmill. Sarah has LITERALLY given me my life back. I only wish that I had found her earlier! I am so grateful to her and can’t imagine continuing to live my life the way I’d been living it, had I not discovered her. Thank you to Sarah!!
Shelly C.
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, PCOS. Sarah worked with me despite my hectic schedule. She helped 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!!!!!
John B.
Sarah is amazing. 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!
Matthew Z.
I came to Sarah weighing 260 pounds, which was the most I had ever weighed. I had been traveling off and on for several years, and had just moved to San Francisco. After about 8 months of work, I have lost 20 pounds, and am halfway to my goal. I am consistently losing weight, and I’m actually glad that it’s taking time, because that makes me feel much more confident that this is not just a temporary thing, but a long-term change in my life. I have never been happier with myself physically, and I owe so much of it to Sarah and her help. I immediately started to feel so much better, because Sarah was teaching me healthy eating habits. My mood and attitude towards food changed right away: I immediately felt, and still feel so much more in control, and happy about eating. I’m never hungry, and have lost those terrible food cravings and that sense of being completely out of control in relation to food. It’s really an amazing blessing, and I am so grateful for it. I recommend Sarah incredibly highly. She’s a great person, and a terrific nutritionist. Go in and meet her and see for yourself. I feel so lucky and so much happier, and a lot of it is thanks to her.