Nutrition Coaching

Matheus is the 2019 ADCC -88kg World Champion and multiple time title holder in jiu jitsu and submission grappling. In 2024, he competed in the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational (CJI), in which he cut weight to -80kg (to 176lbs from 198lbs) for the first time in his black belt career.

He worked with the team at DiSalvo Performance Training to manage his weight cut in addition to his strength and conditioning.

“It had been a long time since I made 80 kilograms…I was very old school, like, “how do you cut, how do you lose weight? Eat less.” I was literally eating nothing [in previous cuts]. Even when…you sent [the plan] to me, you said, “It’s going to be a lot of food, but do it.” And my first reaction was [shocked]…because I was always eating less. And then as you eat all that and you see the weight is going down, it made me think, “Why didn’t I do this before?” So, luckily, it’s been easier with you guys…and I’m very fortunate to have you guys here. It makes a big difference.”

Read more about Matheus’ weight cut in detail here.

I started working with Bianca with the aim of completing a half marathon in November 2024. I'm a reasonably experienced runner, with a dozen races under my belt, but I had issues with my last two races due to a recurring knee injury. As a result, I stopped running for the better part of a year and gained some weight that I was having trouble shedding.

With this goal in mind, Bianca worked with me to develop a plan to help me lose body fat and eventually engage in weight training to strengthen the stabilizing muscles needed for long distance running. To help me cut out unnecessary calories, Bianca illustrated how some my eating habits and choices weren't serving me well - I was eating too many calories, even for someone who was training, and I wasn't prioritizing protein well which made it hard for my body to recover from my workouts. She suggested alternatives to what I was eating regularly and helped me increase my protein intake.

In the time I've worked with her, I've dropped 12 pounds and have steadily built up my running distance to compete in the half marathon. My LDL cholesterol, which was around 160 mg/dL before working with Bianca (high enough for my doctor to consider medication) is now down to around 120.

Bianca has armed me the knowledge I need to make healthier food choices going forward. I feel more confident in my training and trust that I will not be dropping out of another race any time soon.

Working with Bianca, I learned so much about strength training and nutrition to support my marathon training! With her coaching, I took 10 minutes off my NYC marathon time. Bianca is knowledgeable, patient, and always listened to my needs.

She not only explained how but why we were adding certain exercises into my plan. I am so excited to continue working with her leading up to future races!