TESTIMONIALS
Dina D. Rodriguez, 51
“Monin helped me realize that working out is something I do for myself…because I am worth it! She is uplifting, motivating, and inspires me to be the best that I can be! WWMD… I ask myself that all the time? What Would Monin Do? She has amazing discipline and has made such an impact in my life, that when I find myself wanting to eat improperly or skip a workout, I simply ask myself….WWMD? I am so blessed to have found such a caring and knowledgeable trainer! She truly cares about each and every one of her clients, taking time to really get to know them. My workouts with Monin have become a way of life for me…that I cannot imagine doing without!”
Angelica Aguilar, 28
“I first signed up to train with Monin because I needed to loose weight for my upcoming wedding. I was overweight, smoking, very inactive, and very self-conscious of how I looked. My upcoming wedding was perfect for me to get motivated and take some weight off. I trained with Monin twice a week at her studio and her Merengue-Salsa Aerobics classes twice per week. While I normally hated working out, Monin was just so motivating and so much fun to be around that I actually began to enjoy working out. The time just goes by so fast because I have so much fun. She also gave me so much advice on eating right and really encouraged me to quit smoking. With Monin’s help and eating right, I lost over 20 pounds for my wedding and felt so confident that day! I also quit smoking! Thanks Monin for being so motivating and supportive! You have inspired me to live a healthy lifestyle! You are a great friend!”
Rachel Davila, 72
“I joined Monin’s Merengue-Salsa Aerobics group looking to increase my exercise program. The reason was that I have been diagnosed as a diabetic. Diabetes runs in my family. I was put on Metformin, a medication for diabetics. The dose was two pills per day. After seven months of being in Monin’s program, my health checkup with my doctor was excellent. My dose was cut down to one pill a day! I have lost inches and a little weight. I feel great and my goal is to lose more inches in my stomach since that is where fat goes in diabetics. Monin, I want to thank you for your dedication to helping women achieve their goals and stay healthy. I plan to come to your classes as long as I can.
Mary Castilla, 61
“Monin is a great trainer. She is caring, smart, and a true professional in her field. It is her passion and it brings her joy to train one individual or group. She wants to help people be and feel their best. Monin has brought back happiness to my life because I now feel better about the way I look and I have regained confidence. My passion is dancing and I am now able to wear my dance outfits and go out and dance the night away. When I am training with Monin, I feel very special because is completely focused on me. She provides perfect instructions and demonstrations. She gives me a great workout. I have almost reached my ideal weight, but most important, Monin has reshaped my body. I looked toned, stronger, healthier and the best in some 2 years. She keeps records of my training and is always prepared to train me in various/different areas as needed. Monin is special because she is not only concerned about my physical training but also about my well-being and happiness. ”
Maribel Tostado, 34
“Training with Monin has made me want to work hard at becoming a healthy person. In my mind, I had to get rid of my weight demons from the past and focus on my health. Once I focused on my health, my attitude toward my weight changed. Monin kept me motivated and always understood my limitations to what I could and couldn’t do. She was judgment-free and never pressured me to do anything I wasn’t able to do. This is a great quality in a trainer, having the ability to understand the many issues that come with a big woman trying to slim down. It can’t be done overnight, and getting started is difficult for someone who has a lot of weight to drop. Monin was a blessing in my life and I thank her for being there for me and helping me through my difficult journey. ”
Laura Cortez, 30
“Monin was an inspiration during the 6 months I trained with her! I experienced the most changes in my life training with her. I woke up every Wednesday morning excited because I knew my time with Monin was also my time for myself. Despite my life challenges, Monin was there to motivate me and keep me going. I truly believe my workouts with Monin, along with her Merengue-Salsa classes, have been good for my health, both physically and mentally. I am grateful to Monin for her caring heart and dedication to my life goal of being fit for life. Thank you Monin!”
Wilmia Perez, 53
“The way Monin touched my life was by giving me hope that I can do little things every day at my pace. That I don’t have to run a marathon but stay focused and be consistent. Monin is a wonderful role model to follow and a great inspiration for women!”
Susan Torres, 45
“While I was interested in a personal trainer I had my doubts. I felt she would be extra hard on me since it was one on one. This anxiety about a personal trainer went away as soon as I started working with Monin. Her training brought me confidence, trust, and friendship in my life. It made me feel great about myself physically and mentally. She explained to me how important it is to exercise and eat right, not just to lose weight but most important to keep your heart healthy and to prevent heart disease. With her, I reached my goal weight and looked great. I enjoyed very much our training together. I would recommend every woman of any age to train with Monin. She is one awesome lady and personal trainer and became a good friend of mine.”
Guadalupe Sanchez-Smith, 55
“When I first began to train with Monin, I was so weak, I literally could not lift more than 5 pounds. Monin taught me endurance and I felt stronger than ever. I have never taken weight training seriously because I didn’t have the discipline but working with her one-on-one made all the difference in the world. My daughter kept trying to get me to go with her to one of those “other” fitness centers but I used to tell her that I liked the “TLC” from the Dominican Republic. Mil gracias Monin!”
Alma Torres
“Inspirational! Monin embodies beautiful energy and a positive attitude that instills hope in success. I am proud to have lost 40 pounds through my work with Monin and could not have done it without her constant encouragement and expertise. She has a profound and extensive knowledge of weight training and aerobics and always had a vibrant, challenging, fun, and varied workout for me. I cannot thank her enough for her support and brilliance. It was truly life-changing to learn to break through barriers and learn that I too could be fit, healthy, and strong. Monin is such an outstanding trainer and motivator. I wish every woman had the opportunity to experience working with her!”
Dr. Martha Ramos-Duffer
“Inspirational! Monin embodies beautiful energy and a positive attitude that instills hope in success. I am proud to have lost 40 pounds through my work with Monin and could not have done it without her constant encouragement and expertise. She has a profound and extensive knowledge of weight training and aerobics and always had a vibrant, challenging, fun, and varied workout for me. I cannot thank her enough for her support and brilliance. It was truly life-changing to learn to break through barriers and learn that I too could be fit, healthy, and strong. Monin is such an outstanding trainer and motivator. I wish every woman had the opportunity to experience working with her!”
Ernesto Nieto, 67
“Getting involved with Monin Pena really came through my wife. At first, I thought, “oh, this is nothing more than another of Gloria’s adventures.” I’ve tried every diet Gloria has put me through, eaten at cafeterias until I exploded, and walked streets keeping with her never-ending quest to reduce the waistline. Poor old husbands…This time, it was another in Gloria’s great experiments with life. “It will probably last about a month,” I secretly thought to myself. “So why not encourage her.” One day, I looked downstairs from the office to see her barely being able to get out of the car. Every muscle in her body was apparently sore from her initial encounter with this Phantom Dominican. Gloria spoke about her all the time. Five six, 125 pounds of muscle and gristle…What could any husband hope for in his wife if it was not for his wife to look like this Caribbean explosion? So, I finally went to see her. She made me take off my polo, exposing my flab all over the place. She pinched here and there to my social embarrassment. I growled under my breath but decided to go through with this ridiculous experiment. Finally, the day came for my first exercise. When I drove up to the office, I too could barely get my 6’4” frame out of the car. This time it was Gloria’s time to laugh. A year and a half later, my doctor called to tell me the results of my annual blood work. “What are you doing,” he asked inquisitively. Concerned over the test results and thinking that two evenings before I had gorged down three delicious enchiladas, I was ready for the bad news. Your blood work is nothing like I have ever seen before. “You’re in fantastic shape and all of your results are beyond good,” he continued. “They are excellent.” I was all smiles, almost giddy. Quickly, I called my two sons in Austin, followed by a quick call to Argentina and then my delighted wife. O. K. so it was this Phantom friend of my wife who apparently gets up at 4 am every morning. So she did wonders for my health. And what is my response? Complete and utter gratefulness not only to my good friend Monin Pena who puts up with my cussing and screaming when she adds weight to the barbells but to my gorgeous wife who encouraged me to train with Monin Pena. As a guy over sixty, I was probably her oldest pupil…but also a healthy guy who will stand on top of the mountain and ask any guy like me who wants to feel good and look good to give Monin Pena a whirl…Just try it, you may even learn to like it.”