Meet Monike Medina, Skimble‘s featured Trainer! Monike has her planning down to a tee and has proven to the world that there’s no room for excuses when it comes to your own health. She is an inspiration to hardworking moms everywhere, finding motivation in her family and community. We recently had the chance to chat with Monike and learn about how she juggles her family, work, and fitness commitments so elegantly.
Tell us a bit about your background and where you’re from.
Monike: About myself! I am an only child, raised by a single mom. I spent my childhood in Rowland Heights, California and moved to Claremont just before high school. Things were really tough for us growing up and my mom had to work hard to keep our family together. To stay out of trouble, I joined the basketball team during my freshmen year at Claremont High. I soon realized that ball sports were not for me! I am only 5″0 ft. and have two left feet. In my junior year, I discovered weightlifting and fell in love with it! I found out I was expecting my daughter at the end of my senior year so I put any further career plans on hold for a while.
What inspired you to become a personal trainer?
Monike: Six years later, my husband was the one that inspired me to become a personal trainer. He saw how much I loved the gym and after hearing about my short-lived weightlifting career in high school he encouraged me to pursue this old passion of mine. I finally went back to school and signed up with NASM to get my CPT and FNS.
What are your training specialties?
Monike: My specialties are Fitness & Sports Nutrition and Weight Loss Transformation. I plan to pursue many other areas of training that will enable me to consistently grow as a trainer and help me coach a wide variety of people.
How do you juggle a full-time job, family, and still find time to pursue your passion to coach people?
Monike: Oh my… I do not even know really! I work as a full-time barber, I have three daughters and a son, but I still make time to work out three days a week. It’s what keeps me going! Most of my clients are on a similar schedule, so we meet on the weekend or when the kids are in school. At work, I use my down time to do some simple workouts to keep myself fit and create new plans for my clients.
How did you first hear about Workout Trainer?
Monike: I came across Workout Trainer on Instagram. I downloaded the app and saw how many different trainers use it. I tried it out for myself and then decided to send in my credentials to become an online trainer.
What’s your favorite feature in the app?
Monike: I love how the app helps me stay on track of my own fitness routine. Every Sunday, I plan out my workouts in the calendar to make sure I stick to my schedule and don’t skip any training days. I also enjoy the ability to connect with other busy working moms who I can relate to, it makes me feel like I’m not the only one cramming this much into a day.
How do you use Workout Trainer as a part of your coaching business?
Monike: I use the app to send new workouts to my clients. I realize how many other moms are busy like me, so it’s great to be able to share short effective workouts with them that they can complete during their downtime, wherever they are.
What keeps you motivated to stay fit yourself?
Monike: As a woman, I definitely feel the motivation to look fit. But most importantly, I try to remind myself to stay fit for my health! Since I started meal planning and working out on a regular basis again, my health has improved so much in the last few years. My motivation is mainly driven by health benefits, as I want to be here for my children and husband in the long run.
Finally, can you share a secret health/fitness tip with the Skimble community…
Monike: The best tip would have to be REST! I highly recommend to everyone that they remember to take a day for themselves on a regular basis. Stress can be the number one problem that leads to weight problems and all sorts of other issues. Whatever rest means for you, make the time to do it! You need to take care of yourself before you can take care of others.
Thanks for sharing with us, Monike, we’re excited to see what the future will bring for you and your training biz!
Monike Medina is currently accepting new clients for 1:1 Online Personal Training in Workout Trainer. Get signed up today and let her help you crush your fitness goals.
Want to follow Monike and other great trainers? Download the Workout Trainer app for Android & iOS, then head on over to the Trainers tab.
Are you a fitness professional? Want to become a Verified Trainer like Monike and have access to our coaching tools and more? Get started on Skimble’s Trainer page.
