A handful of my lovely current and former clients shared some thoughts on their experience working with me, and not gonna lie--
I may or may not have cried a bit. Obviously, got something stuck in my eye and that's why I teared up...
But in all seriousness, how my clients have opened up their lives and placed their trust in me; they say that I've changed their lives, but they're the ones who have changed mine for the better. Can I use #blessed non-ironically now? Because that's what I am-- to work with these amazing humans and that they've written these kind words about me to share. Sob.
Harmony:
"Minna is a truly dedicated, invested, and personable fitness coach. I have worked with personal trainers prior to Minna, who only spend the number of hours in the gym with you that you pay them for, but working with Minna is a completely different experience. She understood how important nutrition was to my overall health, and she spent several hours outside of our gym time guiding me on food- she even sent me pictures of recommended food while she was at Whole Foods! That's Minna- always kind, considerate, caring, and thoughtful. She makes you feel like your health is a real priority for her, and for that, I will be forever grateful."
John:
"Her attention to detail, follow up, professionalism, and understanding of MY body, MY dynamics, MY past injuries, and MY needs makes her stand out in the sea of trainers I have met over the years. Minna cares about me and my progress- she was there every step of the way. Always timely, always upbeat, always forward-looking, and always made it fun (and challenging).
Minna changed my life - I can't thank her enough."
Raymond:
"My goal was to make permanent changes to my erratic lifestyle and become more consistent in exercise, fitness, and health. At the same time, I wanted to lose weight. At 50 years old, I really wasn't sure if I could. My long track record lacked any consistency.
From day one, Minna was a friend and coach. I felt comfortable telling her my weaknesses around eating, sleeping, and motivation. She was a good listener and patient with me. It took me several sessions to learn different exercises but Minna always encouraged me until these exercises became second nature. With each passing session, she learned more about me and what made me tick, making adjustments to my training session and making me think about baby steps to help me meet my goals.
Besides her professionalism, the thing about Minna that inspired me most is her sense of balance combined with her desire for excellence which are the main things I strive for in my life and profession. Minna obviously loves life and enjoys helping people. I was motivated to work with her. She really put me on the right track where I continue today! If you are serious about succeeding in your fitness goals, Minna is a great choice for your personal trainer."
Maya:
“Minna is fantastic and I would highly recommend her for all levels of fitness! Minna was essential during and after my pregnancy. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking to maintain fitness and energy during pregnancy and help ‘snap back’ after. She is encouraging, well-researched, and came to every session with a game plan of activities every step of the way. She is the kind of trainer that takes her position very seriously and is constantly learning and teaching.”
Sarah:
"Out of the countless nutrition coaches out there on the internet (many of whom I've worked with) Minna is the real deal. Not only does she offer a wealth of knowledge when it comes to food and nutrition, she is the type of coach that actually helps guide you to put that knowledge to use. I have tried diet after diet and fad after fad. Clearly, that didn't work.
Only after beginning to work with Minna did I realize it wasn't so much just about calories and carbs and fat, but that it was about perspective and behavioral changes to create a real lasting effect. Never have I met a trainer or nutritionist who so happily admits that she is human like the rest of us and doesn't only eat broccoli and egg whites! She encourages a truly balanced lifestyle while still attaining your goals. I am so thankful I found her (thank you, Instagram), as she has changed my perspective on everything. Food was the first stepping stone, but my life is now more positive and full of self-love than I have ever had before, thanks to her."
David:
"I will admit that I was skeptical at first when I got set up with a former figure-skater. I was expecting a big guy carrying a barbell around. All I wanted was someone very knowledgable about weightlifting and that could help me lose the 50+ pounds I needed to desperately lose. So when I saw this tiny twenty-something girl in a ponytail, I hate to say that I immediately started thinking how I needed to find a new male trainer.
Never been so happy to be so wrong. This tiny girl brings toughness and serious technical knowledge about strength training. A different kind of encouragement I had never experienced even with my collegiate athletic trainers. Our sessions are not just "do this, do that," but there is a mindfulness to my training and life now that changed everything. Minna calls it her "360 approach," and it is true. Our training's effects have changed other things too. Work, stress, relationships, food. Almost three years of working together, those 50 pounds said goodbye long ago and stayed off. I am now focused on getting stronger and staying healthy for a long time. Thank you, Minna.
Sophia:
"I have been training with Minna for nearly three years. She has been an incredible coach, helping me get in shape and gain confidence in my strength. Not only is Minna extremely knowledgeable about strength training and health in general, but she has also gone above and beyond in learning about my medical condition and tailoring my program accordingly. She's a great friend and a badass on the weight floor and I'd highly recommend her to anyone!"
Gerbian:
Minna gets results. Period.
I must admit that when I first met her I had second thoughts, I wondered to myself how is this tiny lady going to help me achieve my weightlifting and bodybuilding goals? Boy was I wrong! After our first session, I knew I couldn't have met a better trainer. Minna's professionalism and knowledge quickly won me over.
Her energy, motivation, positive attitude, upbeat personality and dedication to helping me achieve my fitness goals are what make me look forward to our early morning sessions. Minna - I can't thank you enough!
Ivanie:
I have to say that I was hesitant about working with a trainer for a long time. Part of me thought that I could do it on my own (I could not) and part of me pictured a large bulky man standing over me, balking at me into submission.
Well, Minna has proven to be quite the opposite. She is neither large nor bulky, but has proven to be a wealth of knowledge when it comes to all things health and fitness related, and simply radiates positive energy. Her smiling face, upbeat attitude and constant words of encouragement make it quite difficult to hate her as you struggle through a tough set. She makes a tremendous effort to cater her training program to each individual's goals and needs, and is great at mixing things up and keeping things interesting. Minna brings much more to the table than just giving instructions in a gym; she possesses tremendous technical knowledge, is highly knowledgeable about anatomy and the effects of exercise, and is an extremely helpful and informative consult on nutrition matters. She truly focuses on your overall health, both mental and physical. I would be lost without my sessions with Minna.