Photo courtesy of DaiJa Monet
DaiJa Monet is a personal trainer who specializes in helping women reach their fitness goals. She makes fitness a lifestyle for participants in her interactive classes.
The Howard university alumna opened up about how her career journey has been fruitful, which exercises are best, and why plastic surgery will never replace working out.
How did Howard prepare you for a career in personal training?
Howard prepares you for life in ways only alumni understand, truly. My degree in sports medicine from Howard gave me the perseverance and tools to not give up on [my]dreams. Howard is not an easy school to graduate from. I was definitely set up to be successful and get through the challenges of business owning and personal training.
What have been your career highs and lows and how do you navigate them?
My biggest career high for Dai Fit was two international tours in 2022. I met and trained so many wonderful people. [My] career low was actually recovering from the tour, it was months of recovery. I had to tend to my health, body, and mind in order to bring in new clients. I had to rest and recover which affected the business, but it was definitely necessary.
What are some exercises that are next level to obtain an overall toned physique?
Work your legs. Definitely work out your legs for full-body toning. The real secret is consistency over a good period of time. Not two weeks, not two months, [but]six months [or more]. In six months, you’ll have a mind and body you love. In a year, you will be unstoppable.
In a society that promotes plastic surgery, how do you encourage women to love the skin they are in?
Ah yes, plastic surgery. I remind women everything externally changes as they get older: their weight, their figure, their skin, their posture, etc. [They have to] stay patient. Better your habits within yourself [by doing]activities and being around people that make you feel confident. The biggest thing I want women to know is you still have to work out after you get plastic surgery or it’ll look like you never got it. I encourage women to try getting on a Dai Fit program before spending money on plastic surgery first. Realistically, you’ll need a personal trainer after plastic surgery anyways to maintain. I rather save women time and money and get them started training with me.
What does helping others with their fitness goals mean to you on a personal level?
To be a safe space for someone and their body is important to me because the world is so mean. It doesn’t matter what goal you have, someone will find something to say. People can stare, positively or negatively, and it’s just invasive. I am a safety net for my clients while we take on their fitness journey together. It’s a meaningful role to be in someone’s life and I love it.
