Testimonials

Hey, it’s Sal!

I am a firm believer in learning and growing every day as a Strength Coach. My methods are evidence-based and I focus on achieving sustainable, long-term results with my clients while allowing them to enjoy and thrive in their everyday lives.

Hear our clients’ success stories!

"I started my fitness journey in December 2020 after a really mentally draining summer. I struggled with my confidence and self-esteem and did not want any photos taken of me. I started to go to the gym to improve my health and confidence, but I didn’t really have a plan or the knowledge to hit my goals. I went to the gym 3 days a week and saw some progress. I went down a dress size, but then my progress stalled. I didn’t want to keep spinning my wheels and wasting time, so I reached out to Coach Sal. I've known Sal all my life and she had me so motivated to look good and feel good especially when it comes to self-love self love. I worked out with her in person 4 times. She had me sore each time- but conversation about our future plans and what made us happy was always at the center and a highlight of training with her. I joined her 8 week group coaching program and stopped being afraid of weights. After week 4, I was going to the gym consistently—5 days a week and constantly wanting to beat my progress from the week before. Mentally health check, self love check, great quads check check, journey isn’t over yet! After the 8 week program ended, it was really the beginning for me to prove to myself that I will get to the point I desire. "

– Majda M.

"Sal is a fantastic strength and life coach. She doesn’t just look at how much you can lift physically, but how much you can carry mentally and emotionally. In addition to your strength training, Sal is knowledgeable enough to help guide your diet, sleep, and meditation schedules. Her programs and coaching are comprehensive and completely personalized for your personal, physical, and psychological goals. She is extremely accepting and respectful of gender diversity and understands the importance of working around physical limitations or adjusting a program to meet someone’s specific needs or goals. She is also just generally an inspiration to me because I’ve seen firsthand how she pushes through her own struggles every day. She’s a true badass tbh. If you work with her and stick to the program you’ll be impressed with your progress by just the 2nd week guaranteed."

– Leo S.

"In August of 2019, I was diagnosed with insulin resistance and warned by my doctor that I was borderline pcos/prediabetic. My diagnosis was both affirming that my issues weren't solely being caused by my "diet", as many doctors had insisted. I felt like I had no control of my body. The next couple months I slowly started trying every diet culture/ lifestyle fad in the book. By March 2020, I was super tired and undernourished, deep in my body dysmorphia. Then the pandemic struck and I was, in no certain terms, THROWN. All sense of routine was gone and I spent the Spring cooking & eating away my feelings. By the time I reached out to Sal, my main purpose was to regain some control (of my body if not my life.)

From the get-go, Sal challenged me to change the way I viewed fitness. She pushed me to sleep more regularly, eat more regularly, and stop body shaming myself. Before her, being "healthy" meant eating kale, random supplements, and running as much as I could to create a "caloric defecit." Now, to be healthy, I was being pushed to have a consistent lifestyle, focusing on building my strength and finding mental clarity. I was also pushed to give my self a sense of routine and consistency and overall wellness that I'd never considered.

Now that I've finished the program, I feel like I've just really begun my fitness journey. Consistency is so much more important than irregular perfection."

– Fatema C.

"Coach Salma Nakhlawi offers a unique training experience that will not only push you to your physical limits, but challenge you mentally. Her holistic training approach is tailored specifically to help each individual athlete reach their maximum potential. If you are serious about fitness and becoming StrongHER than you were yesterday, go sign up today!"

– Diego Meritus

Boxing Coach/Fitness Trainer
Founder of Middlebury Boxing Club

"Sal is great, she has helped me get into better shape and also has assisted me beyond the physical sense. I trusted her with my goals and she came through for me and I am excited to continue working with her to reach my full potential. She always coming up with new ideas, and was to continue to progress & get better. Using her guidance I was able to stay focused track and accomplish my fitness goals."

– Jenny M.

"I met Coach Sal when I was a young cardio-bunny in college. Sal motivated me to lift weights and taught me proper lifting technique when I was scared of the weight room and carbs. She also taught me how to eat after lifting— to properly nourish my body, that it was okay to be strong and a woman, and to be proud of the fact that I am a strong woman. So, when I found out she was coaching professionally, I had to to support her. Coach Sal is the best coach you can have for WHATEVER fitness or life goals you have. Before working with Sal, I struggled with negative self-talk, not being proud enough of my achievements, and not knowing how to fuel my body for my workouts. I wanted to challenge my body, to become a runner, and to lose weight, so I hired Sal to help me do that. I have made great achievements working with Sal— I can now run 5 miles without stopping, I can squat heavy, and I have been consistently working out 3x per week every week. I love how STRONG and CHALLENGED I felt doing Sal's workouts. I love Sal’s program."

– Oten I.

"If you’re looking for a trainer who will not judge you and work with you at your current level, Sal is the one for you! If you like setting goals and adjusting them as needed in a guilt-free environment, Sal is the one for you! If the idea of having a personalized training program is appealing to you, reach out to Sal. With Sal, I am creating new healthy lifelong habits and I have learned how to cherish the relationship with my body. Most of all, I have learned how to give myself a little more grace. Sal’s non-judgmental coaching style allows for room to grow and build internal motivation. With the StrongHer Girls family, I have learned that it’s much more about the journey than the end goal and I am enjoying it every step of the way!"

– Bryana B.

"Sal has tailored workout routines that fit my lifestyle and that are never boring! She keeps me accountable and has an incredible management system for those on her at-home programs. She is always responsive and her accountability group is engaging. Her knowledge is perceptible even through my remote program!

– Gabriela S.

"Sal took my workout routine to the next level and taught me how to feel comfortable in the weight room. Before I met her, I only focused on cardio. Now I incorporate weights all because she gave me the tools to do so. Sal showed me that even as a womyn I had a place at the gym. Thanks, Sal!"

– Ivey V.

"Sal's classes helped me with learning how to use weights in the gym, which was something that I tended to stay away from because I didn't know how to use them. I became more confident to try new things and wanted to work on my fitness, not for the look, but to make myself feel healthier. I became more aware of how to properly workout different muscle groups, which was helpful to understand what workouts I needed to do. Having a motivator like Sal was so helpful in keeping me on track and more persistent. I enjoyed learning from her and I'm so grateful for my time with her!"

– Minori K.

"Sal Nakhlawi is a strong woman. She does a superb job balancing time between family, friends, the gym and professional life to ensure that she is not only physically, emotionally and mentally healthy, but constantly striving to improve herself and those around her in every way. Even with the tremendous internal drive that propels her to realize her own ambitions, she is always willing to take the time to provide those around her with whatever they might need most — be it a receptive ear, an open heart, a great massage, or some thoughtful advice. Her caring nature and genuine intent guarantee that she will help guide you to meet and exceed your goals, and her lively personality mean that you’ll surely have fun along the way!"

– Doug W.

"Sal has helped me go from a skinny 145 lbs college freshmen to a healthy 200 lbs. She helped lay down the foundation necessary for me to begin my own training and introduced me to plenty of new exercises. Not only did she push me past my limits, but she also was willing to work at my own pace, which was reassuring. She checked up with me weekly to keep me accountable and offered plenty of helpful dieting tips. Every week brought new and exciting challenges at the gym and she motivated me every step of the way even when times were tough."

-Jacob V.

"Sal approaches health and fitness training with consummate professionalism and genuine care. Not only is their knowledge base varied and deep, their instinct and ability to connect with clients is unparalleled in this industry. I myself am a certified personal trainer and I have never - and I cannot stress this enough - worked with another person who combines an empirical approach to strength training with safe and effective nutrition consulting so well. Sal is a truly gifted trainer and a wonderful person. I wholeheartedly recommend their services."

– Jay Silverstein
NGA Certified Personal Trainer

"I don’t exactly fit the demographic of StrongHER Girl’s target audience, but that didn’t stop Sal from offering vital guidance and support for my fitness journey. I was at a low point in my life, having developed nasty habits and attitudes during my first two years of college, and I needed to make a change. I knew that mental and emotional self-improvement alone wouldn’t be enough; I needed to embody the change I wanted to see as well. When I shared my situation with Sal, she immediately knew what I had to do. She offered both emotional and technical advice, which rendered my workouts more deliberate and effective. She gave tips on injury prevention, diet and technique, which altogether helped keep me ambitious and persistent throughout the process. I was able to gain 25 pounds in 3 months, which is a testament to the efficacy of her methods. I consider anyone to be involved with StrongHER Girls a fortunate individual, as Sal’s coaching is a near-perfect guarantee of success."

– Naina H.

"I was a very active student/person until I came to college in the US. I stopped playing basketball and running. Part of the reason I stopped was because life was just so busy in college compared to high school and it's also because I had a campus job. In my opinion though, I feel like the main reason was because I didn't have the self discipline to make myself go to the gym when I was supposed to be there. There was no coach to ask me why I didn't show up . There was no one I had to answer to and just like that I stopped my active life. Other than the fact that I started gaining weight, not working out became a huge concern when it became hard for me to even walk up two stories without running out of breath; my heart rate was very low and I just couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to go back to my active lifestyle. I heard about Sal‘s program-StrongHER Girls™ and I wrote to her. I was very honest to her about my fitness journey and I told her all I felt was going to make her coaching for me the best. And she listened and for every program she created for me to follow, she put into consideration all I had told her. And that's why I think she's the greatest coach anyone can ask for. Putting her clients needs first is the best thing you can ask from your trainer and Sal has got this. Getting back to the gym is very hard. It's very challenging and most of the times, we give up because we just can't keep up. I remember missing gym for an entire week and I was so embarrassed to tell Sal what had happened because I thought she'd judge me but she did not. She rather encouraged me to keep going and mentioned that the first few days and weeks were going to even break me but that was okay. So yes, with her coaching you'll be motivated to keep doing your best however difficult things get. With Sal you'll not only become fit but you'll have another kind and beautiful soul to call a friend. I'm so glad I joined StrongHER Girls™ and I'm sure everyone who joins her team will become the best versions of themselves. It's just a matter of time. "

– Anne J.

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