Page 58 - Demo

58 || MOST FITNESS || JUNE / JULY 2016MFM: You are of Dutch-Lebanese descent and were born in the U.S. and went to school in London, so you have a very multi-cultural background-how does this all play a part in your daily life? MN: I would say it helps me better understand other people because I grew up in Africa, lived in England, lived in Lebanon, my mom is Dutch, and I have a U.S. passport and a Ghanaian passport from my grandmother. So I was exposed to different ways of thinking, and it made me very open minded. I can easily understand people, and I don%u2019t easily judge. I also love to be around people who are different than myself, and that way I manage to always be learning.MFM: Is fitness very big in Lebanon? What is Lebanese women%u2019s favorite sport or form of workout in general?MN: Fitness is becoming bigger; we don%u2019t really have bodybuilding here. It doesn%u2019t exist, especially for women, so if you want to do it you have to travel outside of Lebanon and outside of the Middle East. We are seeing more gyms open now though, and for most women their favorite form of exercise is cardio. Most incorrectly believe that weight lifting is going to make them masculine or bulky, or that the best way to lose fat is to go on the treadmill and not to lift weights. As a country, we are kind of catching up to the rest of the world in that regard, and so I really enjoy educating women and showing them that lifting is necessary. MFM: You are an endorsed athlete by the Lebanese Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Lebanese minister has endorsed your app, %u201cStart Living Right.%u201d How did it feel to get such high recognition in your country? MN: It felt really great because I%u2019m the first female bodybuilder in Lebanon to be endorsed by the government and recognized in a competition outside of Lebanon. It was really amazing, and it kick started my career. It was really a matter of approaching the minister, telling him my story, and asking for his endorsement. Photo Credit: Titus Powell | www.tituspowell.com