Page 117 - Demo

www.MOSTmag.com || FITNESS MAG A ZINE || 117At the age of 20 Nathalia Melo decided to leave law school in Brazil to explore the world around her, giving her a chance to follow her true passion of health and fitness. Although she admits facing many challenges along the way, Nathalia%u2019s big move was worth it. After some very intense training and encouragement from her friends she began competing in fitness competitions, soon amassing accomplishments along the way such as pro fitness wins, international magazine covers, and respected fitness trainer. Her intense dedication to the sport awarded her the 2012 Bikini Olympia Champion %u2013 Ms. Melo is the first Brazilian to win this award. Nathalia talks to Most about fitness and eating advice for those trying to improve their overall health. She came up in the fitness industry quickly and shows no signs of slowing down. With an international fan base, new ebook, website, and seminars we can expect to see a lot more of Nathalia.FFM: Before we start with our questions we want to congratulate you on your upcoming wedding, will you give your diehard fans a clue on the date or at least the month?NM: Thank you very much! Exciting times for me and my fianc%u00e9; I am getting married at the end of the spring, in June, so just a few months to go. FFM: You were born in Brazil and are of Italian descent-tell us a little about your family. What does your mother think of your pictures and magazine covers?NM: My mom is awesome!! In the beginning she had a hard time understanding the industry, because for her the bodybuilding industry was just the bodybuilding division and she was a bit skeptical about it. But, after she started seeing me in magazines and in ads for my sponsors she was super proud. She even carries some of my magazines in her car, and when people ask about me she pulls all of her magazines out and started showing them off. Hahahaha...just mom%u2019s stuff. FFM: As a kid growing up did you ever think you would get into bodybuilding?NM: I have always been very active and sporty; however, when I was growing up in Brazil, bodybuilding was not as big as it is right now. I always knew I would be involved in health and fitness. When I got into university in Brazil, I was studying law, but I never felt like it was something I could see myself doing for the rest of my life. So, I quit law school with 4 semesters to go and moved to the US. FFM: How big is bodybuilding in Brazil? Are you currently involved in promoting the profession in Brazil?NM: Bodybuilding is growing very fast in Brazil, but I am not very familiar with how things there work. I became involved in the industry after I was living in the US, so most of my competitive and professional career experience has been in the US, and now in Europe as I have been living here for the past two years. FFM: Are you a %u201crock star%u201d in Brazil?NM: Hahaha...I don%u2019t consider myself a Rock star anywhere. But, I do have a solid fan base in Brazil, as I was the first Brazilian to ever win the Olympia, which is the biggest bodybuilding competition in the world. FFM: What do you miss about Brazil?NM: Before moving to Europe I lived in South By: Elizabeth Price>>>