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www.MOSTmag.com || FITNESS MAG A ZINE || 121a bigger world out there, and I wanted to explore it. It was a very risky decision, as I was only 20 years old at the time, but I do not regret it one bit. It made me grow as a person, as a professional, and the ups and downs taught me many things I know I wouldn%u2019t have learned had I stayed in Brazil. FFM: When did you meet IFBB Pro Christine Wan, what influence does/did she have/had in your career?NM: I met Christine Wan at the gym where I used to train, as she worked there. She had a very significant influence in my career, as if it weren%u2019t for her I would not had known about the different divisions in the IFBB, and she would tell me every single day, that I should sign up for a competition and that I would be very good at it.FFM: When did you sign up for your first NPC (National Physique Committee) event?NM: My first NPC Competition was in 2009. FFM: You rose very quickly in this industry and won the 2012 Ms. BIKINI OLYMPIA. How did you prepare for your competition? Is it true you follow a glutes workout?NM: Every prep is different. Your body is constantly changing, and it responds differently every time. So, it is very hard to say exactly how I prepped for the Olympia. I think that the only common denominator all preps have is a lot of determination, discipline, commitment, and hard work. These are the only things you can control, as the sport is very subjective and you are being judged by people who have different views and tastes. FFM: Once you won Ms. BIKINI OLYMPIA, did you feel that all of the training was worth it?NM: Yes!!! 100%. It was a VERY intense prep. The months leading to the Olympia, Aug and Sep are normally the hottest months in Florida, and there were days that I would be doing high intensity workouts on the track in 100 degree weather. It was brutal, but I wouldn%u2019t change a thing. FFM: What kind of sacrifices did you have to make to get to the competition? Were there people in your life that didn%u2019t understand?NM: I made A LOT of sacrifices, but I made them by choice. I wanted to do well in my competitions, and I knew that I would have to change my lifestyle completely if I wanted to be in the top spot. A lot of people had a hard time understanding my lifestyle change. But, I think this lifestyle change was good in order to see who were my real friends and who were my %u2018%u2019party friends.%u201d The real friends stood by me and were always cheering me on throughout my journey. FFM: Who was your first major sponsor? NM: My first major sponsor was a supplement company that I stayed with for 5 years. FFM: How many companies are sponsoring your programs now? NM: My main sponsors are Better Bodies and Olimp Sport NutritionFFM: How many days a week, and how many hours a day do you spend at the gym? Are there times you struggle at maintaining your workout regimen?NM: I train 6 days a week, and spend 90 minutes on average at the gym. When I am getting ready for a competition or a photo shoot, the intensity of my training increases. A lot of times I struggle to maintain my regimen, mainly with all the traveling I do for my seminars and appearances for my >>>