Meet Brazilian Beauty Nathalia Melo
Some people would simply follow their lives path whether they are happy or 
not. They wake up each morning, go to work, get a paycheck and repeat the same routine the next day. Take a look into the life of Nathalia Melo, a girl who is not only a risk taker, but chases her heart songs and never stops dreaming. Nathalia dropped out of law school, sold her car, packed her bags and moved to the U.S, where she knew one person, had very little money and spoke very little English. With her dictionary by her side, she persued her dream and hasn't stopped dreaming. Now she is a Nutrex endorsed athlete, a certified personal trainer, fitness model, a member of team Bombshell and an inspiration to all. In this exclusive article Nathalia unlocks her past, present and future dreams and goals.
Tell us a little about yourself. You know, what you do for a living, where you live, if you're married or single, any kids, pets, that type of stuff.
My name is Nathalia Melo and I am originally from Brazil, but I have been living in Fort Lauderdale for the past 7 years. I am IFBB Bikini Pro, a fitness Model and Spokesmodel for Nutrex Research. I am currently single because at this moment I am trying to focus more on my career and goals. I would love to be able to have a pet, but so many things(GOOOOOD THINGS!!! =) ) are happening right now, that I don't think I would be able to give all the attention that a pet deserves!
What got you into working out and what age did you start?
I have always been very athletic. In Brazil I swam for 12 years, played volleyball, tennis, did ballet.... I was always into something!! I started going to the gym when I was 14/15 and since day 1 I fell in love with it! I was always asking questions and watching the way other people exercised so I could learn.
Do you use any supplements, and if so what are your top three and why?
Absolutely... I believe that the combination of a balanced diet, good supplements and exercise is the key to your ‘'Shirtless Summer'' body ! Lol...
My top 3 supplements are:
1)Lipo 6x (Nutrex Research)
2)Glutamine
3)Muscle Infusion Chocolate (Nutrex Research)
Who was your inspiration for lifting weights and competing?
I don't think that my answer would be to ‘'who'', but instead ‘'what''...When I was 15 I first started lifting because I wanted to be in shape and also because the weight training helped me with my swimming performance. I decided to start competing 10 years later not only to be ‘'buff''(LOL), but also to have a healthier lifestyle and to challenge myself.
Everybody has a dream, may I know what Nathalia's dream is?
Does winning the lotto count?? LOL... j/k ... My dream is to make a name for myself in the fitness industry and to make it a career, because as they say... if do something you love you'll never work a day in your life!
How do you spend your leisure time?
I am kinda of a workaholic... so normally even on my free time I will find some work to do! Lol.... But I really like going to the beach, reading, and I loooooove traveling! =)
Give me some examples from your life where confidence has helped you to achieve your goals.
I don't know if confidence or EXTREME determination play a role here...but I remember when I was 20 years old and I told my mom and my friends that I was going to move here(U.S.A.), they all thought I was joking and kept on saying that I was crazy... well... they were kinda right about the crazy part considering I only had $400 to my name when I first came here. But... hey... I made it!!! It was tough... but I was determined to succeed and to not let anything get in my way...=) and today I have a proud Mom instead of a freaked out one! hahahah!
Tell me about your family life growing up.
I was raised by my mom and my step dad, and they were awesome!! I had the best childhood ever! I was a bit of a tomboy growing up... climbing trees(falling from them as well!), riding bikes, playing kids games. I am an only child, and my mom always says that she would never be able to handle 2 of me! LOL.... One of saddest moments of my life was when I lost my step-dad who always looked after me and loved me as I was his own daughter, but I know he is up there watching me and cheering for me! =)
What are 3 things no one knows about you.
I am very impatient.
I am actually scared of scary movies
Sometimes I wear mismatched socks
What thoughts were running through your head after you won your first two pro shows?
‘'I CAN EAT NOW!!!!' lol... j/k...I couldn't believe it at first... then I looked around me and I realized I was not only competing on the same stage with the girls I had been watching for months, but I had also won the show!!
Who was the first person you called when you won your first pro show?
My mom was the first person I spoke to. Then she didn't really understand the importance of it, nor how the competitions really were.She just recently watched me compete for the first time at the Arnold Classic, and now she understands how big the industry is, as well as how big my achievements have been in such a short period of time. She said she could never be a judge because all the ladies are beyond beautiful! =)
What is one lesson you have learned on your journey?
NEVER let anyone tell you that you CAN'T do something...I had sooooooooooo many people telling me that I couldn't do things, but I never took it personally nor let it push me down... I just kept on going!!
Tell us about coming from Brazil as an exchange student. What was that experience like?
Well ... being an exchange student was freaking awesome!! I loved it... I got to learn a different culture and learn a different language at a young age. I lived with a family that was very caring and loving, which was very helpful in the first couple months because I barely spoke English. I always had my little dictionary with me and I would ask people to point out the words, so I could have an idea of what they were talking about! Hahahaha...I lived in a very small town in Louisiana, so there were definitely some cultural shocks in the beginning, but I just learned how to go with the flow and before I knew I was already saying that I was ‘'fixing'' to go to school! =p
What languages do you speak?
I speak Portuguese, English, and some Spanish... =)
Tell us about your education, going to law school and what landed you back in the US.
My grandfather was a lawyer, so I always had that in my mind that I had to follow the path...then I got into law school and I came across a problem nobody told me before... the law system in Brazil is EXTREMELY slow, among other problems that just made me start to disbelieve the system. At that same moment I knew that I had big dreams to go after, and that I couldn't just ignore them and live my life wondering ‘'what if?'' and that's when I decided to move back to the USA, sold my car and packed my bags!
How did you start working with Shannon Dey and the Bombshell Team?
When I decided to start competing I didn't really know where to start from, so IFBB Figure Pro Christine Wang gave me Shannon's info and after that it's history! =) Team Bombshell is more than a training team, it is more like a family! I think Shannon is the only one who can put up with my meltdowns! Hahahhaha... j/k
In closing, is their anyone you want to thank or give a shout out to?
I would love to Thank my mom for being awesome! =) Also thank Nutrex Research for being the best sponsors ever, Team Bombshell for being my family for the past 1 ½ years, FMG and J.M. Manion, my awesome fans who everyday keep me motivated with the nice messages they send me, and last but not least God who gives me the health and opportunity to do what I do... ohhhhhh... and RX Girl for giving me the chance to talk a bit about me! Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!
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