In this installment, we will be meeting KN Nutrition athlete Nathaly Rodriguez. She is 35 years old and comes from Venezuela, She has been training for a total of 10 years and has been going to the gym since she was 16 years old. Later in life she decided to get serious about her training and begin the journey that bodybuilding is. She has competed in the ProTraining Binational Cup (Colombia-Venezuela) in Body Fitness reaching 3rd place, competed in National ProTraining Cup Venezuela in Body Fitness reaching 1st place, competed in IFBB Physique America USA Wellness reaching 1st place, has competed in Fitness Model reaching 1st place and has competed in the Grand Prix Miami Wellness reaching 3rd place. Which makes for a very diverse competition career so far. We ended up sitting down and conversing with Nathaly to tell us more about herself.
Give us a small intro about yourself.
I have always liked going to the gym since I was 16 years old, at first it was because I wanted to be very thin since I liked to participate in beauty events, but it was not after 25 years that I became passionate about the fitness world. It all started as a hobby to be honest, training became part of my daily routine in addition to my work life and between the two I was looking for a balance, although on weekends I forgot about it to live my social life with friends and family.
What first got you into the gym initially? Did a friend introduce you into it, maybe a family member? What influenced you to first set foot in a gym?
I wanted to lose weight to be able to participate in beauty contests, motivated by myself since it was something I always wanted to do from a very young age
What was your initial motivation when you began training and going to the gym?
My love for the gym began with a passion for beauty events, but the curious thing about becoming a fitness athlete began thanks to my coach and current physical trainer who at one point was preparing several girls to compete and in view of my change and so rapid evolution in my body, he proposed to me to intensify the training to less than 1 month for that competition that would take his girls and that is how he took me to my 1st competition obtaining a 3rd place and making me fall in love with it.
What is your favorite thing about the gym? Perhaps a specific goal with strength or health goals, etc?
It is very satisfying to take your body to an extreme level for competition and many people do not imagine the sacrifice and discipline that this sport requires, but beyond the material achievements obtained, what I like the most is having maintained a habit of eating healthy and look good any day of the year, regardless of not going to competition.
For someone who is considering going to the gym for the first time ever, what are 3 tips you would give them that you would have liked to have known yourself when you first began?
The most important step is to make the decision to start, accept and be clear that your mind from now on will work in different ways than what you are used to to reach the goal you want and last but not least perseverance, discipline, dedication and much much patience because the changes will take place little by little without saturating the body and learning to know it.
What are some long term & short term goals you have for your current training and bodybuilding?
I feel that I have done everything I have wanted throughout my time in the sport of bodybuilding. I have changed my mind, my body, my lifestyle and above all I have helped change many minds in a positive way and make their lives healthier, maybe later I will decide to compete again but for now I will rest a bit from the platforms.
What are some other hobbies or interests that are important for you besides training and bodybuilding? Any musical instrument interests? etc.
The truth is my favorite hobby is traveling and spending time with my family and friends.
How does KN Nutrition empower you?
Honestly, I have worked with different brands but I can say with all certainty that KN Nutrition has been the best brand I have been able to work with, honest, serious, loving and affectionate people with their athletes, I feel that I am in family, without counting how happy that I feel when using your products which I have used throughout my preparations to compete here in the USA and I love them.
What does training mean to you?
I can simply say that it became a part of my life and my daily routine and I love that it is like that.
What is the KN Nutrition product line or specific product that benefits you the most and you think provides a big help for other possible athletes?
AminoFem, L Glutamine, Creatine, Whey Protein, EPH 50, Melatonin are some of my favorite products in my training routines and of course I am sure that they are of great help for athletes or also people who are just beginning to know the love for the gym, that is why I always recommend it because I give truth to its quality and benefits.
