Maya Nassar (born October 3, 1986) is a Dutch-Lebanese competitive fitness model, entrepreneur, and radio host. She gained recognition as Ms. Fitness Universe 2025 in Las Vegas and has a background in various fitness competitions, including winning first place at the 2014 Pure Elite UK Championships.

Early life

Maya Nassar was born in

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

to a Lebanese father and a Dutch mother. She grew up in

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

, and spent several years in

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

before moving to

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

for high school, where she has lived since.

Career

Nassar began her fitness journey in 2010, following a training program and diet regimen that resulted in a significant weight loss. She first competed in the Miami Pro European Championships in 2013 and returned to the competitive scene in 2014, becoming the first Lebanese athlete endorsed by the Lebanese government to participate in a bodybuilding event outside of Lebanon. In addition to her competitive achievements, Nassar has built a substantial online presence through her blog, “Start Living Right,” which focuses on fitness and wellness. This platform led to the development of the Start Living Right fitness application, which has been endorsed by the Lebanese Ministry of Youth and Sports and has achieved high rankings on the Apple Store. Nassar is also a certified personal trainer and sports nutritionist. She opened a physical location for Start Living Right in 2017 in Antelias, Lebanon, which offers various fitness services, including personal training and nutrition counseling. The gym is notable for being sponsored by Nike and providing Nike Training Club classes.

Media Presence

Nassar has made numerous media appearances across the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. She has been featured in several fitness and lifestyle magazines, including Women’s Health, Oxygen Magazine, and Muscle and Fitness. She is also known for her television work, having hosted the show “Get Fit” on MTV Lebanon and currently hosting a wellness program on Virgin Radio Stars Lebanon.

Workshops and Speaking Engagements

Nassar conducts workshops and talks focused on health, nutrition, and fitness. She has spoken at various events, including conferences and initiatives aimed at women’s empowerment and health awareness.

References

Living people 1986 births People from Long Island Lebanese sportswomen Fitness and figure competitors {{Lebanon-sport-bio-stub