Melina Weber, known as Wei Meilin (Chinese: 韦玫霖), is a popular multilingual video creator from Germany and an internet celebrity. She raises awareness for bridging cultural diversity and intercultural understanding between West and East Asia, focusing on the Sino-German cultural exchange. She is an active fitness blogger and fitness model.
Weber grew up in Konstanz, where she attended first the secondary school Geschwister-Scholl Realschule and later the Humboldt Gymnasium. When she was 17 years old, she moved to Malaysia for a one-year stint to attend a local high school and live with an Indian host family and later a Chinese family. She sees herself as a cultural ambassador who has set out to improve intercultural understanding.
She started practicing yoga more than 10 years ago as a teenager and as of today, it is an inseparable part of her lifestyle.
Women Fitness President Ms. Namita Nayyar catches up with Melina Weber, fitness blogger as a part of International Yoga Day
Namita Nayyar:
Your education covers International Business Management studies, where you were taught in German, French, and English. Shortly after that, you enrolled in a Mandarin-taught performing arts course at the Beijing Film Academy. What attracted you to this world?
While I was taking a Mandarin course at university, I occasionally modeled for video commercials and found out that I had a keen interest in acting and film creation. However, what finally made me decide to enroll in a performing arts course at the Beijing Film Academy was that I wanted to improve my Chinese language skills. The best environment to learn a language is to be surrounded by native speakers. And that is exactly what I got! Everything was taught in Mandarin Chinese
, and my classmates and teachers communicated primarily in Chinese. It was really tough, but I truly enjoyed the challenge. One day, I met a film producer who told me that one of the best things that I could do for my career in China was to start producing short videos for social media.So I started making videos, first only in Mandarin, about culture and daily life, and later I decided to also launch a yoga and fitness YouTube channel.
This was actually not my first time in Asia. When I was a teenager, I bluntly decided to go as an exchange student to Malaysia to live with an Indian host family and study at a local high school. That is why I also see myself as a German-East Asian cultural ambassador, who does not post superficial holiday photos on the beach but digs deeper into the culture, learns the language, and shows its true beauty.
Namita Nayyar:
You are a fitness blogger and fitness model? Elaborate on your role in both?
Melina Weber:
I especially want to be a good role model. My friends often call me a nerd, because I am hungry for knowledge. As a fitness blogger, I want to provide my audience with high-quality content, and that is why I have done several teacher certificates in fitness in Germany and yoga in India.
Often, social media is more about appearance than substance. As a fitness model, I like to post beautiful photos but also realistic ones. For example, I have no intention of posting a manipulated photo in a bikini during sunset on the beach. That is just not my style! One day, every flower will lose its beauty. The most attractive people are those who can tell an interesting story, who looks healthy, who have a positive outlook on life, and who try to improve their skills every day just a tiny bit.
I also want to inspire people to spend more time in nature with their beloved ones. Outdoor activities or sports such as hiking, rollerblading or gardening make me enjoy life to its fullest extent. It is one of the best ways to relax the body and mind. So I recommend everybody to spend Sundays outside the house or in commercial areas.
Full Interview is Continued on Next Page
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied, or hosted in part or full anywhere without express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2022 Women Fitness
Namita Nayyar:
How do you like to kick start your day? 5 things to make your day better?
Melina Weber:
An absolute game changer to happily get up in the morning is my alarm that plays bird song and the light is mimicking the sunrise.
I hardly ever skip breakfast, as it is my favorite meal of the day. Eating a nutritious breakfast gives me the feeling that I have already accomplished something positive.
My stay in China has made me a tea lover. The first time I went to China, I bought two kilograms of tea and tried to hide my overweight luggage at the airport. Before I switch on my PC, I make myself a big cup of tea. For you, it may be coffee. As long as you feel comfortable, it does not really matter if it is a cup of tea, coffee, or, for example, lemon water.
Most importantly, the best motivation to be energetic in the morning is to already have something planned for the evening. If I know that I will be going mountain biking or meeting friends for dinner in the evening, then I will work very diligently and focus to get everything done on time.
Namita Nayyar:
Share input on the diet you follow? Foods you love to eat and foods you keep to a minimum?
Melina Weber:
I eat very healthily 90% of the time, and when I am at social gatherings or if I have a sweet craving, I just enjoy myself and eat a burger or a chocolate bar. I recommend everybody to not let their diet control their lives.
Not only that, but I think one of my biggest secrets is to cook as much as possible at home. It enables me to use high-quality ingredients and is a money saver. My breakfast is most often a giant fruit salad with nuts and seeds or with cheese curd/yogurt. When I have a warm meal, at least 40% of the meal is vegetables. They are a great source of nutrients and fiber that fill up your stomach and prevent you from overeating.
I also make sure that each meal includes a protein source such as legumes, eggs, and occasionally meat or fish, as I like to use whole grains or unpolished rice.
When I know that I am going to spend the whole day outside the house, I toss a package of nuts and dried fruits into my purse, or I prepare little pouches with carrot slices, cucumber, and bell peppers.
If I am not hungry anymore, I stop eating and save it for the next meal. Listening to your body when it is actually hungry is something that you can train.
Namita Nayyar:
How would you define the role of yoga in your life? Asanas every woman should incorporate?
Melina Weber:
I started to do yoga more than 10 years ago as a teenager when it wasn’t that fashionable yet. It was just this kind of exotic exercise method, and the average age of the students was twice as old as I was. It wasn’t that special to me at the beginning, but after a few months, I already knew that one day I would like to do my yoga teaching license.
I generally like sports very much, but yoga was one of the few things that I came back to again and again throughout all these years. For example, during university, when I felt completely overworked and demotivated, I came across this one-month all-inclusive yoga ticket. Thus, I went there almost every evening, and it helped me immensely to relax my mind and to get rid of my stiff neck and back pain from too much desk work.
There is a reason why the downward-facing dog became THE asana. I love yoga classes that a lot of down dogs do because it lets you flow from one asana into the next pose. To keep it interesting, I invent my own variations of it. Another one that I like is Marichyasana C (seated twist pose). This pose stretches the back, shoulders, and hamstrings. It is a great stretch for runners or after a long day of standing.
The Happy Baby is another very beneficial yet simple asana that you can do if you have lower back pain or if you need a break in between abdominal workouts.
Namita Nayyar:
5 Tips to enhance focus and performance?
Melina Weber:
It goes without saying that you should get enough sleep and eat nutritious foods. I also love to go for a walk and listen to an audiobook, music, or podcast, and then continue working. When I was preparing for exams, I used the Pomodoro technique of working for 45 minutes and then taking a five-minute break, during which I would do push-ups or some juggling.
My smartphone does not lie on my desk if I have to do some important work, and I also set myself a reminder on my phone when it is time to go to bed, usually at 10:45 pm. I tried meditation for some time, but it did not work that well for me. I’d rather like to do some yoga or go for a short walk to relax. If you feel stressed, search for a video on YouTube with sounds from nature, for instance, the sound of flowing water or bird song.
Everybody is different, so what works for someone else may not necessarily work for you. Keep trying things until you find something that feels good to you.
Namita Nayyar:
6 exercises & tips for Ab workout?
Melina Weber:
The most effective exercises to get abs are to do reversed crunches, the good old sit-up, and side planks to also train the obliques. If your lower back starts hurting, take a break and look for a modified exercise. If you train your abs, you should also do some lower back exercises to avoid muscular imbalances. How about some Superman variations? If you like yoga, you should also give its “sister” Pilates a try. Pilates is a fun way to build core strength because it’s a mixture of strengthening, mobility, and relaxation exercises.
Namita Nayyar:
Message for International Yoga Day 2022?
Melina Weber:
Keep practicing yoga, or if you haven’t done it yet, give it a try! Challenge yourself by doing different types of yoga, such as Yin Yoga or Arial Yoga. The word “yoga” is derived from Sanskrit and means “together”. Actively seeking out others who share your interests is not only a great way to share your knowledge, but also to make new friends. Happiness is, in the end, all about building meaningful relationships and enjoying the little things, like yoga that make everyday life fun.
Follow Melina Weber on:
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President, womenfitness.net, and should not be reproduced, copied, or hosted in part or full anywhere without express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2022 Women Fitness