Miss Honduras loses 18 kg for beauty pageant

Los Angeles: In preparation of the 63rd annual Miss Universe Pageant Sunday, Miss Honduras Gabriela Ordonez has lost 40 pounds (approximately 18 kg) after following a diet which minimised her carbohydrate intake.

"I lost more pounds than I needed and I was thinner than usual due to the stress and the traveling," the model told people.com.

But that wasn't always the case for the now size-zero Ordonez.

"My body was an obstacle for me in daily activities. I felt very tired. I had stomach aches at night," she says of the health issues that prompted her to change her daily routine.

"The moment you decide to change your lifestyle, you make that decision for life. It's not a matter of doing a quick diet to lose weight fast. I changed not only my body, but my mind as well."

Apart from minimising carbohydrates, maximizing protein and drinking a lot of water, Ordonez was loyal to a daily two-hour routine of cardio and weights.

"It didn't matter how tired I felt, I always went to the gym," she says.

"I would wake up in the morning and eat egg whites with turkey slices and I ate something every two hours. I eat a lot of dried fruits," she said.

While she is happy with her new body, Ordonez, who only began modeling last year, says a healthy body image is really about balance and projecting one's inner self.

"Being thin serves no purpose if you don't have charisma. Having the perfect smile serves no purpose if you don't project a real smile," said the supermodel.