Mexican Oranges are… Green?

I’ve been making fresh-squeezed orange juice in the mornings for the last few weeks. In March, I tried the more expensive “orange” oranges that look more like what I saw in the US. Since they looked more familiar to me, I assumed they would be the best choice. This week I tried the more common “green” oranges that Jorge loves so much. Turns out, Jorge’s “green” oranges are far superior in flavor and juiciness. (Win for Jorge.)

They may look like limes from the outside… but they sure are delicious.

Love the color contrast.

Weight Loss Update

It’s been a few weeks since I posted on my weight loss. For any new readers, I started at 160 pounds and my goal is to get to 130. I’ve been going to the gym, and seeing a nutritionist since December.

The process has been slow but steady, with me losing about 1.0 – 1.5 pounds a week. Right now, I’m proud to say I’m down to 140 pounds. 20 pounds down, just 10 pounds left to go.

Here’s a list of weight loss victories from the past month or so:

• My favorite jeans (size 12) are now officially too big for me to wear. I need to get a picture of how saggy they are!
• My 2 favorite denim skirts no longer fit. This is exciting but also sad, because I wore them every weekend!
• My wedding ring needs to be resized.
• I can now fit into a cute sequined tank top I got for Christmas. In December, it wouldn’t even go over my shoulders.
• When we went to Holbox last weekend, the other guests at our hotel were mostly thin Europeans. Normally I would have felt huge by comparison in my bathing suit, but I was pleased to notice that I felt like I fit in with all the thin girls.
• This morning I noticed for the first time that I have lower back dimples. Who knew?
• My favorite dress is a colorful halter-top dress, but it always made me feel “mannish” because of my chubby arms and wide frame. I wore it to a wedding recently and felt great!
• This week, I was able to fully resist the nacho chips at my favorite restaurant for the 1st time.

Obviously these are all small victories, but they’re what keep me going!

A "before" picture at 160 pounds, wearing my favorite denim skirt that no longer fits! (Notice the hands-on-hips stance, a trick I often used to make my arms look skinnier in photos.)

Me now at 140 pounds. I used to feel like this skirt made my hips look huge. Now I think I look pretty good in it!

Unfortunately for the next few months, I’ll be walking around in clothes that don’t fit me very well. There are no pants or denim skirts I can wear, so I’m stuck with a few remaining skirts and summer dresses until I get to my goal weight and can finally go shopping!!

**Note: 160 pounds is NOT fat. Many women look amazing and are incredibly healthy at 160 pounds and up. (I know several.) It all depends on your height and body type. I just don’t happen to be one of those women who looks trim and gorgeous at 160 pounds. 130 pounds is my goal weight according to my nutritionist (based on percent body fat and my body type), but it may not be the most attractive or the most healthy weight for other girls.

Weight Loss Before and After Part 1

*Warning: Yet another annoying diet post! Whatever, it’s my blog.

This month I’ve been pretty lame about my diet, and haven’t lost any more pounds.  After my last weigh-in was unsuccessful, I’ve now caught my second wind and decided to put together some before and after photos to keep me inspired.

Before – 160 pounds (not including snake)

After - 145 pounds

I have another 15 pounds to go! I know you’re thinking, “But Laura, you already look so trim!” Well, let’s just say I’ve gotten pretty good about hiding my arm fat in photos. Plus those yoga pants are incredibly flattering.

A tan and good posture also help, apparently.

20 Pounds To Go!

You may remember that back in December I had made the decision to see a nutritionist to lose some weight after a shockingly traumatic run-in with a sales girl.

I have to go in to the nutritionist for a weigh-in every two weeks, and the following day she sends me a new menu to follow.

Jorge often helps me prepare my breakfasts, lunches and snacks every morning for me to take to the office, and he always says, “This is SO MUCH FOOD!” And it is. This is seriously the best diet ever… I spent all day stuffing my face, except now I’m eating mostly fruits and vegetables (as opposed to my previous diet of cinnamon rolls, Domino’s pizza and cheese). Last night I even made some fish tacos with tomato, cucumber and chipotle mayo. AMAZING.

I’m supposed to lose between 1 and 2 pounds per week, so I was happy to lose 4 pounds after the first two weeks! Hurray!

The second two weeks included my Christmas trip to the US and a weekend in Yucatan, plus my gym was closed for the holidays, so I didn’t lose any weight this time around. I didn’t gain any, either, which quite frankly is a miracle considering the amount of Christmas cookies, burritos and soda I had while away from home… so I’m happy!

My mom and dad also bought me some very cute gym clothes for Christmas this year and I no longer appear homeless when working out.

At 4 pounds lighter I’ve already had several comments that I look thinner, so now it’s time to keep it up!

I used to look at thin girls and think “I hate you”. Now I look at them and think “I’m going to be so much hotter than you in a few months”.

Online Shoppers Don’t Have To Put Up With This

The other week while shopping at Plaza Las Americas for a sweater for Jorge’s upcoming Christmas trip (yay!), I stopped by a clothing store to browse a bit. On a high-up shelf, there was a headless, armless, legless mannequin wearing a gorgeous cream-colored strapless dress.

Since I couldn’t find the dress on any racks, I asked a saleslady for help and she asked my size. “Large”, I answered. The saleslady goes into the back and brings back a dress. “Sorry, we only have medium. Try this one on.”

A tad doubtful, I made my way to the fitting room with the medium dress in-hand.

The skinny fitting room attendant looks at me and says, “Are you sure you don’t want a larger size? Maybe something wider?”

She then made me hold the dress up to my body to make sure it was the correct size.

Then she brought the large size down from the mannequin “just in case”.

…

Wow. Consider me humiliated.

Anyway, I’ve been going to the gym for a year and was doing well, but I haven’t been able to lose any more weight for a few months now. I’ve plateaued. (sp?)

So this week I went to a nutritionist and have officially begun my new 1300 calorie diet to lose my recommended 25 pounds of fat! The diet combined with my normal workout routine will hopefully result in fabulousness by April or May.

Let’s do this.

**Note: The medium size fit, by the way. In your face, fitting room attendant!

Special K and Me

I’m starting calorie counting again today.

For those of you who have been reading awhile, you may remember that I lost 10 pounds when I did this a few months ago. I’ve maintained the new weight, which is awesome, but I’ve reached a plateau.

I’m not that big, at 150 pounds (size 10/12), and I don’t feel fat at all. Still, I can’t deny that clothes don’t fit me the way they did a few years ago. I remember what it was like to be 125 pounds and be able to find cute shorts and tank tops that fit me… so here we go.

It’s frustrating to write down every single thing you eat, but  I’ll be darned if it doesn’t work!!

I bought lots of fruit and my Special K yesterday. Apparently they’ve changed it up a bit. Question: How am I supposed to “rediscover” a new cereal? If it’s new, I would be discovering it for the first time… not “rediscovering” it, right?

Maybe I’ve been working as a copy editor for too long. *sigh* To be fair, the new flavor of Special K is pretty awesome.

Any extra advice is very welcome!

World Cup and Weight Loss

At work today we had a drawing for a World Cup pool. Everyone put in $20 pesos (about 2 dollars) and drew 2 countries from a hat. If one of your teams wins, you get to take home $320 pesitos !! (about 30 bucks)

I got Uruguay and Argentina. Let’s go, South America!!!

This Friday morning is the World Cup kickoff.

Guess who’s playing in the kickoff game? South Africa vs. Mexico!!!!!

Guess how many people will show up to my office on Friday morning? Probably just the Americans.

It’s gonna be an exciting month!

I haven’t been posting my calorie counting lately because I’m lazy. I’m still eating well, however. I’ve cut most of my portions down to about half what they were before. The other night I had 2 slices of pizza, when I would normally have 4, for example. At lunch, I can fill up on a soup and a small salad. Sometimes I can’t even finish the salad. It’s awesome 🙂 I eat things I love and fill up on whatever I want… but I fill up so easily now! It doesn’t even feel like dieting.

Almost everyone I know has told me I look so much thinner. I can tell I look much thinner! I also tried on a size 10 pair of jeans this weekend at the mall, and IT FIT!!! First time in about 2 years that I fit into a size 10. And it fit WELL. Exciting!

My stomach and love handles are completely gone, it seems.

I can also wear skirts pretty much every day without my inner thighs rubbing together too much. (ya’ll know what I’m talkin bout!) I used to only go 1 day with a skirt because it would hurt after too much walking. No longer!

Here’s the weird part… I haven’t lost any weight since January. :S I think I actually GAINED 2 pounds. What’s up with that? I guess the weight just shifted around?

Anyway, I guess so long as I look and feel great, that’s all that matters. I ain’t complainin.

Gold Stars Everywhere!

(Fiance took over the camera today. Grrrr. Dying to post my pictures!)

So I’ve been eating pretty well the past week or so with my calorie-counting! Four people have already told me I look thinner. I feel thinner, too. Not sure how that’s possible after just a few days and the scale remains about the same, but I’ll take it!

As I mentioned yesterday, I didn’t keep track this weekend. Apparently, however, Mcdonalds cheeseburgers aren’t all that bad calorie-wise. Still not something you should do often, but as an occasional meal it seems perfectly acceptable to have 2! 600 calories. yay!

Here’s a run-down of the past few days of calorie-counting. (Remember my goal is 1,400 a day.)

Be prepared to be jealous.

Friday, April 30: 1,225 calories (gold star for me!)

Corn Pops (2 bowls)

Agua de Jamaica (“hibiscus water”… if you gringos haven’t tried this, you need to!)

Salad

Green spaghetti (the sauce is made with poblano chile)

3 quesadillas with monterrey jack, manchego cheese, tomato, onion, and chipotle sauce, topped with fresh guacamole (Mmmm!)

Monday, May 3: 1,304 calories (another gold star!)

Corn Pops (2 bowls)

Starbucks Mint Tea (grande)

Whole grapefruit

Starbucks ham, cheese and chipotle panini

This big chocolate/caramel bar (“alfajores”) my boss brought back from Argentina

Sandwich with ham, manchego cheese and jalapeño cheese (Boring, but that’s all there was in the fridge. The jalapeño cheese kicked it up a notch, though!)