A Little Less of Me...

My body's a little achy and weak,
But my waist is getting smaller.
The only way this could go better
Is if I were growing taller.

:) Not really. I don't want to be taller. But my waist IS getting smaller. Two inches, actually! I'm slowly working in more foods, as my body is telling me "it's time!" I'm getting tired easily, my back is achy, and I've been feeling a little woozy (mainly when I wait too long to eat). In the interest of healthy living, I've started working up.

I began by eating an ice cream sandwich, a foot-long sub, and a Cesar salad with extra Parmesan and croutons.


Just kidding.


:)


Eat well, live well!
Love,
Gordita Blanca

At the beginning of our fast, I was eating chicken twice a day. Ga-ross. A girl can only eat so many grilled chicken tenders with salt and pepper before she’s looking for something to binge upon. A 3oz serving is about 3 chicken tenders, or the size of my palm (I have regular sized hands, not small, not huge). We can’t eat any fats or oils, so there is NO cooking with butter, or even pan spray.

I was all cluckered out. I needed meat. My body was craving meat protein, so I grabbed some extra lean burger meat and whipped up the following concoction.

Mission: Garden-ish burger

Raw.

3 oz extra lean hamburger meat (ground turkey would also work, but would probably need a little extra seasoning)

½ yellow squash, grated

About 2 stalks of green onion, green part only, chopped

And a couple dashes of each of these:

Salt

Pepper

Garlic powder

Worsheshire sauce (about 3-4 shakes)

I mixed them together, but it was a little too juicy, so I squeezed out the excess juice and shaped the burger. Tossed it on the George Foreman, and in a few minutes I had a delicious smelling burger.

Cooked.

I put the burger on an iceberg lettuce “bun”, and topped with a little mustard.

I balled some cantaloupe as a side and sat down to enjoy. (Side note: One of my favorite kitchen purposes has been my melon baller. It gives everyday melon, or pineapple, a cute little serving twist.)

Grade: PASS!

This burger was delicious!  And, a couple hours later, I was still full. I’ll be doing this again. And again. And again. But not twice a day, every day, like that gnarly chicken. And next time, just to spice things up, I’m going to throw in a diced jalapeno. Mmmmmm….

Eat well, live well!

Love,

Gordita Blanca

Raised the white flag

Well 13 pounds later I ended my 'fasting' endeavor. My body couldn't handle anymore of this crash diet. I started feeling weak, dizzy, nauseous, and just weeeeird. It started Tuesday night. I just felt 'off' right after school and I still had to drive the 40 miles home! I hated driving like that. I can't drive that well as it is... much less feeling weird. Anyway, I figure 13 pounds is a good chunk to kick me off. I made soup last night because it's sooo cold and this morning I had small bowl Cheerios. I'm going to continue eating healthy, just snacking more throughout the day on healthy snacks of course. I really wanted to reach 15 pounds but doesn't look like it's going to happen on this diet.... BUT now that I'm off this crazy diet... I can start working out!! I have this monster of a treadmill staring at me and it needs to be used. The thing about that diet... you shouldn't exercise on it. Who would want to?! I ain't workin' off the measly 500 calories I've eaten. No way Jose! So goodbye crash diet, hello healthy lifestyle! I'm stoked.

Laurita La Gordita

You might be a gorda if....

....you just found out they opened up a Chipotle Mexican Grill in Lubbock, TX and got really excited!

Fat girls!

We have, together, lost..... 

drumroll, please..........

22 POUNDS!

Laurita la Gordita is down 12 pounds! Gordita Blanca is down 10!

We've broken through the first Zehn! Or, Diez! (For those non-German knowing, but Spanish-knowing peeps.)

We're off to a terrific start, and we have made an executive decision. Our initial plan was to stick to our low-cal fast until Friday. That being said, we have decided that on Friday evening, as we work on organizing Laurita la Gordita's house (wedding coming up, and we want it perfect), we are going to order a pizza. We voted. And we reached a consensus.

We are each going to eat two slices - if our stomachs can take it. I mean, by this point, surely they're the size of a walnut. We'll start with a  salad, of course. (And NOOOO MOOOORE RAAAANCH! Vinegar, lemon, and salt and pepper should do nicely.)

After that, our fat girl diet will change. No more 500 cals a day, but we'll cap it at 1000 to 1200, and allow for 1 cheat day per week. 

Every fat girl needs a cheat day! It gives us something to look forward to, a small "reward" for doing so well all week. It also keeps a girl centered. If, on Wednesday, they're serving a free pizza buffet at the local Pizza Hut, Fat Girl must question herself:

"Do I want to waste my one cheat day on cold pizza, knowing that they probably won't even put out my favorite until I'm already stuffed?" 

The lil' devil on her chubby shoulder will shout YES! YES!

But the healthy, thin angel on her other shoulder (the one who looks really good in Skinny Jeans) will keep her grounded. No, doll. You don't. Remember... you're going to a birthday party at the sushi bar on Saturday. Would you like to spend the evening watching others eat Samurai Rolls while you sip your water with lemon and snack on cucumbers?

And that's it! We're on our way to a healthy life. PLEASE hold us accountable! If we start slacking, we'll be back to fat in no time. 

So, cheers to us! We have broken the initial 10 pound barrier, and we're off to the races! (Figuratively, of course. Lord knows neither of us could participate in a race of any kind... yet!)

 Eat well, live well!
Las Gordas

Image link

Pizza

Hey Jumbo, have some shrimp

We found a 2 lb bag of pre-cooked, frozen shrimp at Wal-Mart for $11. Word! With a price like that, we bought 2 bags and headed to Sunburst Market for veggies.

Mission: Shrimp Ceviche (<150 calories per serving - total calorie count at end of post.)

The ceviche was concocted as follows:

1 cucumber
½ red bell pepper (de-vine, seed, and rinse – see end of post for hints)
½ yellow bell pepper (de-vine, seed, and rinse)

1 yellow squash
1 zucchini
1 onion

1 jalapeno (seed and rinse, dice extra small)

8 Roma tomatoes

Wash and dice all above ingredients, and place in a large bowl.

Add:

1 – 2 Tbps minced garlic
(We used pre-minced garlic in oil. If you prefer fresh, use 1-2 cloves, depending on your taste)
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
¼ bunch parsley, chopped (we’ll probably omit this next time. Both of us preferred it without.) 

Sea salt to taste

Juice of 2 - 4 lemons
Juice of 2 limes

(Hint: Roll the lemons and limes around, firmly, on a countertop before slicing in half to squeeze out the juice. It’ll get the juices flowing. Put a colander/strainer on top of the veggies in the bowl, and squeeze the lemons and limes through it. It catches the seeds and any big chunks of pulp.)

Mix it up. You may let it sit for a few minutes to let the veggies and juices mingle.

Defrost about 10 shrimp (3 oz), throw some ceviche in a bowl, and top with the shrimp.

Grade: PASS!

This is a fast, fresh, cook-free dish that fills you up without weighing you down (in both senses).

Enjoy!

Eat well, live well!

Love,
Las Gordas

Shrimp calorie facts:

HINTS:

When cutting any pepper, mild or not, I use disposable plastic gloves. I have sensitive hands, and if I’m not careful, my hands will burn for days, and my wedding ring will fuse to my finger. Heads up if you’ve got even slightly sensitive skin.

Jalapenos: beware. If you like a lot of spice, add a jap or two. If you can’t take the heat, eliminate this ingredient all together. Jalapenos in Texas are risky. Some are about as spicy as a cucumber, but others will burn your mouth off. So, to be safe, I usually slice mine in half and de-seed them. Then I rinse and drop them in an ice bath. Something about the ice bath calms the jap oil, which is the part that will burn your mouth off if you’re not careful. 

 

One of my first jobs was a “Sandwich Artist” at Subway. I learned the best way to de-vine and seed bell peppers there. Cut the top of the pepper off, around the stem, like you’re carving a pumpkin. Pull up on the stem, and the whole inside part full of seed should come out with it. Just use your fingers to pull all the inside vines out. If it’s ripe, they should break off easily. Rinse peppers out before you use them. 


Love, Gordita Blanca 

TOTAL CALORIE COUNT:
If you have a normal sized bowl, your figures might look something like this (though this would be an awfuly generous serving!)

84    (3 oz shrimp)
  4    (1/4 cup cucumber)
  6    (1/8 cup red bell pepper)
  6    (1/8 of one yellow bell pepper)

  5    (1/4 cup yellow squash)
  5    (1/4 cup zucchini)
  6    (1/8 cup onion)

10    (1/4 cup Roma tomatoes)
10 - 20    (lemon/lime juice)
____
136 - 146 Calories

N/A =   Jalapeno - too small to count. 1 whole cup = 27 cals, and if you eat a cup, you're insane.)
N/A -    Garlic, parsley, cilantro. Quantities in serving too small to measure.


Nutrition facts from here

L2G's Fatgirl Confession

I’ve done it! I’ve lost 11 lbs so far and you can totally tell in my face! Again, it’s because of this totally not healthy crash diet, but it feels good to know that eating healthy has contributed to it. It gave me the push I needed to want to continue to eat healthy.

Also, I’m glad my fiancé is proud of me. Of course I’m not doing it for him but for the first time ever he said “she’s hot huh?” and he was referring to me!! He always tells me I’m beautiful and pretty and always gets mad when I say “I don’t have anything to wear….. because I’m fat.” I think 50% of that is because he loves me and doesn’t want me talking bad about myself and the other 50%... he doesn’t want me to spend anymore money on shopping. Anyway, I’m glad he sees me making a conscious effort in being healthy because this has pushed him a little to wanting to eat healthy with me (he’s sorta gained some love pounds since we’ve been together…it means he’s happy, right!?). Another reason I’m glad he sees me making a conscious effort… Confession time!

Fatgirl Confession #1: I sent fiancé out to my car to find my recipe book because I thought it was under the seat and later on when I got in my car…. There it was… Staring at me in the face…. The shame. The indulgence. The nastiness. I guess when he was looking for my recipe book he grabbed some stuff underneath my seat and found a squashed up bag from… McDonalds. I was mortified. Even though we both love Micky D’s (don’t judge) to know he found traces of my closet eating embarrassed me to no end. I can’t do that anymore. No more closet or alone-in-car eating. Ever again. It’s not worth the embarrassment or the love handles. 

Love, 

Laurita La Gordita

Confessions of Gordita Blanca, Series 1

 

I'm going out on a limb here, going to stand naked in front of you (not literally, of course. No one wants to see that), and tell you some of my deep, dark, food-nasty secrets...

Confession: I bought two cans of my favorite Pringles (Honey Mustard), and soon realized that I’d eaten an entire can, by myself, in about an hour.  I hid the can at the bottom of the trash and opened the other. I ate about six from the second can, so Husband would think I’d exercised serious self-control. I mean, after all, they are my favorite.    

Confession: Laurita la Gordita and I were on our way to a party. There was going to be food there. We drove through Jack in the Box on the way. We didn’t want to be starving when we got there, and look like pigs. Soooo, we shoved down a burger and a couple o’ tacos in the car, in a dark parking lot, around the corner from the party. Closet, er, car-eaters much?

Confession: I put the junk food at the bottom of the shopping cart sometimes, piling the lettuce and carrots and all other good things on top. I don’t want someone to pass me, give my cart the ‘judgment glance’ (you know the one… you’ve all done it), and conclude that I’m fat because of the junk food in my cart. I’d rather them wonder "how can that girl be fat when she eats so healthy?"

That’s all for now. I mean, surely those are enough to make you ponder (or sick). 

Eat well, live well,
Gordita Blanca

Image links: 

Pringles

Jack in the Box

Shopping Cart

The Birth of Confessions of Dos Gordas

 My name is Gordita Blanca. I’m 28. And I’m a foodaholic.

 I used to think I’d struggled with weight my entire life, but when I look back at pictures from the times I thought I was fat, I realize that I was always a pretty healthy size and weight. It was more of a mind struggle than anything.  I’ve actually only struggled with my weight for about the past five years. After I had my daughter, now 6, I haven’t fit into a pair of jeans comfortably. I’ve dieted and exercised, but have never maintained a healthy, consistent balance. I get burnt out easily, and get too busy, and blah blah blah. Fact is...

I LOVE FOOD. 

I love to cook! I love to eat. I love trying new food or enjoying a juicy burger topped with cheese, guacamole, and sautéed mushrooms. I can’t get away from it. It follows me. I’m a foodaholic, and I'm tired of being fat. 

~

My name is Laurita la Gordita. I’m 29. And I’m a foodaholic. 

I’m about to enter the exciting, life-long journey of marriage and as time approached to dress fittings and lingerie showers I realized that I’m at the largest I’ve ever been, and it was a huge reality check for me.  My weight has been something I’ve struggled with all my life and I had to make a change. I attempted to make the change sooo many times before and struggled with keeping it off and even worse, actually losing it.  

The problem has always been known: I LOVE FOOD.

I love everything from sushi to Cajun to Mexican to good ol’ American food. Convenience also played a big part with my love for food which tied to me also unfortunately being a junkfood-junkie. Being a student and planning a wedding has left me little time to cook like I would like and therefore eating pizza, hamburgers, and Chinese takeout.  I want women out there, who are like me, to know you are not alone.  You love food, you have little time, take-out is easier, and losing weight sometimes seems impossible.  I feel your pain girlfriends! But together we can do this!

~

Laurita la Gordita’s wedding is quickly approaching, and, as we both are overweight and unhappy about it, and as we’d like to look good in our dresses, we decided to take up a serious fast. Since last Thursday, November 4, we have been on a strict, low calorie diet. Our food intake consists of a mere 500 calories a day (We do not suggest or endorse this diet. It is very short-term, and intended only to get the initial few pounds off and shrink our stomachs to normal size. It is a spiritual fast of sorts.). We are allotted eight food items a day; two proteins (3 oz each serving), four vegetables, and two fruits. The first few days were pretty much impossible. We struggled. We complained. We ached. We called each other with "SCREW THIS DIET!" and "I CAN'T DO THIS!"

Yet, in one week, we’ve both shed six pounds. 

Whether or not the diet is going to work or the pounds are just water weight or we’re going to gain them right back or the structure is healthy or unhealthy, the effort sparked something in us. 

We are tired of being fat. 

Hence, our brainchild, Confessions of Dos Gordas, was formed. We do not wish to make light of the fact we’re overweight.  Rather, we’re on a mission to accomplish the opposite. We’ve decided to, even after we’re done with our insane “crash course”, eat healthy and form a lasting lifestyle, to develop a healthy relationship with food. 

We accept that we’re fat. But we know that we don’t have to be. 

Step one in Alcoholics Anonymous can be tweaked to fit our situation. And we’ve adopted it. 

1. We admitted we were powerless over food - that our weight had become unmanageable.

We’re powerless over food because no person can live without it. WE certainly cannot live without it. So, we must begin looking for ways to make it work. From this point forward, we’re going to ENJOY food, to make it interesting while finding ways to keep healthy. And we’re going to share our thoughts, our struggles, our victories, and, of course our recipes. We love food. We’re not going to fight it, we’re going to embrace it in all its awesome splendor. 

We will no longer live to eat, but eat to live. And, while we’re at it, we’ll experiment, and cook, and savor, and enjoy the goodness that is food.  We will change our lifestyles, our mindsets, our relationship with our addiction. 

We look forward to this journey, and are especially excited to share it with each other and anyone else who wants on board. We are going to be different women someday soon. Though we’ll have more energy and vibrancy, there will, no doubt, be less of us. 

We’re partners in this life change, til death do us part. Join us on our journey!

Eat well, live well!
Love,
Laurita la Gordita and Gordita Blanca