Gabriela Ordoñez, who will be representing Honduras in the 2015 Miss Universe pageant, talked about her struggle with weight.

"My body represented an obstacle for me," she said to People En Español. "I felt very tired. It was a question of health."

For two years, she followed a strict set of rules, which helped her go from a size 12 to a size 0. She stopped consuming as many carbohydrates and maximized the amount of protein she had. She also drank a lot of water and exercised daily for two hours, where she would do cardio and lift weight.

Ordoñez said she had been bullied before, and spoke out against those who are bullies.

"As a miss or a public person, we are harassed or criticized," she said. "It's something we have to learn to deal with, but it's also something we can avoid. We need to protect our children... so that this doesn't happen."

Ordoñez was made fun of because of her weight, and though she was able to overcome it, she knows it's not a reality for everyone.

"I was able to overcome [bullying] but there are people that perhaps don't have the same strength," she said.

There was a time that Miss Honduras did not believe in herself. Though her family and boyfriend told her she could do anything she set her mind to, she felt unsure of herself.

Now, she describes herself as well-rounded.

"Now my soul is so full that I can reach all my goals in the world,and being Miss Universe is not too far away," she said to People en Español.

After hoping to be crowned on Sunday, Jan. 25, Ordoñez plans to embark on a career as a lawyer. She also wants to marry her boyfriend and have children.

More immediately, Ordoñez will reward herself with a cheesecake when the competition is over.

"I am sure that after the contest I will eat a very delicious cheesecake, and I am going to eat it all," she said, laughing at herself. "You have to give yourself a break to feel happy."

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