You go, Padma Lakshmi! The Top Chef star opened up in a new column for The Hollywood Reporter about her opinion on body image — and made a super relatable confession in the process!

The 46-year-old admitted that she’s so tired of trying to fit into a size 0 for a super understandable reason. Watch the video below to see what Padma had to say about her weight!

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Being a judge of the popular food competition, Padma admits she has difficulty staying in shape because of her job. “When filming Top Chef, I consume about 5,000 to 8,000 calories a day. We start with anywhere from 15 to 18 contestants, and I have to take a bite or two from each of their plates to adequately judge each dish. Every day. It adds up. I typically gain anywhere from 10 to 17 pounds every season,” she confessed. “Once I get home, what’s taken me six weeks to gain takes me 12 weeks to take off.”

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One of her biggest stresses has always been looking good for the Emmys. “Getting ready for the Emmys is always fun, and it’s truly an honor to be nominated. But at the same time, in spite of my high metabolism, I worry each year that I’m not going to fit into anything nice, ” she shared. “Every year I manage to somehow make it to the awards, usually with two hours of working out a day and a disciplined diet. My diet for the Emmys is pretty straightforward. It’s like a poem: no meat, no wheat, no cheese, no fried foods or sweets. And, of course, no alcohol. This time, I have the added obstacle of attending a carb-filled family wedding in India. I will lose three weeks in the middle of my training.”

Going forward, however, Padma is adopting a brand new outlook when it comes to her figure. “Every message I telegraph about food and our bodies is important. So, this year, I’ve decided my weight will not be my focus. If I need a bigger dress, so be it,” she said. “That one day — or any day — on the red carpet isn’t nearly as important as making sure my daughter doesn’t measure her worth by her dress size.”