Padma Lakshmi Says “Men Don’t Want Skinny Girls.”

As a former model, Padma Lakshmi comes from a world where skinny is the norm. But the “Top Chef” host told Fitness magazine, “in my experience, men don’t want skinny girls.”

Padma says that when she was pregnant with daughter Krishna, now 3, she got more attention from guys when she was a size 14 then she does when she’s her usual size 4. And because of her job, those curves come and go with frequency.

The food enthusiast told the magazine that she goes up two dress sizes every season of “Top Chef” because of the amount of food she consumes throughout filming. And getting that weight off isn’t easy.

“I follow a clean diet: no meats, no sweets, no alcohol, no cheese, no fried food, no wheat,” shares the 43-year-old, who has admitted that her guilty pleasures include pizza, nachos, and fried chicken.

But it’s the frequent trips to the gym that allow Padma to indulge in those guilty pleasures when she wants to. “I will put in the work at the gym so I can enjoy what I eat,” she says, adding that she drinks at least two to three liters of water a day.

So how does the multi-tasking businesswoman stay motivated? “I found an exercise buddy in my makeup artist, Michelle,” Padma shares. “Instead of meeting friends for dinner or drinks, meet to work out! You can still spend an hour and a half chitchatting, but you’re getting in your reps too.”

How about being our workout buddy Padma? We also wouldn’t mind dining on some of your fav dishes with you!