Padma Lakshmi in Bathing Suit Top "Thought I'd Never Look Back"

Padma Lakshmi is taking a walk down memory lane in her swimsuit! The Top Chef star shows off her fabulous figure over the years in one of her latest social media posts, a throwback of some of her fashion looks – including one that involved an embellished swimsuit top with leather pants. "Walking outside my apartment, sometimes I see a young girl dressed so completely like it's 2003, I end up doing a double take. I should know by now that everything eventually comes back into style, but when I piled all my low rise jeans into a big bag marked 'DONATIONS' a decade ago, I thought I'd never look back. I can't say I miss the jeans–it always felt like they were specially designed in a lab where the sole focus was to make sitting and eating as uncomfortable (or unflattering) as possible– but at least I hung onto my baby tees and puffers," she captioned the Instagram post. How does the 52-year-old approach health and fitness? Read on to see 8 ways Padma Lakshmi stays in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!

Padma works out at least five times a week for 90 minutes, she revealed to Women's Health. She does cardio (jumping rope for about 35 minutes per day and 2,000 strokes) and strength training (lifting weights, classic squats, lunges, and dumbbell curls) two or three times a week. "He's there to watch my form, and he spends most of his time telling me not to do something," she said about her trainer Tony. Sometimes she will do even more cardio – 30 minutes on the elliptical, treadmill, or slide board. 

Padma also boxes, opting for hour-long workouts. "Light sparring is good for the soul," she captioned a post of her workout. "This kind of boxing has many health benefits, because it constantly requires you to think, change your position, and change your posture," physical therapist Linda Arslanian, director of rehabilitation services at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's hospital tells Harvard Health."You're swinging your arms, moving the muscles of your arms and shoulders, increasing your upper-body strength. And when you're in the boxer crouch with a wide stance, with your knees slightly bent, you're strengthening your core muscles, back, and legs."

Padma also loves pilates. "I started going to Pilates a few years ago, because my chiropractor recommended it for my back," she told Women's Health. "Pilates changed my body. It made me strong in places I didn't know I needed to be. I have a butt now that I didn't have during my modeling career!"

Padma is a big fan of breakfast, starting her day with a healthy meal of slices or chunks of papaya with dahi (Indian yogurt) topped with a small drizzle of spicy maple syrup and a sprinkle of cinnamon. "I have to eat in the morning before my workout because I won't make it through my workout if I don't," she told Eating Well. 

Dairy-free diets are a no-go for Padma. "I guess I eat a lot of yogurt," Lakshmi told Eating Well. "It helps calm my tummy with spicy food. It also just makes me feel good. I think it's nice to have a little bit with every meal, or most meals, if you can."

Padma indulges, but instead of gravitating toward sweets, she loves fast food. "When I'm not in the mood for cooking, but when I'm in LA, I will enjoy a burger," she told Mashed. There are two places she will go. "It's not just anywhere," Lakshmi revealed. "It's either In-N-Out, but I also like Astro Burger's garden burger, the one on Santa Monica Boulevard, not the one on Melrose."Her order? Extra pickles and no onions. "You can tell I'm a burger geek when I'm in LA."

Padma has a trick to avoid over eating: She splits her plate into halves.The first half is filled up with 50 percent fruits and vegetables, and the other 50 percent simple carbs, starch, and lean protein, she dished to Women's Health.

Because Padma gains up to 17 pounds every season of Top Chef due to the insane amount of food and calories she needs to consume, she does a post-season food detox. "It's no sweets, no red meat, no wheat, no alcohol, no fried food, no dairy except for cottage cheese or low-fat yogurt. But this is a milder version—like, I can fall off the wagon one day a week," she told Health.