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Padma Lakshmi in Bathing Suit Shares Rare "No Filter" Photo

Here are 5 ways she eats to stay in shape. 

Padma Lakshmi is having some fun on her Funboy! The Top Chef star shows off her fabulous figure in a swimsuit as she jumps on a blow-up jetski from the luxury pool toy company in her latest Instagram post. I "needed this!!!" she captioned it, adding the hashtags  #stretchmarksandall and #nofilter. How does the 51-year-old, who basically eats for a living, maintain her fit physique? Read on to see 5 dietary rules Padma Lakshmi follows to stay 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!

1

She Doesn't Skip Breakfast

Padma doesn't skip 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

2

She Eats Yogurt with Every Meal

Michael Kovac/Getty Images

You won't find Padma on any dairy-free diets. "I guess I eat a lot of yogurt," Lakshmi added to 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."

3

She Loves Fast Food Burgers

Padma also loves a certain meaty treat. "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." If she goes to In-N-Out, her order involves  extra pickles and no onions. "You can tell I'm a burger geek when I'm in LA."

4

She Splits Her Plate in Halves

David Livingston/Getty Images

Padma likes food…a lot. To prevent herself from overeating she has a trick: 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.

5

She Detoxes

Rich Fury/Getty Images

During the average season of Top Chef, Padma gains up to 17 pounds due to the insane amount of food and calories she needs to consume. Post season, she does a 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.

Leah Groth
Leah Groth has decades of experience covering all things health, wellness and fitness related. Read more
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