You won’t find Padma Lakshmi yo-yo dieting, especially ahead of the Emmys in September.
Penning an inspiring essay for the Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday, the Top Chef host revealed she’s over getting “red carpet ready,” however that will affect her body!
Related: Lena Dunham Gets Support From Padma On The Red Carpet
The 46-year-old explained she eats anywhere from 5K to 8K calories a day while filming, leaving her to gain between 10 to 17 pounds per season:
“I find myself in the unique position of eating for a living while still being expected to look a certain way ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ let’s call it ‘red carpet ready.’ While I can clearly point to the many ways our society constantly reinforces this pressure, the truth is, my own vanity also plays a big role. I want to look good, to be fit and to fit into those fancy couture dresses. Adding to this dilemma is the fact that in the last few years, we’ve filmed in the summer, just a few months before the awards.”
And for the past few years, she’s maintained a strict diet of no meat, no wheat, no cheese, no fried foods, sweets, or alcohol ahead of the Emmys:
“Like many women in Hollywood, I gear up for the awards by dieting, vigorously exercising, searching for a dress no one else will have and hoping for the best. It’s always a nail-biting extravaganza at fittings, praying that a few pretty dresses that came down the runway on a teenage model who is a size 0 will miraculously fit my 40-something body. 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.”
But not this year.
Padma confessed her young daughter, Krishna, is being affected by her extreme dieting:
“Recently, I realized my daughter, who is 7├é┬╜, has been listening to me talk about my weight. When we have taco night, I have taco salad with just a few crumpled chips. No tortillas, sour cream or cheese. When we order pizza, I get it for her, but I have leftovers of brown rice and lentils. When we make pasta, I have only ragu with greens. While I’ve been working to lose weight, she has been going through a growth spurt. She still asks me to carry her, but now she’s 4 feet tall and weighs nearly 60 pounds. So, I’ve inadvertently been telling her, ‘You’re too heavy now to lift.’ She’s noticed, and suddenly she’s told me and others in our circle, ‘I don’t want to eat because I’m watching my figure,’ or, ‘I weigh too much.’ Her comments stopped me dead in my tracks. Her words scared me. Language matters. We send signals to our daughters every day. And I am her first touchstone of femininity.”
That must’ve hit so hard!
As the reality TV star further shared, the weight obsession needs to end:
“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. That one day ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ or any day ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ on the red carpet isn’t nearly as important as making sure my daughter doesn’t measure her worth by her dress size.”
Preach!
Being a positive role model for her kiddo takes priority!!
[Image via Media Punch.]
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