Padma Lakshmi has remained in top shape, even as her career focuses on gourmet cooking.
This week, the Indian-born TV star was seen in a beige knit bra top and matching mermaid-style skirt as she posed for New Beauty magazine.
The former model had a flat stomach and sculpted arms and wore a beige coat over one shoulder.
The 53-year-old author, activist, actress, model, philanthropist and television host said she doesn’t give in to the pressure of “what a woman should be.”
The Exotic star can now be seen on Taste The Nation on Hulu and Top Chef.
A 10 at 53: Padma Lakshmi has remained in great shape despite her career revolving entirely around gourmet food. This week, the Indian-born TV star was seen in a beige knit bra top and matching mermaid-style skirt as she posed for New Beauty magazine
And she told the magazine how she stays in top shape: Pilates.
But she isn’t too hard on herself to be perfect.
“The biggest and most important thing I can do for my own well-being is to understand that on any given day I won’t be exactly who I want to be, nor have I done all the things I’m supposed to do. “in between,” said the author.
“Maybe I didn’t have time to deep condition my hair that day, get a flawless pedicure, go to the gym, or apply moisturizer when I woke up.”
“All these things are only possible in one day if I don’t do anything else.”
“But I run an office with employees, I have my show, I have my child, I have my mother, I have my friends. “I have all of those things.
Padma added that the expectations we place on women in our world today, and especially on ourselves, are simply impossible.
“We can’t be everything we’re told we should be.” Some days I go to the gym and get all my work done afterwards, but I don’t bathe until I go to bed, sitting in the sweatpants that I got dressed at 8:30 a.m. as I walked to my gym Pilates class. You know what I mean?’ She remarked.
There are many days when she goes straight from the gym to her desk at the office and hasn’t changed out of her gym clothes.
“And that’s okay! “My co-workers can see my greasy hair and my 1978 T-shirt. What matters most to me are my priorities.”
Golden Girl: The 53-year-old author, activist, actress, model, philanthropist and television host said she doesn’t give in to the pressure of “what a woman should be.” The Exotic star can now be seen on Taste The Nation on Hulu and Top Chef
Not perfect: And she told the magazine how she stays in top shape: Pilates. But she isn’t too hard on herself to be perfect. “The biggest and most important thing I can do for my own well-being is to understand that on any given day I won’t be exactly who I want to be, nor have I done all the things I’m supposed to do. “in between,” said the author
She is tired these days.
“I’m feeling a little exhausted by the surreal nature of the last few months. Personally, I’ve been through a lot, but at 53 I feel much better physically and emotionally today than I did 20 or 30 years ago.
“I think there are a lot of myths about aging – particularly about women and aging – that are no longer true. And it’s pretty amazing to experience.”
And she feels pressure.
“That nothing is permanent – neither good nor bad.” And that you really need to be a little kinder and more relaxed to yourself and have a little more patience, both with your body and with your mind. As women, we are expected to be great and successful in every aspect of our lives – every moment of our lives. That’s a lot of pressure.”
And she raised her teenage mini-me daughter Krishna.
“Well, like many mothers, I see a lot of myself in my daughter.” I see the struggles she goes through, which are a normal part of adolescence and being a young girl in society.
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“I have a lot of compassion for the kids growing up today.” In many ways, they deal with so many issues that you or I didn’t really have…social media being one, cell phones another, and just tons of other forms of media out there. We’ve had some of that, but the pressure and complexity have grown exponentially.
“I try my best to tell her that she’s not done becoming the person she’s going to be.” Many girls her age – regardless of cultural differences, I did that too when I was in their age – put themselves under extraordinary pressure. We think we have to be perfect and great and fully trained at everything right away because that’s what we see in the media.
“Even with this magazine cover it’s beautiful, but I had hair and makeup for two hours.” I had a stylist who gathered the best clothes and then we pared down those outfits and picked a very select few, who looked the best. We had lighting, we had a wind machine, we had a very talented photographer and then we had four or five pairs of eyes looking at the monitor to make sure we picked the best shots.”
‘Yes. It can be disheartening when, as a young girl or woman, you look at all the sugar-coated images in our media and think, “Why don’t I look like that?” Well, because no one looks like that! I mean, I think I look pretty good when I get up in the morning – as long as I sleep well at night – but there’s a lot that goes into the end result.
“Sometimes we’re just served the bottom line, and that’s not the reality.” That’s why I think that as women like me get older – especially women in the media – not only for our peers, but for everyone else, who see us on television or in magazines, it is very important to understand the truth behind the image. ‘