Padma Lakshmi: 'Weight loss takes time'

Padma Lakshmi has insisted that losing weight after giving birth takes time.

In an interview with Redbook, the Top Chef star - who gave birth to daughter Krishna in February - encouraged women to feel beautiful regardless of their size.

"Be patient with yourself and give yourself compassion. It's about consistency," she explained.

"You're not going to lose 20 to 30 pounds in a month, nor should you. You can still feel feminine and beautiful and strong whether you're a size 12 or a size 2."

Lakshmi went on to reveal that she actually "liked being a bigger size" and did not feel pressure to hasten the process of shedding pounds.

"I wanted to lose the weight, but I thought I was doing something more important than tending to my vanity," she said.

"You look at your body totally differently. It created this life and brought it into the world."