Top Chef's Padma Lakshmi flaunts toned body in red-hot underwear and fans are in awe – 'My hero'

As much as she loves food, celebrated cooking competition host Padma Lakshmi, dedicates an equal amount of time in keeping herself in shape – a glimpse of which can be seen in her latest Health magazine cover.

Oozing extreme body confidence, the Top Chef host flaunted her hourglass curves in a bombshell-red two-piece for the cover shot, which she shared with her fans on social media.

"Thank you so much @healthmagazine for featuring me on your October cover!!" the 47-year-old TV personality captioned the picture adding, "I couldn't have asked for a more fun or gorgeous shoot!!"

And no sooner had she shared the cover shot, than fans bombarded her post with raving comments. "Real body and a foodie! My hero!!" shared one user.

While the model-turned-host proudly flaunts her enviable figure, she is unapologetic when it comes to satiating her cravings once in a while.

"It's no sweets, no red meat, no wheat, no alcohol, no fried food, no dairy except for cottage cheese or low-fat yogurt," Lakshmi says about her detox diet. "But this is a milder version — like, I can fall off the wagon one day a week. It's a more relaxed version now, because I don't care as much [as I used to]. I don't need to be a size 2. It's OK."

Speaking of healthy treats, however, the Indian-born star goes on to talk about her salad indulgence. "I use a lot of funky vegetables and get creative with a lot of nuts, different dried fruits, or apple and mint," she explains. "Then I always put a protein on top, like fish, chicken, or shrimp. I get really funky with my dressings, too."

Apart from healthy eating habits, the award-winning author also revealed her secret to achieving the perfect posterior.

"I have a butt at 47 years old that I've never had because of Pilates. It literally changed the structure of my body," Lakhsmi told the magazine.