Tyra Banks: I Don't Want Women To Think Their Curves Are Bad

The incomparable Tyra "Smile With Your Eyes" Banks owns the cover of October's Ocean Drive magazine, and inside addresses the ever-increasing issue of woman, weight and image. Banks recently made a personal decision to shed a few pounds.

“I was very torn about whether to talk about it or not, because I don’t want women to think that by me getting in shape I’m saying that their curves are bad," says Banks. "I still have what my stylist calls ‘levels’, meaning boobs that stick out, a butt that sticks out. I have an issue with my stomach-I suffer from these stomach attacks that happen every two or three months- but I haven’t had one since I started this [fitness] challenge with my friends.”

Banks has struggled with a fluctuating weight for years, explaining “I sold the world my fat ass, but then I went on a get-fit, get-healthy challenge with some friends to see who could get the fittest in three months.”

The model mogul also candidly talks about her bad fashion days, saying when she was modeling she let her look go when it came to her personal life.

“I went through this phase of loving certain designers, but only when I waling in their fashion shows. So I loved Chanel, I loved Armani, Calvin Klein, Anna Sui. But when it came to my personal life, I looked like a pig! I wore sweats and flip-flops and was a damn mess. I looked so bad that a friend had an intervention with me and said, ‘Tyra, you need to pull it together. You need to comb your hair and get out of the sneakers and sweats.’"

 As far as what makes Tyra the happiest, it’s the simple things like being in the kitchen, but she isn’t the one doing the cooking! “I am happy when I am doing anything that has to do with planning, creating, facilitating. I’m the happiest in my mom’s kitchen.” But cooking herself this megastar does not. “Oh, hell, no! I’m cooking frozen dinners and stuff in there, but my mom cooks breakfast for me when I’m home.”

Be sure to pick up the October issue of Ocean Drive on October 2nd!