Tyra Banks weight loss shockers: 'America's Next Top Model' loves big butts, hates diets

"America's Next Top Model" Tyra Banks has lost weight, gained weight, lost it again and then purposely gained it back. Her unorthodox ideas about weight loss will shock you. The First Lady of Fabulous hates diets, fears being too skinny and agrees with Sir Mixalot--she likes big butts, and she cannot lie! Here's more from Tyra Banks on weight loss and real beauty in a "Top Model." 

Tyra Banks eschews diets, embraces big booties

Few could argue that Banks has got it going on.

She was the first African-American woman to grace the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. She's written books, launched many careers on "Top Model" and is a healthy living advocate.

Tyra Banks is consistently nominated one of the 100 most influential in the U.S. So when she talks, people listen. And on weight loss, Banks says don't diet. At least avoid the crazy deprivation diets that have you not eating foods required for health.

As a supermodel, she has always kept herself superthin. But then, after that unflattering pic showed her as putting on weight, Banks kowtowed to the stick-thin ideal and lost weight.

But she didn't like what she saw: she felt too thin and ugly. Tyra famously said, "I need a little ass." So she added it back. Banks is that rare person who wants an affirmative to the question "does this make my butt look big?"

Cheat on the diet, be true to yourself

Tyra says she hates the crazy dieting that shames, starves and makes slaves of dieters. Now obviously, she's not saying that eating nutritious food and avoiding junk foods isn't good. Banks isn't advocating obesity. She is trying to find that balance for herself between healthy weight and healthy body image.

The former "Top Model" host wants women to love themselves as they are. She's concerned about body image issues like that of Snooki from "Jersey Shore" who got plastic surgery to feel good about herself and lost weight to make her new husband love her.

Queen Latifah would agree with Tyra that you have to like yourself with the weight before you can find the strength to lose it if you even need to. Neither is convinced that weight loss is the be-all-end-all.  At the very least, people should get thin for the right reasons and to please themselves.