Padma Explains That Viral Instagram Pic

When Padma Lakshmi posted a #TBT bikini shot to her Instagram a couple weeks back, the Top Chef judge had no idea that the joke would go viral.

The photo in question featured Padma running down the beach, but it was the caption that caught everyone's attention. "My friend claims it looks like I have a penis in this pic," she wrote. "One guess as to whether he's gay or not... #onhismind #tbt."

Now, she's breaking down her side of the story. "I clearly don't understand the ins and outs of Instagram, I'm always amazed at what gets a lot of attention," she told People. "I didn't expect that."

She added that she thinks the whole incident is "funny," adding it shows another side of herself than what fans see on Top Chef where she is the picture of cool. "I think it's nice not to take oneself so seriously," she said. "on the show I have to be so serious."

Whether or not everyone got the joke, Padma wasn't kidding when she recently shared her secret to shedding the pounds while she films the food-heavy Top Chef seasons. The judge shared that she can gain up to 15 pounds during a season, making her concoction extra important.

"It consists of 4 ounces of pure unsweetened cranberry juice, 4 to 6 ounces of water, one packet of vitamin C powder and one packet of clear Metamucil fiber," she reveals. "I'll drink four to five of these per episode. It's painfully tart and sour, like drinking my own personal Drano."

[Source: People]