New mom Padma Lakshmi made her first post-pregnancy public appearance at the March 18 launch of Pampers Dry Max Diapers in New York City, where the "Top Chef" host revealed her secret to getting back into top-notch form.

"Keep your maternity jeans on," Lakshmi, who delivered daughter Krishna just three weeks ago, told StyleList as she pulled up her blouse to show off the elastic waist.

"They are so comfortable. I don't want to go back to wearing regular jeans." She added, "I'm into my regular [size] shoes and my regular blazers, but that's about it. But it's worth it -- having her is joyous."

Lakshmi admitted to still having 20 pounds to lose, which is not so foreign to her.

"Because of my job, I'm used to yo-yoing with my weight," she said, adding that after filming "Top Chef," her scale usually reports an additional 15 pounds. With season 7 set to start filming in Washington, D.C., next month, Lakshmi does have some apprehensions.

"I'm just scared because I've got 20 pounds on me," she said. "If I put on 15 more..." (Um, we don't see what else she has to lose!)

Whatever her size, Padma always manages to maintain her unique style, even during her pregnancy. "I had a few dresses I bought in bigger sizes that were in jersey, so they had a little bit of stretch to them," she said. "I just wore those."

She also swore off the traditional silhouette for moms-to-be, the Empire waist. "I do have a few Empire-waist minidresses I liked when I wasn't pregnant, but I didn't want to wear them when I was pregnant because they were tent-y," she admitted.

Read about another glamorous new mom who showed off her post-baby body for Vogue.