celebrity buzz

Retired supermodel Tyra Banks has lost 30 pounds in five months after photographs of her beachwear left her in tears on her U.S. TV talk show.

Banks insisted the shots of her in a bikini during a winter break were just taken from a bad angle as she launched a 'So what' campaign on her TV show and urged the tabloids to stop poking fun at stars' weight loss and weight gain.

At one point she broke down on her show, stating, "With all the self-esteem my mom instilled in me, the criticism still hurts."

But the terrible photographs forced Banks to take action - and, after months spent eating right and exercising, she has dropped 30 pounds, according to Life & Style magazine.

An insider tells the publication, "She's eating healthy foods,but they're ones she likes, so she's more apt to maintain her diet."

And she's completely revamped the food that's available to her and guests backstage at her show.

Former supermodel Tyra Banks credits her sudden popularity with younger men to her new curvy figure.

The retired catwalk star and talk show host insists she's been inundated with attention from younger men ever since she gained a more voluptuous figure.

The 33-year-old star of The Tyra Banks Show explains, "Twenty-three-year-old guys ask me out all the time. Some of them are even celebrities who come on to my show. One guy even went for my muffin top (midsection fat)."

"I was like, 'You're 10 years younger than me. You need to date Hilary Duff. Don't date me. I have a roll around my middle."

However, she insists she is now less popular with men her age, adding, "I make a good living, so men my age get a little intimidated."