Don’t Hate Her Because She’s Slender
You’ve all seen Los Angeles native Tyra Banks, 23, in fashion magazines or posing as a mermaid in the new McDonald’s commercials, but you ain’t seen nothing yet. Wait until you get a look at her 1997 pinup calendar ($12.99, Day Dream Inc.), now in stores for the holidays.
“They kept on trying to get me to do all these really sexy things and sexy faces,” said Banks, the first black woman to appear on the covers of Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit edition, GQ and the Victoria’s Secret catalog. “And I said I’ll do one or two, but I made sure it was still sweet.”
Question: Did you have to work out specifically for the calendar?
Answer: Yeah, I worked out, but you know what? I didn’t work out as much as I would have liked. I would have liked to look slightly more athletic. But every time I tell that to guys they’re like, ‘Heck no, man, you look fine to us.’ And I’m pretty much in shape, but I still know how to pose to make myself look even better and women have to realize that.
Q: Do you have to exercise ordinarily?
A: Well, I’m tall and naturally slender, but I’m not necessarily thin. I consider myself to be pretty much voluptuous, so I do have to work out about three times a week so that I don’t become too voluptuous.
Q: So what do you do?
A: I’m really into the treadmill right now. And running around the lake, actually a reservoir, by my house with my best friend. And I just started running up and down my street with my headphones on, and I don’t just run. I’m dancing, running backward, skipping and doing hip-hop.
Q: You know what, Tyra, folks will leave you alone that way.
A: Oh, they think I’m crazy. But it breaks up the monotony of just that running pace.
Q: Do you work with a trainer?
A: Yeah, Joe Paul at Sports Club L.A. He’s really great. He knows that I don’t want to get bulky, that I want my muscles to stay lean. That’s what’s really important to me, not to look masculine. Also, [on my own] I do the stairs in my house and the Santa Monica wooden stairs are excellent.
Q: You’re the second celeb to mention that. It’s also a pickup place.
A: No one ever tries to pick me up, but I heard that.
Q: Nobody’s tried to pick you up there, Tyra?
A: Never. Not yet. Wish they would. But no. When I run I do get a lot of saliva in my mouth for some reason so I’m like spitting constantly so I don’t think anybody would really want to.
Q: Well, let’s talk about my favorite subject, food.
A: I love to eat.
Q: Yay.
A: I eat, eat, eat. Eat.
Q: Were you raised on some pretty good cooking?
A: Yeah, my grandmom is from the South, from Texas, so I grew up on everything Southern, fried and gravy, and my taste buds are still very attracted to that.
Q: How do you take care of your taste buds?
A: Barbecue. I treat myself like two times a week to something really, really serious like barbecued ribs or fried chicken and potato salad, and my favorite dessert is creme bru^lee, which I just had night before last and I licked the bowl clean. But when I’m eating healthy, I’ll have oatmeal in the morning and I make it with water and I don’t deprive myself. I put a little brown sugar in it.
Q: Sounds good. And for lunch?
A: I’ll have just a green salad with some grilled chicken. And for dinner, fish or meat and vegetables. I’ve got to be very careful with how many vegetables I eat because I have gastritis.
Q: No snacks?
A: No, just fruit and I can’t just have fruit by itself. Last night for dinner I wasn’t very hungry. I wanted some fruit and then I realized, ‘Why am I doing this, I’m going to have an attack.’ So I had a bread roll and it really helped to calm down the acidity.
Q: What beverages do you like?
A: I love lemonade and I love cranberry and orange juice mixed. I love carbonated beverages, but I’ve cut them out. I should drink more water but I don’t. I only like water after I’ve worked out.
Q: You said that you know how to pose and that women should understand that.
A: Oh, when it comes to women looking in magazines, enjoy it and then put it down because it’s all fantasy and a lot of it is fake. A lot of it is pins and tucks and nips and a lot of retouching, too. I hate it when women look at magazines and models, and get insecure. They don’t know that if they were to see me standing naked with no makeup on and my hair not done, they would feel a lot more comfortable.
Guest Workout runs Wednesdays in Life & Style.
