Tyra Banks - who was criticized when she was photographed looking heavier than usual in an unflattering swimsuit in 2007 - insists her weight has never affected how she feels about her body.

Tyra - a former Victoria’s Secret model - revealed her weight has fluctuated from 148 lb to 162 lb since she quit modelling, but she has now shown off her new svelte figure with a photo shoot in New York.

“I might be doing a little TMI [too much information] - I always feel great when I don’t have clothes on. When I told the world to kiss my fat a*s, I remained that size for two years. I maintained it with my ice cream and my salad with ranch and dressing and croutons and bacon bits,” Banks told talk show host Larry King.

In the new photo shoot, the America’s Next Top Model presenter looks stunning in a tight grey knee-length dress, black tights and knee-high boots. In another shot, the star dons a sexy off-the-shoulder fitted brown knit dress.

The 35-year-old beauty admits she does feel happier when she is slimmer, but she wants women to learn to love their bodies, whatever size they are.

“I feel more comfortable when I’m lighter - I sleep better, I snore less, I have more endurance when I work out, my arms look better,” she said. “But, I’ve made millions of dollars with the body I have, so where’s the pain in that? If I was in pain, I would have dieted. The pain is not there - the pain is someone printing a picture of me and saying those horrible things.”