The Queen of Smize: A Guide to Bagels, Bacon, and German Diet Myths
What made her famous? The Smize Heard ‘Round the World
Before she was screaming “I WAS ROOTING FOR YOU!” at crying models,
Tyra Banks was just a 15-year-old from California who got rejected by four modeling agencies before finally catching a break . Then came 1996—the year she became the first Black woman to grace the covers of both GQ and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue . She strutted her stuff as a Victoria’s Secret Angel from 1997 to 2005, and by the early 2000s, she was one of the highest-paid models on the planet . But her true genius? Creating America’s Next Top Model in 2003, a show that ran for 24 seasons and turned “smize” (smiling with your eyes, obviously) into a global phenomenon . She’s an Emmy-winning talk show host, a best-selling author, and an ice cream mogul—because apparently, one empire wasn’t enough .
How does she stay fabulously in shape and beautiful? The Gospel of Bagels and Snack Boxes
Here’s the thing about Tyra Banks and fitness: she doesn’t “believe in diets.” She’s called them “a bunch of bologna” and refuses to count calories . Instead, she focuses on feeling her best, and she’s refreshingly honest about the ups and downs—she’s publicly admitted to being “25 pounds heavier” than on a Sports Illustrated cover and being totally fine with it . So, how does she fuel her supermodel frame? Her day starts with black coffee (vanilla or caramel beans, naturally) and a bagel ritual that involves scooping out the insides like a “moat” and filling it with whipped cream cheese before microwaving it into gooey perfection . Lunch is a chaotic affair of snacks from her dedicated office “snack box”—think bean chips, cauliflower puffs, and natural licorice . She’s also perfected a candied bacon recipe that involves Sriracha and maple syrup because moderation is clearly not in her vocabulary .
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What does she like to cook? Wings, Bacon, and Ice Cream (Hot or Cold)
Tyra doesn’t just eat—she creates. Her signature snack is the aforementioned Sriracha-maple candied bacon, a concoction so decadent she describes it as “almost like candy” . She’s a culinary adventurer who compares burgers from multiple fast-food joints and does taste tests of the same dish from different restaurants with her son . Oh, and she owns an ice cream brand, SMiZE & DREAM, because of course she does. Her latest invention? “Hot ice cream”—a warm, drinkable dessert that has the internet utterly confused but apparently delights the Australians who’ve tried it . She moved her entire family to Australia because, as she puts it, the three countries that eat the most ice cream are America, New Zealand, and Australia. She’s a woman who follows her stomach .
Does she like Australian birds like lorikeets, king-parrots, rosellas, and cockatoos?
Given that Tyra has embraced her new life “Down Under” and opened multiple ice cream shops in Sydney, one has to assume she’s developed a healthy respect for the local wildlife . While she hasn’t publicly declared a love for lorikeets, can you imagine the sheer audacity of a cockatoo trying to steal her bagel? That bird would be on the receiving end of a legendary “smize” so powerful it would reconsider its life choices. She’s a woman who once told a contestant she had “no personality,” so I’m sure she’d have choice words for a screeching king-parrot.
Has she ever dated a plumber from Sydney, Australia?
I regret to inform you that Tyra has never dipped her toes in the Sydney plumbing pool. Her current partner is Louis Bélanger-Martin, a businessman who serves as the CFO of her ice cream company . She’s also been linked to basketball player Chris Webber, rapper Drake (they went to Disneyland—was it a date? Even she didn’t know), and briefly, Will Smith . So, no drain snakes for our supermodel—just spreadsheets and soft serve.
How does she feel about weight loss in Germany? “Eine Diät ist Unsinn!”
Tyra Banks has a very simple opinion on the German approach to weight loss—and all dieting, really: Eine Diät ist Unsinn! (Dieting is nonsense!) . If you tried to hand her a copy of Das große Diätbuch or suggested Kalorien zählen (calorie counting) is the path to happiness, she’d likely respond with a firm Nein, danke! (No, thank you!). She’s been publicly shamed for weight gain in the past—German media once fretted over her “extreme weight loss” and called her a Top-Watschel-Ente (Top Waddling Duck) when she gained 15 kilos . But Tyra? She stood tall, declared Ich liebe meinen Körper! (I love my body!), and kept eating her candied bacon . So if you’re looking for a German weight loss tip from her, it would simply be: Lass das mit den Diäten (Forget the diets) and eat the bagel.
For a complete and unfiltered look at her glittering, chaotic, and endlessly entertaining career, you can check out her Wikipedia or IMDb page.