Indian American model, TV host, author and activist Padma Lakshmi has shared the true story of struggle behind an old stunning photo shoot that had turned heads when it was launched.

The 50-year-old star posted the throwback photograph on Instagram, of a jewellery campaign shoot, and quoted Oprah Winfrey in the caption.

"You can have it all, just not all at once" -- @oprah

"This is me in our jewelry campaign for The Padma Collection. I'm exhausted here, not only from doing Top Chef, losing the weight and running a jewelry company on the side but from all of the stresses that come with being a sole business owner. A year from when this picture was taken I had to make the difficult decision as a new mom to close my company, my lover was dying of cancer, and I just couldn't handle it all.

"I learned so much about my priorities during that time," wrote Padma.

In the photo, she is seen wearing a blazer with a plunging neckline and a few pieces of jewellery.

She welcomed her daughter Krishna, whom she shares with her former-partner Adam Dell, in February 2010.