Jessica Simpson famously packed on the pounds while dating NFL quarterback Tony Romo, but the struggling singer/actress is determined to get back in tip-top shape as she shoots her new VH1 reality show The Price of Beauty — and she’s jump-starting a weight-loss regimen with a little help from Top Chef foodie Padma Lakshmi!

Padma — who is currently expecting her first child — is helping the native Texan abandon her favorite fatty foods, like chips and guacamole, in favor of wiser meat-free meal choices, an insider dished on the pages of the Nov. 23 print issue of Star.

“Padma e-mailed her recipes for items like seared scallops with citrus sauce, stir-fry using olive oil, and an eggplant parm with low-cal ricotta and skim mozzarella. She satisfies her sweet tooth with fat-free sorbet.”