'It's hard to keep that body... sometimes you just want potatoes!': Miss America on her changing bikini shape



Mallory Hytes Hagan has admitted she has struggled to maintain the tiny bikini body that helped win her the title of Miss America in January.



The 24-year-old was snapped on the beach in Maui this week looking curvier than she did when she stripped down for the swimsuit round of the beauty pageant two months ago.



Responding to cruel 'fat jibes' that circulated online since the pictures emerged, she described herself 'human' and said she had pared back her workout regime once the competition was over.

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Speaking out: Miss America Mallory Hytes Hagan responded to 'fat jibes' on Anderson Cooper on Thursday, after displaying a curvier bikini body on the beach in Maui this week



Her favourite style: On the beach on Monday, Mallory was in a very similar swimsuit to the one she wore during the Miss America Pageant in January (right)



Off the strict pageant diet: Mallory was in Hawaii with her pal, Miss Hawaii Skyler Kamaka

Appearing on Anderson Cooper Live on Monday, she said: 'Well you know I think that I am human. I like to equate getting ready for Miss America pageant to getting ready for a boxing match.

'We get in shape and then afterwards life goes back to normal…'

She told Anderson's co-host Jane Velez-Mitchell that it was a challenge to stay in peak condition, citing travel wrecking havoc on her routine.



Pared back: Mallory told Velez-Mitchell that she pared back her workout regime once the pageant was over

'I think a lot of people don't realize how much Miss America travels,' she explained.

'I travel on average 20,000 miles a month so every 48 hours I am in a different place just about.

'So it's really a challenge to maintain that same body that I went to Miss America with.'

She also added that she doesn't deny herself of the odd treat at times and that staying in shape is all about keeping in good health.



'It's all about being healthy, we're all about living a healthy lifestyle. Some days you want to eat potatoes and some days you don't,' she said.



It's a struggle: Mallory said that it was a challenge to stay in peak condition, citing travel wrecking havoc on her routine

'I struggle with it, just as every other young woman does as well. I think it's something we all strive to be better at but I am real.'

Mallory was pictured in a bikini while holidaying with Miss Hawaii Skyler Kamaka, 21, on Monday.

The girls were enjoying some downtime off from their duties and at one point both sipped a cool iced beverage with a slice of lemon.

Mallory and Skyler had fun on the beach taking pictures of themselves with their camera phones, with Mallory sharing the snapshot with her Twitter followers.

'Hello from Maui! With @misshawaii2012,' the curvy blonde wrote in the caption.



Red alert: Skyler, also pictured at the Miss America Pageant in January, was wearing her favorite colour



In February, the two friends were seen hanging out together in Maui as well.

Mallory, who was born in Alabama and now lives in Brooklyn, New York, has been spending a lot of time in Maui as part of her national media tour.



Since being crowned Miss America, she has traveled thousands of miles visiting various destinations on the East Coast for interviews and press events.

Mallory has also held the titles of Miss New York 2012, Miss New York City 2012, Miss Manhattan 2011 and Miss Brooklyn 2010.

Competing as Miss Diamond Head, Skyler was crowned Miss Hawaii on June 9, beating out 15 other contestants.

'Hello from Maui! Mallory shared this cute picture on her Twitter page

'This is the first time I’ve ever entered a pageant,' Skyler told the Honolulu Pulse shortly after receiving her crown.

'My preliminary pageant (for Miss Diamond Head) was my very first one, and this is my very first Miss Hawaii. I’m just ecstatic right now.