Mindy Kaling Reveals What Motivated Her Recent Weight Loss

The Mindy Kaling of 2026 looks very different from the Mindy Kaling who fans were first introduced to on “The Office.”

In recent years, the actress has lost a noticeable amount of weight and, in a new Interview with Bustle, is opening up about the attention her changing appearance has drawn.

As the outlet pointed out, almost every time Kaling shares a new photo on Instagram, the comments are filled with commentary about her physique. Looking at her feed, fans usually either ask for her workout routine or speculate about whether she’s used GLP-1 medications like Ozempic to get where she is now.

Why Mindy Kaling Decided to Lose Weight

Speaking with Bustle, Kaling said she understands why fans are fascinated by her appearance and why some may feel frustrated or betrayed by her weight loss.

“It’s sometimes no fun when one of your favorite actors loses weight. You have an idea of what they were like when you grew attached to them, and it made them endear themselves to you,” she told the publication. “Of course, it’s never a joy to be scrutinized, but also I truly understand it, as someone who consumes pop culture.”

When asked about her motivations for dropping the pounds, Kaling pointed to her three children: Katherine “Kit,” 8, Spencer, 5, and Anne, 2. She said she realized she needs to “live at least 20 more years” for her kids.

“Do I wake up every day being like, ‘I look amazing, and I’m so gorgeous’? No, unsurprisingly, but I truly feel so healthy,” she shared.

“When I was younger, I would want to lose weight because of vanity reasons,” she continued. “Now I want to lose weight or have lost weight because I want to stave off things like diabetes. I had it on both sides of my family, and trying to avoid those kinds of things will, I think, help longevity for me, and that’s my goal.”

How Mindy Kaling Lost Weight

The 46-year-old has been pretty open about how she lost weight, focusing on moderation in her diet and workouts, including hiking and running. She has not credited her transformation to weight loss medications.

“If there was an awards show or I was shooting something, I used to be the person that was like, ‘I have to stop eating these foods, or six weeks beforehand, I’m only going to juice,’” she told TODAY about her prior relationship with food. Now, she added, it’s all about moderation.

“I’m never going be someone who can just have spinach and salmon every day,” she said. “I just am really for the first time in my life, trying moderation, and I love it.”

“For me, at this point in my life, I feel like I know what I’m supposed to be eating—you know, more leafy green vegetables and keeping red meat to a minimum—and for me personally, I also try to keep dairy at a minimum,” she also previously told Prevention.

She also told Prevention all about her love of walking, saying she aims to complete 15 to 20 miles of walking a week.

“I will go on a two-mile walk after dropping my kid off at school and call a friend from high school to catch up on the phone. It doesn’t feel like I’m working out, but I am, and I enjoy that I get to socialize too,” she said of her routine to E! News.

According to Kaling, she also prioritizes strength training and likes to switch up her workout routines, telling Self it helps keep them from feeling “monotonous.”

The post Mindy Kaling Reveals What Motivated Her Recent Weight Loss appeared first on EntertainmentNow.