Mindy Kaling has been one of America’s favorite quirky, comedic actresses for quite some time, although many fans and pop culture lovers would agree she looks like a different person these days.
The Office actress recently attended the WWD Style Awards, where she walked the red carpet and got to show off her 40-pound weight loss, which she’s been working on over the last few years since giving birth to her three young kids and going on a health journey. She’s opened up more and more about the methods she’s been using to drop excess pounds, which include a heavy emphasis on stopping restricting herself. Read more about her latest red carpet appearance and transformation below.
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Mindy Kaling Flaunts Her Weight Loss At The WWD Style Awards
Earlier this month, stars, designers, and other fashion enthusiasts stepped out for the 2026 WWD Style Awards in Santa Monica, California. The award ceremony honors some of today's latest game changers in the fashion industry, as well as various celebrities and performers who have inspired others with their iconic looks from the past year.
One of the attendees was Mindy Kaling, who posed on the red carpet wearing a short, black leather dress. It was a unique take on the 'little black dress,' with a figure-hugging, one-shoulder silhouette, and bedazzled lace beading above one of her thighs. She paired the dress with a pair of pumps that had subtle silver embellishments, and had her black hair styled into a short, sassy bob.
Although her outfit was certainly attention-grabbing, it also accentuated her weight loss, as she's reportedly dropped 40 pounds over the last decade.
Mindy Shares Her Favorite Types Of Exercise & How She Stopped Restricting Herself
Although the 46-year-old writer and actress wasn't known for being a 'big girl' in Hollywood, her weight loss gained a lot of attention, as her slimmed-down frame caused a drastic transformation that some fans weren't expecting.
Over the years, she's spoken out about what motivated her to lose some excess weight, and it didn't end up being because she wanted to look better.
"I've tried really hard to let go of this idea of losing weight for vanity reasons and really trying to think of how I can be healthy," she told People in 2022. "And for me, healthy is working out, moving my body a lot, keeping hydrated, and then not having negative connotations around working out and making me feel like if I don't do this, then I won't be something else."
In the past, she admitted that societal pressures used to force her to follow extreme, restrictive, or fad diets, especially before she needed to film something or attend an important event. But now that she's a working mom, she realized that wasn't a good idea anymore.
"I eat what I like to eat," she told Entertainment Tonight. "If I do any kind of restrictive diet, it never really works for me. I just eat less of it... I wish there was something more juicy or dynamic about the way that I've lost a little bit of weight, but that's the way I've done it."
When it comes to exercise, Mindy has stated that she doesn't like it when workouts are "monotonous," and aside from walking 15-20 miles a week when she's not too busy with her three kids, she likes to switch things up, trying hiking, running, strength training, yoga, and more. However, walking seems to be her favorite, as it helps her move but also keeps her social.
"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," she told E! News. "It doesn't feel like I'm working out, but I am, and I enjoy that I get to socialize too."
Although the Mindy Project creator called herself a "work in progress," whatever she's doing is clearly working, as fans think she's looking great and healthier than ever.
