It’s been a year since Melissa McCarthy lost over 70 pounds for her role in the Bridesmaids movie and she continues to flaunt her slim figure on Instagram. But how did she do it? And more importantly, can she keep it up? We spoke with Melissa’s trainer about her amazing transformation and whether or not she’s got what it takes to be a role model to others.
The Role Of Trainer In Melisssa’s Weight Loss
McCarthy’s trainer Jason Walsh began working with the actress back in 2014, shortly after she finished filming Bridesmaids. At the time, McCarthy was already an established comedy actress who had starred in comedies like Tammy, On the Line, and Identity Theft. But, as Walsh points out, she was also dealing with some serious health issues. She had been diagnosed with type two diabetes and had to take insulin injections to stay alive. After filming the Bridesmaids movie, she decided to pursue a healthier lifestyle and began working with Walsh and other trainers to achieve her goals.
“Her main focus was getting healthy so that she could be off the insulin and be able to maintain a normal blood sugar level,” Walsh explains. “That was the catalyst for getting in shape. She figured if she could get off the insulin, she could reverse the damage that it had done to her body and she could be free to live a normal life.”
Walsh first had to get McCarthy’s insulin levels under control and then began focusing on building up her stamina and muscle mass. He worked with the actress on a nutrition plan and started her on an exercise regimen that would eventually land her in the best shape of her life. In fact, before long, McCarthy was able to drop the insulin altogether and now only takes medication for her cholesterol levels and mental health. She credits her transformation to her trainer and the work he put in training her to be healthier and happier. So, if you’re looking for a role model or just want to be able to relate to someone who is proud of their health and appearance, Melissa McCarthy is the woman you should look up to.
The Key To Melissa’s Success
While coaching Melissa through a tough spot, Walsh realized that she had reached a plateau in her weight loss. So, he did what he could to push her beyond what she thought was possible and began changing up her workout routine and nutrition plan. As a result, Melissa was able to drop a stunning 32 pounds in six months and put that weight back on as soon as she stopped exercising. (That’s a total of 67 pounds lost!) This was a problem for Walsh, as well as McCarthy’s other trainers who had worked with her previously, but he was able to see it as an opportunity. Instead of focusing on keeping the weight off, he began working with McCarthy on getting back into shape once more before the start of the next film season.
In the meantime, the actress began experiencing some hiccups with her weight loss, which is common when dropping a lot of weight and getting back into shape. The biggest issue was that, while she was able to drop a huge amount of weight, she didn’t realize how much energy she would need to sustain that new lifestyle. As a result, she had a couple of small falls down the stairs, which further worried her about her continued health.
“She had lost a lot of weight and gotten into such great shape that her body was changing,” McCarthy’s mother, Anne, says. “It was the perfect storm of everything going right for her. Then, she hit a point where she didn’t feel like herself anymore. She was exhausted and felt like she needed a break from working out. So, she backed off and started exercising a little less, which is when the weight came back on.”
Walsh had to work extra hard to get McCarthy back into shape, even creating different routines for her to try out. He also began pushing her to eat healthier and less processed foods, which is something she had been avoiding since getting sober and becoming a parent. Now, she makes it a point to eat lots of vegetables and fruits whenever she can and tries to avoid foods with added sugar.
While Melissa had gotten used to the idea of being thin and liked how she looked in the mirror, getting back into shape was a whole different story. After a rough patch in the beginning, she has now found her way of enjoying herself while getting back into shape, and that’s what matters most.
Walsh continues to work with the actress on keeping her weight down and helps her maintain her healthy lifestyle. In fact, he even got her a personal trainer to help her continue her journey to better health. But, as she’s learned, you can’t lose weight quickly and if you want to keep it off, you have to be smart about it and work at it every day. So, while Melisssa’s life has changed drastically over the past year, she’s still the same sweet girl at heart and continues to focus on what’s important to her. Most importantly, she’s still working hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle and is very grateful to her trainer for helping her get there.