ABC's Modern Family is currently airing Season 11, its final season, and fans may have noticed more than just work and personal life changes for Alex Dunphy. The middle Dunphy child also looks like she's lost some weight, and star Ariel Winter has opened up on her own unexpected weight loss.
Ariel Winter, now 21, has been on the show since it began and it's been a roller coaster for her on-and-off-screen. She hasn't had the same health complications as her on-screen sister Sarah Hyland, but she explained that medications she was taking affected her weight as well as her mental health.
The Modern Family star talked to Women's Health about her current workout plan to get more core muscles, a "big butt," and "Michelle Obama arms." She also explained how changing medications led to her unplanned weight loss:
Years ago, it was hard because I’d go to the gym with my trainer and because of my antidepressant medications I never saw results. I didn’t change my antidepressants because I wanted to lose weight, I’d just accepted it and it was fine. I got inspired to actually find a medication that helped me as a person and did all the things I wanted it to do.
Ariel Winter said the medications she found switched her metabolism back on, leading to weight loss she didn't even work for.
It came with medications and happened really quickly. ... When I changed meds, and started feeling better about myself mentally, losing weight was helpful because it made me feel like I wasn’t just stuck. I hate being stuck anywhere in life.
However, she doesn't weigh herself and she's not looking to lose any more weight, she's just aiming to gain muscle.
I’ve always had curves and I like having curves.
She does not like, however, when people give her backhanded compliments on her weight loss via social media:
I think the one thing that bugs me the most is when people say ‘Oh thank god she lost weight, she used to be so fat.'
Ariel Winter is never shy about speaking out against critics of her looks. Because fans have watched Ariel Winter grow up on camera, they've seen her physique change through the character of Alex Dunphy. That could not have been easy -- especially on top her Winter's own personal family challenges with her mother, and her sister then filing to become her guardian. Winter said she was emancipated as of 2015.
At age 17, Ariel Winter opened up to Glamour about getting breast reduction surgery from a 32F to a 34D, after the 5'1" star felt like she literally developed overnight and had to navigate being an oversexualized teen in the public eye. She said her turning point to get reduction surgery came when she couldn't find a bathing suit for her shape. But she was also in a a lot of pain from back problems, and the reduction helped with her overall health there too.
Now Ariel Winter is feeling better and speaking out about her health and weight loss, but the emotional loss of Modern Family ending is going to be something quite different.
Modern Family's co-creator has talked about feeling the pressure to stick the landing with this ending. There are still questions about whether a spinoff could come to ABC, but we'll have to wait and see for now.
Modern Family fans can see how the story ends for Alex and the rest of the Dunphy clan as Season 11 continues Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.
