‘Gilmore Girls’ Melissa McCarthy 75-Lb Weight Loss From High Protein Low Carb Diet Plus Special Tea

Melissa McCarthy already is famed for her comedic acting talents. But now the Gilmore Girls star is also attracting attention for her weight loss success. With 75 pounds shed, Melissa is crediting a low carb diet as playing a key role in whittling her waistline and slimming down her curvy figure. Get the skinny on how a low carb diet that’s high in protein works below, plus the special tea that reportedly has boosted her weight loss.

Ghostbusters Star Melissa McCarthy on Her Weight Loss, Diet, Workout, and Movies https://t.co/ZGQCkQwsWi

— Gaile (@SototG) October 12, 2016

For McCarthy, a high protein low carb diet along with lifestyle changes took off and kept off the pounds, according to Foods 4 Better Health.

Motivated to improve her diet for her daughters, Melissa also shared that sleep helped her slim down.

“The real secret is a super-boring life,” she joked, clarifying, “You go to bed at 7:30 [p.m.]. That’s the trick.”

Half of McCarthy’s diet calories reportedly came from high protein foods, such as grass-fed beef, organic eggs and wild-caught fish. Melissa supplemented those high quality protein choices with plenty of water.

And she also used tea, but not just any tea. McCarthy chose green tea to boost her weight loss. In addition to protein, Melissa consumed diet foods high in fiber, such as vegetables and selected fruits.

How do high protein low carb diets such as McCarthy’s work to boost weight loss, and what should dieters consider in creating their meal plans?

From Paleo to Atkins: how popular high #protein #diets stack up https://t.co/FNNXepqo7r #nutrition #diet #healthtips #fittips

— Shayan Mohammadmoradi, MS, PhD (@MoradiShayan) October 7, 2016

Time magazine compared a variety of high protein diets and pointed out that protein is critical for everything from energy to building muscle. Recent studies have shown that protein also helps to ease hunger, but what role does quality rather than quantity play in your diet?

“It’s not protein per se that’s a problem, but the ‘passengers’ it brings with it,” clarified Tom Rifai, MD, regional medical director of Metabolic Health and Weight Management for the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit.

“You can’t compare egg whites, fish, or beans to fatty porterhouse steak.”

Research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health revealed that by eating a plant-based diet and reducing servings of animal-based foods to four or fewer servings daily, adults could lower their risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 20 percent. Consequently, those citing that study recommend choosing plant sources or fish over red meat.

In addition to sharing that a high protein, low carb diet combined with plenty of sleep helped her to lose 75 pounds, Melissa revealed a big lesson that she learned from her weight loss journey, reported Hollywood Life.

McCarthy has learned to express appreciation for compliments about her slimmed-down shape. It’s a lesson that she’s seeking to pass onto her daughters Vivian and Georgette.

“A biggie for me is, take the compliment…It’s kind of a rule with me — just say thank you, don’t negate it,” shared the actress. “I hope that’s one of the many ways I show my girls that it’s OK to like who you are and it’s OK that everybody’s different.”

Moreover, Melissa pointed out that different shapes are part of the human experience.

“If we were all the same, we’d be robots.”

While McCarthy’s diet has earned the spotlight in reports about her weight loss, what role does her reported use of green tea play?

For those thinking that adding honey to that green tea might be tasty, a new study revealed that black pepper is the trick, according to Health.

Green tea on its own contains an antioxidant known as EGCG, which provides two benefits. It boosts the metabolism while offering protection against cancer.

However, by using black pepper, EGCG may be even more helpful. A study found that a chemical in black pepper, called piperine, could make EGCG work more efficiently by boosting the absorption.

If adding black pepper to green tea sounds like an impossible challenge, consider using brewed green tea, black pepper, garlic and ginger to create a marinade for soaking seafood or meat to jazz up that diet.

[Featured Image by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for HSN]