HEALTHMindy Kaling Details Painful Trauma of Body Image Struggles Starting at Age 12
Mindy Kaling revealed the vulnerable age her body issues began.
May 28 2026, Published 6:32 p.m. ET
Mindy Kaling is addressing the discourse surrounding her dramatic slimdown, opening up about the young age at which her body image concerns began.
"I think we all think it's weird when public figures lose weight, because we want this perfectly consistent narrative of their lives," Kaling, 46, said during a Wednesday, May 27, appearance on The View. "But I have wanted to lose weight since I was 12 years old.
Mindy Kaling made an appearance on 'The View' on May 27.
Mindy Kaling Admitted Her Weight Loss Can Feel Like a 'Betrayal'
Mindy Kaling revealed that she was surprised at the response to her weight loss.
The Office actress admitted that she was taken aback by the response to her weight loss, telling the panel of hosts, "I’ve been writing jokes about diet and body image for 20 years now. So when people are surprised or shocked that I wanted to lose weight, I’m like how is this news? This has been part of my personality since the Clinton Administration.”
She did, however, acknowledge that it can feel like a "betrayal" when someone you're used to seeing in a "certain way" suddenly looks "completely different."
Mindy Kaling 'Needs to Live' for Her 3 Children
Mindy Kaling is a proud mother of three children, but has never publicly disclosed their father.
The actress revealed her structured health regimen, which includes seeing a trainer three times a week and being selective with what she eats.
"I'm 46, I'm a single mom of three kids. My mom died young of cancer and both my parents have diabetes," she said of what motivates her to maintain a healthy lifestyle. "I need to live. The kids need me."
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Mindy Kaling is committed to her healthy lifestyle, using her children as her motivation.
Kaling is a mother of three children: Katherine “Kit,” 8, Spencer, 5, and Anne, 2. The sitcom actress has kept her children's father's identity out of the public eye.
The Wrinkle in Time star graced the cover of Bustle earlier this month, discussing her weight loss over the years and how her motivations have changed.
Mindy Kaling Started 'Makeshift' Diet in High School
Mindy Kaling would only eat half of what was on her plate in high school as a part of her 'makeshift' diet.
"When I was younger, I would want to lose weight because of vanity reasons," she told the outlet. "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."
Kaling has come a long way in her body image journey, previously revealing in her 2011 memoir, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, that she began a "makeshift" diet as early as high school.
The multifaceted star said her method was to "eat exactly half" of the meal placed in front of her and completely cut out dessert.
