Melissa Joan Hart Lost 20 Pounds by Eliminating Two Things on Her Longevity Journey

Cutting two simple things from her diet helped Melissa Joan Hart lose nearly 20 pounds, she revealed in a recent interview.

The actress, best known for her roles in “Clarissa Explains It All” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” lost about 18 pounds after cutting out sugar and alcohol as part of what she described as a “longevity journey,” she told People earlier this month.

“I just wanted to feel better. It had nothing to do with losing weight,” Hart, 49, said at Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler’s Grammy viewing party on Feb. 1 in Los Angeles.

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“I really didn’t think I could lose any more weight, being in middle age and perimenopause.”

Weight gain during perimenopause and menopause is common, according to the Mayo Clinic, as hormonal changes, aging, and lifestyle factors slow metabolism and shift fat toward the abdomen. But staying active, maintaining a healthy diet, limiting added sugars and alcohol, and prioritizing sleep can help minimize weight gain in midlife, experts say.

Hart said his main goal was to improve how he felt and that it had worked.

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“I actually feel stronger and better than I have in a long time,” he said.

Hart said he started by exercising more intensely and paying more attention to his lifestyle. In the process, he discovered intermittent fasting and decided to eliminate sugar and alcohol.

He added that giving up alcohol was an easy decision.

“I just don’t even enjoy drinking. So why bother?” Hart said. “So I eliminated these things from my life and started to feel better. And in doing so, I lost a lot of weight and felt great.”

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Cutting back on added sugar and alcohol can reduce excess calorie consumption and reduce the risk of weight gain, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, liver damage and certain cancers, while promoting better overall metabolic health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hart also shared that staying hydrated has been a challenge for her over the years, and joked that her husband, musician Mark Wilkerson, notices that she doesn’t like drinking water.

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“My husband says that when I drink a glass of water, I make a face like it’s the most disgusting thing in the world,” she said. “I’m drinking it, like, ‘Eww.'”

Instead, the mother of three said she often drinks sparkling mineral water with lime or tea.

“I’ll make hot tea, cold tea, green tea, mint tea, any kind of tea,” she said.

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Hart, who turns 50 in April, joins other celebrities who have recently credited cutting back on alcohol and other lifestyle changes with reportedly improving health and weight loss.

Last year, Russell Crowe said cutting down on alcohol played a big role in his 57-pound transformation, and “Queer Eye” star Jonathan Van Ness also talked about cutting back on alcohol and focusing on overall health.

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Country singer Jelly Roll has attributed his dramatic weight loss to long-term wellness and mental health support, while Matt Damon recently said cutting out certain foods, including gluten, helped him slim down for film roles.