Shonda Rhimes 117-lb weight loss tips & tricks: 'Scandal' and 'Grey's Anatomy' creator determined to shed pounds after 'too fat to fly' incident

Producer Shonda Rhimes reveals that her weight loss motivation came after she was mortified to find out that she was "too fat to fit" on the seat belt of the first-class section of the airplane.

Rhimes, the creator of "Scandal" and "Grey's Anatomy," recalled in her new book "Year of Yes" to be released on Nov. 10 that she lost 117 pounds with smaller food portions coupled with exercise.

"In 2014, I get on a plane to New York. I'm a fancy TV writer. So I have a big first-class comfy seat," Rhimes recalled, as reported by Daily Mail. "I grab the seatbelt and—well it's gotta be broken. Right? RIGHT? I do not have a broken seat belt. I am literally too fat for a first-class airplane seat belt. I have been saying yes to being fat."

According to the outlet, Rhimes ate when she felt unhappy and realized that overeating can lead to obesity and made her feel and look terrible.

"Food makes you feel better. It numbs you," Rhimes added. "Being numb no longer suits me. What I have come to call 'The Airplane Seat Belt Incident of 2014' made putting food on top of things no longer an option."

Her resolve to eat healthier comes from wanting to be around for her kids and in not whining anymore but actually doing it.

"I just decided I was gonna get it together and get healthy. I have some little kids and I want to be around for them," Rhimes said, as reported by Celebrity Health Fitness.

"I realized that I could spend my life thinking, 'I wish I could lose weight,' or 'I'm going to,' or 'I'm trying to,'" she adds. "I couldn't be the whiner anymore."

"I'm always going to want to eat the fried chicken. I don't like exercising and I don't like eating white fish. But I was like, 'This isn't ever going to be any fun, but you're just going to have to do it anyway'," Rhimes said.

With this, she chose to take action even when she had to change her eating habits and take up exercise. Examiner reported that the producer lost weight through a healthy diet and sensible exercise, not weight loss surgery. The website adds that eating less made her not want to eat junk foods.

"I try to make it smaller portions, but you change what your palate wants," she said. "I'm suddenly craving fish and salad."