Melissa McCarthy 50-lb weight loss secrets revealed: actress showed off slim physique during 'Lane Bryant' store launch

Melissa McCarthy has never looked so skinny and healthy at the recent launch of the new holiday collection in her clothing line Melissa McCarthy Seven7, which caters for both skinny and plus size women alike, at the Lane Bryant store in Los Angeles, according to Celebrity Health & Fitness.

The American actress, comedian and writer lost about 50 lbs. due to a low-carb diet according to one source. "Melissa has been on a high-protein, low-carb diet. She's been making small changes and seeing big results."

Her motivation to lose weight is mainly because of her family. She wanted to be healthy for her daughters, Vivian and Georgette, with husband Ben Falcone. "Melissa realized she wasn't being as healthy as she could be," said a friend. "She wants to set a good example for her kids and she wants to be around to become a grandmother too."

Celebrity Health & Fitness also noted that aside from her low-carb, high-protein diet that has given her the slimmest figure she has in years, McCarthy has also been doing fitness workouts, such as Pilates and walking.

The 45-year-old actress has also expressed her concerns over body shaming and bullying and its negative impact on children and young people. "You're cutting down and devaluing a woman based on her looks and that's not going to put anything good in the world," she told E! Online in an interview during the Lane Bryant store launched of her new collection.

"It doesn't make women feel good. I have two daughters and I think, 'My, god—every time they see one of these things it's supposed to be a joke [but] it just chips away and chips away and chips away.'"

She also believes the importance of providing clothes for women of all sizes. She expressed her disapproval over the idea of sectioning or segregating people by any means. Her clothing line has 80 pieces of apparel ranging in different sizes from four to 28.

Before she started doing stand-up comedy, McCarthy studied fashion at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City. McCarthy was first recognized in her role as Sookie St. James in the TV series "Gilmore Girls." She won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role Molly Flynn on the CBS' "Mike & Molly."

She was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress in the Oscars for the film "Bridesmaids." Forbes ranked her as the third highest-paid actress in the world in 2015, behind only Jennifer Lawrence and Scarlett Johansson.