'Modern Family' star Ariel Winter reveals key changes she made to kickstart incredible weight loss

Ariel Winter is happy and healthy!

The "Modern Family" actress recently opened up about her struggle to lose weight, revealing that it was a switch-up of her antidepressant medication that allowed her to continue her progress after struggling to get results in the gym.

"Years ago, it was hard because I’d go to the gym with my trainer and because of my antidepressant medications I never saw results," the 21-year-old star told Women's Health. "I didn’t change my antidepressants because I wanted to lose weight, I’d just accepted it and it was fine. I got inspired to actually find a medication that helped me as a person and did all the things I wanted it to do."

For Winter, it wasn't just about losing weight, it was the effect that her physical transformation had on her overall outlook and mental health, as well.

"When I changed meds, and started feeling better about myself mentally, losing weight was helpful because it made me feel like I wasn’t just stuck," she said. "I hate being stuck anywhere in life."

See photos from Ariel Winter's recent public appearances:

"I’m doing something for myself that I’m seeing positive results from, and that makes me feel stronger and better," Winter added. "I’m feeling more energized and healthier, and it’s inspiring me to do new things."

In another interview with ET, Winter echoed those thoughts and called her struggle "really difficult" to overcome.

"I couldn't see any results before because I was on medications that wouldn't do anything like that," Winter said. "It was really difficult for me. Now that I've changed medications to be on something different. It's nice because I go to the gym and I can see results. I feel healthier."

The sitcom star added that she's switched up her gym routine to focus less on cardio exercises and more on weight lifting and strength building. In her interview with ET, Winter said that she's also opened herself up to other ways of working out, like playing tennis and softball.

"I'm just open to way more things than I used to be," she explained.

Proving that her weight loss and mental health journey isn't just about what she looks like, the star told Women's Health that she avoids stepping on any sort of scale, because she's more focused on how she feels.

"I don't weigh myself," she said. "I don't care about that."

Ariel Winter's road to health isn't the only change in her life right now: Earlier this fall, Winter and actor Levi Meaden split after nearly three years as a couple, and "Modern Family" is set to come to an end after eleven seasons in the spring.

See more photos of Ariel Winter through the years: