Debra Messing says she misses junk food

Actress Debra Messing has never characterized herself as one of the skinniest women in Hollywood, but the red-haired beauty tries her best to maintain a healthy albeit curvier figured.

She recently made headlines after losing 20 pounds unintentionally after revamping her diet to be healthier. The Will & Grace star told ABC News she didn’t make the change to lose weight ?that was just an added benefit. Messing overhauled her diet because she was feeling tired all the time.

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“About two to three years ago, I made a very, very big change the way I approach nutrition,” she told ABC News. “I think it made a big difference in how I look or at least how I’m perceived to look. I lost like 20 pounds, it wasn’t my intention, that wasn’t why I made the change. I made the change because I was just tired all the time. For a long time, I just accepted that was the plight of a working, single mother. You’re juggling everyday.”

Debra Messing indicated that she grew up with unhealthy eating habits and those were difficult to break. Vegetables were not a staple in her house hold, but now she makes sure to start the day with a healthy green drink.

“[That includes] kale and spinach and celery and ginger and lemon and cucumber,” she said. “At least I know I’m starting my day and getting a big shot of nutrients that I need. I start out strong … For the pilot, I was shooting 15, 16, 17 hours everyday. I really depended on having that juice once or twice a day. It really gave me more energy. That made an obvious difference for me, in me feeling strong.”

But despite feeling better on her healthy diet, the actress admitted to People Magazine she misses her junk food.

“I miss everything,” she told the publication. “I loved burgers and fries and pizzas – the greasiest food. Literally if I could, I would subsist on all of that. Unfortunately, working 17 hours a day, you can’t subsist [on that] and be a good employee,” the 45-year-old says, while also admitting, “I have fond memories of them.”

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Messing said she still doesn’t exercise regularly, and her diet was the first step for her toward leading a healthier life. Though will power has been an issue for her in the past, she said, she’s been doing really well with sticking to her healthy diet plan and so far so good.

“That was the goal from the beginning,” she said. “It was to try to figure out how to be a working mom and to do everything that a working mom has to do in a day and to do it with energy and the optimism and the focus it needs. I just was tired of being tired.