Ariel Winter opens up about her diet and fitness routine

Ariel Winter is getting candid about her health. The 21-year-old actress, who recently set the record straight to body shamers who criticized her smaller figure, is now opening up about her diet and fitness routine. While promoting Ulta Beauty's new hair blowout services in its salons, the Modern Family star spoke to E! about her fitness and diet goals.

© @arielwinter

Ariel Winter opens up about her diet and fitness routine

For the actress, going to the gym and working out with her personal trainer is crucial. "I think working out is really important for your physical health," she shared. "I think mental health is really important, but also, if you want to be healthy and while I am not the most excited to put my workout clothes on and go and do that, it is really nice, when you leave, you feel better...I just want to build muscle. My body changes all of the time and I think right now, it's just, I want to build muscle."

MORE: Ariel Winter on her breast reduction at 17: 'I got it for myself'

As for food? Ariel believes you can eat anything in moderation. "I believe, you know, you eat everything that you want in moderation, you know, if you can, if you're not allergic, whatever," she said. "Anything you can in moderation I think it's best, that way you're not like, really wanting something you can't have and like, you absolutely tell yourself you can't have it when, you know, you probably could, just in moderation."

She likes to indulge in carbs and sugar, so instead of giving that up, she exercises. "I also love to eat like, pasta and cheese and candy and all this stuff, so for me, I think it's important for my actual health to go in and make sure that I'm exercising," she continued. "So I think right now it's probably just, health is my main motivation for going in and working out." 

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The Modern Family actress previously received backlash over her dramatic weight loss

Earlier in the year, fans noticed Ariel's dramatic weight loss and were quick to criticize her, accusing her of plastic surgery and drug use. However, the actress clapped back and opened up. "For years I had been on anti-depressants that caused me to gain weight that I couldn't lose no matter what I did. It was always frustrating for me because I wanted to get fit and feel like the work I was doing was paying off, but never felt that way," she shared on her social media. "I had accepted it and moved on. I stayed on these medications for so long because the process is really long and difficult."