Leslie Jones says she dropped 40 lbs. over the last year by cutting out soda and walking

Leslie Jones Lost 40 Lbs. This Year with Kate McKinnon's Help: 'She Would Make Me Walk to Dinner!'

Healthy living is paying off for Leslie Jones!

The Saturday Night Live star says she’s lost 40 lbs. in the last year by watching her diet and kicking up her exercise routine.

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Jones, 48, says it all started after a nudge from her doctor.

“The first thing is for your doctor to tell you that you need to lose 40 lbs.,” she told Kelly Ripa after Ripa complimented her shape on Live with Kelly July 12. “I got rid of soda and juice, that was the first thing I did. That literally was 20 lbs. right there.”

Running around in the giant, supernatural-destroying pack she had to wear while filming Ghostbusters, helped, along with the support of her costar Kate McKinnon.

“Every time we went to dinner she would make me walk to dinner, we would walk after dinner. And then it just started becoming – I would work out, I would do yoga, I really tried to watch what I eat. It’s not always easy because I do have a sweet tooth that’s a killer. But I do they best that I can.”

“Well you look A-MAZ-ING,” Ripa told Jones.

Jones previously told PEOPLE that she struggled to accept her skin color and her 6-ft. height growing up.

“People used to call me names so my mom had this beautiful African lady come talk to me. I was like, ‘Oh my God if I’m going to look like you then I don’t care what anyone says about me,’ ” said Jones.

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And her height wasn’t an issue until she was older – but now she loves it.