Lifestyle Beauty & Style Cosmetic Procedures Sherri Shepherd Reveals She Had a Breast Reduction: 'I’m So Happy That I Did It' “It started becoming really painful,” the 56-year-old explained about why she decided to get the surgery By Vanessa Etienne Vanessa Etienne Vanessa Etienne is an Emerging Content Writer-Reporter for PEOPLE. People Editorial Guidelines Published on September 18, 2023 03:23PM EDT Sherri Shepherd . Photo: Andrew Werner Sherri Shepherd revealed she got a breast reduction. During the season 2 premiere of her daytime talk show, Sherri, the 56-year-old said she was holding onto the secret since getting the surgery on July 13. “I get so many comments about my body and a lot of yall kept saying, ‘Sherri, you’re too top heavy.’ And I would get comments like, ‘If you just got a boob job everything would be balanced.’ So guess what? I got my boobs done!” she shouted while dancing and showing off her body. “I had a breast reduction over the summer and season 2, everything is going to be bigger except these boobs! To be clear, I did not get this boob job because of all the comments. I got the boob job because I just wanted to see what it felt like to sleep on my stomach,” she quipped. “I’m so happy that I did it. I was a 42DD.” Shepherd admitted that it’s “bittersweet” because she loved her old breasts, however, they started to take a toll on her body. “I thought I was carrying around the weight of the world but really it was the weight of my boobs,” she said with a laugh. “All jokes aside, they were so heavy I was slouching all the time. It started becoming really painful, my back was hurting very badly.” Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. After getting the breast reduction, the former co-host of The View admitted, “I feel better. I’m not gonna say I wish I had done this a while ago because timing is everything. God gave them to me, they served me well but now, as I get older, I can sit up straight. I feel lighter.” Shepherd also compared the feeling to her weight loss journey when she could cross her legs after losing weight. The TV personality has always been transparent about her health and wellness journey. Last week, she shared an Instagram video of herself trying on a pair of jeans she’s owned since 2007. “I have been working out. I have been making the right food choices. I’ve been drinking my bone broth. And now I’m able to put on jeans that I haven’t been able to wear since 2007,” Shepherd said in the clip. Shepherd's dedication to her weight loss has paid off as she’s lost more than 40 lbs. by eating healthier and staying consistent in the gym. “I could not wear them for years because I hate getting back so much of my weight, but this time I said, ‘I am going to try it’, and I am so excited that they fit!” she added. “I just kept saying in my mind, ‘hard work, hard work, keep focusing on the hard work’ and I got into these jeans!” Sherri Shepherd. Andrew Werner Sherri Shepherd Explains How Son Jeffrey Jr. 'Woke Me Up' About Her Diabetes: 'I Don't Want to Die' The Daytime Emmy winner previously told PEOPLE that her son, Jeffrey Jr., played a pivotal role in motivating her to prioritize her health, particularly after her diagnosis with type 2 diabetes in 2007. "I had this vision of my son at 5 years old, holding his teddy bear, and he was crying because he was trying to figure out where heaven was, because that's where everybody said mommy was," she recalled. "And that woke me up. Anything about my son... I jolted up, and I said, 'I've got to make a change, because I don't want to die.’” Shepherd emphasized that her son serves as a daily source of motivation, supporting her in making nutritious dietary choices and staying committed to her fitness routine. "He's my constant encouragement," she told PEOPLE in 2021, "and I'm inspired by the fact that I can now engage in more activities with him and enjoy higher energy levels." Shepherd also opened up about how her diabetes diagnosis and how it completely transformed her life. “I don't see it as a death sentence; I view it as a second chance at life,” she said at the time. “It compelled me to become more knowledgeable about my dietary choices and exercise. I began to understand the profound link between exercise and its impact on my mental well-being, particularly the release of endorphins. It illuminated the powerful mind-body connection that stems from regular exercise."