Sherri Shepherd on Her Bathing Suit Body: 'I Like the Results'

Aug. 20, 2009— -- Sherri Shepherd says her son was the primary motivation for her recent weight loss and her determination to embrace a healthy lifestyle.

"I have a four-year-old I had at a late age," "The View" co-host told Chris Cuomo on "Good Morning America." "My mom passed away at 41 from diabetic complications -- I want to be here for my son."

If you watch "The View," you know that having a big mouth can be a good thing on the hit daytime show.

But Shepherd has spent the past few months focusing on getting smaller in other areas. First and foremost, her body, which she recently debuted in a bathing suit on the show.

After months of a strict diet and exercise regimen, Shepherd donned five-inch Yves St. Laurent heels and a sleek black one-piece as she strutted her stuff to "I'm Every Woman" center stage on "The View's" set. The big reveal was the culmination of a season-long effort to get her in shape.

Few things in Shepherd's life have been off-limits, and her weight problem has been no exception.

"My biggest health issue has been my weight, which has been up and down for years," she said on the show.

This season the 42-year-old mother of 4-year-old Jeffrey vowed to get serious and shape up.

"At the end of this season, I am going to get in a bathing suit live on 'The View!'" she announced earlier this year to a cheering audience.

The battle was on, and Shepherd's dream team -- trainer Don Scott, endocrinologist Dr. Daniel Donovan, nutritionist Dr. Rovenia Brock and wardrobe stylist Fran Taylor -- were ready to help her conquer her battle of the bulge.

"Now it's time for the real work to begin," she said.

Shepherd will star in her own sitcom this fall on "Lifetime," called "Sherri." She has a new book coming out in October called "Permission Slips: Every Woman's Guide to Giving Yourself a Break."