Sherri Shepherd lost 25 lbs on a keto diet, hasn’t eaten sugar in almost a year


I could have sworn Sherri Shepherd, 51, lost weight just a few years ago, but that was way back in 2009, when she lost over 40 pounds. This reminds me of Oprah in that Sherri’s reveal was so memorable. Sherri came out onto the set of The View in a bathing suit and was presented a bunch of smorgasbord of cheat food as a reward, it was weird. (There’s no shame in gaining it back. I also lost weight around then, gained it back plus some and then lost it again. That’s the dieting cycle for you.)

Sherri left The View in 2014 and does steady TV acting work along with doing standup. The last we reported on her was three years ago, when she was dealing with tricky custody drama involving her shady ex and a surrogate baby, born after they split, which was not hers biologically and which she didn’t raise.

Sherri thinks she’s found the answer in the keto diet, which is a low carbohydrate, moderate protein diet. We’ve talked about it here before and some of you swear by it. It sounds punishing to me, but I’m a sugar addict and I get super tired every afternoon so I have no room to talk. Sherri has type 2 diabetes, she was diagnosed in 2007, so this change was even more important to her health. She wrote the following post on Instagram about the 25 pounds she’s lost and her motivation to make this change – her 13 year-old son. (This post is from August but People Magazine just covered it, which is how I found it.)

View this post on Instagram

Tried on some swimsuits from @Torridfashion & they fit!!! It’s been a long journey full of prayer, self-encouragement, wanting food, craving sugar … forgiveness when I fall, cajoling myself into the gym & onto a jump rope… crying when I did 3 min of jump rope (may not be a lot to you but THREE min jumping rope- almost took me out🙌🏾) … thankful for the love & encouragement along the way of friends & some beautiful people I met on IG … at 168.4 lbs, I am still not where I want to be but I feel AMAZING! Mental clarity, focus and more discipline due to removing #sugar from my life (154 days #sugarfree)… as I was eating a Reese’s Cup, Jeffrey asked me who was going to be his bodyguard if I died … hit me like a ton of bricks. So much going on… I was trying to numb myself with food so much so that my son was having anxiety attacks. I realized God had given me everything I needed to take control of my health… I feel like I am getting there one choice at a time. Hopefully this encourages you ♥️🙏🏾 #sherrishepherd #singlemom #workinghard #teamhealthy #keto #lovemyson #nothinggoodcomeseasy #bekindtoyourself

A post shared by Sherri (@sherrieshepherd) on

Halle Berry has type 1 (juvenile) diabetes and she follows a keto diet as well. PopSugar has a breakdown of Halle’s diet as shared on Instagram and it looks super healthy. I would say it also looks like it’s not enough calories but some of her choices, like soft cheese and meat sauce, can be calorie dense.

As for Sherri’s choice, I can relate to eating Reese’s and then feeling like crap and not wanting to see the connection. I asked my doctor to test for type 2 diabetes due to other issues that could be related and thankfully the results were normal. My issue with sugar is one of those “if you think you have a problem” things. There’s got to be a better balance between going full keto and eating like crap. Maybe I don’t need ice cream every day. Also Sherri looks great and more than that she feels great, so that’s what counts. This camo dress though.

Sherri and her son, Jeffrey, in July!
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photos credit: WENN and via Instagram

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58 Responses to “Sherri Shepherd lost 25 lbs on a keto diet, hasn’t eaten sugar in almost a year”

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  1. Rulla says:

    I wanted to do keto but my nutritionist said it was very very difficult for women to actually get to that point. I recently read that Jenna Jameson also lost a ton of weight on keto wishing 6 months or so. I might give it a try once I have the baby.

    • dietcokehead says:

      Keto diets are…not great. I’ve read studies and heard from providers that the diet is linked to higher rates of cardiac events, among other health complications. It’s just not worth it to me. You’re better off following a diverse diet of healthy foods in reasonable portions and exercising.

      • Chloeee says:

        There are healthier ways of doing keto than butter bacon and cheese though. I fill up on my “free” veggies like spinach and Brussels and stick to nuts oils chicken fish turkey (not a beef/pork fan) and supplement the things like cheese and butter and cream. I also sometimes get burned out on the meat so will skip meat in a meal or snack if I don’t feel like it and do a protein shake. My downfall is carby foods. Potatoes, rice, breads. I didn’t think I ate that much until I realized how sneaky they were in a lot of food. Lost 25 lbs in 4 mo. When I do cheat it kickstarts my metabolism and stops plateaus so I haven’t gained anything back. Trader Joe’s has an amazing low carb chocolate that is a life saver when I do crave sweets. Goal is another 10-15 and then I’m going to incorporate beans and grains back and watch calories and portions.

      • Erinn says:

        +1
        It can be very very dangerous – and honestly, it’s mostly reccommended to people who are very obese. But most people also gain back a chunk of the weight within a year. Most of the weight loss is water weight, and you can lose muscle by doing it as well. It REALLY should only be done under clinical supervision and for short term. It’s something meant for extreme cases for the general population, and I find it so scary that there are SO many people that promote it.

        ALSO – if you’re prone to kidney stones, avoid it like the plague.

    • Isabelle says:

      I’ve known several women including myself that lost a 20lbs plus. My numbers, cholesterol actually went down and my sugar addiction, was cut. It felt like detoxing at first. My Doc says it is make one of the diets she does approve for women especially if you are menopausal and having serious symptoms (sugar & carbs can exacerbate hot flashes & so memory problems) or obese. I have a friend with a head injury who has been on it longterm since her recovery has been a few years now. It is a great diet to lose a lot weight if that is your goal or to ween yourself off of sugar, or those with illness benefiting from it. However, it isn’t a longterm diet unless you have medical reasons, obese/overweight, or have a sugar addiction your are needing to break. Your Doctor would know best.

    • Vintage says:

      Try a modified version of the Whole 30. Similar principles and easier to do.

    • East Coast Go-Getter says:

      Ive done Keto and Whole Thirty… variations of atkins. Its all about balance. When people rely on meat they need to make sure its lean and not fatty or too much chloestoral but that goes for any diet. I have plenty of friends who’ve started Keto, lost lots of weight and kept it off if you also don’t go nuts with overcompensating for fatty foods because you miss sugar or carbs and introduce healthy carbs back in gradually.

    • Scylla74 says:

      I have an autoimmune disease and problems with some food. Especially gluten and milkproducts. Recently I was at a dietician and she tested me out and also said that different people need different diets. Some need lots of protein and fat. Others carbs and lean stuff. The testing was done in the traditional Chinese medicine way TCM and actually I feel quite good with it.

      So probably we should start to accept that there is not one way suitable for everyone….

    • skipper says:

      Jenna did lose a lot of weight on Keto (from what she says anyway) but she still continues to photo shop the heck out of her pictures. It’s so obvious. When people call her out for it she has her fans attack them before blocking them. I’m not discounting the fact that she lost a lot weight, she clearly did. But I don’t think she’s being completely honest about everything.

  2. Neehow says:

    Sherri looks ageless as well. I do a modified keto diet to keep my face filled out.

    • kg says:

      please share…that is one of the big aspects of losing weight. you lose it in your face too

      • Losing it in my face was a big plus for me doing Atkins! when I gain weight, it really shows up in my face. I call it “fat face”. I wouldn’t mind gaining weight so much if it didn’t immediately show up in a big double chin! I envy women who gain weight and it doesn’t show up there.

  3. Esmom says:

    She looks great. And her son is adorable. I get wanting to do better for your kids. I don’t think I could ever give up sugar but I have noticed that I do lose weight pretty easily when I cut back. I just can’t seem to quit it forever, though.

    I also get tired in the afternoon. Green tea (with no sweetener) helps me a lot, I find it both relaxing and energizing, somehow.

  4. OriginalLala says:

    different strokes – my body does not do well on a low carb diet at all. I need lots of plants and grains! but Im also Italian and a life with no pasta and beautiful homemade crusty whole grain bread is not a life worth living!

    I have found that when I drink fermented drinks like kombucha and water kefir regularly, my appetite for sugar decreases significantly..not sure why?

    • Pineapple says:

      Original Lala … I just think you are healthy. I am sure we can all maintain an average weight with healthy, diverse choices, exercise and portion control. I don’t think its easy, especially as you get older, but I am positive it can be done. Although, easier said than done my friend. XO I am trying now … might be looking at Kombucha and water kefir. XO

      • OriginalLala says:

        as Im getting to my mid-30s im noticing that portion control is the key for me..sadly..because even when eating minimally processed, whole foods I can gain weight easily if Im eating to much..boo!

        I really love water kefir (I dont eat dairy but if you do there is milk kefir) I make it at home and its slightly fizzy and I sweeten it with berries. so good!

    • Cee says:

      Argentine with a lot of italian in her – take pasta away and I’m miserable. I only now eat it once a week and only with pesto. Bread is hard for me to give up. However, I try to eat a slide of veggies and salad with every meal. Makes me feel good and keeps hunger away.

    • Isabelle says:

      We are all different. If I eat lots of grains I wake up the next morning, with water retention, puffiness, dark circles and weight gained. Can’t do grains at all.

  5. LadyMTL says:

    There’s diabetes in my family (granddad type 1, mom and dad type 2) and I get checked every few years just to be on the safe side, though my MD told me I’ll probably be fine as long as I maintain my weight. In his experience most type 2’s result from weight gain and not enough exercise, not so much from genetics. Still, it never hurts to be proactive! I’ve cut down on my refined sugar intake, but I doubt I could go all-out keto…I love my carbs too much, lol.

    • Cee says:

      I was diagnosed with insulin resistance 8 months ago. I overhauled everything, from diet to exercise, and even though I haven’t lost a lot of weight, I’m hopeful the next set of exams and glucose/insulin curve results will be better. I’m determined to escape type 2 (mum and her dad have it. Our bodies hate insulin.)

      • lucy2 says:

        Same here – I did a retest a few months later and my numbers had greatly improved (and I was not perfect with diet or exercise, just better) but then I got hit with Lyme disease this summer and it screwed everything up.

        Best thing for everyone to do is consult with a good doctor, don’t listen to celebrities and diet fads.

    • LadyMTL says:

      Keep it up, Cee! I’m sure you’ll see good results. 🙂 It can be so hard to overhaul our lifestyles (I’m guilty of it too, I’m a lazy lazy person who hates exercise lol) but if it will help stave off diabetes then it’ll be so worth it!
      As my BFF likes to say…you can doooo ittttt.

  6. Pineapple says:

    When I first learned of Ketosis .. I was in University 25 years ago. At the time it was referred to as Ketosis poisoning. Your body metabolizing sugar was seen as a problem. Now with the obesity epidemic it is being touted as a cure all. I can’t help but wonder though, sugar has been around for centuries. I am not sure sugar is the real problem. I think all of the types and varieties in our diet, all the sugar substitutes, might be the real problem. Our food is crap. Pre-packaged food contains all kinds of sugar listed as different substances in the ingredients list. I suspect that is the cause of, or part cause, of all of the obesity. Maybe genetically modified food too? Something caused an obesity epidemic and I don’t think we have determined what. That concerns me. That being said, it sure does work for people! I just hope everyone has the means to consult advisors when doing this … or that they do a lot of reading. And I hope research keeps trying to find out the “why” behind the obesity epidemic. I am one of those overweight people … I know the struggle. The ice cream battles. XO

    • Nikki says:

      Sugar hasn’t been around for centuries, at least, not anything like our present consumption. In George Washington’s time, the average American consumed 6 pounds of sugar annually; today the average is 130 pounds annually, mostly in the form of corn syrup. Sugar is killing us.

      • Esmom says:

        Yes, and it’s hidden in foods that you wouldn’t think have sugar. My MIL pointed out to me once that saltine crackers contain high fructose corn syrup. At least they did, I know some companies are now trying to cut back.

      • Kate says:

        Yes this is exactly right – and even a couple of centuries are nothing next to the millennia of development that have formed our metabolic systems. High levels of sugar are an extremely recent change, and certainly not a good one.

      • BeanieBean says:

        Right, it’s the added sugars. People have been eating fruits & honey for millennia.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        I come from the land of corn, and it is in EVERYTHING now.

        Companies learned it is more profitable to sell a person applesauce instead of an apple. If you can add a processing step, you can sell it for much more.

        If you can insert fillers during the processing, you get even more bang for your buck. Iowa and it’s political power have (IMO) allowed corn starch and corn syrup to be put into so many, many foods where they don’t belong. It is no longer “food” it is “edible food-like product”.

    • lara says:

      The amount of sugar consumed by the average western person has risen significantly, same for the amount of processed fats. At the same time, people are moving less and less. 20 years ago my parents had one car and us kids went everywhere on foot or bike, same for my mother (even carrying the shopping bags). We also had three meals a day and almost no snacks in between and sweets were limited to a certain amount for my brother and me. Also the level of stress has risen and higher stress levels lead to cravings and lessen your self control. There are some interesting studies, that the amount of decisions a person can make a day is limited, and afterwards you fall back into your habits. It your ability to make sensible decisions is used up at work it becomes more difficult to chance your eating habits. And last but not least, portion size has grown and processed food is designed to be as addictive as possible (crunch factor for chips for example).
      There is no single reason or solution, it is a mix of too much sugar and fat, to much processed food, to little movement and to much stress. And most of all an unhealthy environment where processed food is available everywhere while the way cities are build discourages walking and to long working hours stop people from working out in the free time.

    • adastraperaspera says:

      Good point. Corn syrup replaces sugar in our sodas now, and also in cake mixes, frozen foods, pizza sauces, etc., etc. Also, so many people eat fast food, and that’s just different manifestations of slurries from ag products that receive subsidies (wheat, corn soy).

    • Amelie says:

      Well eating healthy is expensive–eating good quality fruits/vegetables/meat is expensive. Most people can’t afford Whole Foods every week and all the expensive healthy stuff so they buy processed food because it’s cheap. Which is why you tend to see more obese people in lower income communities. Also people don’t exercise. Gyms again are expensive and people would rather pay for TV/Internet then pay for the gym.

      I’m not saying that’s the only contributing factor, genetics are definitely also a factor. It’s a combination of things. A few hundred years ago people weren’t eating prepackaged junk food and chocolate/sugar was not widely available, it was considered a luxury. People also moved around a lot more and weren’t sedentary as the Internet/TV/card/modern technology did not exist. So it’s not exactly a mystery.

  7. Kim says:

    Kudos to her on the weight loss.

    She’s still a terrible, terrible person for what she did to that baby and the surrogate who carried the baby.

    You shouldn’t create life and then turn your back on it.

    • OriginalLala says:

      i dont think I know that story – will google it now!

    • Ashley says:

      That was such a weird story! Regardless of her relationship with the father, how could she just abandon her child? So strange.

    • lucy2 says:

      I agree – I really enjoy her as a comedic actress on 30 Rock and Trial & Error (which is so funny) but she seems like a crap person. That was a terrible thing to do.

  8. Becks1 says:

    I keep looking at keto but I know I couldn’t stick to it. I like carbs too much. I did Whole30 last year with my husband and made a comment about how I just wanted a big bowl of pasta and he was like…..that’s what you miss the most? lol.

    I do think sugar is a problem for me and I also think its EVERYWHERE. Sometimes I’ll do a very modified “whole 30” where I try to eliminate added sugar and soy, and just doing that – which forces me to read labels – makes a big difference. Those two things are in so much that most people don’t even realize.

    • Isabelle says:

      I’ve tried several low carb diets and KETO is the only one I stuck with until I lost all of the weight and broke my sugar addiction. The fat IMO is more satisfying than high protein diets. I’ve kept my wight off now for 3 plus years and still have less sugar cravings.

  9. Loopy says:

    I don’t know if its the huge boobs or broad shoulders but she looks disproportionate.

  10. CharliePenn says:

    My body loves keto because I have inflammation in my spine and hip. On keto I had soooo much less pain and inflammation, less skin irritation, less mental irritation, more energy, and I lost 25 lbs of baby weight!
    This was over the last year. I was strict for a while then I went on and off the diet. What I love is that I have kept every pound lost OFF, even when I went back to a more average American carby diet again. It’s real weight loss.

    I’m planning to go strict keto again for a few months in the new year and see if I can get a little more weight off and also experience the benefits once again. Staying away from sugar is definitely 100% the hardest part, for me. I am fine without pasta, bread etc etc I can live. It’s the sugar addiction that gets me. And yes sugar makes me feel like shit, but getting over the hump of getting off sugar is some serious withdrawal pains and I’m putting it off!!

  11. Joy says:

    I did keto and lost weight but my hair fell out and I developed a terrible rash. A lot of women on fb said they had the same issue and they just accepted it. I ain’t got time for all that.

  12. Jmcb says:

    I did keto for 3 years. I had a honeymoon on it at first – felt amazing and so energized. Then I ended up with an eating disorder. Because if you have the genetic predisposition for an eating disorder you can get really scared to eat carbs for fear that they are bad for you/will make you fat.

    With keto so much of my weight loss was water weight and when I started to eat carbs again I retained water like crazy. But then I was crazy too, mentally, on keto. My body and brain need carbs to thrive, even though I survived without them.

  13. Svea says:

    FYI tired in the afternoon could be adrenal fatigue. Basically stress blew out the adrenals and they aren’t coping well. Propping up with sugar or caffeine is the worst you can do because it just hurts them more. Takes a couple of years to heal them. They need Vitamin C so be sure to take plenty. Aswaghanda helps them too. If really a bad case an alternative practitioner will tell you to take adrenal glandulars, which got me over the hump. This is very common. Investigate it and take care of your depleted adrenal glands. They are important to us.

    • Celebitchy says:

      I had a doctor tell me I had that. He put me on low dose steroids for it ages ago but I don’t like taking steroids. I’m trying to eat better but I love sugar so much. I’m also doing meditation when I remember.

  14. Murphy says:

    I like eating low carb because it helps me cut back on snacking, I won’t call what I do keto because it isn’t as strict (and you get a million different opinions when you say the K-word) I find that its easiest to eat this way in the summer with all the fresh fruit and vegetables and the availability of the grill (I live in New England) but have a harder time with it in colder months so I’ve let myself just go back and forth.

  15. Barrett says:

    I have had to really change my diet due to endometriosis and GI related issues from it (no wheat, no dairy) I struggle w keeping weight on but Halle Barry’s diet looks so unsatisfying? I’d be craving more Protein/fat especially at breakfast. Also I’d have heartburn! Ha ha

  16. Kimble says:

    I lost 59lbs this year on 3 months of keto and 8 months of low carb. I have never had a bulletproof coffee, don’t eat a ton of bacon etc. Lean meat, fish, seafood, vegetables, a lot of salad and occasional dairy were the key for me. I also aim for 10k steps per day.

    I get why people think keto is “dangerous” – too many people use it as an excuse to gorge on saturated fats rather than healthy eating. ANY “diet” you don’t stick to will result in regain. The goal is to find a WOE you can stick to.

  17. Lila says:

    That seems like a whole lot more hassle than I’m willing to put myself through. I eat healthy/home cooked/diversely, move a lot, lift heavy, and call it good.

    But props to her for finding a program that works. If I had the time and resources, or if my income relied on how I looked, I’m sure I’d be trying all sorts of options, too.

  18. Prissa says:

    I lost 15lbs with no exercise doing low carb / Keto diet. I went off the diet and gained 20lbs back. Today is day 2 of my going back to low carb and I’m exercising this go round. My goal is to lose 50lbs by June 2019 🙂

    I’ve never been a sugar person, so that part isn’t hard. But I love potatoes, chips and pizza. When I did it before, I learned to make so many things without potatoes (cauliflower mash, veggie tots, zucchini & kale chips, etc). I can hardly wait to try to make cauliflower pizza. I’m looking forward to the journey!

    • CharliePenn says:

      Once you rice and cook the cauliflower, put it in a cheese cloth or thin kitchen cloth and squeeeeeze the life out of it. Get as much water out as you can. This will give you a crust that holds together and gets slightly crispy. Just had to share with you, I learned the hard way lol. Have fun and enjoy!

  19. Vintage says:

    Crap, I was going to say how adorable she was in that retro bathing suit, but they story of her abandoning her baby is a turn off.

    Yuck. Apparently beauty is only skin deep.

  20. Ang says:

    It’s might be because you stopped drinking alcohol. I have it to; 5 years sober in January. I have dessert every day and just crave sugar!

  21. Pandy says:

    Her first shot – jeans and turtleneck – she looks AMAZING! Love her hair!

  22. Sue Denim says:

    I went off cane sugar a few years ago for a variety of reasons and my skin, stomach and overall health have improved so much. Part of this is it removes a lot of processed foods. It also gets me eating and enjoying more fruits (pineapples, apples, etc.) and vegetables (yams, etc.), which now taste so yummy to me. Cane sugar is highly addictive so there may be withdrawal, but once it’s out of your system, you don’t crave it. Almost like you’re feeding the sugar not your body when it’s in your system. It used to distract me in ways I wasn’t aware of too, truly like an addiction. Socially it took some adjustment, sugar is such a huge part of all kinds of events, but I just quietly get something else on my plate, usually fruit, and no one cares. Not to preach, but it’s worth a try… Oh, and if I crave chocolate, which I rarely do now, I get good organic pure dark and then put a bit of honey on it, a nice treat. Just my two cents…!

    • Sue Denim says:

      Just to add, I also cut out all other added sugars other than honey, and eat mainly whole foods. Japanese yams are my go to for a carby treat. All much simpler than it may sound and yummy. Anyway, it’s helped me a lot, and doesn’t have to be complicated…

  23. Mrs.Krabapple says:

    Cutting out processed sugar and flour is probably a good idea, no matter what type of diet you’re on (and even if you’re not on any diet). But keto lost me when I read it cuts out legumes. Unless you are one of the few people with specific health issues that prevent you from eating legumes, they are some of the healthiest foods you can eat. When restricting calories ends up cutting out a whole category of healthy foods, that is not a good diet.

  24. Vera says:

    I wonder what happened to that baby she abandoned. I can’t with her.

  25. HappyFeetGladFeet says:

    I like Sherri but now her head looks far too big for her body.