Sheryl Underwood Celebrates 95-Lb. Weight Loss by Wearing a Dress and Heels on The Talk for the First Time

Robert Voets/CBS

Sheryl Underwood is celebrating her birthday by reflecting on how far she's come in her wellness journey.

During Friday's episode, while celebrating her 59th birthday, the TV personality reached one of her biggest goals — losing what she felt was enough weight to wear a dress and heels on the show for the first time.

The Talk co-host opened up to PEOPLE about how she's feeling since losing 95 lbs. "I've worked really, really hard," she says.

After working with a personal trainer and dietician, the comedian didn't see the "impact" she wanted until finally listening to her doctors about making significant lifestyle changes. She also started Wegovy, an injection she began taking weekly to help suppress her appetite and jump start her weight loss program.

"I knew I was gaining weight. I could see it, and I knew that something was happening with my health ... And for the years that I've been here, you can go back through all of the footage, you've never seen me cross my legs," adds Underwood, who's in her twelfth season of the show.

Underwood says it was an emotional moment in her weightloss journey to cross her legs in a dress, a simple act that she's seen her good friends and co-hosts Natalie Morales and Amanda Kloots do.

"It felt amazing," she says. "Natalie, Amanda, and I, we're sisters in this, and I just wanted to do what I see them doing. So now we call it 'the Natalie'.

RELATED: 'The Talk' Co-Host Sheryl Underwood Lost 90 Lbs., Admits She Considered Gastric Bypass

Robert Voets/CBS

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.

For the milestone, the Daytime Emmy Award winner was glowing in a purple dress and red heels, admitting she went through about 10 dresses before finding a look with "that Dorothy effect."

"I wanted a dress that really showed the work that I've put in this and to show the audience and the world, 'You can do it too.' Pick a dress, pick a suit, that is your goal, and work toward that goal," she says.

"If I've worked hard on my body, I want to walk into church and all them saints fanning like, 'Oh, she look good.' I want to walk into my office, 'Oh my gosh, she look good.' I want to walk into the club or the restaurant and everybody's head turn and that's what I want," Underwood says. "That's how I feel, because when you look good, you feel good."

RELATED: Sheryl Underwood Opens Up to PEOPLE About Her 90-Lb. Weight Loss: 'I Feel Amazing'

Robert Voets/CBS

Although Underwood is feeling great with the progress she's made, she says that her weight loss journey isn't over yet. She tells PEOPLE that she's learning how to maintain the healthy habits she's established.

"I have to modulate, I make sure I drink a lot more water. I still have a really great quality of life. I have fun. Cake, rosé. But instead of having the big piece of cake, I have a bite of the cake and satisfy that. I have a glass of rosé, but I know I have to drink some water with it," she explains. "So I can tell when my face puffs up and everything and it's not just on camera vanity, it's health, period."

Underwood adds that she wants to lose 15 to 20 more pounds, hoping to make significant progress before the end of the year.

"You see I crossed my leg twice," she boasts again. "You just want to feel sexy… And that's the great feeling about this and it makes you continue on this journey."

THE TALK airs weekdays (2:00-3:00 PM, ET; 1:00-2:00 PM, PT/CT) on the CBS Television Network and streams on Paramount+.