'Here's who I am at 55': Teri Hatcher proudly shares unedited bikini photo to social media

Teri Hatcher is loving life in her fifties - and wants everyone to know it.

The 55-year-old “Desperate Housewives” star appeared on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna to share the story behind an untouched bikini photo she recently shared to Instagram.

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“I took the picture because it was the end of an eight-week gym challenge that I had been doing that involved me being on an anti-inflammatory diet and not to lose weight,” Hatcher said.

The former Bond Girl revealed she began the program not intending to lose weight, but with a goal of becoming healthy and strong. At the end of the challenge, participants were required to provide a photo of themselves to reveal their transformation.

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“When I saw it, it wasn’t that I thought, ‘Oh wow, look how great I look’ or anything,” she explained. “I just felt like I wanted to be vulnerable. I wanted to say to women, to everybody, you know, ‘Here’s who I am at 55. This is it. I’m not lying. I’m a strong woman. I’m a strong person.’”

According to her post on Instagram, the workout challenge helped Hatcher to finally “be comfortable in my own skin.”

“Age allows you to be clear on your purpose and cherish who and what you are grateful for. You have enough age to see the miracle of life and enough youth to revel in that knowledge,” the actress wrote to her more than 350,000 followers. “You can be vulnerable and strong at the same time. You can forgive others and yourself. You are willing to put in the effort to reach the goal...or not.”

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Hatcher told hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager she hoped that the inflammatory diet helped her manage her body, as well as cutting out alcohol. Although she feels her best, Hatcher is open and honest about the challenges women face physiologically and hormonally as they age.

“When I say like I feel the best, you can’t kid yourself, like after menopause when you don’t have estrogen coursing through your body,” she said. “You know, it’s no joke, the things change. And I think more women need to be talking about that, so that we understand this sort of seven-year mysteriousness of hell that your body goes through.”

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