Valerie Bertinelli has been open about her weight loss journey, which has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs, including struggles with self-image, emotional eating, and personal transformation.
Over the years, she has shared her experiences with various diets, fitness routines, and the emotional aspects of weight loss. Here’s a detailed look at her weight loss journey, including her past struggles, major milestones, and recent changes.
Contents
Valerie Bertinelli’s Struggles with Weight Over the Years
Valerie Bertinelli has been in the public eye since her teenage years, starring as Barbara Cooper on the hit TV show One Day at a Time in the late 1970s. As a young actress, she was often scrutinized for her appearance, which played a significant role in her long-standing struggles with body image.
- Pressure from Hollywood: In her early career, Valerie felt the pressure to maintain a certain weight to fit Hollywood’s beauty standards. She admitted that these pressures contributed to her unhealthy relationship with food, leading her to fluctuate in weight.
- Emotional Eating: Throughout her life, Valerie has dealt with emotional eating, especially during stressful times, such as her highly publicized marriage and eventual divorce from Eddie Van Halen.
- Yo-Yo Dieting: She tried multiple diets over the years but often found herself in the cycle of losing weight and then gaining it back.
Joining Jenny Craig and Major Weight Loss (2007-2012)
One of Valerie Bertinelli’s most public weight loss transformations happened in 2007 when she became a spokesperson for Jenny Craig. This marked a turning point in her weight loss journey.
- Starting Weight: At the beginning of her Jenny Craig journey, Valerie weighed around 172 pounds.
- Weight Loss Goal: Her initial goal was to lose 30 pounds, but she exceeded expectations and lost nearly 50 pounds, dropping down to about 125 pounds.
- Public Reveal: In 2009, after reaching her goal weight, Valerie confidently posed in a bikini on the cover of People magazine at age 48, a moment she described as both empowering and terrifying.
- Maintaining the Weight Loss: She maintained her weight loss for a few years by sticking to portion-controlled meals, exercising, and staying committed to her new lifestyle.
However, as she later revealed, weight loss alone didn’t bring her the happiness she had expected. Despite her success, she continued to struggle with self-esteem and emotional eating.
Weight Gain, Divorce, and Emotional Healing (2012-2022)
Despite her initial weight loss success, Valerie Bertinelli gained some weight back over the years due to life changes and personal struggles.
- Gaining Weight Again: As she stepped away from being the face of Jenny Craig, Valerie slowly gained weight back over the next decade.
- Emotional Toll of Divorce: In 2021, she went through a painful divorce from her second husband, Tom Vitale, which led to emotional distress and weight fluctuations. She later admitted that she coped with stress through food.
- Grief from Eddie Van Halen’s Death: In 2020, her first husband, rock legend Eddie Van Halen, passed away after a battle with cancer. Valerie was deeply affected by his death, and it impacted her emotional well-being, leading to further weight gain.
- Letting Go of the Scale: By 2022, she had shifted her focus from dieting to self-love and mental well-being. She publicly stated that she was no longer focusing on a number on the scale but rather on feeling healthier and happier.
Valerie’s New Weight Loss Journey (2023-Present)
After years of struggling with weight fluctuations, Valerie Bertinelli took a new approach to weight loss in 2023 and 2024—one that focused on mental and emotional well-being rather than dieting.
1. Mindset Shift
- Valerie has embraced a body-positive and self-love approach, rejecting strict dieting and focusing on mental health instead.
- She acknowledged that she no longer ties her self-worth to her weight.
- She stopped weighing herself regularly, stating that the scale no longer defines her happiness.
2. Intermittent Fasting
- In early 2023, Valerie revealed that she had started intermittent fasting, which has helped her feel better physically.
- She typically follows a 16:8 fasting schedule, meaning she eats within an 8-hour window and fasts for 16 hours.
3. Clean Eating
- She prioritizes whole foods, eating less processed food and cutting down on sugar and refined carbs.
- She includes lean proteins, vegetables, healthy fats, and whole grains in her meals.
4. Exercise Routine
- Valerie doesn’t follow an intense workout schedule but incorporates daily movement such as:
- Walking
- Light weight training
- Yoga for flexibility and stress relief
- She emphasizes exercise for mental well-being rather than just weight loss.
5. Reducing Alcohol Intake
- She admitted that she reduced her alcohol intake as part of her health journey, stating that cutting back on wine helped her feel better overall.
6. Emotional Healing and Self-Acceptance
- In 2023, Valerie shared that she was working on healing from past traumas, which included therapy and focusing on self-care.
- She adopted a stress-free approach to eating, no longer punishing herself for indulging in certain foods.
Valerie’s Recent Weight Loss in 2024
By 2024, Valerie Bertinelli had lost weight again, but this time it was not through dieting but through healing. Fans noticed that she looked happier and healthier in her Instagram updates.
- She attributed her transformation to self-love, balance, and healthy habits rather than strict dieting or excessive exercise.
- She continues to promote body positivity, urging women to stop obsessing over weight and instead focus on happiness and well-being.
- In interviews, she said she finally feels free from the burden of weight loss pressure.