How Did Valerie Bertinelli Lose Weight? Inside Her Journey to Accepting Herself

Valerie Bertinelli wanted to lose weight but realized that her mental and emotional well-being was not in the right place. The actress now has a healthy relationship with food and accepts her body as it is.

Valerie Bertinelli established her career as an actress, author, and chef, and behind the scenes, she is a loving mom. Throughout her time on television, fans saw different phases of Bertinelli’s life, both physical and emotional.

Previously, she was married to Eddie Van Halen but divorced him in 2007. She later walked down the aisle again and married Tom Vitale in June 2011.

WHY IS VALERIE BERTINELLI DIVORCING TOM VITALE

Sadly, Bertinelli and Vitale are getting divorced after ten years. They filed for legal separation in November 2021 and divorce in May 2022, citing irreconcilable differences. Bertinelli once said of Vitale:

“I could have spent the rest of my life with Tom and not be married, but I wanted to call him ‘my husband.’ I really wanted to share how I feel about Tom and the people I love.”

Bertinelli experienced physical changes during their married life, such as gaining and losing weight. The Food Network host once lost a significant amount of weight, giving her the confidence to wear a two-piece swimsuit.

HOW MUCH WEIGHT DID VALERIE LOSE?

When Bertinelli met Vitale, her five-foot-four frame weighed 162 pounds. When she reached 172 pounds, the actress embarked on a weight loss journey with the Jenny Craig diet. She said:

“I worked really, really, really hard. Physically definitely. I wish to God I had worked just as hard on my mental shape.”

Within nine months, Bertinelli lost a whopping 40 pounds. However, her weight loss did not necessarily mean a healthy relationship with food.

She realized that her mindset while initially losing weight was wrong.

It wasn’t until eleven years later that Bertinelli began working on her mental and emotional well-being by fixing her mindset when it comes to eating. Bertinelli wanted to love her body for more than what the numbers on the scale showed. She said:

“There is no magic number that will make me feel good about myself. I’m done judging myself. I want to be kinder and more accepting of myself.”

IS VALERIE STILL ON A DIET?

Bertinelli realized that her mindset while initially losing weight was wrong. She was focused on looking good for a photoshoot and partaking in the “bikini-ready” narrative. “I bought into the diet culture,” she said. “I always wanted to lose that last 10 pounds and it never made me happier, and I regret that.”

Her relationship with food is much better now as she no longer uses it as a way to suppress her feelings. Admittedly, Bertinelli loves food, which is why she enjoys eating and sharing what is on her plate with others. “It gives me joy now,” she said.