Valerie Bertinelli Found Painful 'Texts' & Was Called 'Fat' by Beloved Ex - She Speaks on Body Image Struggles

• Valerie Bertinelli posted an emotional video opening up about past trauma.

• She struggled not to be too harsh on herself about her body image.

• Valerie has opened a new chapter in her life and is recovering from past relationships.

Child star and Food Network icon Valerie Bertinelli recently opened up about trauma she experienced in the past. She shared how she was mistreated and how she endured emotional abuse from her previous husband, Tom Vitale.

Bertinelli filed for divorce from Vitale in 2022, only a few months after filing for legal separation. She mentioned that the day of the divorce was one of the best days of her life, and she later opened up about emotional abuse in relationships. She spoke frankly about her own situation with Viteli, sharing her thoughts on abuse.

On Wednesday, February 1, 2023, Bertinelli shared a clip on Instagram of herself lip-syncing over an audio clip. In the video, Bertinelli asked herself why she let her ex stay after "finding the texts." She responds to her own question, saying, "I don't know."

She revealed the nature of the "texts," saying her ex often called her "fat" and criticized her figure.

The clip and the caption stem from Bertinelli finding derogatory texts about her on her ex-husband's phone. The TV personality opened up about the texts, saying he often wrote demeaning things about her, and even after she found them, she stayed with him. Now, she finally realized it was time to move on.

Valerie Bertinelli Shared Her Pain in Instagram Video

The Instagram video of Bertinelli questioning herself on why she allowed her ex to remain in her life signified a turn for the TV chef. She has opened up about her recovery after separating from and divorcing Vitale. She shared her healing methods, saying she finds therapy extremely helpful.

In January 2022, Bertinelli wrote a book on self-acceptance called "Enough Already: Learning to Love the Way I Am Today."

She revealed the nature of the "texts," saying her ex often called her "fat" and criticized her figure. She also mentioned how he would project his own insecurities onto her but admitted she willingly stepped into that role. Now, she has decided to focus on what she needs.

After posting the Instagram video, followers responded with mixed reactions. Many supported her and praised her for standing up for herself and moving on. One user said they thought her ex was nice but realized, "I was really wrong!" Another user remarked, "You need to say out loud what happened and what he did."

Another user encouraged her to move on and insisted, "you're better than that." However, not everyone was as thrilled about her coming to terms with her trauma. Another user commented, "always having problems. Go get help."

The Actress Opens up about Her Struggle with Her Body

In January 2022, Bertinelli wrote a book on self-acceptance called "Enough Already: Learning to Love the Way I Am Today." In the book, she chronicles her experiences with body-image struggles over the years. She shared that she would often look at herself and only see the things that bother her.

After separating from Vitale, Bertinelli realized how many feelings she had bottled up.

However, she has started to improve the way she looks at herself. She refrains from judging herself whenever she looks in the mirror or sees herself on TV. After a long series of challenges and heartbreaks, Bertinelli realized she needed to be kinder towards herself. She opened up about her struggle with weight loss:

"I'm looking at myself in the monitor and trying not to judge myself too harshly right now because I know that I'm still holding on to this weight because it's protecting me right now. Because I'm going through a lot of challenges. A lot of heartbreak. A lot of crazy stuff is going on in my life right now."

Although she's eating healthier and refraining from drinking alcohol, she still hasn't lost weight. Bertinelli theorized that her weight is keeping her safe emotionally, acting as a kind of buffer and comfort through all the traumatic things she has experienced recently.

Bertinelli Has Started a New Chapter in Her Life after Hard Divorce

After separating from Vitale, Bertinelli realized how many feelings she had bottled up. Through therapy and journaling, she has started to work through all her unresolved trauma, feeling every emotion and dealing with the pain. She shared:

"I am gonna be more than happy to be happily divorced and spend the rest of my life alone. I'll be happy that way. Well, with my six cats and my dog and my son, and hopefully one day grandchildren."

The divorce allowed Bertinelli to explore herself and get to know herself in a new light. The chef mentioned she is working on bettering herself and changing the way she looks at herself. She also assured fans that she is done with narcissists after divorcing one.