“I felt so horrified”: Valerie Bertinelli tearfully recalls being fired from diet company over gaining weight

Valerie Bertinelli recently appeared on The Drew Barrymore Show. The actress spoke about her experience with a weight loss brand and revealed that she was let go after she regained the weight.

Drew Barrymore and producer Ross Mathews had joined Bertinelli for a segment on the show called Memory Bank. They looked at old photos together, in which one picture showed Bertinelli at her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2012. Bertinelli wore an off-white dress in the photo, which led to Ross Mathews complimenting her on the episode.

"Look at you, Val! God, you're so beautiful," he said.

Bertinelli didn't feel the same way about how she looked.

"And I felt so horrified," Valerie Bertinelli replied.

She explained what was happening in her life during that time.

"I had started a diet program and then became their spokesperson in 2007 and I had lost 50 pounds. And then life started to get the better of me, and I wasn't taking care of my mental and emotional health, so the weight started to come back on," the star explained.

Valerie Bertinelli eventually revealed how things ended with the weight loss brand.

"And this was the last year, I believe, that I was with this diet company. And they fired me, eventually said, 'We can't keep going with you because you're gaining weight again,'" she said.

Valerie Bertinelli got emotional discussing mental health journey after being fired from the diet program:

The dress Bertinelli wore in the photo they looked at on The Drew Barrymore Show was a size 12. This was different from the size 4 she reached while working with the dieting program.

"I remember thinking, 'But size 12's not that big!'" Valerie Bertinelli said.

She explained that the smaller size wasn't healthy for her body.

"But I had gotten down to a size 4 — which was way too small for me and impossible for me to maintain," Bertinelli shared.

The actress said she learned an important lesson after losing the partnership. Valerie Bertinelli now focuses on her mental and emotional health instead of how she looks.

"I have been up and down, but pretty much, basically, this weight my whole life that I am right now, and I'm a size 10 now. And I would've been horrified then being on the diet program being a size 10," Bertinelli said.

Valerie Bertinelli got choked up while discussing how much she's grown as a person. Reflecting on her personal growth proved to be emotional for her.

"My mental and emotional health, even though I'm getting teary-eyed, is so strong right now. I'm so strong and firm in who I am and, no matter what people throw at me, I know who I am, and I know what kind of person I am, and it doesn't matter how much I weigh. What matters is who I am, how I treat people. Period!" Bertinelli said.

Valerie Bertinelli called herself "poster child" for being food and weight shamed in a 2024 interview:

Valerie Bertinelli gave an interview to USA TODAY in 2024. She talked about her relationship with body image and food during the conversation. The actress called herself the poster child for being food and weight-shamed. Bertinelli discussed her experience with the diet brand and what it did to her mentally.

"I lose weight on Jenny Craig, and I'm lovable? I was lovable before. That messed with my mind. I bought into diet culture hook, line and sinker like everybody else," she shared.

Bertinelli hosted Valerie's Home Cooking on Food Network. The Emmy-winning culinary host worked on the show from 2015 to 2023. She said getting back in the kitchen helped her take care of herself. Bertinelli used cooking as a way to nourish both her physical and emotional health.

The actress also spoke about how indulging in food is often viewed negatively. Valerie Bertinelli said the act has been given a bad reputation.

"'I'm going to cheat this weekend.' It's not cheating. We need to allow ourselves the pleasure of our lives. Food is a big, important part of my life," Bertinelli said.

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Valerie Bertinelli has been open about her journey with self-acceptance in recent years. The actress continues to use her platform to speak out against diet culture. She encourages others to focus on their mental health and well-being instead of chasing unrealistic beauty standards. She continues to inspire others through her honesty and vulnerability.

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