Valerie Bertinelli Reflects on Being Fired from Diet Company
Valerie Bertinelli recently shared her experience of being let go from her spokesperson role for a diet company after initially losing 50 pounds but regaining it later. On January 14, during her appearance on “The Drew Barrymore Show,” she participated in a segment called “Memory Bank,” which prompts guests to discuss significant moments from their past, triggered by photos.
In this segment, Drew Barrymore, along with co-host Ross Matthews, and Bertinelli looked at a picture of her at the 2012 Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, dressed in a white floral sheath dress. Barrymore exclaimed, “Look, Val! God, you’re so beautiful!” to which Bertinelli candidly responded, “I was very scared.”
Bertinelli recounted how, in the years before that ceremony, she had been openly documenting her struggles with weight as a spokesperson for an unnamed diet program. “I joined a diet program in 2007 and lost 50 pounds,” she explained. “Afterward, as my life began to stabilize, the weight crept back because I wasn’t caring for my mental and emotional well-being.”
“The last year I worked with that diet company was tough,” she continued. “They eventually let me go, saying, ‘I can’t continue working with you because you’re starting to gain weight again.'”
When reflecting on the dress from that photo, she mentioned it was a size 12, remarking, “But a size 12 isn’t that big!” She contrasted this with her experience of fitting into a size 4, which she found unsustainable. “Really, I’ve had my ups and downs throughout my life, but I’m currently a size 10,” Bertinelli noted. “If I had been on a diet at a size 10, I would have panicked.”
Throughout the conversation, Bertinelli became emotional, expressing how her priorities have shifted. “Right now it’s about my mental and emotional health,” she said, fighting back tears. “I’m strong and secure about who I am. It doesn’t matter what I weigh.” She added, “What matters is who I am and how I treat people,” prompting applause and cheers from the audience.
Interestingly, Bertinelli mentioned that she still owns the dress featured in the photo, saying it fits her a bit more comfortably now. “What’s important is what’s in our hearts,” she emphasized. Matthews echoed this sentiment, while Barrymore invited an exploration of what health truly means beyond just size.
Bertinelli has previously remarked that she dislikes diet culture. In a February 2024 Instagram post, she revealed that she no longer weighs herself, sharing old bikini photos and declaring, “This body at 5-foot-4 and 150 pounds is ‘overweight’ according to society’s standards.” She criticized those standards as “stupid” and emphasized that one’s character should never be overshadowed by weight or height. “You are enough just as you are,” she concluded.
