Valérie Bertinelli recalls being fired after becoming a size 12

Valerie Bertinelli shares the painful experiences that accompanied her weight gain.

The “One Day At A Time” actress has long been an open book when it comes to her body, whether it’s sharing her weight loss journey or proudly embracing her figure.

Now, in a raw and candid moment, the “Sydney” star reveals it wasn’t all rosy for her. She admitted that the same body she learned to embrace cost her an opportunity.

Bertinelli shared the painful experience of losing his job because of his weight during the “Memory Bank” segment of “The Drew Barrymore Show”, where guests reflect on moments from their past.

Bertinelli brought a photo from her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2012, where she wore a knee-length white dress.

While Drew Barrymore called the image “stunning,” Bertinelli admitted that she felt anything but confident at the time. “I felt so horrified,” she recalls.

The “Hot in Cleveland” star revealed that years before the event, she documented her weight loss journey as the face of an anonymous diet company and lost 50 pounds.

However, she gained the weight back after neglecting to take care of herself. Reflecting on the photo, Bertinelli continues:

“And that was the last year, I think, that I was in that diet company. And they fired me, and finally said, ‘We can’t continue with you because you’re gaining weight again.'”

Bertinelli revealed that it was her last year with the brand as they “fired” her. She remembers their words saying: “They finally said, ‘We can’t continue with you because you’re gaining weight again.’ »

Bertinelli recalled that she was a size 12 in the photo and didn’t consider her “that big.” She compared this to an earlier period when she had lost weight to a size 4, a weight she admitted was impossible to maintain.

The “Kids Baking Championship” host fought back tears as she reflected on her journey to self-acceptance.

She admitted that while her weight fluctuates, she currently wears a size 10, adding that at the time on the show she would have been horrified by this. However, she is now at peace with her size.

“My mental and emotional health – even though I have tears in my eyes – is very good right now,” Bertinelli said. “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 what weight I am.”

She shared that she still owns the dress, and while it fit well, she emphasized that size doesn’t matter. What really matters is the heart.

While confident in her look, the Food Network star didn’t hesitate to blast those who criticize her appearance.

In 2024, she responded to trolls who shamed her for posting a bikini photo, leaving them with a message to think about.

“I hope you find a place in your heart to not judge yourself as harshly as you judge others,” she wrote. The explosion previously reported.

The media personality revealed that the judgment had followed her since childhood and that, despite everything, she had no desire to return to her 20-year-old body.

As for what motivated her to post a photo of herself in her underwear, Bertinelli was candid. She explained that she has come to terms with aging and her changing appearance.

“I saw myself in the light and I was like, ‘Oh, I’m not mad about that,'” she shared.

Bertinelli continued to prove she’s never afraid of change by swapping her longtime brunette hair for a striking blonde look, first teasing the transformation on Instagram two months ago.

As The explosion reported, Bertinelli revealed that the makeover was done by celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton, best known for his work with Kim Kardashian.

The reveal quickly caught the attention of fans, with its comments section filled with praise for the bold new style.