‘Very Inappropriate’: Users Slam Valerie Bertinelli, 64, for Showing Off Her Body in Underwear Selfie – Photo

However, not everyone was critical. One fan praised her appearance, “Looking fabulous!!.” Other fans applauded her boldness, “You look great! Thank you for sharing. You are definitely an inspiration to us all..” An admirer summed up the positivity, “Valerie you look fantastic! ♥️.”

Bertinelli has made significant progress in embracing her body. In her younger years, despite having a beautiful figure, she struggled with self-acceptance and could only point to her ankles as a feature she liked. Now, she celebrates her body, appreciating everything that comes with aging, including cellulite and sagging skin, as a meaningful achievement.

“This is what I have, I so love my brain and my body carries my brain. I so love my heart and this body is what carries my heart, so it’s aging that’s what we all do, that’s all it’s doing,” she shared.

Bertinelli’s self-love journey led her to write her book “ Enough Already: Learning to Love the Way I Am Today,” which was released in 2022. While promoting her book, Bertinelli shared that she realized later in life how much growing up in the public eye, from childhood to adulthood, had influenced her. “It shaped who I thought I needed to be,” she explained.

The actress now recognizes that her belief that she needed to be liked by everyone was false. She shared that the entertainment industry led her to believe that gaining weight made her unlovable, but she has since learned that this notion isn’t true. Bertinelli is now focused on finding self-acceptance and embracing joy intentionally.

The public pressure Bertinelli faced to lose weight and the fat-shaming she endured as a child initially made her angry. “I remember my fifth grade teacher patted me on the belly and said, ‘You might want to keep an eye on that. That was the first time I became really aware of my body,” she recalled.

Additionally, when she starred as a teen in “One Day at a Time,” she got more comments about her body. “I was made to feel I could lose a few, like, let’s see if we can get you into a smaller size,” shared Bertinelli.

Over time, she stopped letting these comments affect her and, after telling her therapist she no longer wanted to be angry, she began to stop taking remarks about her weight personally.

Furthermore, Bertinelli said that she shifted her focus away from the number on the scale, explaining that she no longer checks her weight as frequently. Instead, she gauges her progress by how her clothes fit, particularly a pair of jeans. She emphasized that true progress comes from inner work, rather than obsessing over external numbers.

The 64-year-old also draws inspiration from plus-size celebrities, who she believes radiate confidence and self-love. She reflected on how these figures serve as role models, wishing they had been there for her to look up to when she was younger. She expressed deep gratitude for their presence, highlighting that their inner glow, regardless of size, is what truly stands out.

Bertinelli has also worked on reframing her relationship with food, transforming what could have been a negative into her strength. Food, which had been a symbol of love from her mother and grandmother, became her passion once again, especially through her work on “Food Network.”

Today, Bertinelli recognizes that it is not her body that defines her worth, but her heart, mind, and the kindness she shows others.