Valerie Bertinelli Doesn’t Like ‘People Poo-Pooing’ Those Who Use Ozempic: ‘Whatever People Need’ (Exclusive)
"Get rid of the food noise and then continue on," the TV star and cookbook author tells PEOPLE
It took Valerie Bertinelli a long time to learn to listen to her body — and to find what truly nourished her. “I’ve learned patience,” says the 63-year-old TV star and cookbook author. “Stop with the ‘lose ten pounds in a week.’ Why would you want to? If you want to start taking care of your emotions and your head and your heart, do that, and watch yourself release the weight.”
That was the path she chose, as she shares in this week’s PEOPLE cover story. And while she hasn’t tried the current diet drugs now on the market, such as Ozempic, she says she supports them if they work for other people.
“I think whatever people need to help them, if it helps, use it,” says Bertinelli. “Get rid of the food noise and then continue on.”
In her case, getting rid of the “food noise” was about healing from the inside out. “Unless and until you do the work on your emotions and your mental health, it's all going to come back,” says the former Food Network host.
“Maybe it could have gone quicker, but why do I need to go quicker?” she reflects. “Unless you do the emotional and mental work, weight is not going to stay off. But what I don't like is people poo-pooing others that have decided to use it. I think anything you need to do, if you need to go on a diet, if you need to go on Weight Watchers, if you feel better doing Paleo, or Keto, if that makes you feel better, because my brother is doing Keto and I tell him, 'Dude, eat a banana. It's not going to kill you.' But he says ‘This is working for me,’ so, cool."
Learning what worked for her is something she shares in her new cookbook, Indulge, a collection of favorite recipes and personal stories, including how she went from “obsessing” about what she was going to eat, to enjoying what she put in the table.
“I still have my moments where I’ll start unconsciously eating because I’m feeling something emotional and mid way through I’ll think what am I doing? Why am I feeling this way?," she says. "When I find myself unconsciously emotionally eating, I don’t beat myself up. I go, okay, give myself a hug and say what’s going on?”
“I’ve learned so much through all of it," she adds with a smile. "I wished I’d learned a little quicker but I’m certainly going to enjoy the next 20 years. I see a happy ending."
For more on Valerie Bertinelli, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE on newsstands Friday.
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