The actress is urging her fans to know they are 'enough' just the way they are.
Valerie Bertinelli is sharing a powerful message about body acceptance and self-love with her fans.
In an Instagram post on Thursday, accompanied by a 2014 throwback photo of herself in a purple bikini confidently lounging in a pool, the actress bravely opened up about her own struggles with body image and societal standards.
"This is a 150lb body on a 5'4 frame. I don't weigh myself anymore because this is considered overweight by whose standards I don't know. It's stupid and I believed them for far too long," Bertinelli wrote in her Instagram post.
The actress boldly challenged conventional beauty norms by embracing her body as it is. She emphasized the importance of recognizing one's worth beyond physical appearance, highlighting qualities such as kindness, humor and thoughtfulness.
"I now, finally, know that I am a kind, considerate, funny, thoughtful woman. So please remember, who you are and what your character is, should never be overshadowed by what size you are or how much you weigh. You are enough. Just the way you are. F**k 'em 💜," Bertinelli added, concluding her message with a declaration of self-acceptance.
Her post quickly garnered attention and praise from fans, with many applauding Bertinelli for her bravery in speaking out on such a personal topic.
Last February, the actress celebrated another body-confident moment with her fans. The Hot in Cleveland star went on TikTok to reveal that she was sporting a pair of pants that she never used to wear because of the sound they made when her legs rubbed together.
She told her followers that putting the pants on had "activated a small hidden bruise," because someone from her past used to comment on her thighs rubbing together, and tell her she was "too lazy to do anything about it [so] they wouldn't rub together." The 63-year-old actress added that this person "mercilessly mocked" her appearance.
Bertinelli admitted that she had planned to put the pants "away forever," and had even at times "changed the way" she walked when she did wear them.
"That's in the past," Bertinelli said of how she used to feel in the clothing. "I'm so grateful that the work that I'm doing on healing is working. So it’s making me giggle now. … Now I can wear them, hear that sound and that's the sound of freedom."
As for critics who might watch her TikTok post and think she should "let go of it and move on," Bertinelli responded, "This is called moving on. This is called healing. Hidden bruises are something that emotional, verbal and mental abuse do to you that people can't see but we kind of deal with every day."
RELATED CONTENT:
