Book Review---Losing It

Losing It-And Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time
Valerie Bertinelli
Free Press

In this book, Valerie Bertinelli offers a biographical overview of her life with emphasis on her struggles with her marriage and weight. The two go hand in hand.

Growing up I remember wishing that I looked like her. I was always thin when I was young, but it's the old adage of wanting what we don't have. Being blond and blue eyed, I thought her dark hair looked more exotic. She also had that bubbley and cute personality that I envied. As I read the book I came to realize that she too felt ill at ease around the much slimmer Mckenzie Phillips and the classic blondes of the era.

While perceived to be the "good girl" she did her fair share of drugs. Her marriage to Van Halen rocker Ed obviously enabled that to take place, as did her working relationship with the aforementioned Mckenzie.

It was the failure of her marriage that caused her weight problems to intensify. But hey, we read all the time how happy and perfect the marriage was---didn't we? Imagine how hard that must be? Not only would she have to act on stage but all the time. To some extent we all do that (we, being women), but the pressure is all the more intense in Hollywood with the ever present tabloids. Whether or not one is given a role is also dependent on how one looks. Young and thin are de rigeur.

Ms Bertinelli came to realize that her weight struggles were not merely about what she ate but more a mirror of her psyche. As she came to terms with that, the roller coaster of her diet stopped.

The book is a quick read. To some extent I think she doesn't fully ask the really hard questions. For example, why would she show up smelling of wine and give her husband a kiss when he was in rehab? To some degree it shows passive aggressive behavior. Other than that, she does admit to some naughty business, such as having an affair. That's fairly bold of her as her script offers really do depend on her being perceived as being nice.

It's a good read if one wants entertainment. It is not a primer on eating disorders. I did like it, however.