So Valerie Bertinelli is the new face of Jenny Craig. Once they were able to help Kirstie Alley conquer her weight loss demons, Val stepped up to give it a shot, and it's working. In March, Valerie finally walked through the doors of her neighborhood Jenny Craig. She says she's been watching the same 30 pounds come and go since she was a teenager. This time, she was getting rid of that baggage once and for all.



Like a lot of people, Valerie says she only wanted to be accountable to herself. She's an independent woman and didn't need to answer for her weight to someone else. But she says once she finally met her Jenny Craig counselor, that old thinking went out the door and she completely embraced this woman.

While Jenny Craig disclaims that Valerie, and other featured weight loss successes, do not have typical results, Valerie says she's a regular gal just like you. In fact, when one journalist put her on the defensive, implying she was nothing more than a paid face and not actually using the program, she posted to her blog about the fact that she is legit and takes the program and endorsement quite seriously. She keeps a weight loss blog on the Jenny site, and had this to say about her regular-girl status-

"I've agreed to make my journey public because, despite my life in front of the camera, I am a person just like you. No private chefs, no personal trainers on staff...I'm just a busy mom who needs to make some big changes. If (when!) I achieve success...after a lifetime of trying...I am honored, obligated and ELATED to share it with all of you."

So just like us- she goes to her counseling sessions, follows her meal plan and eats the Jenny foods, makes realistic goals and sticks to them (like walking 10,000 steps each day), has good days and bad days, enjoys a martini- and blogs about all of it to millions of people. Martini? Yes, Valerie celebrates the fact that on the Jenny Craig plan she can even treat herself to a martini from occasionally.

In one video blog, Valerie talks about her excitement at being just a few pounds away from her goal to lose 40 pounds. She didn't rush it and she didn't do it with some fad, gimmick that sets you up to lose. She did it with Jenny Craig. She says that Jenny doesn't believe in depriving yourself and that diets that require you to cut out things like bread or chocolate aren't being realistic.

With tears in her eyes, Valerie thanks Jenny Craig for making 2007 the best year of her life. For the first time, Valerie says she will not wake up on new years day and resolve to lose weight. "That part of my life is over" she says. This year, Valerie is going to resolve to give more time to her family. And she anxiously encourages you to call Jenny so that on new years day 2009, you do not have to make a weight-related resolution either.