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Losing It - And Gaining My Life Back One Pound At A Time | 
 enlarge | Author: Valerie Bertinelli
Publisher: Free Press
Category: Book
Buy New: $85.24
New (2) from $85.24
Avg. Customer Rating:  192 reviews
Sales Rank: 482380
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 288
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 1416586806
EAN: 9781416586807
ASIN: 1416586806
Publication Date: 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Book is brand new, and has never been opened. Thousands of satisfied customers!
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| Customer Reviews: Read 187 more reviews...
 Skip it if you're expecting weight-loss motivation! October 24, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Don't expect any weight-loss wisdom or even an extensive account of her own weight-loss journey (except for an obsessive tally of every time she gains or loses a few pounds). Do expect a LOT of cocaine snorting and 20 years of angst over her ill-considered marriage, not to mention a few really boneheaded parenting decisions. If that's your bag, go for it; if not, save your money,
Interesting and Enjoyable AudioBook October 24, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was curious about this book. I always thought of Valerie Bertinelli as the sweetheart married to Eddie Van Halen. I always liked her.
She's very candid in this book about things she's done, mistakes she's made, but interestingly, she doesn't blame anyone but herself. While many celebs are mentioned in this book, she's very kind to them all and I appreciated that. Lots of time is spent discussing her relationship with Eddie Van Halen. Honestly, never had an opinion on him, but amazingly, you walk away from the book respecting and liking the guy. (even with all of the issues that were discussed). I admire the fact that she was able to put all of her bitterness aside and accept things for what they were without blaming others.
I don't know that it was "inspirational", but it makes you think. Women have a tendency to have insecurities about themselves, whether they are warranted or not. No matter what size she was, she was always obsessing about it. Finding out what makes you happy as a person is what matters when being able to put those thoughts aside. She was able to do that.
Do I think it was a commercial for Jenny Craig? No way. That was only a small part of it. No diet in the world is going to help you unless you want to help yourself. She gets it.
The only downside is that I wish her political views were kept out of it, but that is part of who she is and the book is about her. Overall, it was a nice enjoyable listen, and I think the audiobook made it even more genuine hearing it with her voice telling the story. She's a great reader, though she does sometimes read a bit fast.
An entertaining book especially if you grew up in the 80's October 15, 2008
I grew up watching little "Barbara Cooper" on One Day at a Time like many did so I was looking forward to the read to get "the dish." Even when Valerie married Eddie (which seemed like such an odd couple to me back then) and got into the height of her weight insecurities, I still thought she was a perfect size. I wasn't a huge VH fan but my husband was and we both thought she gave good insight into what Eddie was thinking at different incarnations of the band. Even though the theme of weight/self esteem issues were found throughout, it wasn't overly done. For emotional eaters, we can relate. The only thing holding me back from giving it 5 stars is I wished she would've waited for a year after she got to her goal weight to write this. Sadly, we saw Kirstie reach her goal and then gained it back (or at least part of it). I would've liked to have seen how Valerie maintained it through the holidays and such since she stated in the book that is the hardest part for her is maintaining.
 What's the purpose? October 9, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I grew up watching Valerie on TV and have always been a fan. When she married Eddie it was beyond cool to me because I was so into Van Halen. But, I found her book to be simplistic. It is an easy read, but it's not that interesting. She and Ed weren't doing anything that rest of us weren't doing during the '80's or doing now. I don't know, I just felt let down and am super glad that I got the book thru' the library.
Where people get off talking about how inspiring it was is beyond me. Why would wading through somebody's life that is so polluted with insecuritues be an inspiration to you?
The one burning question that I have pondered for years was answered in the book, however. I always wondered if Val and Ed had the same hairdresser considering throughout the '80's they always had the same hair style. Turns out I was right!
Other than that, I whizzed through the end of the book because I couldn't take her pity party about her weight, her lousy one-sided marriage or anything else any longer. I mean at one point she says she wished she could have won the lottery. PLEASE!!! Because the money those two had wasn't enough? Annoying!!
It''s happened again.......... October 7, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
I just started this book this afternoon and I had been looking forward to reading it for months. After one chapter I put it down in disgust and I am almost positive I won't be finishing it. Why? Because once again an author feels it necessary to slam Republicans and the current administration.
Once again I am writing these words in an Amazon review - Newsflash authors: Some of your readers are Republicans, some of us are conservatives, some of us really do like GWB, Cheney etc. Oh the horrors. Sorry but it's a fact - we exist. And I am so damn sick and tired of books that have NOTHING to do with politics inflicting this on unsuspecting readers.
Valerie, I didn't want to read your book to see you slam the administration. I wanted to read about your life. I have always liked you from One Day at a Time on. And now....well you're just another Hollyweirder who goes on my boycott list.
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