Jenny Craig Did the 48-Year-Old's Body Good

Not all that long ago, Kirstie Alley showed up on Oprah in a bikini. And strategic support hose. And a sarong. And she didn't turn around. Or to the side.

And then she disappeared from Jenny Craig, from Oprah, from the headlines. And as far as the world of gossip is concerned, she's happily eating cake as I type. To each her own. If I received residuals from Cheers, I'd celebrate daily with sugar and sweatpants too.

Then along came Valerie Bertinelli, the mostly-off-the-radar celeb of yesteryear, known more for her ex (Eddie Van Halen) and her role on One Day at a Time (which ended in '84) than for, well, anything else. I mean, aside from playing the cute glasses-wearing angel on Touched by an Angel, that is. But no one was watching. Except me.

But Jenny Craig took notice. And now, so shall the masses.

On this week's People Magazine cover, Bertinelli does what Kirstie (and most women) could never dare to: flaunt her newly discovered abs in a bikini.

As she approaches 49 next month, Valerie's down almost 50 pounds since embarking on her public weight-loss journey. And is in the best shape of her life. (Which means she doesn't just nibble on packaged food. She works out. Hard.) And in a town where the female body is scrutinized and judged mercilessly, it's a little refreshing to see a woman so comfortable with her hard-earned-and-fabulous shape.

Kirstie Alley is crying somewhere.

And Phylicia Rashad is praying that this will be her one day soon. Mrs. Huxtable in swimwear. If that doesn't sell magazines, what will? (Uh, probably Gisele in a bikini. I know, I know. Sheesh.)

Nadine Bells, Pop Goes The Culture
		About the author:
		A seasoned Toronto-based writer, Nadine has scattered her musings on entertainment and lifestyle throughout cyberspace. With a post-grad in TV Writing and Producing (she grew up without cable and had to compensate by embracing a television addiction later in life), she offers pop-culture fixes and celebrity scoops exclusive to WOMAN.ca. Her non-writing life features late nights at the piano, eavesdropping at the gym, reenacting scenes from Top Chef in her tiny kitchen, and other quarter-life adventures.
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