"I can't believe I'm letting you guys do this!" says Valerie, as she invites Rachael's cameras to follow her as she prepares to pose for the January cover of Fitness magazine. "The main reason I wanted to do this is to show that when you see the cover of a magazine, that's not really what I look like," admits the 48-year-old, who first gets her hair, makeup and spray tan perfected. "Anybody could be on the cover of a magazine."

She's been smiling for cover shots since she was 16, but admits this one was a bit nerve-wracking because Fitness has a reputation for showcasing buff women in bikinis on its cover. "They said, 'Will she show her belly? And I said, 'No,'" Valerie jokes. "I think I'm the only person on Fitness magazine that hasn't shown her belly, but it's a 48-year-old belly that you don't want to see!" So is she pleased with the final picture? "I'm uncharacteristically happy!"