“Janet has stopped weighing herself,” a pal reveals. “She knows that she’s gained weight, but she’s trying not to think about it, so she’s ditched her scale.” Good idea!

Janet Jackson was looking better than ever after losing 60 pounds — and keeping it off for a year.

But in the past month, Janet has gone off her strict diet and gained about 35 pounds. And although Janet doesn’t seem to be worried about it, insiders fear it’s only the beginning.

Janet, who’s recording a new album, has made the project her first priority, not her body, a friend explains, adding that Janet has cut down on her vigorous exercise routine while she spends hours in the studio. And she’s been giving in to temptation.

During breaks, she feasted on platters of grilled-cheese sandwiches, french fries, macaroni and cheese and strawberry shakes. “Janet asked for and got whatever she wanted.” On July 6, she was spotted back in the studio, eating a variety of cupcakes.

These new eating habits are a far cry from Janet’s previous diet, which consisted of five small meals a day of no more than 300 calories apiece.

It’s easy to see why Janet has gained weight since she fell back into her old eating habits. The diet that helped her lose 60 pounds included fish, chicken, veggies, fruit, egg whites and brown rice, totaling 1,150 to 1,450 calories a day.

Now, Janet’s consuming that much in one large milkshake. She used to eat five small meals a day, but the long hours she’s been spending in the studio — followed by bingeing late at night, in addition to ditching her six-days-a-week workout regime — has slowed her metabolism.

Working on the album hasn’t just affected her weight — it’s also put the brakes on her workout DVD, which was supposed to be released within the year. The project has been put on hold. [via]