Valerie Bertinelli’s weight loss of 40 pounds is clearly an achievement she can be proud of. But Valerie Bertinelli’s weight loss is special. Why? Because it is not enough to lose 40 pounds, the real challenge is to keep the weight off, and that is exactly what she has managed to do so far.

What is the Bertinelli’s weight-loss secret? In a recent interview, she has revealed how she keeps the pounds off.

What is your secret to maintaining your weight loss? Jenny Craig. It’s the easiest program I’ve been on – and I’ve tried a lot of them! Writing down what I eat really helps, too.

What has been the biggest challenge? Traveling. I’ll bring travel-size Jenny Craig chicken or turkey salads. If I’m with my boyfriend, Tom [Vitale], we’ll split a meal and we try to exercise at whatever hotel we’re at.

Have you had any setbacks? I’m an emotional eater and always will be, so I have to be aware of that. Food’s been my downfall, but I’ve learned to not let it control me.

Are you nervous about the holidays? As long as I know that the holidays are going to be my splurge days, I’m okay. You have to avoid leftovers and can’t turn a one-day holiday into a weeklong one.

How do you keep track of your weight? By the way my clothes fit. I weigh myself once a week, but it’s not healthy to do it more often because you’ll become too focused on it and stop living your life.

Do you ever get scared that you will gain the weight back? No. I want to be a Jenny Craig spokesperson for the next 10 years! And after that, I’m still going to eat the food because I love it so much!

Valerie Bertinelli’s diet

Breakfast Breakfast Fajiras. Valerie now eats 1,700 calories a day. “She’s creative with the entrees, like adding egg whites to the fajitas (for extra protein),” says her consultant Kathy Brumwell.

Lunch Turkey Burger. With lean protein, vegetables and high fiber carbs, the Jenny Craig turkey burger sandwich has only 280 calories.

Dinner Grilled Chicken. “We grill a lot,” says Valerie, who cooks BBQ chicken and has side salads, while following Jenny Craig’s portion guide.

And of course, she exercises. “I’ve always loved to exercise but now I really wanna see what I can do!” says Valerie. For 40 minutes five days a week, she switches between the treadmill and lunges, plies, sit-ups and tricep curls. [via]