Valerie Bertinelli has no problem admitting that she has gained back some of the 40 pounds she famously lost on Jenny Craig in 2012, but says she shouldn't be publicly shamed for it.

The actress candidly discussed her fluctuating waistline on "The Talk" Wednesday, after recent photos from the set of her sitcom, "Hot in Cleveland," highlighted her curvier figure.

"Because I broke my foot three months ago and I've not been able to work out, the weight starts to creep up," she told the co-hosts. "Then, I started thinking, 'Why do I feel so much shame?' Because the cameras are on me? Because the paparazzi can't wait to get a picture of me looking like I've gained a few pounds. It's like, we have to take the shame out of it."

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Bertinelli, 53, added that as the pounds slowly came back, "It started to panic me and panic me. And then I thought, 'Well, wait a minute. This is my body. I'm almost 54. I broke my foot, I haven't been able to move.'"

The former "One Day at a Time" actress said she only recently returned to the gym, after her doctor warned her against doing anything to raise her heart rate.

"I'm back in the gym and ready to go," she told "The Talk" co-hosts.

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And she has no intention of starving herself to lose the weight faster.

"I still like to eat, and I'm going to eat," Bertinelli said.

In the meantime, she added, "We all need to give each other a break, especially women. Let's leave each other alone."

(Photo Credit: Cindy Ord/Getty Images)