Exclusive! Khloé Kardashian Reveals the Diet Plan that Helped Her Lose 40 Lbs.

Khloé Kardashian is looking extra-good lately – and there's a reason why. The reality star lost more than 40 lbs. with a dairy-free diet and a fierce commitment to the gym. "It really decompresses me," the 31-year-old author of Strong Looks Better Naked tells PEOPLE of her newfound appreciation of fitness. "I'm less combative and I have less anxiety." Read on to see what Kardashian eats in a day, and hear more from her in this week's issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.

"You have to change your diet little by little. That's why diets fail. I try to do lifestyle changes. For breakfast, I love eggs and oatmeal!"

"I always have a salad. If you watch Keeping Up with the Kardashians, all you see is my sisters Kourtney, Kim and me binging on salads!"

"I always have fruit around. And I have a protein shake on the car ride home from the gym. Otherwise I get cranky!"

"I eat chicken and vegetables with a sweet potato or rice as my carb. I'm not a pasta girl, and I don't eat bread at night."

"I'll have a handful of MampM's or a piece of pizza. If I drink, I have one or two glasses. It's about understanding limitations."

Not just junk food, but dairy, too. "I used to eat nachos with artificial cheese, and too many sweets. I had acne in my 20s."