Paula Deen: Weight Loss Was Due To 'Little Changes' In Diet

Paula Deen isn't the first name that comes to mind when you think of people to ask for advice about dieting after the holidays -- but maybe it should be. Because since being diagnosed with diabetes, and told by her doctor to lose weight, the celebrity chef has dropped 36 pounds from her 5'5" frame.

Until now, she's mostly attributed her weight loss to her decision to stop drinking sweet tea. She reveals more details about her diet, though, in a big interview in the February issue of Women's Day magazine.

It turns out that Deen's big diet secret is the same one used by almost everyone else who loses weight and keeps it off: moderation. She still eats most of her favorite foods, but much more rarely than before, in smaller portions than she used to eat.

"It's amazing how little changes will give you big results," she told Women's Day.

Deen has also apparently hopped on the Greek yogurt trend, occasionally using it to "add creaminess" to recipes where she might otherwise use sour cream.

All in all, it seems like a pretty healthy philosophy -- a far cry from the "Eat whatever you and then take medication when you get diabetes" mantra vociferous critics accused her of espousing. Not that we expect it to appease them -- we have a hunch that Anthony Bourdain isn't going to lay off her any time soon.