As one of the most well known celebrity chefs in the country, Paula Deen is the queen of southern cooking and is well known for her recipes that tend to include copious amounts of sugar, butter, and albeit delicious calories. These recipes eventually caught up to Ms. Deen as she was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. This diagnosis was a serious wake-up call to the celebrity chef and put her on a path to health and weight loss. With her long-term health in mind, the cooking star began making changes that led her to lose over 40 pounds! We were very surprised to see the strategies that Deen credited with her weight loss success and want to highlight three we believe are important to any long-term health-related success!
With Paula Deen, Moderation is Key
At the core of her weight loss, Deen said she focused on moderation instead of elimination. In an interview with Women’s Daily, Paula Deen emphasized the importance of still enjoying some of her favorite foods (like peanut butter pie) but simply having smaller and controlled portions. She also stressed the importance of small and incremental changes opposed to the typical celebrity crash diet approach. We couldn’t agree more and believe this is one of the most important areas of the weight loss journey. At Noom, balance is key and finding a sustainable approach is far more important than a quick fix.
Physical Activity in the Paula Deen Weight Loss Plan
The second area to which the celebrity chef credited her success was being mindful about activity. In an interview in Shape magazine, Deen said that she made a conscious effort to either get on her treadmill or go on walks with her family everyday for at least 30 minutes. Compared to most celebrity workout regimens, this is a breath of fresh air when it comes to sustainable and beneficial activity. Workouts come in all variations and its important to find both what you enjoy and what you are able to consistently do! Whether that is running a few miles each day or walking on the treadmill for 30 minutes, that activity adds up and is a huge benefit in any weight loss journey!
The Paula Deen Green Food Habit
The final area Deen credited with her success was by changing the way her plate looked. Whether she knew it or not she was using the basics of caloric density and filling her plate with nutritious and delicious green foods! These lower caloric density foods allowed her to feel satiated after each meal and not as if she was restricting herself. The chef now says that her plate starts with a few servings of vegetables at each meal and is then complemented by protein.
Knowledge isn’t enough
Although we were very surprised by how well the celebrity chef stuck to sustainable and healthy weight loss principles, there was one area we feel was overlooked. That area was support! Having the knowledge of healthy choices and activity is great and shouldn’t be overlooked, but at some point within everyone’s journey, motivation lessens, the scale doesn’t look how you think it should, and your perseverance will be put to the test. Navigating those ups and downs can be difficult and stressful if done alone. That’s why at Noom we focus on giving you the knowledge and accountability you need for sustainable, long-term weight loss. This support comes in multiple forms from both your personalized Goal Specialist and your Group Coach and group members. Ready to gain the knowledge and support to help you reach your goals? Get started with Noom today!
