Once in denial about her weight, TV chef Paula Deen has now lost 36 pounds and is maintaining her shape. Learn how she does it with the 6 tips below-without giving up her favorite foods (butter included!).

Moderation, Not Deprivation

For Paula, life would be bleak if she could never again have her grandmother's poundcake or her classic Southern fried chicken, so she has a small sliver of cake and fried chicken monthly instead of weekly. "It's amazing how little changes will give you big results," she says.

Portion Control

Her rule of thumb: Aim for a fistful each of meat and starch on your plate, and at least half the plate should be vegetables.

No Diet Food!

Paula believes that real food, rather than fat-free substitutes, is infinitely more satisfying and wards off the urge to eat more. "In my refrigerator, there's no light mayonnaise. I'd rather eat less of the real thing and have it taste really good than have diet stuff that tastes awful."

Eat Slowly and Enjoy It

"Putting my fork down and having a conversation has been a huge help," she says. "Because it takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that you're full."

Rethink Your Plate

Paula has doubled the greens on her plate, which fills her up much faster. If she's at a restaurant, she orders coleslaw instead of fries, and she uses Greek yogurt to add creaminess to recipes.

Don't Eat Carbs Alone

"I was drinking smoothies for breakfast, but one that's all fruit (which are carbs) will immediately turn to sugar, so I've backed off those," she says. Eating protein, like peanut butter, with fruit can help slow that blood-sugar spike"