Paula Deen's Got it Down!

I never thought I'd be singing Paula Deen's praises, but I think she's figured it out!

America's best known Southern cook has a pretty good grasp of healthy eating witnessed by the fact that she's now 36 pounds lighter onthe scale. I predict she will be able to maintain on that path because she's not totally eliminating the foods she likes; she's just eating less of them!

Other tips she's shared: she watches her portions, loads her plate with "greens", doesn't totally abstain from her favorite foods, and she takes time to notice and appreciate what she's eating.

As with any self-improvement path, unless you're a Tibetan monk, it's best to cut yourself a bit of slack. In Paula Deen's case, she still enjoyed fried chicken. The difference is that it's now an occasional treat, rather than an almost daily staple.

For some ridiculous reason, we will go for "perfect" in our journey to be better people. But being "better" is different that being "best" or, well, perfect. "Perfect" suggests a comparison with others ~ so that we can stand out. "Better" means, we're better than we used to be. Not necessarily a huge transformation, but rather a shift.

Turns out those shifts in behavior are a lot easier to sustain.

Just ask Paula Deen!