Southern food maven Paula Deen has dropped 30 lbs. and is showing off her slimmer self on this week’s cover of PEOPLE.
Deen, 65, was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes three years ago but kept that secret to herself until January 2012. The revelation created a serious backlash for the cooking show host that caused her to revamp her recipes, rhetoric and personal diet.
She admits, “I do think differently now. I’m more aware. It took me a couple of years to get to this point. If you make a few small changes, they can add up to big results.”
One of her most vocal detractors has been chef Anthony Bourdain. He accused her of creating a brand based on “excess without guilt” and then becoming a spokesperson for a diabetes drug.
Bourdain recently told GMA, “I find that in excruciatingly bad taste. It’s unconscionable, cynical and greedy.”
Check out more photos that Paula shared on her Facebook page below:
Photos: Facebook-Paula Deen, PEOPLE