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Paula Deen Says Weight Loss Encouraged Her to Join Dancing With the Stars

Paula Deen
Paula Deen says that losing weight encouraged her to join Dancing With the Stars

Sweating it out on the dance floor! Paula Deen is looking forward to shedding more pounds during her upcoming stint on Dancing With the Stars. The celebrity chef opened up about her goal during the show’s Season 21 casting announcement on Good Morning America on Wednesday, Sept. 2.

Related: PHOTOS: Celebrity foodies

“It was a process getting here. But when I finally dropped the weight off I thought, ‘Well, maybe I can do it,'” Deen, 68, said. “Maybe I can do it now. And I’ve been eating out of my new cookbook that comes out next week.”

The Food Network star dropped 35 pounds back in March after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Despite the accomplishment, she still won’t give up one item in her diet.

Related: PHOTOS: Celebrity chef scandals

“I never gave up butter. Never, never,” she said. “But the big word in my life now is ‘moderation.’ Moderation, moderation, moderation.” 

Louis Van Amstel
Paula Deen’s DWTS partner Louis Van Amstel

Also, practice, practice, practice. Deen — who is teamed up with pro dancer Louis van Amstel this season — will have to work hard for a chance at the mirrorball, but has some other ideas about how to curry favor with the judges, too. “I dunno, bring ‘em butter!” she quipped. “I’ve asked wherever they put me to stay, if there was just a little kitchen, not much of one, but that’s where I go to decompress and to get into my little safety area.”

Related: PHOTOS: Stars in the kitchen

She added: “Louis is my partner and I fed him pretty good this last week because we’ve been practicing at my house, so I fed him pretty good this week.”

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