Gregg Wallace was overwhelmed with emotion as he revealed the motivation behind his incredible five-pound weight loss on Wednesday.
The 59-year-old MasterChef presenter admitted it was his four-year-old son Sid who inspired him to focus on his diet and shed the pounds as he prepares to become a father again at the age of 55 .
The TV personality spoke out during an appearance on ITV's Lorraine when he explained that he wanted to stay in Sid's life for as long as possible and that would only be possible if he was fit and healthy.
Sid, who Gregg has with his wife Anna, 36, was diagnosed with autism in 2022 and is non-verbal.
Speaking about his decision to get fit, Gregg said: “I fell in love with a much younger woman, Anna, and then you know we had a baby.”
Gregg Wallace was overwhelmed with emotion as he revealed the motivation behind his incredible five-pound weight loss on Wednesday
The MasterChef presenter, 59, admitted it was his four-year-old son Sid (pictured) who inspired him to focus on his diet as he prepared to become a father again at the age of 55
“I'm turning 60 this year and after deciding to become a dad again and then Sid's problems, I knew I had to get as fit and healthy as possible.”
“I want to be able to swing Sid in the air.” He's the main reason I want to be strong. You can't do that at 60 unless you're healthy. He’s the main reason I wanted to be as strong and fit as I was.”
While speaking, the star added, “I want to be close to him without getting too emotional, but I want to be there for him as long as possible.”
The star also revealed his diet tips, explaining that it's not about dieting, it's about eating right – and he's now dedicated to teaching people how to live healthier lives through his website Gregg Wallace Health.
He said: “I realized it wasn't about a diet, it was about eating right, and that's what I teach other people now.”
He said his philosophy is to teach people to “eat three healthy portions of food a day.”
“It sounds really simple, but you know what we’re dealing with with a snack and takeout culture.”
“I just think if your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize it, you shouldn't eat it.” “It's not about dieting, it's about eating right.”
The foodie shocked the nation in 2020 when he flaunted his slim figure
The TV personality spoke out during an appearance on ITV's Lorraine as he explained that he wants to stay in Sid's life for as long as possible and that can only happen if he is fit and healthy
Gregg told Lorraine: “I just think if your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize it, you shouldn't eat it.” It's not about dieting, it's about eating right.
Despite his impressive physique, he admitted that exercise is not the key
Six years ago, Gregg was warned by doctors that he was heading for a heart attack when his weight was almost 17kg.
The foodie shocked the nation in 2020 when he flaunted his slim body.
But despite his impressive physique, he admitted exercise isn't the key.
Gregg said: “It's not about exercise.” If you think about it, eating a bar of chocolate will probably cost you around 250 calories.
“To get rid of that you would probably have to be on the treadmill for about half an hour, and that’s not a workout without pizza, without that bottle of wine.”
He urged viewers not to go on a diet and concluded: “Don’t resolve to lose weight, but try to live healthier. You can’t live like a monk or a nun.”
“You want a takeaway curry or a beer, so you just have to take those steps to be as healthy as possible.”
Gregg left fans in tears on Saturday when he shared a snap of Sid getting a cuddle from his dad.
The sweet photo, shared on Instagram, shows Gregg looking down at his youngest child as they cozy up on the sofa. “Me and my little boy Sid,” the star lovingly captioned the post.
One fan commented: “I'm pretending to chop onions!!” What a beautiful photo. No words needed.'
In July 2023, Gregg told the Chron about his close bond with his son. When discussing Sid's development, Gregg admitted, “Sid is four years old, Sid is autistic, Sid is non-verbal.”
“He's still in diapers.” He doesn't use cutlery. His food choices are very limited, but he is a beautiful boy.
“Luckily we don't have a lot of sensory issues.” He loves to play, he loves to cuddle. And we are seeing more and more interaction, which gives us hope. And that's all we need.'
In July 2023, Gregg told the Chron about his close bond with his son. “Sid is four years old, Sid is autistic, Sid is non-verbal… but he's a beautiful boy,” he said
Gregg lives in the Kent countryside with Sid and his wife Anna (pictured)