Gregg Wallace says he never dieted as he addresses 4.5 stone weight loss

Watch: Greg Wallace explains how healthy eating instead of dieting helped him lose weight

Gregg Wallace has opened up about how he lost 4.5 stone (nearly 29kg) – without actually dieting.

The Masterchef star, 57, said he feels fitter and healthier now than he did 30 years ago as he spoke candidly about his weight loss and health journey on Loose Women.

Instead of taking extreme measures, and restricting himself, Wallace believes the key is simply healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle.

"I'm probably fitter and healthier now at 57 than I was at 27," he told the panellists.

"I never went on a diet, I learned about healthy eating. I eat three big meals a day and I've been helping people now for a couple of years."

Read more: 10 expert-approved weight loss tips good for your body and mind

Wallace has a fitness platform called ShowMe.Fit, which aims to help with a slow and steady transition into living a healthy lifestyle. He also recently made a short film highlighting the difficulty of low-income families with a disabled or ill child, after discovering his three-year-old son was autistic.

He shares Sid with his wife Anne-Marie Sterpini, and has two other children Libby and Tom from his marriage to Denise Wallace.

"I don't like diets, I don't think you should restrict yourself. It's all about healthy eating and that's what I try and push," he added.

When host Coleen Nolan asked about controlling portion sizes, he immediately respondent, "No! No, no no. Mate, I eat tonnes!"

This comes after Wallace shared how his motivation for losing weight has gone from wanting to look better on TV, to getting as fit as possible to try and have "the body of a 20-year-old" at 60.

Wallace, 5ft 8in, weighed 16st 7lbs at his heaviest.

“Some people say, ‘I’m overweight and I’m happy’. Well I was overweight and I wasn’t happy," he told The Sun, highlighting that it was his own personal choice.

“And I say to those people, ‘If you could take a pill right now and be three stone lighter, would you take it?’ And of course they would."

It's also important to remember that while measuring body mass index (BMI) can be helpful, it doesn't always give an accurate picture of health, as it can't tell the difference between excess fat, muscle or bone.

Commenting further on diet culture, he said, “The trouble is, people think weight loss is going to be difficult, because they’ve tried it previously and they’ve tried a really restrictive diet that is uncomfortable."

Wallace suggested people who have gone on specific diets likely didn't enjoy doing it, felt hungry and wanted to know when it was going to be over, hating every second.

"Diets like this don't work," he emphasised. "I know, because I've been there." Wallace has previously tried everything from fasting, to no carbs, to low fat, all of which only helped him lose weight in the short-term, and not the long-term.

Read more: Gwyneth Paltrow, 49, reveals ripped core in unbuttoned shirt: How does she stay fit?

For him, he said his weight loss "wasn't a struggle" as he believes it is "far better to wean yourself off the crap diet slowly and cook proper, healthy meals" as you're more likely to succeed and enjoy the change.

“I’m not talking about lettuce leaves here, I’m taking about foods you want to eat," he said.

It was when he was told by his doctor in 2017 that if he didn't lose weight, he could have a heart attack, he felt compelled to change his lifestyle. He then marked his success three years later, with an Instagram picture showcasing his six pack.

Now motivated to help others, he often shares videos and posts to his followers directly. Acknowledging how many of us just want a 'quick fix', he said in one clip, "I am the magic trick you've been waiting for. I've sussed it. It's eating well, that's what it is and all it ever was."

Wallace is keen to change the misconception that healthy eating is boring and is an advocate of "small changes" and "living well" to "lose weight for good".

In another video, he does acknowledge the effect of takeaways, snacking and booze on our weight. But as someone who enjoys a drink, he has taken inspiration from his wife's 'Italian way of drinking'. Essentially, enjoying a drink when you want, but not drinking to get drunk.

"What I've learnt from Anna and now implement myself... is to have an idea of the effect of the alcohol you want before you start drinking", with him now stopping when he reaches it, after just a couple.

Let's see how much official advice mirrors Wallace's revelations.

Watch: How to eat healthy on a budget

Read more: How to start working out: A beginner's guide to getting fit for the first time

Healthy ways to lose weight

The NHS' top tips for losing weight include:

1. Don't skip breakfast

Despite what you might think, skipping breakfast won't help you lose weight. You could miss out on essential nutrients your body needs and end up snacking more throughout the day because you feel hungry.

2. Eat regular meals

Eating at regular times during the day helps burn calories at a faster rate and reduces the temptation to snack on foods high in fat and sugar. So make sure you're getting your three meals a day.

3. Eat plenty of fruit and veg

This one's fairly self-explanatory, as fruit and veg is low in calories, fat and high in fibre, however a healthy diet is also a balanced diet, allowing for many other food groups too!

4. Don't ban foods

There's no need to ban any food groups to lose weight, especially the ones you like. Banning foods will only make you crave them more. You can also enjoy the occasional treat too, within moderation.

5. Cut down on alcohol

A standard glass of wine can contain as many calories as a piece of chocolate. Over time, drinking too much can contribute to weight gain (though you don't need to cut it out completely, unless you have another medical/personal reason for doing so, of course).

Getting more active is also a key part of losing weight and keeping it off, as well as helping to boost your mental health.