Gordon Ramsay has shed a huge 50lbs over the last few months, and now he's revealed the sentimental reason why. The celebrity chef opened up about his weight loss during an appearance on the Today show on Tuesday, saying he was motivated to stay healthy for his children after his own dad died young.
"My father passed of a heart attack at 53," Gordon said. "That man never ever ate in my restaurant, and it pains me today to think that." The father-of-four was just 30 when his dad died and he didn't want his own children to go through the same thing, so decided to take action when his weight crept up to 270lbs (122kg).
Gordon Ramsay lost weight for the sake of his children
And his wife Tana was on hand to give him some tough love to kick him into gear. Appearing alongside her husband on NBC, Tana said: "Gordon's famous for being blunt. I just gave him a little bit of his own medicine and basically suggested that he was getting a little wide around his middle."
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The 51-year-old lost weight through portion control, but admitted it could be tough maintaining a healthy weight as his job requires him to taste the food he is preparing in his restaurants. "I'm very good now at eating five times a day, but small amounts as opposed to a big breakfast, big lunch and big dinner," he said.
Gordon's wife Tana spurred him on to lose weight
Gordon has also increased his exercise routine, and started training for triathlons. His fitness streak also inspired his children, and his two Holly and Jack completed their first London Marathon in April.
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Now the chef wants to inspire others, and offered some health advice to American viewers during his appearance on the US TV show. "If Americans toned down the sort of quantity and honed in on the quality, you'd feel so much better," he said. "So it's about sort-of eating better, but eating less at the same time."