Pastry Chef Jacques Torres Reveals How He Lost Nearly 60 Lbs. In 1 Year

Jacques Torres might need a new nickname.

The famed pastry chef, who often goes by Mr. Chocolate, recently revealed that he shed almost 60 lbs. in 2018 by adjusting his dessert-filled diet.

Torres, 59, first consulted a doctor last year when he noticed his metabolism had slowed down as he’s gotten older. “Knowing what I do, he thought sugar was a big cause,” he told E! News of his visit with a physician. “Instead of tasting, like chefs usually do, I was tasting a little bit too heavily. I was eating too much. We thought, ‘OK, carbs and sugar are maybe the main problem.'”

The Nailed It! host started working with a nutritionist, who would approve his food choices and portion sizes once he sent her a picture of his meals.

“She would answer right away: ‘Eat that and that, but leave that to the side,’ or ‘Eat two thirds of that. Don’t eat everything,'” he says. “The good thing was she didn’t cut too much too fast, and everything was gradual.”

Since reaching his goal weight, Torres, who rides a bike to work as his daily exercise, weighs himself once or twice a week, as recommended by his nutritionist. “If I see variation, I react right away,” he says. “I don’t wait. Because losing a couple of pounds is easy; losing 10 lbs. is a battle.”

If he’s dining out with his wife, chocolatier Hasty, and their son Pierre, 2, Torres will send the restaurant’s menu to the health expert for advice and support. That level of dedication has clearly paid off—many fans of Nailed It! noticed Torres’ slimmed-down figure in the most recent season, which premiered Dec. 7.

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And while he’s cut back on his pastry intake, Torres’ wife has a metaphorical bun in the oven. A representative for the chef confirmed to PEOPLE that Hasty is pregnant with their second child, a girl. The happy news played a big part in Torres’ decision to overhaul his diet.

“A lot of times, we know how to do it, but we don’t do it for maybe a lack of reason,” he told E! News. “Having a young boy, a young child—my wife is pregnant with a little girl now—I have a good reason to change my lifestyle.”

“I feel definitely better,” he added. “I can run after my little one a lot easier.”