Country-rap artist Jelly Roll (real name Jason Bradley DeFord) has achieved a remarkable milestone: he’s shed nearly 200 pounds since 2022, revealing a dramatic transformation at Sydney Airport while arriving for his first-ever Australian headlining tour.
At roughly 40 years old, Jelly Roll weighed over 540–550 lbs at his heaviest. His new appearance is being met with widespread praise — fans and media alike are calling the shift “unrecognizable.” In a reflective statement, he credited the change to confronting a long-standing food addiction and shifting his mindset: “I didn’t become successful because of my weight … I became successful in spite of it.”
The transformation isn’t purely aesthetic. Jelly Roll is now seeking a “real life” — from skydiving and roller-coasters to wrestling an alligator — experiences he once considered impossible. His stated goal: to land the cover of Men’s Health by March 2026.
For the Nashville-born star, the weight loss journey also carried emotional weight. Growing up in a home without a healthy relationship to food, he says the toughest part was rewiring his mindset around eating and self-worth. The win isn’t just on the scale, but in reclaiming a life he once felt powerless to live.
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