How the rapper lost more than 100 pounds

Country star Jelly Roll has been open about his struggles to maintain a healthy weight over the years. The singer and rapper weighed more than 500 pounds at one point and was determined to make a change.

Jelly Roll has long been open about the efforts he's made to make healthy lifestyle changes since early 2024, and they're paying off.

Ahead, read everything Jelly Roll shared about his recent weight loss and health goals.

How did Jelly Roll lose weight?

Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, began his weight loss journey by running. He stunned viewers at the Academy of Country Music Awards in May 2024 when he looked noticeably slimmer on the red carpet. The appearance came just a few weeks after he ran his first 5K race in recent years (and perhaps ever) – the 2 Bears 5K in Los Angeles on May 7, 2024.

Reflecting on completing the 3.1-mile run, he said it was “really emotional” because he “couldn't run a mile” in January when he began training for the 5K. .

“The fact that we got three points today is a really, really good feeling for me. I left here very motivated,” he added.

Training for the 5K race was instrumental in helping Jelly Roll lose weight. After finishing the 2 Bears run, he told Entertainment Tonight that he was “about. Had lost 50 to 70 pounds. I had to look again – it was a lot of weight.”

Jelly Roll said the race was more difficult than he thought. “I feel great, man. “I’m a little tired,” he laughed. “A little harder than I thought, but it's great, man.”

He added that the coolest thing about running the 5K was watching other people complete the race, some of whom set personal records.

“I think the coolest thing is how many people stopped to tell us that they were motivated by us, other big boys,” he said. “It was really cool to see – what an eclectic group of people. There was a man walking in a bear suit.”

In mid-April, while he was still training, he told people that he was doing “two to three miles a day, four to six days a week. I do 20 to 30 minutes in the sauna, six minutes if I have a cold. Immerse yourself every day. I'm eating healthy right now.

“I really kicked it, man,” he added. “I probably lost about 30 pounds.”

“I feel really good,” he continued. “I thought I was planning on losing another 100, 100 and something (pounds). If I feel this good at this weight, I can only imagine how I will feel when I go on tour.”

Now he has surpassed his 100 pound weight loss goal

In an update shared on Instagram on October 22, 2024, Jelly Roll's nutrition coach Ian Larios celebrated the milestone and shared some recipes that helped Jelly Roll reach this milestone during the tour.

“You won’t recognize me,” Jelly Roll says in the video.