Jelly Roll Has Shed Nearly 200 Pounds, Eyes Next 100-Pound Goal

The Grammy-nominated musician has shared his weight-loss journey since 2022.
Jelly Roll Has Shed Nearly 200 Pounds, Eyes Next 100-Pound Goal
Jelly Roll and Bert Kreischer attend Netflix is a Joke Fest: 2 Bears 5K at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif., on May 7, 2024. Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix
Haika Mrema
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Country music artist Jelly Roll continues to make headlines with his impressive weight loss transformation.

Speaking during Pat McAfee’s “Big Night AHT” live show on April 9, the 40-year-old singer revealed he has lost nearly 200 pounds and is eyeing a new milestone.

“I started at 540 pounds and I was 357 pounds this morning,” Jelly Roll said during the appearance. “I’m gonna lose another 100 pounds and go skydiving with my wife in Sweden, baby!” he said in a video clip posted to social media platform X.

The Tennessee native, best known for his hit song “Need a Favor,” has been transparent about his weight loss journey, which began in 2022. Since then, he has undergone a striking transformation, combining changes to his lifestyle with a renewed focus on physical fitness.

In February, he spoke with E! News about one of the more tangible signs of his progress: successfully hiking Camelback Mountain in Arizona.

“I hiked a mountain the other day. Camelback,” he said. “There is no way that would have been possible beforehand, so it’s great to see that progress and we still are going.”

While the timeline for his skydiving goal remains flexible, Jelly Roll said his drive stems from a deeper purpose. The Grammy-nominated artist, who has long spoken out about his past struggles with addiction and incarceration, credits those he’s met through community outreach for fueling his motivation.

“The things that motivate me and keep me going are the people I have met along the way across the juveniles and rehab centers or prisons,” he said. “The people that come up to me and bravely share their sobriety date, or a story of something that they’ve dealt with, or someone they’ve lost.”

Celebrities Embrace Weight Loss

Jelly Roll’s candid and determined approach to weight loss echoes a broader trend among public figures who have chosen to share their health transformations in recent years. His story joins those of other celebrities who have used their platforms to inspire others through transparency, discipline, and personal accountability.

One example is Grammy-winning singer Lizzo. Over the last two years, the singer—whose real name is Melissa Jefferson—has reduced her body fat by 16 percent through a combination of strength training, Pilates, jump rope, and walking.

In an Instagram post from January, the 36-year-old musician shared she had reached her “weight release” goal and is not slowing down.

“I did it,” she wrote in the caption. “Today when I stepped on my scale, I reached my weight release goal. I haven’t seen this number since 2014! Let this be a reminder you can do anything you put your mind to. Time for new goals!”

Another is actor Ethan Suplee, best known for roles in “Remember the Titans” and “My Name Is Earl.” Suplee once weighed over 500 pounds, but through a combination of structured diet, weightlifting, and mental health work, he has since lost more than 200 pounds.

In a 2023 Instagram post, Suplee shared his dramatic transformation in a photo. “I am aware of change as much as I am aware of the sun rising and setting,” he wrote in the caption. “What shapes how we change? Is it some divine force, our environment, the chemistry within the meat sacks we use to navigate this mortal plane?”

“Change is guaranteed, whether active or passive is up to me,” he added.

Haika Mrema
Haika Mrema
Author
Haika Mrema is a freelance entertainment reporter for The Epoch Times. She is an experienced writer and has covered entertainment and higher-education content for platforms such as Campus Reform and Media Research Center. She holds a B.B.A. from Baylor University where she majored in marketing.