Jelly Roll is opening up about a life-changing transformation, revealing that he has lost more than 275 pounds over the past five years—without relying on GLP-1 medications like Ozempic. Now weighing 265 pounds, the 41-year-old artist says he feels like he’s living in an entirely different world.
Back in 2020, Jelly Roll—born Jason DeFord—weighed around 540 pounds. Today, his dramatic transformation is featured in the Men’s Health Winter 2026 cover story, where he speaks candidly about rebuilding his health through discipline, therapy, and major lifestyle changes.
As fans began noticing his weight loss, online speculation quickly followed, with some accusing him of using weight-loss drugs. Jelly Roll addressed the rumors directly, explaining that while he briefly tried medication early on, he stopped after just two weeks due to severe acid reflux. He emphasized that he has no issue with others using GLP-1 drugs, but wanted his own journey to be free of shortcuts.
“I didn’t want an asterisk next to my name,” he said, explaining that he wanted to prove lasting weight loss is possible through real change.
For Jelly Roll, the foundation of his success came down to one thing: food. He admitted to struggling with a serious food addiction, eating impulsively and excessively for years. In 2020, when his scale stopped registering beyond 520 pounds, he realized just how dangerous his situation had become.
Rather than starting with workouts or extreme dieting, he began with mental health therapy, treating his overeating the same way he once treated drug addiction. He worked to understand why he ate, not just what he ate. That mindset shift, he says, changed everything.
In 2021, Jelly Roll began working with wellness experts, first attempting to get below 500 pounds. From there, detailed blood work revealed dangerously high insulin levels, cholesterol, and A1C—numbers so concerning that doctors questioned how he was functioning at all.
Medical professionals focused first on correcting insulin resistance through meal timing and whole foods, not extreme dieting. He was prescribed metformin to help regulate triglycerides and support metabolic health. Doctors explained that excessive insulin forces the body to store fat, making weight loss much harder unless addressed early.
Another major discovery was his extremely low testosterone, measuring just 57 ng/dL, far below the normal range for his age. Hormone therapy helped correct the imbalance and gave Jelly Roll deeper insight into his overall health.
Men’s Health documented the journey in a new documentary, A Year For A Life, which captures both the physical and emotional weight of his transformation.
Jelly Roll described his former life as a constant struggle—simple daily tasks were difficult, painful, and humiliating. He felt trapped inside his own body, unable to move freely or live normally.
Looking ahead to 2026, Jelly Roll plans to continue improving his health, including undergoing surgery to remove excess skin. He proudly notes visible muscle definition for the first time in his life and says his strength is only increasing.
Most importantly, he hopes his story can motivate others. His advice is simple: don’t try to change everything at once.
“Start with food,” he said. “Forget everything else. Just commit to knowing exactly what you’re putting into your body.”
For Jelly Roll, real change didn’t come from overnight promises—it came from accountability, patience, and treating his health with the seriousness it deserved.
