• Grammy-nominated singer dropped from 540 pounds to 357 through diet changes and exercise routine
• Musician credits protein-rich diet, walking and overcoming food addiction for dramatic results
• Jelly Roll aims to reach 250 pounds to skydive, ride roller coasters and wrestle alligators

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TDR) — Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Jelly Roll told his fans in a 2024 Instagram video that he would be unrecognizable in 2025, and the 40-year-old musician is holding to that promise. After dropping an incredible 200-plus pounds, the country star is turning heads and dropping jaws with his dramatic transformation that has garnered significant attention and admiration from fans and loved ones alike.

The superstar landed in Sydney Tuesday for his Down Under tour, showing off his slimmer frame in a black hoodie and pants as he cruised through the airport. After going from 540 pounds to 357, Jelly Roll was basically rocking a whole new stage persona that left fans stunned by the visible changes.

Simple strategy yields dramatic results

Jelly Roll said he was approaching the 200-pound mark when he appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live earlier this year. He told host Jimmy Kimmel his strategy was uncomplicated but effective. “I’ve been thinking of ways to make it sound cool, but I can’t,” he said. “I’m eating a lot of protein and vegetables and walking.”

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The transformation didn’t happen overnight. Back in 2023, he promised to clean up his habits and lock into a solid wellness routine. By January 2024, he was already lacing up for a 5K race. It was in April at Pat McAfee‘s Big Night Out event where Jelly Roll proudly revealed his epic drop to 357 pounds.

The singer shared he’d reached a new low on the scale while giving a speech to the Tennessee Titans football team on Aug. 6. “I lost 200 pounds. I told coach I’m getting a contract if I lose another 50,” he joked.

Food addiction battle at dinner table

When asked about his goal weight, Jelly Roll explained his motivation. “For the non-fluffy people in the world — I would give y’all some education, of course, here — to do all the fun stuff in life, you gotta be under 250,” he said. “So my goal, I want to skydive, I want to ride a roller coaster, I want to ride a bull. I know it sounds crazy. I want to wrestle an alligator. I got a list of things that I want to do.”

At the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards, he told Fox News Digital the hardest part was controlling his eating. “If you’re really battling obesity, you got to start at the dinner table, man,” he said. “The walking’s great, all the other stuff’s great, but you got to fight that addiction at the dinner table.”

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In a November 2024 interview with People, he shared that overcoming food addiction was crucial. “The battle was with the food addiction, changing the way I’ve looked at food for the last 39 years,” he said. “I’ve never had a healthy relationship with food, so that was the hard part. But once you get into that discipline and commitment, it’s like an avalanche.”

New goals on the horizon

Since his weight loss, Jelly Roll has said he can fit in Louis Vuitton now. “Pray for my bank account,” he joked. He told his wife, Bunnie Xo, on her podcast, Dumb Blonde, that he wants to be on the cover of Men’s Health by March of 2026.

“I did this publicly for a reason,” he said. “I want to be honest about my struggles with it with people. I wore it for so long.”

Will Jelly Roll achieve his goal of gracing the Men’s Health cover by March 2026?

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