Country star Jelly Roll is turning heads with his impressive 200-pound weight loss as he prepares for his first-ever Australian tour. The “Wild Ones” crooner, whose real name is Jason DeFord, recently guest picked on ESPN’s College GameDay, showcasing his confident smile and trim physique.
During the show on Saturday, October 18, Jelly Roll stood out as the only picker to predict a Tennessee Volunteers victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide. Unfortunately for him, the Volunteers fell short, losing 37-20. However, he correctly backed the Georgia Bulldogs against Ole Miss, agreeing with sports legends like Desmond Howard, Nick Saban and Pat McAfee, as the Bulldogs triumphed 43-35.
Jelly Roll shared personal anecdotes about Saban, expressing that his family “admired and respected” the coach while still maintaining a rivalry, particularly since his father rooted for Vanderbilt, contrasting with the rest of his Tennessee-loving family.
Fans couldn’t help but notice Jelly Roll’s stunning transformation. Once tipping the scales at 550 pounds, he embarked on his wellness journey in 2022, shedding almost 200 pounds. Just days later, on Tuesday, October 21, he was spotted at Sydney Airport in a black hoodie, geared up for his upcoming shows, which run from Friday, October 24, to Thursday, November 6.
Previously, Jelly Roll lost 60 to 70 pounds during his Beautifully Broken tour, and he’s expected to maintain the same active lifestyle on this new adventure. In September, he celebrated a milestone in his health journey, joyfully posting, “I can fit in Louis Vuitton now. Pray for my bank account.”
Looking ahead, Jelly Roll has ambitious goals.
He declared, “I wanna be on the cover of Men’s Health by March of 2026,” sharing his aspirations during a December 2024 appearance on his wife Bunnie Xo’s “Dumb Blonde” podcast.
In a candid conversation with People magazine last November, Jelly Roll reflected on his relationship with food. “The battle was with the food addiction, changing the way I’ve looked at food for the last 39 years,” he revealed. “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. Once that little snowball started rolling, it was on its way.”
He also addressed the significant lifestyle changes he’s made on the road, noting that the focus has shifted from “alcohol and drugs” to “good eating and around exercising and doing emotional check-ins with our crew every day.”
