Jelly Roll says he can finally see color again after making major changes to his diet as part of his ongoing weight-loss journey. The singer — born Jason DeFord — revealed the surprising improvement while updating fans on his transformation from 550 pounds to where he is now. Today reports that Jelly has dropped 183 pounds since early 2024.
During an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience posted on Dec. 10, the country star opened up about his progress and explained that his vision had been impacted by “the sugar” and “rampant inflammation.”
“I was colorblind,” he said. “I seen shades of colors. I didn’t see color for like 20 years … It had to have been the sugar.”
Elsewhere in the conversation, Jelly Roll admitted that his weight had even affected his sex life — and that reality pushed him to overhaul his diet. “I couldn’t even get aroused. I was so big,” he said, referring to the period when he weighed over 500 pounds.
The 39-year-old has since committed to a full lifestyle reset centered on better nutrition and cutting back on alcohol. He kicked things off in January 2024 by training for his first-ever 5K — the 2 Bears 5K in Los Angeles — noting he “couldn’t walk a mile” when he started. By May, he completed the entire 3.1-mile race and showed up visibly slimmer at the Academy of Country Music Awards, calling the moment “really emotional.”
Throughout the process, Jelly Roll has worked to repair his relationship with food and confront what he calls a lifelong food addiction, choosing healthier takes on his favorite meals. His routine also included steady workouts during his Beautifully Broken tour from August to November 2024, keeping up a daily training schedule even while on the road. He told Entertainment Tonight that these changes have sparked new dreams, like landing magazine covers and trying sports he previously couldn’t enjoy.
The Nashville native joins a growing number of celebrities opening up about their health transformations, echoing themes highlighted in recent People features on lifestyle overhauls. Jelly Roll has continually emphasized the importance of small, realistic goals — and hitting them one step at a time — a mindset he says has reshaped both his physical abilities and his overall well-being.
