Jelly Roll thought he would die

Jelly Roll is opening up about the moment he realised he needed to change his life, and why his 200-pound weight loss journey became a fight for survival. 

The 41-year-old singer shared the emotional turning point during his appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, recalling how close he felt to losing everything.

“I could feel myself dying,” he admitted, describing the fear that hit him as he approached his 39th birthday. 

He said he took a hard look at his health and the number on the scale, adding, “I don’t think I’ve ever met a 500-pound 40-year-old.” 

That thought alone sparked a level of urgency he could no longer ignore.

Jelly Roll explained that he felt he had “already cheated the game” after surviving “multiple heart issues,” and knew he wasn’t going to get many more chances. 

“I was like, man, I should really start trying to figure this out,” he said.

What followed was a two-year transformation fueled by determination, vulnerability and the desire to help others going through similar struggles. 

He said he never expected to lose the weight but hoped that talking about his experience could encourage people who feel stuck in their own battles with obesity.

He remembered the first day he committed to walking 10,000 steps, a moment he described as life-changing. 

His wife Bunnie XO and daughter tried to talk him out of going because it was pouring rain, but he refused. “In my mind, I was like, ‘No. I’m going outside. I’m done lying to y’all and I’m done lying to me.’”

When he got home, soaked from the weather, he broke down seeing his family cheering for him. 

“They had every reason not to go out there and cheer me on,” he said, explaining how years of broken promises about his weight had worn them down. 

But that moment made him realize just how deeply his food addiction had impacted not just his health, but his relationships.

Jelly Roll said the journey forced him to confront painful truths, including how being severely overweight had affected his marriage and intimacy.

Therapy helped him uncover the emotional roots of his eating habits, and over time, he built a healthier relationship with food. 

“Now I’m just feeding myself for what I need,” he said.

Today, he feels “really, really good,” having dropped clothing sizes and even changing his Oura ring size five times. 

Fans have noticed his slimmer face and energised presence in recent months, visible signs of a transformation that started with fear but grew into hope.

And for Jelly Roll, the message is simple: if he could do it, anyone can.