Jelly Roll says 275-pound weight loss made him a better father

Jelly Roll says his 275-pound weight loss has made him 'a better father' and allowed him to coach his 9-year-old son's basketball team; he attributes the change to exercise, diet changes and therapy for food addiction.

Jelly Roll says his 275-pound weight loss has changed his life and family role. The country singer, Jason Bradley DeFord, spoke about the changes at Netflix's Star Search premiere on January 20. He said the weight loss brought him closer to God and to himself and made him more present with his children. He also described a changed relationship with food after seeking therapy and said he has grown to enjoy running. Key details: - He says he weighed more than 500 pounds in 2015 and weighed around 265 pounds by early 2026, a change the article describes as about 275 pounds lost. - He told Extra he can now coach his 9-year-old son Noah's basketball team and is more present with his children. - He attributes the change to exercising, dietary changes and therapy for food addiction, and says he has begun enjoying running. - He reports physical improvements such as easier movement, better breathing while active, improved sleep and less hip pain. - He told Men's Health he does not have a fixed goal weight, describing a "feeling weight" he expects to recognize by how he feels. - He is meeting with skin surgeons to discuss possible removal of excess skin following his weight loss. Summary: Jelly Roll says the weight loss has affected both his health and family life, enabling greater physical activity and more presence with his children. He reports improvements in daily activities and sleep, and he has pursued therapy for food addiction as part of the change. He is consulting surgeons about excess skin and has not set a final numeric weight goal.