This Pop Star Has Gone Through A 10-Year Transformation That Has Fans Doubting Her Identity

Jesy Nelson drew the adoration of millions of fans as a member of pop band Little Mix. But she’s come under fire for exhibiting a series of bold new looks that have left fans open-mouthed. Her ever-evolving style has mostly attracted admiration from followers on social media. Now, though, even her most devoted fans are starting to wonder exactly what’s going on with the “Boyz” singer.

Will the real Jesy Nelson please stand up?

Nelson’s always been a style chameleon. And she’s been open about her struggles with her appearance. The British star discussed those issues, including how she’d been affected by internet trolls, in the 2019 documentary Jesy Nelson: Odd One Out. The singer’s honesty was applauded by many fans — but a recent dramatic transformation has got people asking: who’s the real Jesy Nelson?

Aspiring actress

The London-born singer’s come a long way in the past decade. As a young girl growing up in East London, at first she dreamed of becoming an actress. Nelson trained at the reputable Yvonne Rhodes and Sylvia Young Theatre schools, before going on to score a couple of minor movie parts. Yes — if you squint, you can spot her as a background extra in the 2002 hit rom-com About a Boy.

Making movies

“I was in About A Boy — you can see my little round head,” the star explained during a 2020 Australian radio interview. And it’s true! During the memorable scene in which the movie’s titular “boy” Marcus performs at his school talent contest, look closely and you’ll spot Nelson in the audience. And that’s not all: the former Little Mix member was an extra in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, too.

The X Factor

It was in 2011 when Nelson got her big break, though. After trying out for the British version of The X Factor, the singer failed to make it through to the final stages as a solo performer. But the judges eventually decided to place Nelson, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jade Thirlwall into a group. And Little Mix was born.

Introducing Little Mix

Under the tutoring of former N-Dubz singer Tulisa Contostavlos, the foursome sang their way to victory in the final. It was a historic moment for the series, as a group had never won before. And following their triumph, music mogul Simon Cowell took Little Mix under his wing, signing them to his label Syco Music.

Making history

Since then, the British girl group has gone on to become one of the most successful in history. Their debut single “Cannonball” shot to the top of the U.K. music charts, with “Black Magic” and “Shout Out to My Ex” — among others — later following suit. Their fourth album Glory Days also rocketed to the summit of the U.K. albums chart, rivaling the Spice Girls’ Spiceworld for new-release sales.

Best girl group

To date, Little Mix have shipped more than 60 million units and were honored with a Brit Award in 2021 for the best British group. That’s a girl-band first. The gong’s one of many earned by the group, who are estimated to be worth around $90 million. Wowzers!

Growing up

We’ve seen the Little Mix ladies change and mature a lot over the past ten years. From the teens they were when they auditioned for The X Factor, they’ve grown into sophisticated young women. And in an almost spooky coincidence, Edwards and Pinnock each recently became moms for the first time in the same month!

Mini Mix-ers

Edwards gave birth in August 2021 to baby boy Axel, whose dad is Liverpool soccer player Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Just five days earlier, Pinnock had announced the arrival of her twins with fiancé Andre Gray — another professional soccer player! Thirlwall, meanwhile, is dating Jordan Stephens of the British musical duo Rizzle Kicks.

Rocky relationships

Nelson’s love life has been as colorful as some of her past outfits. She was in a relationship with Jordan Banjo of U.K. dance troupe Diversity during 2013. Then she was with rapper Harry James for more than a year. Only a few months after they split up, Nelson began dating Chris Hughes, who’d appeared on the British version of the reality show Love Island.

Heartbreak

Hughes and the former Little Mix-er looked set to last, with Nelson gushing about her beau on Instagram in January 2020. She wrote, “I can honestly say I’ve never been more in love and happy in all my life! I love you ratbag forever and always.” But sadly it wouldn’t be “forever and always,” as the couple broke up a few months later.

“I wanted to be kept on my toes”

Nelson then seemed to have found love once more with British actor Sean Sagar. They made their relationship public in July 2020 — but again it’d prove to be a rocky one. The pair parted ways in 2021, with Nelson telling The Guardian, “I wanted to be kept on my toes and have that chase, and hand on my heart I don’t ever want that again.”

Struggling

“Turbulent” would definitely be one way to describe the singer’s life to date. It’s as though she’s struggled to find what she wants or perhaps even who she is. And that’s been reflected in her ever-changing style. The Nelson of today’s a far cry from the fresh-faced youngster who bounded on to the scene in 2011. Back then, she was all neon prints, baseball caps, and baggy pants.

Changing style

While she still isn’t averse to a cap and baggy pants, the “Boyz” singer’s looking very different today. In 2011 she sported a fuller figure, less revealing outfits, and a mass of untamed curls on her head. Her make-up was minimal and her smile far more natural. But then things began to change.

The evolution

It started gradually — her hair became sleeker and straighter, though she kept her natural brunette shade. Then her skin became darker as the pop star discovered — and clearly took a liking to — spray tans. And those baggy tees and sweatshirts started to give way to considerably more risqué and revealing outfits. Not unusual for a celebrity performer, you might argue. Yet there was more to it.

Complete makeover

Nelson started noticeably losing weight. She became slimmer and slimmer, while her outfits became smaller and racier. Her make-up changed, too. The natural look was replaced by smoky eyes and bold lip colors. The singer also started experimenting with her hair — swapping her trademark brown curls for poker-straight pink tresses in 2018.

Cosmetic surgery?

Now while there’s nothing wrong with experimenting with style, Nelson appeared to be taking drastic action to change her appearance. From 2017 she started to exhibit fuller lips as well, prompting rumors that the star had undergone cosmetic surgery. In 2018 physician to the stars Dr. Tijion Esho, who specializes in non-surgical procedures, appeared to confirm that some kind of treatment had occurred.

Lip service

Sharing a photo of the Little Mix star with her natural smile alongside one with her fuller pout, Dr. Esho tweeted, “Jesy from Little Mix and The Esho Clinic client has had one of the most talked-about transformations in music.” And while the singer hasn’t actually confirmed this to be true, she hasn’t denied it either. Hmm.

Inner struggles

As mentioned earlier, Nelson’s been open about her struggles over her appearance. They were detailed in her 2019 BBC documentary, Odd One Out, in which the “Black Magic” singer revealed that internet trolling had made her suicidal. And in a heartbreaking Instagram post around the same time, Nelson opened up further about her pain.

The toll of being trolled

“Six months ago this girl was someone I just wanted to forget,” the pop star wrote. “I wanted to erase her from my mind and everyone else’s memory. I didn’t see her as Jesy I saw her as ‘the fat one from Little Mix.’ Up until now, I hated her not because she’d ever done anything bad but because I was made to hate her by endless amounts of trolling.”

“I don’t see Jesy the fat one”

The “Shout Out to My Ex” singer added, “If you’d have told that girl one day you won’t feel sad anymore, I’d never have believed you.... and here I am. Now when I look in the mirror, I don’t see Jesy the fat one, I see Jesy the happy one!” And for a while, the star certainly seemed to be more at ease with herself.

Big hair, don’t care

During the 2020 lockdown, the singer delighted fans by sharing Instagram selfies of her embracing her natural curls. Nelson had previously explained — as quoted in a 2018 Daily Mirror article — why her hair’s important to her. “I had alopecia when I was 13, brought on by stress from bullying,” she said. “And that’s why I love my big hair now.”

Leaving Little Mix

It seems that this period of reflection brought the singer to the realization that being in Little Mix made her unhappy. Because just weeks after telling her Instagram followers that she was spending some time away from the band due to “private medical reasons,” Nelson quit. She explained in another post that being in Little Mix had “taken a toll on [her] mental health.”

New chapter

The singer continued, “I find the constant pressure of being in a girl group and living up to expectations very hard.” She expressed her gratitude for the experience of being in the girl group, though, adding that those years were “the most incredible time.” Yet in spite of that, Nelson concluded that she needed to “embark on a new chapter.”

The U.K. baddie

And boy has she done that! With the release of her October 2021 single “Boyz”, Nelson debuted a new image for herself as the “U.K. baddie.” In the music video, the former Little Mix-er snarls and literally raises a middle finger to the camera as she sings about liking “bad, bad boy[s].” The song also features vocals by notorious rapper Nicki Minaj.

Blackfishing

The video features a cameo from another rap superstar, too — P. Diddy, whose track “Bad Boy For Life” is sampled by Nelson. But the clip’s been heavily criticized for its alleged use of cultural appropriation, or “blackfishing.” And you can see why; for a start, in it, Nelson’s skin color looks as dark as Minaj’s.

Inappropriate

“Blackfishing,” for those who don’t know, refers to the inappropriate use of black culture by someone who isn’t black. And it’s not just Nelson’s heavily tanned skin in the video that’s brought her under fire, either. We also see the bandana-wearing singer riding bikes and cruising along in low riders — images typically associated with hip-hop videos by black artists.

Not the first time

And whether she meant to or not, Little Mix’s Jade Thirlwall added fuel to the fire. The singer mentioned in an October 2021 interview with Stella magazine that Nelson had been spoken to about cultural appropriation during her time in the group. “We’ve dealt with it in the best way that we know how and got each other through it,” Thirlwall said.

“Problematic and harmful”

“We don’t want to talk about the video, or be critical, but one thing we will clarify regarding the blackfishing situation is that Jesy was approached by the band in a very friendly, educational manner,” Thirlwall added. “Capitalizing on aspects of blackness without having to endure the daily realities of the black experience is problematic and harmful to people of color.”

Minaj weighs in

But Nelson’s “Boyz” collaborator Minaj took her side during an Instagram Live rant. Minaj stated on the social media site in October 2021, “As long as you’re not hurting anybody or speaking negatively about anyone’s race or culture, you should be able to enjoy your body, your makeup, how you want to.”

No holding back

Minaj also slammed Nelson’s former bandmate Pinnock, after it was mentioned that the Little Mix-er had previously warned Nelson about blackfishing. Referencing Nelson leaving the group, Minaj said, “As soon as people can’t get a bag with you, they tend to wanna stop your bag.”

More controversy

But the rap star’s comments generated their own controversy, with some fans suggesting that Minaj shouldn’t be defending a white person against someone of her own race. Twitter user @DariusMason1 wrote, “@NICKIMINAJ Not you dragging another black woman for a white woman. A white woman who’s been called out by MULTIPLE black women around the world about this. But you wanna push this narrative so bad.”

Natural tan

During the same Instagram Live session, Nelson defended herself against the blackfishing accusations. The singer argued that her “intention was never to offend people of color.” And she had an explanation for the criticisms of her dark skin color. “I want people to know that when I was in the video with [Minaj], I didn’t even have any fake tan on,” Nelson claimed.

“It’s crazy”

“I’d been in Antigua prior to that for three weeks, and I’m just really lucky as a white girl that when I’m in the sun, I tan so dark,” Nelson continued. “Leigh-Anne even said to me in the group, ‘Are you sure you’re not mixed race, because you go darker than me in the sun, it’s crazy.’”

“100 percent being myself”

In an October 2021 interview with the Vulture website, Nelson also explained that hip-hop/R’n’B was “the music [she’d] always wanted to make.” She added, “My passion is R’n’B and hip-hop from the 1990s and early 2000s. That’s what I grew up on.” The star’s new image, she said, was “just 100 percent being [her]self.”

“That’s who I am”

“If you look at me on X Factor with my big curly hair, I was wearing trainers and combats — that’s who I am as an artist and as Jesy,” Nelson stated. “Now I’m out of Little Mix, I’ve gone back to being who I am… I’m very aware that I’m a white British woman; I’ve never said that I wasn’t.”

Christina copycat

Nelson isn’t the first star to be accused of blackfishing, of course. Pop queen Christina Aguilera was similarly criticized for the way she dressed during her Stripped era in the early 2000s. In fact, when Nelson posted a photo to Instagram modeling a similar style, it prompted a follower to comment, “And the credit to Xtina??? You stole her look.”

Trying to be herself

During the Vulture interview, Nelson had a defiant message for her critics. “I don’t ever want to be an artist who’s being told what to wear or what music to make,” the singer said. “I want to be authentic and true to myself, and if people don’t like that, don’t be my fan. Don’t be a part of my journey.”

“Shocked”

But she changed her tone when later approached for comment on the blackfishing accusations. “I take all those comments made seriously,” Nelson told Vulture. “I would never intentionally do anything to make myself look racially ambiguous, so that’s why I was initially shocked that the term was directed at me.” Perhaps, like many young people, Nelson’s still just learning who she is. No doubt her style and music genre will continue to evolve as the years go on. It’s been a similar story for other stars, too — though some celebrity transformations have been more down to health reasons than anything else. Here are the most dramatic changes we’ve seen in the world of showbiz.

40. Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran decided to shed the pounds after discovering that his diet mostly consisted of “pizza and beer.” We can relate... But there was a big drawback. The pop star told British radio station Signal 1, “Suddenly I didn’t fit in anything. I was like, ‘All my clothes have shrunk.’” So, with the assistance of his sportswoman girlfriend Cherry Seaborn, he lost the weight. And Seaborn must have done something right, as she’s now Sheeran’s wife.

39. Khloé Kardashian

After splitting from Lamar Odom, Khloé Kardashian decided she needed to shape up. Getting fit wasn’t a walk in the park, mind you. In 2015 the reality star told Women’s Health, “At first, it was so hard. It was baby steps, but I started feeling so much better.” And it all paid off. Just two years later Kardashian began hosting a TV show called Revenge Body that helped others tone up just like she had. Speaking to USA Today about the series, she explained, “I finally have learned to process things in a healthy way, and for me, that’s my ‘revenge body.’”

38. Russell Crowe

Russell Crowe piled on the pounds for his 2016 movie The Nice Guys. That way, he could better portray his character, although there was just one hitch: eventually, he’d have to drop all the weight again. But he did it – thanks in part to his love of cycling. Crowe’s gained and lost weight for roles since then, but don’t expect him to go on the record about it. In 2019 he told Entertainment Weekly that talking about the subject was “boring.”

37. Sherri Shepherd

Sherri Shepherd lost weight for two reasons: she wanted to be slim for her wedding, and she wanted to play with her son more often. In 2013 she explained that second point to People magazine, saying, “I was the mom who would be yelling at [my son] from the benches because I was just too tired to move.” But after changing her diet and starting dance exercise classes, she ultimately shed 46 pounds.

36. Christina Aguilera

In 2013 Christina Aguilera lost a lot of weight, and it was all because she overhauled her diet. Basically, she stopped eating unhealthy food and began putting lots of fruit and vegetables in her meals instead. Fat-filled snacks? They were out, too. In? Celery with almond butter and shrimp cocktail – though not at the same time, of course!

35. Ethan Suplee

You may remember Ethan Suplee as adorable schlub Randy in My Name is Earl. Safe to say, though, that he now looks very different from how he did when the show was on the air. In the years since, he’s changed his diet and started weight training. He also began hosting a podcast, American Glutton, where he’s talked about how he overcame binge eating. And the end result? Amazing.

34. Missy Elliott

Back in 2019, Missy Elliott told her Instagram followers how she had managed to drop so much weight. Her secrets? Well, the rapper stopped drinking sodas, sticking only to water. She also said bye to bread. And she had a very good reason for making these adjustments. In 2011 she had been diagnosed with Graves’ disease, which can be partly controlled through diet.

33. DJ Khaled

In 2018 DJ Khaled extolled the virtues of the Weight Watchers plan. He told Fox News that year, “Right now, the last weigh-in was like 26 pounds. I got rid of – I don’t lose.” He’s since gone on to shed another 17 pounds. All in all, as the star claimed on Instagram, Weight Watchers was responsible for “changing [his] life.”

32. Simon Cowell

In 2017 Simon Cowell got a real wake-up call after he passed out and fell down the stairs. That year, he told British newspaper The Sun, “They think I fainted because I had low blood pressure, and so I have got to really take good care of myself to sort that out. After all, I am a dad and have more responsibility than ever.” Good point. And when he ditched the comfort food from his diet, the weight came off.

31. Miranda Hart

In 2015 Spy actress Miranda Hart debuted her new, slimmer physique at the London premiere of the action comedy. And it appears she’s been living healthily ever since. In 2019, you see, Hart told her Instagram followers that fitness activities were “important joys that feed [her] soul.”

30. Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin avoided serious health problems after his wife, Hilaria, intervened. Speaking about the actor’s diagnosis of pre-diabetes, Hilaria wrote in her 2016 book The Living Clearly Method, “This was an alarming wake-up call that rocked [Alec] to the core.” The upshot? She quickly helped him improve his diet.

29. Queen Latifah

After Queen Latifah had battled with her weight for years, she became a spokeswoman for Jenny Craig. And it appears that was enough to do the trick. In 2010 the star told People, “I wish I had known more about nutrition and exercise and how really good it could affect you at a younger age. Then I would have kicked it up a lot sooner.”

28. Sam Smith

Incredibly, Sam Smith lost 14 pounds in the same number of days back in 2015. They’d long relied on food as a crutch, as they explained to 60 Minutes Australia. The British singer revealed, “When I was at school and wasn’t having a great time or when music wasn’t going very well. I would eat, eat. Eating would make me feel better. When I felt lonely, I would eat.” Changing this improved their health.

27. Mo’Nique

In 2018 Mo’Nique shared her glee that she now weighed below 200 pounds. And in an Instagram video, the actress explained how, telling her followers, “It’s called raw food. It’s called dancing your pants off. It’s called giving yourself a chance to live the best life you can live.”

26. Miranda Lambert

Country music star Miranda Lambert dropped 20 pounds in 2014, and she revealed just how she’d done it to Women’s Health magazine. For starters, she’d battled her aversion to vegetables by drinking green juice every day. As for meals? Well, the country music star added, “I just literally would make grilled chicken breast [and] sweet potato salad. There was no miracle.”

25. Jimmy Kimmel

In 2015 Jimmy Kimmel opened up about his weight-loss ordeal in an interview with Men’s Journal. The late-night host candidly explained, “I definitely feel pressure to keep slim. I don’t want to be the guy who lost weight and gained it all back. But it’s hard. Sometimes I’ll gorge and gain nine pounds in a weekend somehow, and I get bummed about it.” That hasn’t put him off forever, though.

24. Roseanne Barr

Ever the comedian, Roseanne Barr once joked to US Weekly that “doing crack” was the secret behind her slimmed-down appearance. In truth, though, a tried-and-true combination of healthy eating and regular exercise helped the funny woman lose over half her body weight.

23. Shonda Rhimes

TV queen Shonda Rhimes announced in 2015 that she’d dropped 98 pounds. And she just kept on going: by 2017, she’d shed a further 52 pounds. But it wasn’t in an effort to adapt to some Hollywood ideal. The superproducer wrote in her official newsletter, “I did not do it because I thought I would become beautiful like in the movies. I did it because I could not walk up a short flight [of] stairs without stopping to take a break and wiping sweat from my brow.”

22. Chrissy Metz

Chrissy Metz’s weight-loss journey mirrors that of her This Is Us character Kate Pearson. And it looks like she’s learned a lot along the way. In 2020 Metz told Good Housekeeping, “I’ve battled weight issues, but I realize that I don’t have to beat myself up if I have XYZ food. Instead, I change my perspective and think, ‘What is it that I’m angry about?’”

21. Adele

Adele shocked everyone in 2020 when she was snapped sporting a much slimmer frame. How had she achieved her new bod? Well, Camila Goodis – a member of the singer’s inner circle – told the media that Adele had been following the “sirtfood diet.” If you’re as confused as we are, it involves eating foods high in sirtuins – proteins that help keep your metabolism in good shape.

20. John Goodman

After filming 10 Cloverfield Lane, John Goodman decided that it was high time for an image overhaul. In 2016, in fact, he told ABC News that he was simply “sick and tired of looking at [himself].” That led the Roseanne favorite to lose a whopping 100 pounds – a feat he attributed to “just [stopping] eating all the time.” Makes sense!

19. Kelly Osbourne

Kelly Osbourne has worked hard to get her body down to a healthy weight. But after trying every fad under the sun, the reality TV star finally found success with the “mushroom diet.” This regime is exactly as it sounds: feasting on mushroom-based meals for lunch or dinner. It’s certainly worked for Osbourne, anyway, as she’s managed to shed over 70 pounds.

18. Jennifer Hudson

When Jennifer Hudson was launched to fame on American Idol, she was a little on the larger side. After becoming a spokeswoman for Weight Watchers, though, the vocal powerhouse ended up dropping 80 pounds – and today she looks incredible.

17. Ricky Gervais

In a 2010 interview with People magazine, Ricky Gervais rather caustically described his former self as “a fat, lazy, out of shape slob.” These days, though? The British comedian is anything but. Gervais cut out late-night snacking and managed to lose 22 pounds, although he did admit that the weight loss may have a downside. “I play fat putzes,” he explained to Men’s Health in 2013. “If anything, this could ruin my career!”

16. Jordin Sparks

Jordin Sparks lost 50 pounds – no small feat – by taking Zumba classes and watching what she ate. But she also didn’t want to go overboard. The singer and actress said to People, “I’m good with my thighs touching. I grew up in a family where we have meat on our bones. I just want to be healthy.” Amen to that.

15. Carrie Fisher

When the late Carrie Fisher was asked to play Princess Leia again in The Force Awakens, she knew she had to lose weight before her on-screen return. And that’s exactly what she did! The much-missed actress ended up shedding an impressive 40 pounds simply by following a better eating and exercise plan.

14. Seth Rogen

Seth Rogen surprised everyone when he slimmed down considerably in 2008. And that same year, the Canadian star told Ryan Seacrest that there had been no special secret behind his weight loss. All he had done was eat less and move more, though even that wasn’t as easy as that sounds. “Uh, stay fat, people,” Rogen joked to the Long Island Press. “That’s my motto. It’s no picnic.”

13. Raven-Symone

Raven-Symone lost 70 pounds by sweating up a storm in four sessions of cardio a week or more. But the former Cosby Show star has always been determined to promote body positivity no matter her weight. In 2011 she explained to People magazine, “Whether or not I’m this size, I always preached, ‘Be comfortable with yourself.’”

12. Kirstie Alley

Kirstie Alley’s weight issues have been very well documented throughout her career. But that changed for the better in 2015, when she revealed that she’d lost 50 pounds following the Jenny Craig program. Not only that, but she became a spokeswoman for the company, too!

11. Peter Jackson

How do you celebrate making a multi-Oscar-winning movie trilogy? We’d say a huge party seems the obvious choice. Peter Jackson, though? He decided to shed 50 pounds. And when Jackson debuted his trimmer physique in public, Lord of the Rings fans barely recognized him.

10. Perez Hilton

It took celebrity blogger Perez Hilton almost four years to lose 70 pounds, and he was mighty proud of himself once he was done. In 2007 the newly-slimmed-down king of gossip posted this triumphant message on his blog: “No surgery! No drugs! No gimmicks! No shortcuts.”

9. James Corden

British actor and TV host James Corden lost 84 pounds after he relocated to LA to take over The Late Late Show. And it wasn’t just the change of scenery that did him good. “I’ve cut out sugar and bread and only eat at mealtimes now,” he told the Daily Mirror in 2015.

8. Aretha Franklin

A stint in hospital convinced Aretha Franklin to turn her life around – and lose 85 pounds in the process. How did the late Queen of Soul do it? Well, when talking to the hosts of The View in 2012, she revealed that she’d ditched processed foods. Basically, she’d completely overhauled her diet for the better.

7. Drew Carey

Fearing he would die of a heart attack like his father, Drew Carey put himself on a strict weight-loss regime at the beginning of 2010. And it’s safe to say it worked! You see, the actor proceeded to lose an incredible 85 pounds in just nine months. Carey credited his tremendous achievement to cardio workouts and a carb-free diet.

6. Jonah Hill

Following his appearance in sports drama Moneyball, Jonah Hill dropped an impressive 40 pounds. His weight-loss method? Eating lots of sushi, apparently – which sounds pretty good to us. And the actor has explained what he perceives to be one of the plus points of his new bod. In 2013 he told the media, “Getting in better shape is a sign of maturity. I think you are taken more seriously.”

5. Melissa McCarthy

Melissa McCarthy may have her own plus-size fashion line, but she’s definitely at a much lower weight than she was in her Gilmore Girls days. Yep, thanks to some careful dieting – basically, cutting carbs and upping her protein intake – the Ghostbusters star dropped an incredible 75 pounds.

4. Randy Jackson

After Randy Jackson was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, he turned to the surgeon’s knife. Yes, the American Idol judge opted to have gastric bypass surgery to help him lose weight. Since then – and with the help of a healthier diet – he’s managed to shed a not-too-shabby 100 pounds.

3. Snooki

In 2012 Snooki managed to successfully shift her pregnancy weight – and then some. The Jersey Shore star lost 42 pounds simply by eating well and exercising regularly. Now? She actually looks slimmer than she did before motherhood!

2. Rosie O’Donnell

Outspoken comedienne Rosie O’Donnell shed 64 pounds in just a couple of years. She did have a gastric bypass to help her along, mind you. “That surgery changed my life,” she told People in 2015. “Your relationship with food ends.”

1. Chris Pratt

After watching a chunkier version of himself in the movie Zero Dark Thirty, Chris Pratt vowed to make a change. And he’s stuck to it! After losing 80 pounds, Pratt is now one of Hollywood’s hottest leading men – and perhaps the ultimate weight loss success story.