Jazz Jennings is celebrating a 70-pound weight loss by sharing beachside a photo of herself wearing a flowing strapless halter top.
The “I Am Jazz” star, 23, posted the pic on Jan. 19 to Instagram, writing, “70 pounds down! Feeling happier and healthier than I’ve been in years. I still have a ways to go, but I’m so proud to finally be taking the necessary steps toward bettering my mind, body, and spirit.”
Jennings’ fans commented to congratulate her on her weight-loss success.
“You look amazing!!! So happy to see you happy and doing well!” wrote one.
“You are beautiful inside and out no matter what size but I do know how good this feels and how happy you are!” wrote someone else.
In June 2021, Jennings opened up on Instagram about suffering from a binge eating disorder, which caused her to gain 100 pounds.
The transgender activist and TLC star posted side-by-side photos of herself, one showing her in a sports bra and black shorts at the time and another that showed her looking slimmer in the past.
The then 20-year-old wrote that she has “gained a substantial amount of weight” as a result of her binge-eating disorder.
“I’m not only addicted to food, but I eat it in large quantities. My binging, along with an increased appetite I experience from some of the meds I’m on, has caused me to gain almost 100 pounds in a little less than 2 years,” she told fans.
Jennings said she posted the photos to “hold myself accountable.”
“I’m ready to change my ways; I’ve been saying I’m ready to turn over a new leaf, but I’m running out of trees now,” she joked. “I’m ready to take the initiative and create positive changes when it comes to my health and body. I have a fabulous team supporting me, both professionals and family/friends, but at the end of the day, I have to be the one committed toward bettering myself. I know I have the power in me to lose the weight, and I intend on sharing my progress with all of you.”
Jazz Jennings at the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards on April 2, 2022 in Beverly Hills, CA.Momodu Mansaray / WireImage,
The National Eating Disorders Association defines binge eating as a disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating and eating larger amounts of food in a discrete period of time than most people would in the same situation.
Associated behaviors include eating very rapidly, eating past the point of being full, eating when not hungry, and eating alone, according to NEDA.
The behavior is often coupled with intense feelings of loss of control about eating, as well as shame and guilt. BED is diagnosed when an individual engages in binge eating, on average, at least 1 day a week for 3 months.
In November 2021, Jennings opened up to TODAY.com about her struggles with mental health and binge eating disorder, which were documented on Seasons 7 & 8 of “I Am Jazz.”
“I have gained 100 pounds… It’s something we discuss a lot; how my food addiction played a role in my weight gain and my mental health,” she said at the time.
“There’s just a bunch of different things that we explore that I feel like need to be discussed because they aren’t talked about enough and so many people struggle with these issues.”
Jennings has not said exactly how she lost the weight on her social media accounts but she did share a video of herself jogging with her dad earlier this year.
“‘There she is….the 2024 JAZZZZ’ — @gregory_scott_4 My dad is the BEST. So supportive and empathetic,” she wrote in the video caption on Instagram. “Thanks for always being there for me. Now I just have to be consistent in order to reach my health goals! Baby steps💪.”
