Jonathan Van Ness’s Weight Loss: How JVN Transformed by 2025

Jonathan Van Ness—JVN to fans—is the glittery, hair-flipping heart of Queer Eye, a beacon of joy and self-love since 2018. But by 2025, at 37, they’re dazzling for a new reason: a jaw-dropping weight loss transformation that’s taken their glow to the next level. From a mid-2023 low of “not feeling my best” to strutting a leaner, stronger frame at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards, JVN’s journey has fans clapping and skeptics guessing. “They’re thriving!” one X user cheered after a January 2025 red-carpet snap. How did this non-binary icon, known for cartwheels and curls, drop pounds while keeping their sparkle? Let’s dive into Jonathan Van Ness’s weight loss glow-up, from the spark that lit it to the habits that shine in 2025.

The Spark: A Health and Heart Reset

JVN’s story kicks off with a confession. “I’d gotten to a place physically where I wasn’t feeling my best,” they told Women’s Health in December 2024, reflecting on mid-2023. At 36, the whirlwind of Queer Eye seasons, JVN Hair launches, and a 2022 memoir (Love That Story) had piled on stress—and pounds. “I wasn’t taking care of myself,” they admitted, hinting at a frame that felt heavier than their signature leotards could handle. Photos from early 2023—like a June Out magazine shoot—show a fuller JVN, a contrast to their gymnast roots.

The real jolt came with health nudges and heartbreak. Raised in Quincy, Illinois, JVN grew up around heart disease—“my family’s littered with it,” they told Self in 2020—and their own bloodwork flagged rising cholesterol by 2023, per a Shape interview. Then, their October 2023 breakup with Wilco Froneman hit hard. “I needed to shake things up,” they said, channeling that pain into purpose. With HIV managed since their 2012 diagnosis—“I’m healthy as can be,” they’ve assured—weight became the next frontier. “I wanted to feel strong again,” they told People in 2024, setting the stage for a glow-up that stunned by 2025.

Fitness Flair: Flipping Into Shape

JVN’s transformation leans heavy on movement—and their flair for fun. A former cheerleader and gymnast, they’d fallen off the fitness wagon by 2022. “I wasn’t working out consistently,” they told Women’s Health. Enter 2023: a reunion with weights and cardio that flipped their script. “I started going to the gym again,” they said, building a routine around strength and joy. By May 2024, Instagram lit up with JVN deadlifting 135 pounds—one plate per side—grinning in a neon tank top. “Serving looks and lifts,” they captioned, a vibe that stuck.

Their mix is pure JVN: powerlifting (squats, deadlifts) meets yoga flows and jump rope bursts. “I love a good sweat,” they told Shape, crediting trainer Michelle Farina for structure. Three to five sessions a week—sometimes 45 minutes, sometimes an hour—keep it doable. “It’s not about being skinny; it’s about being strong,” they emphasized in a December 2024 reel, flipping into a cartwheel to prove it. Outdoor runs and SoulCycle spins add cardio flair—“I’m obsessed with spinning,” they’ve said—while stretching keeps their dancer’s flexibility alive. By 2025, that leaner frame at the Critics Choice Awards screamed effort, not extremes.

Food Fab: Nourishing the Glow

Diet’s where JVN’s glow-up gets juicy. “I’m a foodie,” they’ve declared, a love born from Midwest roots and honed hosting Getting Curious. Past binges—like “a whole pizza in one sitting,” they laughed to Bon Appétit in 2020—gave way to balance by 2023. “I cut way back on processed stuff,” they told People, leaning into whole foods that fuel without dragging. Think grilled salmon with asparagus, quinoa bowls with kale, or avocado toast on gluten-free bread—“because gut health,” they winked in a 2024 TikTok.

They’re not dogmatic. “I’m not here to starve,” they told Women’s Health. Tacos—spotted on their Insta Stories in July 2024—stay in play, just lighter: turkey or fish, not beef, with heaps of salsa. Water’s their MVP—“I chug it all day,” they said, aiming for a gallon to flush stress and bloat. Coffee’s still a yes—“ oat milk lattes are life”—but sugar’s dialed down. “I’m eating to feel good, not to punish,” they explained, a shift that’s slimmed them without dimming their zest. By 2025, that radiant skin and energy at awards shows scream nourishment, not deprivation.

Mind and Magic: The Emotional Core

Here’s the real tea: JVN’s weight loss glows brightest from within. “Mental health is everything,” they told Self in 2020, a truth they doubled down on post-breakup. Therapy—“I’ve been in it forever,” they’ve said—anchors them, unpacking stress that once fueled overeating. “I had to get right up here,” they tapped their head in a 2024 reel, tying physical wins to emotional ones. Meditation and journaling spill into their Getting Curious podcast, where they’ve mused, “Self-care’s not selfish.”

The 2023 split stung—“I was a mess,” they hinted—but it lit a fire. “I turned it into fuel,” they told Out. Social media’s noise—trolls calling them “too big” in 2022, “too thin” by 2024—gets muted fast. “I block, delete, repeat,” they said in a December 2024 Story. Their HIV journey adds depth—“I’ve learned to love this body through worse,” they wrote in Over the Top (2019)—making this glow-up a victory lap, not a plea for likes. By 2025, that Critics Choice poise radiates a mind at peace.

The 2025 Reveal: Lean, Loud, and Loving It

By January 2025, JVN’s transformation steals the show. That Critics Choice red carpet—think a tailored suit hugging a slimmer waist—drops jaws. “Jonathan looks snatched!” X erupted, pegging a 40–60-pound loss since 2023, though they dodge specifics. “I’m not here for scale drama,” they told Shape. Photos tell the tale: June 2023’s fuller cheeks versus 2025’s chiseled jaw—same sparkle, less weight. Rumors swirl—Ozempic? “No shade, but no,” they’ve implied, pointing to gym reels instead.

The wins go deeper. “I’m stronger, happier,” they told People. Cholesterol’s down, stamina’s up—enough to cartwheel through a Queer Eye Season 10 shoot, set for 2025. Fans adore it—“JVN’s living their best life,” a Reddit thread gushed—while skeptics fade. “They’ve kept it off; that’s proof,” one wrote. Their JVN Hair empire thrives, and a Queer Eye Emmy nod in 2024 seals the glow-up vibe. “I’m just me, but better,” they beamed in a January 2025 TikTok, flipping their hair—and the script.

JVN’s Glow-Up Guide: Your Turn

Steal their shine with these tips:

Move With Joy: “Find what lights you up—lifting, dancing, whatever,” they said. Start small, stick with it.

Eat Bright: Whole foods rule—salmon, greens, less junk. “Savor, don’t shovel,” they’d say.

Hydrate Hard: Water’s magic—“it’s my glow secret,” they’ve hinted.

Mind Your Magic: Therapy or a journal can shift everything—“get that head right,” they urge.

Own It: “You’re enough as is,” they’ve preached. Build from there.

Why JVN’s Glow-Up Slays

Jonathan Van Ness’s weight loss isn’t a diet diary—it’s a love letter to resilience. “I wanted to feel like me again,” they told Out, a quest that’s shed pounds and baggage by 2025. From heartbreak and health scares to a 2023 reset, they’ve danced through it—literally—with cartwheels and curls intact. “This isn’t about size; it’s about strength,” they told Women’s Health, a truth that shines in every 2025 strut.

Next time you catch them flipping across a screen or slaying a red carpet, know this: JVN’s glow-up is pure them—bold, bright, unapologetic. “I’m living my truth,” they said in 2024, a mantra that’s dropped weight and lifted spirits. What’s your glow-up gonna look like?