BARRIO (Hola) – Nicky Jam is opening up about his weight loss journey, candidly discussing his gastric bypass surgery. In a world where celebrities often undergo various procedures in secret to meet certain beauty standards, the Latin superstar is being honest. The 41-year-old has lost an impressive 110 pounds in the past six months with the help of gastric bypass surgery.

The surgical method involves reducing the size of the stomach and directly reconnecting it to the small intestine, per Mayo Clinic.

In an interview with PEOPLE, the Puerto Rican and Dominican American acknowledged the prevalent body standards and expectations within the entertainment industry. “This is an industry where you have to be in shape, you have to do movies, you have to do videos,” he told the outlet, explaining he struggled with his weight his entire life.

The 42-year-old artist opted for the surgery after a friend’s successful experience. The recovery was not easy, as part of the recovery involved a significant lifestyle change. Plus, you can’t eat for four or five months after the surgery. “People say this is the easy way — they’re wrong,” he said.

“I’ve been eating really well for the last two months, and I’m enjoying it because I was literally on four or five months without eating,” he told the outlet. “I was just drinking liquids and stuff like that, and I was going crazy. I ain’t going to lie. The first few days I cried.”

Now, the way he thinks about food is different, and along with exercise, and dietary changes, he is still losing weight. “I wake up, and I’m the same guy, but I don’t wake up and think about food right away,” he said. “I used to wake up and just wanted to eat. Now I take my time, and I eat whenever I want. I feel better. I feel happy. I feel healthy.”