Credit: Instagram
Lauren Manzo Opening up about her weight struggles in a recent post on Instagram, she revealed that after getting her lap band removed in 2020, she lost 50 pounds.
Along with a couple of before and after photos, the former The Real Housewives of New Jersey The cast member explained her weight loss journey to her fans and followers before explaining her decision to have the band removed and admitting to using a drug made to treat diabetes.
“Idk why this is so hard for me to post but…. I broke the ribbon a few months before the first photo,” Laren began in the February 26 post, which included photos of his daughter Markie’s birthdays in 2020 and 2023.
“It’s no secret, I’ve struggled with my weight all my life. Not long after the photo on the left I decided that I needed to be healthy not only physically but also mentally,” she said. “I started going to therapy, exercising, started seeing a functional medicine doctor (thanks to you for recommending functional medicine instead of a gut health dr) found out what was going on in my body and naturally treated it all from the root. problem rather than masking it with prescription drugs for IBS as doctors do.
According to Lauren, she’s been following a gluten-free and dairy-free diet for over a year — though she never thought she’d be able to give those two things a shot.
“You have changed my life in a major way,” she explained. “I still have a long way to go and want to lose more weight / get better, but I’m proud to have reached my first photo in 2020. One thing I can say is that I have a supportive family & friends who also love food but always make sure to cook gluten [and] dairy-free when I’m done or always doing little things like gluten-free crackers for me in the pantry has been key in helping me get to where I am.
In the comments section of her post, Lauren shared more about her weight loss as she asked her fans.
“Wow. That’s great.. what took your lap band off?” one person asked.
“It was a very dangerous slip,” said Lauren.
Others accused Lauren of using Ozempic.
“This is called Ozempic people … it’s a ‘functional medicine’ doctor … wake up,” he wrote.
And in response, Lauren admits to taking Mounjaro.
“Lol I’m already on this journey [three] years and lost 50 [pounds]. Start Mountjaro [one] months ago and has lost less than [eight pounds] until now,” he pointed out. “So no… not from Ozempic. But yes… I have jumped on the Mounjaro Train but I am stubborn [eight pounds] do not take from the 50 that you lost yourself.
According to Drugs.com, Mounjaro is “a once-weekly injection approved by the FDA for use in lowering blood sugar (blood glucose) in adults with type 2 diabetes.”
In another message, Lauren responded to a man who complimented her as “beautiful” and begged him not to “do anything” to her face.
“I promise I won’t… just lips… Maybe some Botox… thank god for that [Ali] for saving me from Botox so far,” Lauren wrote.
After sharing before and after photos, Lauren received support from her mother, RHONJ alum Caroline Manzowho reacted with a series of red heart emojis, clapping emojis, and hand emojis.
Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 13 airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on Bravo.