From Lap-Band to Mounjaro: RHONJ's Lauren Manzo's Unconventional Path to 80-Pound Weight Loss
In a remarkable transformation, Lauren Manzo, daughter of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" alum Caroline Manzo, has shared her incredible weight loss journey. Having shed an impressive 80 pounds, Lauren attribute
s the last 30 pounds to the weight loss drug Mounjaro. This groundbreaking development has sparked both curiosity and controversy within the entertainment world.
At Page Six's "Virtual Reali-Tea" podcast taping held at The Loft in New York City, Lauren Manzo, now 35 years old, openly discussed her weight loss struggles. Despite adopting a gluten and dairy-free diet over a year ago and undergoing the Lap-Band procedure, Lauren found herself at a weight of 208 pounds. Determined to find a solution, she consulted with a functional medicine doctor who advised her to eliminate gluten, dairy, soy and other foods from her diet. It resulted in a 50-pound weight loss, but then Lauren hit a plateau.
As per US Weekly, Lauren's pharmacist suggested she try Mounjaro, a weight loss drug similar to Ozempic, which she began taking in February. With the addition of Mounjaro to her regimen, Lauren successfully shed an additional 30 pounds. While she acknowledges the controversy surrounding such medications, Lauren firmly believes that they can be beneficial for individuals struggling with obesity and related mental health issues.
Lauren recognizes that there are critics who question the use of weight loss drugs like Mounjaro, especially by those who are already at a healthy weight. She emphasizes that her decision was born out of necessity and the desire to improve her mental well-being. Having tried weight loss surgery in the past, Lauren found Mounjaro to be the most effective solution for her.
Throughout Lauren's struggles, her mother, Caroline Manzo, has been a pillar of support. Caroline recalls how Lauren endured emergency surgery to address complications from the Lap-Band procedure and later underwent gastric sleeve surgery, a decision her mother had initially opposed. Caroline firmly believed that there was an underlying hormonal issue causing the weight gain, and she advocated for exploring alternative solutions. Nevertheless, she admires her daughter's unwavering dedication to achieving a healthier lifestyle and commends her for the immense effort she has invested.
Lauren is not the only member of the "RHONJ" family to explore the use of weight loss drugs. Dolores Catania, another cast member, has also tried Mounjaro, while Margaret Josephs opted for weekly injections of a GLP-1 agonist, resulting in a weight loss of 22 pounds.
While Lauren embraced Mounjaro as a viable option, her mother Caroline took a different route to achieve her desired weight loss. On her YouTube series, "Food, Love, and Chaos with Caroline Manzo," Caroline openly discussed her own journey, crediting walking as her primary method for achieving a thinner frame. Caroline expressed reservations about injectables like Botox, confirming her belief that such procedures may not be beneficial for one's overall health.
