How Caroline Manzo's Daughter Lauren Has Changed Since RHONJ
Lauren Manzo's struggle with her weight was well-documented on "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" during her mother Caroline Manzo's tenure on the show. Lauren, the middle child of the Manzo family, often compared herself with her two brothers, Albie and Chris, who didn't have to worry about their weight as she did. Throughout her time on "RHONJ," Lauren went through many fad diets, and in 2011, decided to get lap band surgery.
Following the surgery, Lauren lost 30 pounds by following a strict diet and exercise regimen. "Getting the lap band was the best thing I've done in my life," she told Us Weekly a year after. On why she went public with her surgery, Lauren explained, "So many fans related to my struggle. I didn't want to feel like I was letting them down." The youngest Manzo didn't just rely on the lap band to help her lose weight. She put in the hard work and told Celebuzz, "I am at the gym every morning at 6:30 a.m." (via Bravo). A few months later, Lauren revealed that she had gone under the knife again for breast reduction surgery. Since then, Lauren maintained her healthy lifestyle and dropped even more weight to prepare for her wedding to her fiancé.
Lauren Manzo celebrated her fairytale wedding to Vito Scalia
In November 2013, Lauren Manzo got engaged to her boyfriend of four years, Vito Scalia. The "Manzo'd With Children" star shared, "I'm so incredibly happy! I'm in shock. I'm so excited to spend the rest of my life with my best friend," per Us Weekly. In order to prepare for her nuptials, Manzo remained dedicated to her workouts and eating healthily. "I'm exercising five times per week, including free weight training and I squat a lot. I actually work to complete 100 additional squats per day on top of the other activities I do in the gym. I put a butt workout into every workout I do," she shared with Radar Online. Her diet at the time included "lots of protein and vegetables" and she revealed, "I cut out Splenda completely and drastically reduced my wine intake to basically none, which I think had a lot to do with the weight coming off so quickly."
Manzo and Scalia got married on July 18, 2015 at her parents' family restaurant, The Brownstone. While she didn't reveal if she made her goal weight, Manzo looked absolutely elated in her wedding dress and shared on Instagram the next day, "Last night was unreal and absolutely perfect. I had my fairytale wedding, fairytale dress but most importantly the best Prince Charming by my side to enjoy it with.... I love you HUSBAND!!!" The couple now share their daughter and during her pregnancy, Manzo still remained disciplined with her new lifestyle.
Lauren Manzo shared her amazing transformation after having her daughter
Five years after her dream wedding, Lauren Manzo became pregnant with her and Vito Scalia's first child. The pregnancy motivated the reality star to keep eating healthy foods and exercising. "When I got pregnant, I promised myself I would do what was necessary in order to gain weight at a healthy pace and not use my pregnancy as an excuse to eat whatever I want," she told People. Manzo revealed that she felt "so bloated" during her first trimester and added, "That experience just reassured me that being healthy isn't just about the way I look, but about the way I feel."
Years after welcoming her daughter Markie, Lauren told fans that she had removed her lap band and shared a picture of a three-year transformation on Instagram. "It's no secret I've struggled with my weight my entire life. Not long after that photo to the left I decided I needed to get healthy not just physically but mentally as well," she wrote. As part of her journey, she shared that she began therapy and saw a doctor to get to the root of what was going on internally with her body. Manzo added, "I have been gluten and dairy free for over a year ... and it has changed my life majorly. I still have a long road ahead and want to lose more weight/get into better shape but I'm proud of how far I've come since that first photo in 2020."