Courtesy of Lauren Manzo/Instagram
RHONJ’s Lauren Manzo Claps Back at Trolls After 100-Lb. Weight Loss Amid ‘Disheartening’ Comments
Real Housewives of New Jersey alum Lauren Manzo clapped back at trolls following her impressive 100 pound weight loss.
The drama began when Lauren, 36, took to Instagram on May 3 to share four photos of herself rocking in bikinis at different weights. Alongside the photos, she explained that she used body sculpting to help tighten her “extra skin” following her weight loss.
Shortly after she shared the video, several fans took to the comments section to weigh in on how she lost the weight. “I wish you would also promote the importance of dieting and exercising on top of the body sculpting! Sculpting doesn’t prevent heart disease! Healthy dieting and exercise does [sic],” one person commented.
Lauren then defended herself by saying that she has “been going to a functional” medicine doctor, who has helped her “gut” and diet over the last two years. “I talk constantly about my functional medicine Dr and my major lifestyle changes to my health,” she added.
Another person said that Lauren does “not even look like [herself] anymore,” which led the Bravo alum to respond, “I was 100 lbs. heavier and very unhealthy [sic]. So I hope not.”
After she faced her critics head on in the comments section, she continued to talk about the backlash in a TikTok video posted on May 4. The conversation began with Lauren responding to a comment left under a previous video, in which one social media user said she was “still eating.”
“Just because I am, according to you guys, a public figure does not mean I’m public property,” Caroline Manzo’s daughter said in the clip. “So it’s like I’m treated like I’m public property, but I’m not.”
While she said she’s received “disheartening” comments about her body ever since she made her reality TV debut on RHONJ in 2009, she shared that she’s recently learned that it’s OK to accept that she struggles at times.
She even admitted that she wouldn’t subject herself to trolls on social media if she “didn’t make money off it,” adding that her critics are “so mean” and “it’s not good for anyone’s mental health at all.”
“I can’t win, and that’s OK, because truthfully I am happy. Do I know and am I fully aware of my body image issues? Absolutely. I know that I am my own worst critic,” she continued. “I know that I have body dysmorphia, that I don’t think I look as good as I do often. I am aware of those things, but those are my battles to fight, and I don’t really know why anybody thinks that they have the right to comment something terrible on my stuff or anybody else’s.”
Lauren then admitted that she still hasn’t accepted her body, adding that she hopes to develop a “healthy relationship with [her] weight.”
