REAL Housewives of New Jersey star Dolores Catania has defended Teresa Giudice after being 'mom-shamed' by fans.
The reality star found herself in hot water after her 17-year-old daughter, Milania Giudice, admitted that it was her mom that convinced her to lose a bunch of weight.
She told fans on her mother's podcast, Namaste B$tches: "In two months, I lost 50 pounds."
After her Real Housewife star mom seemed shocked at her daughter's rapid weight loss and screamed: "What?" Milania explained, "My mom would be like - she would never say anything - but she would be like, 'Oh, you're going to have another ice cream?'"
Before her pre-teen weight loss, Milania admitted she weighed 150 pounds and dropped down to about 110 after her diet.
Now, Teresa's castmate and best friend Dolores, 52, is coming to the podcast host's defense after fans "mom-shamed" Teresa, 51, on social media.
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"I do remember Milania had gone through something and she was gaining weight," Dolores recalled while chatting with The U.S. Sun at a party celebrating her BELLA Around Town magazine cover.
She continued: "You know what? Sometimes as an adolescent, you get into an unhealthy lifestyle- you're eating junk with your friends all the time."
"I think it's good for a mom to monitor and to be conscious of their child's weight and to get on them about it before it gets out of hand. Obesity is very unhealthy."
In the podcast, Milania remembered: "I was way thicker in middle school. I was a pumpkin.
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"One day it hit me, and I felt suffocated in my own body."
HAPPY IN HER SKIN
Dolores shared an update on her own health journey in the interview with The U.S. Sun, which took place at Avenue in Pier Village in Long Branch, New Jersey on July 12.
The RHONJ star revealed her drastic weight loss during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live in April where she admitted to starting Mounjaro- similar to Ozempic- which she had been on for six weeks at the time.
"You know, everyone's losing so much weight [on it]," she told The U.S. Sun.
"It's questionable - what are the repercussions of this when everyone's done? Is there side effects?
"All the doctors that I spoke to said 'no.'"
The TV personality went on to explain that prior to taking Mounjaro, which was prescribed by her doctor, she had "been on Ozempic for two years."
The Bravolebrity confessed: "I stopped taking it because it was expensive and everything.
"But being healthy and living a healthy lifestyle is cheap - it's free!"
She then clarified her interview on WWHL with Andy Cohen when she said she had just started Mounjaro.
"I took Ozempic, stopped and then begun Mounjaro. I was medically prescribed for both because I am insulin resistance/pre-diabetic and have a thyroid issue," Dolores told The U.S. Sun.
"I work out regularly. There is no easy fix for weight loss and I have to watch what I eat."
NEXT STEPS
The mom of two attended the BELLA Magazine event with her boyfriend, Paul Connell, of nearly two years.
When asked for a relationship update, Dolores dished: "Things are going really good. He's been able to handle all this [fame] a lot better than most would. He has fun with it."
During season 13 of RHONJ, Paul revealed he had already bought her an engagement ring after Dolores' ex, Frank Catania, pried.
However, Dolores laughed and said that he was just "busting his chops."
A proposal has yet to happen, and she's totally okay with it.
"I mean, I always said marriage isn't my goal in a relationship. Peace is a goal. Peace and growing together.
"I've lived my life. I've had my kids, I've been married. I've been divorced for 25 years," she explained.
"You know, I don't shun marriage, but it's not like I have to be married."
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The couple is also holding off on buying a new home together - which they teased during the reunion - since "economy-wise" it's not the right time.
For now, Dolores has moved into Paul's stunning $2million Edgewater townhouse and still has her family home in North Haledon, which she has lived in for over 25 years.
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