Lauren Manzo Lost 30 Pounds!

Real Housewives of New Jersey's Lauren Manzo Lost 30 Pounds!
After years of yo-yo dieting, Lauren Manzo's battle of the bulge became a major plot point on the current season of Real Housewives of New Jersey -- and she suffered cruel comments at the hands of anonymous Twitter followers.

"I hated myself," the 24-year-old, 5-foot-3 owner of makeup store Cafface tells Us Weekly exclusively. "I was depressed." At her heaviest, she weighed 185 pounds.

So, last September, Manzo finally followed the advice of concerned parents Caroline and Albert and underwent lap band surgery -- in which a silicone band is placed around the top part of the stomach to control food consumption. (Her dad Albert had the surgery back in 2008).

Losing 20 pounds over the next seven months, Manzo had the band loosened in May -- and dropped another 10 by following a strict protein-and-vegetable diet and working out six days a week. The Bravo star (who's been dating Vita Scalia for three years) hopes to lose 35 more pounds.

Showing off her incredible new shape to Us, Manzo says she feels "amazing. Getting the lap band was the best thing I've done in my life."

She admits to Us that she initially kept the lap band surgery secret. "So many fans related to my struggle," she says. "I didn't want to feel like I was letting them down."

She cautions of the device: "It's not a miracle button that lets you eat whatever you want . . . I wanted to try to lose weight on my own for a while."

And, indeed, although Manzo avoids salt, sugar, carbs and fat with her new diet regime -- and endures intense sessions with trainer Guy Del Corso -- she still loves to eat.

"I like food," she explains. "I can't drink liquid egg whites for the rest of my life. So I've learned a lot of great ways to cook now . . . I have great willpower." [usmagazine.com]

Kelly Clarkson Decided to Lose 30 Pounds

Kelly Clarkson Decided to Lose 30 Pounds
She got a new man, a new bod and a new attitude!

Though she's endured constant weight scrutiny since being crowned the first American Idol in 2002, the 30-year-old two-time Grammy winner recently unveiled her healthiest figure yet. Thanks to a five-days-a-week training schedule and a portion-control diet, the 5-foot-4 singer has shed a remarkable 30 pounds in the last six months.

"She feels better about herself than she ever has," a source tells the new issue of Us Weekly (out now), who adds that the Duets star is now just 10 pounds away from her ultimate goal weight.

According to an insider, Clarkson decided to slim down for good after watching a recording of her December performance on VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul. "She saw how heavy she was and she didn't like it. That's when she decided to really get into shape."

 The "Dark Side" singer's svelte shape has only made beau Brandon Blackstock, 35, love her more. "Brandon is the first guy who ever tell her how beautiful and sexy she is," a source says of the Nashville-based talent manager. "She wants to look good for him."[usmagazine.com]

Skinnier Miley Cyrus in Mini Dress

This gluten-free girl is withering away.
She Looks Skinnier Than Ever in Mini Dress

While leaving the Delano Hotel in Miami Beach on Wednesday, Miley Cyrus tried to beat the South Florida heat by sporting a teeny gray mini dress with a low-cut scoop neck and super-short hem. The flimsy, body-hugging fabric put her shrinking figure on full display.

In April, the former Disney starlet was slammed when she explained to her 5.7 million Twitter followers that her weight-loss wasn't from battling an eating disorder but because of her gluten-free diet that excludes foods containing the protein found in wheat.

"For everyone calling me anorexic, I have a gluten and lactose allergy," the 19-year-old actress tweeted. "It's not about weight -- it's about health. Gluten is crap anyway!"

She then added, "Everyone should try no gluten for a week! The change in your skin, physical and mental health is amazing. You won't go back!"

Karen Ansel, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, said that those listening to Cyrus' proclamation should proceed with caution.

"There's absolutely no evidence that a gluten-free diet promotes weight loss," Ansel explained. "However, there is data that indicates that following a gluten-free diet can result in a diet that's low in key nutrients -- especially iron, zinc and B vitamins such as folate and niacin."[usmagazine.com]