Lauren Manzo: I Want to Lose Another 35 Pounds

USMagazine, Sunday, June 24, 2012, 12:24pm (PDT)

Lauren Manzo's weight loss journey is far from over.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey star, 24, shed 20 pounds in seven months after getting a lap band on September 21, 2011. The surgery -- in which a silicone band is placed around the top part of the stomach to control food consumption -- was clearly a success, and in May, Manzo had the band loosened.

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She dropped another 10 pounds by following a strict protein-and-vegetable diet and working out six days a week. In a recent Us Weekly interview, Manzo revealed she wants to lose another 35 pounds.

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"When I hit 120, I'l decide if I want to go to 155," she explained. "I'm motivated. Hopefully, by the end of the summer, I'll be in a bikini. I've never worn a bikini in my life!"

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After years of yo-yo dieting, Manzo was thrilled to find a solution that works. "Getting the lap band was the best thing I've ever done in my life," she told Us. "I bought leather shorts at Betsey Johnson the other day. A size 10 was too big. The next size they had was a 6, so I was like, 'Forget it. They're not gonna fit me.' But they fit!"

This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Lauren Manzo: I Want to Lose Another 35 Pounds