Lauren Manzo: Why I Now Discuss My Weight on 'RHONJ'

Sharing your family with the world is one thing, but exposing your own insecurities about your weight on that level? That's a whole 'nother beast -- just ask Lauren Manzo.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey starlet (and daughter of Caroline Manzo) has always been adorable (these photos are perfect proof). But she recently confided to Glamour, "When we first began the show, my biggest fear was viewers noticing my weight. I knew I was heavy, and I knew people were going to say something, but I did everything I could to hide it and act like I was confident."

Ultimately, however, it was the show's fans who shook Lauren's feelings of vulnerability." I had these younger girls say to me on Twitter and Facebook, 'I look up to you; I love the fact that you're not a size 2.' I said to myself, You know what? All these other women are struggling. Let's put this on the show."

From there, Lauren allowed the cameras to capture her fitness highs and lows, as well as the honest conversations she has about her health with Momma Manzo. "When she said on the show, 'I'm not going to tell Lauren she looks perfect when she needs to lose a few pounds,' that didn't bother me," the 24-year-old admits. "What upset me is when people wrote and said, 'Your own mother thinks you're disgusting.'"

In true thick-as-thieves fashion, Lauren explains, "Not because they're calling me fat but because they're going after my mom."

If we know anything about this family, that jazz surely won't fly. And if this preview is any indicator, those fans might not be the only one going after her mom.

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