Dolores Catania has been working on herself and her body during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. So far, The Real Housewives of New Jersey star, 49, has dropped 25 pounds while in quarantine — and, Dolores says she’s got 15 more to lose. Dolores recently underwent tummy tuck surgery to remove excess loose skin, following her weight loss. The reality star also revealed that she “got a little fat transfer in my butt, too. It made it a little rounder.”
“I lost some weight from the HCG diet. I had a lot of loose skin because I wasn’t working out, and I lost a lot of weight fast. So, I went and had a few nips and tucks,” Dolores said during an exclusive interview with HollywoodLife on July 13.
HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a low-fat, low-calorie diet that combines injections of the HCG hormone with a limited-calorie plan. HCG is a hormone in which women naturally produce while pregnant. Additionally, HCG is FDA-approved for use in treating infertility.
As for what Dolores consumes on the HCG diet? — “A lot of protein now,” she said, noting that although she’s no stranger to junk food, it’s time to switch things up ahead of her 50th birthday in December. “I like McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Dairy Queen. I like to eat, but I’m getting older, so I’m going to have to switch up my lifestyle… I’m trying to stay away from carbs. I’m trying to stay around 1500 calories,” she explained.
Although her health journey is far from over, Dolores is very satisfied with her flatter tummy. “My pants are big! I’m down maybe a couple, maybe 2 sizes,” she revealed. “I don’t want to walk around naked. I have a lot more work to do — this is no Melissa Gorga sitting here. But, I like that I’m able to wear things I couldn’t wear before and that’s kind of fun,” she explained, while showing HollywoodLife the inside of her lavish New Jersey closet.
“I’m definitely [going to wear] tighter shirts. If you notice, I was always covering my mid section [on the show] and I was always covering myself, and I always bought my clothes too big for me,” Dolores recalled, noting that her RHONJ costar Teresa Giudice “was constantly yelling at my for this.” Though, Dolores said Tre is loving her new look and newfound taste in tighter clothing.
Dolores explained, “I like flowy dresses… I’ve been battling my weight forever… Here’s the thing, I’m turning 50 this year. I just want to go into the second half of my life being confident in every aspect of my life. I always say, ‘The first half was for everybody else and the second half is for me.’ When I say that, I mean I’m going to force myself to do things for myself,” she continued. “I’m not used to doing things for myself. It’s something I’m working on. I’ve been through a lot, let’s say that, so I want to be my best self.”
Despite her “strict” diet plan, Dolores admitted that she’s still sipping on her summer cocktails. “I found this new drink called ‘Coco Loco,'” she said, adding that it works with her specific diet.