Joe Giudiceis ready for battle.
As theReal Housewives of New Jerseystar, 49, awaits the decision regardinghis latest deportation appealin Italy, he’s staying in shape — working hard to maintain his dramatic weight-loss in a series of martial arts training videos shared on Wednesday.
Joe’s eldest daughter Gia Giudice, 18, shared the clips in a gallery on her Instagram account.
“We come back stronger than before ❤️,” she captioned the footage — which showed Joe sparring with his brother Pete, who is staying with him in Italy. “The fights just starting 💪🏼.”
“Zio Pete your a great coach,” she added, with a smile.
On her Instagram Story, she shared another clip, this time featuring Joe himself speaking out for the first time since his release from an ICE facility last Friday.
“I’m going to come back and we’re going to fight,” he said. “Gotta fight your way back. Never give up.”
Gia Giudice Instagram
Joe has been away from the home he shares with wifeTeresa Giudiceand their four daughters — Gia, Gabriella, 15, Milania, 14, and Audriana, 10 — since he began a 41-month prison sentence for mail, wire and bankruptcy fraud in March 2016.
Though Joe has lived in the United States since he was a child,he never obtained American citizenship, and immigrants can be deported if they are convicted of “a crime of moral turpitude” or an “aggravated felony,” according to U.S. law.
That ruling cameJoe’s way last October. He’s appealed twice so far, and has been denied both times. A final ruling is expected in November.
Afterhis release from prisonin March, Joe asked to be held in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Clinton County Correctional Center in Pennsylvania while he fought the deportation decision.
A petition to be released back to his home wasn’t granted but arequest to go to Italy was. Last Friday, he was released from ICE custody and flew to Rome, where he has been spending time with family.
Gia Giudice/Instagram
Milania Giudice/Instagram
And on Tuesday, Bravo released the first few minutes of theRHONJseason 10 premiere to theirBravo Insidersfan club, and in it, Teresa is at a crossroads in her relationship.
“I haven’t been happy in so long,” she then told sister-in-lawMelissa Gorga. “And I just want to be happy again.”
“I feel like I’m living the worst nightmare ever,” she admitted, later telling Friend of the HousewivesDanielle Staubthat she feels like “drinking a bottle of tequila every night.”
Paul Zimmerman/Getty
Meanwhile, a source told PEOPLE earlier this week that Joe’s new physique is due to the lifestyle change he underwent while behind bars.
“He lost the weight from changing his diet, working out and no drinking,” the source said.
Before going to prison in March 2016, Joe told PEOPLE he was looking forward to quitting drinking while serving his time after he found himselfdeveloping bad habitswhile Teresa was completing her own prison sentence for the same crimes.
“I am not going to be able to drink for a while, which is good because I don’t even know when it’s been since I haven’t had a drink,” he told PEOPLE in February 2016. “It’s been a long time.”
“Definitely the whole year I drank every day a couple of bottles at night just to go to bed,” he said.
“He’s running, he’s doing 1,000 sit-ups a day,” she told PEOPLE. “So he lifts weights and that’s what he’s doing. Just running, working out and then a lot of push-ups and sit-ups. He’s doing over 1,000 sit-ups.”
Joe used his workouts as an escape during his time behind bars, his wife said.
“I said just get your mind and body in check. It’ll be good for you,” Teresa explained. “He’s been through a lot with losing his dad and then me gone, it’s a lot.”
source: people.com
