Teresa Giudice took to the stage during her first bodybuilding competition on Wednesday's episode of The Real Housewives Of New Jersey.

The 46-year-old reality star was in the best shape of her life as she got third place in the 40-plus bikini division of the NPC South Jersey Bodybuilding Championships in June.

Teresa took the stage incredibly tan in the tiniest of purple bikinis, proudly flexing her muscles and turning her back to display her butt.

Fitness competition: Teresa Giudice competed in her first bodybuilding competition on Wednesday's episode of The Real Housewives Of New Jersey

She was even shown getting a pre-show rub-down from her trainer – Dolores Catania's ex-husband, Frank Catania – who smiled: 'I love my job.'

'As long as you don't send this to Joe,' Frank said of Teresa's jailed husband Joe, 46, as he was shown touching the 'Giudice booty.'

In fact, Joe – serving 41-months' prison for mail, wire and bankruptcy fraud – almost never found out about his wife's big moment.

'I've been on the fence whether or not I should tell Joe that I'm doing this bikini competition,' she admitted, with a flashback to when she previously said: 'Joe always said to me, 'You're not doing that.''

Best shape: The 46-year-old reality star said she was in the best shape of her life

Rub down: Frank Catania gave Teresa a rub-down before the competition

Helping hands: Teresa got tips from Frank who won the Mr New Jersey title

She added: 'I never know how he's going to react to things, but then a week ago, I did tell him about it. And he just said, 'I hope you win.'

'I was kind of shocked. I was like, ''Oh wow, he is changing in there''.'

However, Teresa's daughters were less impressed when she flexed for them to show off her bathing suit, with eight-year-old Audriana going 'Ew! Mom!' and Gabriella, 14, saying: 'Stop. I hate that.'

Husband approved: Teresa finally told her imprisoned husband Joe about the competition

When she showed them her tiny suit, Audriana said: 'That's gross! It's gonna go up your butt.'

Teresa was shown two days before the competition having a last workout with Frank, a former Mr. New Jersey, who looked at her and said: 'Your butt's getting a little smaller now, isn't it.'

She admitted at the time: 'I am getting nervous about getting onstage. I'm wearing a thong! Onstage, in front of everyone, but I've worked hard to get my body into the best shape it's ever been.

Getting ready: Frank offered Teresa some advice on the competition

'Hey, if you have a rockin' ass, then rock that thong.'

She also got a tan alongside Frank and Dolores' son Frankie, 20, who ended up winning the Junior Mr. New Jersey title at the show.

'Guys, the darker you are the more defined you look, the more ripped you look,' Frank told them, with them showing off their dark brown, rippling abs.

Tanning time: Frank Jr and Teresa got tanned together ahead of the competition

'Over the past six months so much of my life has changed,' Teresa admitted.

'I've worked out and practiced posing for over a thousand hours. I can't believe it boils down to two minutes on stage. That's crazy to me,' she added.

After those two minutes were up, she said: 'Frank was right. Once I got onstage that nervousness just went away.

On stage: The reality star showed off the hard work she's been putting in at the gym

'This whole journey has completely changed me,' she said.

'For the first time in my life, I got to do something just for me. I've never been this independent, and I love it.'

Her next step was a ladies' trip to Mexico, with her smiling: 'Now it's time to party in Cabo. Let's have some fun in the sun.'

Showing support: Joe attended the competition to support his sister

With Teresa having not drunk for so long to stay in shape, Margaret Josephs, 51, joked: 'Teresa's gonna be in a Mexi-coma.'

She admitted letting go of her tough regime would be hard, saying: 'I'm not trying to be like Miss Bodybuilding New Jersey, but I did like the lifestyle. I loved eating clean, I loved working out. So I do want to keep it going.'

The other women pitched in to buy her a stunning $20,000 custom necklace with the word 'Strong' in diamonds, presenting it at dinner.

Sweet gesture: The women pitched in to give Teresa a sparkling necklace

But even that caused a fight – with Jennifer Aydin insisting that they 'insulted my brother.'

'Did you guys know my brother is a jeweler? He probably would have done it for a fraction of a cost,' she complained, even though they had told her about the plan. 'It would have came out better if my brother did it.'

Jackie Goldschneider complained later: 'Jen is really missing the point of this necklace: It's to honor Teresa. It's not so her brother can get a sale.'

Took offense: Jennifer Aydin was offended that the women didn't buy the necklace from her brother

After Margaret told Jennifer 'the cocktails are getting in your brain,' her anger only ramped up.

'Why would I f***ing pay for something from a jeweler that's not my brother?,' Jennifer asked.

'You know what? It's f***ing ugly. Sorry, Teresa,' she said. 'I don't like it.'

Drinking observation: Margaret Josephs told Jennifer that the alcohol was getting in her brain

When she insisted she was 'on point like nobody's business,' Margaret snapped: 'Really? So is your f***ing lipliner, why don't you fix it.'

As Jennifer plumped her lips – asking, 'Jealous much, b****?' – Margaret told her: 'Looks like a monkey's a**hole.'

'Yeah a monkey's a**hole that you sucked, probably!' Jennifer screamed, with other diners turning to stare.

'Alright, Margaret's out of line with the monkey's a** s***, she is. But Jennifer's reaction is absolutely insane,' Melissa Gorga, 39, said in a confessional.

Crazy reaction: Melissa admitted that Margaret was out of line but noted that Jennifer's reaction was 'absolutely insane'

'Her eyes turn into a different human being when she decides she's gonna flip that little crazy switch.'

The fight ended with Danielle Staub taking Jennifer away from the table, with Teresa following them.

'I'm sorry, your necklace is beautiful,' Jennifer told her, with Teresa replying. 'I'm all about saying how you feel. And I love your lip-liner.'

Calming presence: Teresa talked separately to Jennifer after the dinner drama

Melissa, meanwhile, finally told her mother Donna about a psychic insisting Melissa's cheating dad, Anthony John Marco, may have a secret lovechild.

Telling her of meeting the medium, she told her mom: 'She said, ''Dad wants me to tell you that you don't have two sisters – you have three''.'

When her mom shook her head and said she didn't 'think so,' Melissa said: 'But it's not like you're hearing for the first time that he's ever strayed. You're probably the last person he wants to know this.'

Third sister: Melissa Gorga talked to her mother about a secret third sister

Donna finally told Melissa and sisters Lysa and Kim: 'If you wanna look for her, I don't care. It's up to you.

'I forgave him for everything else so if he had a baby I would take her.'

When they expressed shock at how well she took it, their mom laughed: 'The mother, that's another story. I'll kill her! That b**** knew he was married – who is that whore!' she laughed along with her daughters.

RHONJ will return next week on Bravo.