Dropping Lbs.: Lou Panacciulli
Lou Panacciulli, 61, of Franklin Square, had gained so much weight that he was embarrassed to stand in front of others. This was a real problem since he is a conductor for the Nassau Pops Symphony Orchestra. With help from Weight Watchers, Panacciulli dropped 50 pounds in a little more than a year. Credit: Handout ; Thomas A. Ferrara
Lou Panacciulli
61, Franklin Square
Occupation: Band director at Howell Road School in Valley Stream District 13; conductor and co-founder of the Nassau Pops Symphony Orchestra
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 211 before March 2011, 160 after May 17, 2012
"I just used exercising as an excuse to eat more," says Panacciulli, who eventually gained so much weight that he disliked looking at himself in the mirror. "I was embarrassed to stand in front of the audience and conduct."
A visit to his sister in Florida in 2011 was the turning point.
"She's a lifetime Weight Watchers member," says Panacciulli, who is married with two adult children, neither of whom is overweight. His sister encouraged him to join. It was overindulgence that caused him to gain weight, Panacciulli says. "I liked to eat, I still do. Back then, I'd walk by a package of cookies and take a couple on the way to the basement. And then, on the way back from the basement, I'd have a few more."
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