Dropping LBs: Steve Osani, North Babylon

HIS STORY I was always large and decided one day I just had enough of it. It was hard to tell others to lose weight when you weigh 368 pounds. My other incentive was my son, who was 9 at that time. I couldn't even fit on amusement park rides with him, play ball with him or anything. It was changing the things we could do as a family.

I was heavy as a child. Then, I lost 65 pounds during the 11th and 12th grades, and kept it off. Then, in 1990, I gained all the weight back and then some.

I don't really know what made the difference this time. Everything had just gotten so hard when I weighed 368 pounds. It was tough to find clothes to fit a 58-inch waist. I was physically uncomfortable. Tying my shoes was tough.

The hardest thing was getting started. I started with five minutes on a special elliptical machine. I had to buy a special machine that could hold the weight. Five minutes turned into seven minutes. Then to 15 minutes. It was slow and steady.

I discovered triathlons in summer 2008 and did little ones until November, 2010. I did a half ironman in Miami. That's a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13-mile run. I finished in six hours.

DIET Before, I ate anything that didn't move. I didn't eat horribly, just a lot. Now, I'll have oatmeal in the morning. I take vitamins and supplements. My lunch consists of grilled chicken on 15-grain bread. I eat nine small meals a day now instead of the three large ones.

EXERCISE Pretty much I run, bike and swim. I concentrate more on the running and biking. When a race is coming, I exercise 12-15 hours a week. During down time, I exercise at least an hour a day.

SEE PHOTOSHow did these 150 LIers drop up to 320 lbs. each?

ADVICE The word diet shouldn't have been invented. It should be something you plan to do for the rest of your life.

Steve's profile

46, North Babylon

Occupation Physician assistant

for Atkinson Osani Wasser Internal Medicine in West Babylon

Height 5-foot-11

368 Weight before 2005

203 Weight after 2009

'The word diet shouldn't have been invented. It should be something you plan to do for the rest of your life.'

-- Steve Osani