Weighing 425 lbs is hard enough. But imagine doing it with the name Pete Ajello.

"They used to call me 'barrel a-jello'," laughs the 37-year-old from Ft. Lauderdale.

Ajello can joke about the name-calling now, because he's half the man he used to be...literally. In 16 months, Ajello lost 200 lbs. without having surgery.

"When I weighed 425 lbs," Ajello said. "I looked like I was going to die.

Ajello was so obese he could barely get out of bed. His weight problem, combined with his diabetes, also caused him to fall asleep while doing normal activities, like driving and talking.

"I accepted the fact that I was 'Fat Pete,' Ajello said. "And that's the way it was gonna be."

Or so he thought. Two years ago, everything changed when Ajello suffered a minor diabetic stroke while at work.

"My boss came up to me and he said there's something wrong with your face. I went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror and my face was sideways."

It was a wake up call, motivating Ajello to shape up quick.

So how did he drop so much weight so fast? Rigorous exercise and a healthy diet that includes organic chocolates that Ajello says suppress his appetite and cravings.

Ajello's transformation reversed his diabetes and helped him trim almost 2 feet off his waistline. He's down from a size 58 to a 36. But he still keeps a pair of his old shorts, and carries with him a photo from his heaviest state. The two items serve as a reminder of the man he never wants to be again.

"There's only so much you can take and finally you have to step up and say I'm not going to be teased anymore," Ajello said. "I'm going to look great and I'm happy to be alive.

Ajello's not embarrassed to take his shirt off in public anymore. And at 225 lbs, he wants to get even slimmer. He and his trainer Kari Williams' goal: get below 200 lbs.

Ajello is so convinced that his method works, he's making a career out of it. He's currently a spokesman for Tru Chocolates and speaks to groups about his diet and training secrets. For more information, go to www.peterajello.com