AUBURN -- A Central New York native made his television debut Tuesday night on the Biggest Loser on NBC 3.

Joe Messina is a 38-year-old truck driver from Auburn and weighs in at 357 lbs. Messina suffers from sleep apnea, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and has been overweight his whole life. He admits lack of exercise, a poor diet and his family's lifestyle all contributed to his weight gain over the years. Now, he says he's tired of being unhealthy and obese and unable to do everyday activities.

Messina says his turning point was going to an amusement park with his son and being unable to fit on a ride. He says he wanted to be on the show to make a life change for the better, and wants to be a good healthy role model for his three children as well as for other members of his family.

Messina is competing with his brother Mike who's from California. Once he loses weight, he looks forward to buying clothes right off the rack, going swimming without worry about what other people think, being able to fit on an amusement park ride and playing with his children.