Avery Mason has always been a big guy. But the former college basketball player, who stands at 6’4”, found himself struggling with his weight once his days on the court were over. “Basketball had been life then I stopped…and I started letting myself go. I lost a lot of confidence that I had,” Mason, now 35, says. “I wasn’t comfortable with who I was, so I thought, ‘Well I’m going downhill, might as well keep going.”
Though he dabbled in mixed martial arts (MMA), Mason struggled to stay active and motivated over the years — weighing in at 289 pounds at his heaviest. “I just got really lazy,” he says. “And I had some self-esteem issues as a result of the weight.”
Then, in August 2015, he was given the opportunity to try Daily Burn 365. The timing was good: His wife was pregnant with their first child. “I have a kid on the way who’s going to want to play, run around, and I’m going to have to chase him. So I thought, ‘I have to do something about this.’”
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Taking It One Day at a Time
The first day of filming Daily Burn 365, a live 30-minute daily workout, wasn’t easy. Mason, who weighed around 260 pounds on Day 1, recalls barely being able to make it up the three flights of stairs to the studio. During that workout, he struggled to keep up with the beginner-friendly moves, and needed to stop often to rest.
Yet, despite his rough start, Mason stuck with it, showing up to the studio with his fellow classmates day after day. Plus, he started working with Daily Burn Fitness/Nutrition Coach Stephanie Troxell, RD. “You can work out all you want but if you don’t eat right it’s a waste,” Mason says. The actor, comedian and DJ says he used to eat large meals after working late nights and, “I used to wake up and eat a bacon, egg and cheese on a roll because it was easy.” Now, if he needs to eat at night, he makes sure he’s choosing healthier foods. “I realize if you take five minutes to make oatmeal [for breakfast], that will keep me full, too.” He started to avoid drinking soda and sugary juices, replacing those with water instead.
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Seeing a Difference, Head to Toe
Two months into Daily Burn 365, Mason is no longer that man who struggled to make it up three flights of stairs. “I took those stairs [at the studio] two at a time and wasn’t out of breath,” he says. Plus, shopping for clothes has gotten a lot more enjoyable, too. “When I started the program I was a 42” or 42.5” waist, and at this point currently, I’m actually a size 40 waist,” Mason says. “I’ve gotten stronger, I feel more confident and I have a lot more energy.”
The differences aren’t just apparent in how many burpees he can do now, either. “I noticed now when I sit down or bend down I don’t make that noise — that urgh! — anymore,” he laughs. With his wife expecting their baby on March 13, he’s been able to help out around the house more, too.
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Showing Up Is Half the Battle
“The hardest step to take is the first one,” Mason admits. But the Daily Burn 365 community has been a huge factor in getting him motivated to show up every day. “Everybody there is so awesome and cool and everyone is starting out at the same level,” he says. “Nobody is Mr. Olympian or Mrs. Olympian and everyone is just trying to get healthier and get in shape.”
Now that he’s on the path to getting fit, Mason has big goals in mind (like running a marathon one day!). But in the meantime, he’ll keep working on his diet and fitness, one day at a time. “If you try to do it three times per week that’s awesome because it’s one step closer to putting years on your life or fitting into those clothes that you can’t fit into and taking care of yourself.”
Want access to new workouts every day? Click here to try Daily Burn 365 free for 30 days.
Note to reader: The content in this article relates to the core service offered by Daily Burn. In the interest of editorial disclosure and integrity, the reader should know that this site is owned and operated by Daily Burn. Daily Burn users who worked out for 30 minutes or more at least five times a week for 60 to 90 days reported an average weight loss of about one pound per week. For those seeking to lose weight, keep in mind that extreme weight loss can be harmful to your health if done improperly or too suddenly. Always talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise or weight loss program.
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