Mason Carter Harvey is your typical average kid, except he was over weight and got tired of being bullied by the kids at school. He took it upon himself to lose 85 pounds in a year. He now has a healthy and active lifestyle and has made it his mission to encourage and motivate others.
Mason: One of the last talks I had with my Papa Mike he told me, “if you’re doing this much now, I have no idea what big things your future will hold” so I do hope that I can keep doing things and making myself and others proud.
SMC Taylor: Mason, what was the defining moment or situation that made you decide you wanted to change your life, start living healthy and lose weight?
Mason: The start of sixth grade I kept running into the same bullies that had picked on me since 3rd grade. My teachers kept them away but not on recess or after school. About the same time I was playing football and being made fun of because I couldn’t run and was always out of breath. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I decided that since I was going into the Jr. High the next year I didn’t want to deal with it anymore. About March of 2011 I started.
SMC Taylor: Tell me how you feel now compared to before you lost the weight?
Mason: I feel AWESOME! I used to be sick and miss school, I haven’t been sick this year at all. I am also way more outgoing! I have always been nice and helpful but now I’m not shy and have lots more confidence. I’m not afraid to try things because I’m not afraid of people laughing at me because I’m heavy.
SMC Taylor: What do you see now when you look in the mirror?
Mason: What’s that guys name? Don Juan? I’m kidding. Last year I saw a fat kid, I wanted to go back to bed. Now I see me the same kid but lots more energy and I’m ready to go. I’m not very embarrassed anymore.
SMC Taylor: I know you have said you don’t drink soda like you did, besides soda, what were some other foods that you really liked to eat that weren’t the best choices. What do you eat now that are healthy alternatives?
Mason: I loved Cheeseburgers, pizza, and butterfingers candy bars. I would eat several bags of chips (the small snack size) at a time. I would not have portion control either. I would eat until I was way full! Now we eat lots of fruits and veggies. Bananas, oranges, apples, carrots , and cucumbers salads. I have some ranch or peanut butter with my snacks from time to time. And portion control! No more third and fourth helpings. Mom and dad really help here, because they now recognize we ate what they bought. Now they buy healthy and that’s what we eat. I love water, Gatorade, Powerade, and water flavor packets. Sometimes sweet tea. My favorite after school snack is now a fruit and yogurt smoothie.
SMC Taylor: Tell me how your days were before you decided to lose the weight. What did you use to do for fun?
Mason: We always did fun things, but not physical things. We would go to the movies a lot! And dad would play Xbox with us, sometimes for hours. We would go fishing, but not much exercise there.
SMC Taylor: What do you do different now when you come home from school?
Mason: No more sitting on the couch, eating junk food, while playing Xbox. Do I Play Xbox? Yes, but not for hours and not everyday. Now we ride bikes, jump on our trampoline (I’m learning how to back flip) my little bro is teaching me. Play basketball, sports, dance, play tag. I just move, always playing and moving now.
SMC Taylor: Were the kids at school encouraging to you while you were losing the weight?
Mason: No not really. The teachers were noticing the changes but I don’t remember the kids saying anything until after the summer break. Then they were amazed!
SMC Taylor: Do the kids at school treat you differently now that you have lost weight? Have any of them asked you to help them also lose weight? If so, how is that going, are any of them changing their lifestyle because of you?
Mason: Yes, yes and yes. I don’t want to sound like I’m bragging, but I do have lots of friends and everyone knows me. I’m not ” the man” but I am a kid that’s active into everything now. Sports… All of em. I’m am Honor student, I go to a big church, my papa was a professional photographer with a studio here. And now I’m on the news. Every channel. LoL! Lots of people know me and are proud of me. I’m doing my best to not let them down and stay the same nice person I have always been.
I have several new friends that are attending my events with me. One specifically has lost 20 pounds so far. I have others that hang with us because they feel they fit in and we don’t make fun of them. There are about 5 kids that really follow me and are working at losing weight and getting healthy.
SMC Taylor: I know you are helping your dad with his journey now to lose weight, what are you doing to help him?
Mason: Encouraging him! I’m that little voice in his head that won’t shut up! Keep Going dad! You can do it dad! Keep on trucking! You got this! He says alarm clocks need to use me to get people out of bed and going. We are helping him make smart decisions with eating, even fixing him smart lunches and snacks to take to work, working out and staying active. If he sits still to long, me and my brothers bombard him with. let’s play! You know, he lost his dad this month on 3/5. He is an only child and was real close to papa. (Papa and grandma lived across the street) They were more like friends and did everything together. Dad hasn’t gained any weight, but I was worried because he stopped eating right, hasn’t been working out, and has been just sitting around more. I keep telling him I love him and papa loves him. I told him papa was very proud of the 30 pounds he has lost and I know he wants him to keep going and helping me. I keep giving him hugs and asking if he’s ok and if he wants to play with us. Well today was different, he made it through his morning workout, we were waiting at the door for him when he came home. We gave him a big family hug, and he cried. He came to my little brothers baseball practice after work and this evening I helped him pack a smart lunch and snacks for tomorrow. I think he will start getting better now, I hope.
SMC Taylor: Are you helping him to choose healthier food to eat?
Mason: Yes, he has cut out all sweets and pop. He’s eating what the rest of us eat.
SMC Taylor: Do the two of you exercise together? What kinds of exercise do you do?
Mason: He and my big brother Brennan (16) go to the gym in the morning. I go, after mom gets home, with her. But we do play together and he’s at all my events with us.
SMC Taylor: Do you find that your family now is overall more active now that you are living your life healthier?
Mason: Yes, lots more active and getting closer as a family
SMC Taylor: What kinds of things do you do as a family now?
Mason: Events mainly, parks, stair climbs, biking, going to Health fairs and kids’ expos. What ever we do, it is usually involving moving.
SMC Taylor: You want to meet 85 important people, how is that going?
Mason: 44 people met so far. Two mayors, lots of TV and radio personalities, lots of big wigs at the Ymca. Even Dan and Don Evans from The Biggest Loser. There is actually a list on my website of people I have met. Would like to meet more famous people, Michelle Obama, Bob Harper, Ellen, the Rock, lots more.
SMC Taylor: What are you doing to spread the word?
Mason: Twitter, Facebook, my website, emails, and if your REALLY important hand written letters. 🙂 I’m telling people my story and seeing what they say. Then going from there.
SMC Taylor: You have had several events in your area to promote what you are doing, do you plan to expand this out of Oklahoma? If so, have you thought how you can do this?
Mason: I’m going to go where ever people want me and will have me. I don’t know how I cam do it but, I want to dance in California for 85 seconds with Ellen, climb the stairs of the Whitehouse 85 times. Play catch with the Dallas Cowboys with 85 kids, and whatever else may come our way.
SMC Taylor: What is your favorite active thing to do now?
Mason: Football and jumping on the trampoline
SMC Taylor: What can you say is the biggest change for you in your life now that you have lost the 85 lbs?
Mason: I feel better! Everyday I’m ready to go, no holding back. I want the world to know who I am and I want to leave my mark on it. I had no ambition to do much of anything when I was heavy. I was boring and lazy.
SMC Taylor: What would you say now to any kids who are in a similar situation that you were in, but don’t know where to turn to get started?
Mason: If your being bullied, tell someone! If you don’t like yourself, tell someone! You have family that loves you and will help you. I am amazed at how much support I am getting from strangers. You can get help and if your embarrassed then ask me. I know what they are going through. My parents can help their parents. Thank you for letting me tell you my story. You asked some different questions and I liked that!