Reprogram your brain to change your life

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Since birth, your brain is programmed and develops thinking through life experiences.

Your current status is from all decisions you’ve made to date. This includes your health, income and living conditions.

Now you’re an adult and can choose experiences to reprogram your brain. According to many studies, it takes a minimum of 21 days to develop good habits. This means 21 days consecutively, not every other day or some days.

We have all experienced failure with diets and exercise. I know people who eat a clean diet one day, then reward themselves with greasy or sugar foods the next day.

Eighty to 90 percent of people quit an exercise program or stop going to the gym within a month or two.

I always crack a smile at the beginning of each year when New Year’s resolution people come back to the gym. I typically see the same faces each year for a month then they disappear.

I’m sure they are paying for that membership all year with intentions to go each week, but it never happens.

It’s normal to get disgusted with ourselves for a lack of discipline. We know our own bad diet and fitness habits.

Some of you are looking forward to cold weather so you can hide underneath all the clothes. I’m sorry, but you’re not hiding anything.

It’s time to reprogram that lazy complacent brain of yours. Start off with at least one healthy meal a day and a brisk walk in the evening.

Then, continue developing better habits by choosing more healthy meals and increasing workout intensity.

My best advice is to choose breakfast as your first healthy meal. Now you’ve already accomplished your goal for the day and will feel good about yourself.

There are many choices. Try a cup of oatmeal with fruit or egg whites and one slice of wheat toast.

Start drinking a glass of water before each meal to give a more full stomach feeling. Plus we typically don’t drink enough water anyways.

Look, we are all beautiful people and others love us just the way we are. I just want you to develop more energy, have a better quality of life and to live much longer.

Look up and keep a positive attitude

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Remember when you were a kid standing at the top of a high diving board looking down and wanting to jump, but the water looked far away and scary?

But when you’re standing on the deck looking up, the diving board really didn’t seem that high. Then once you’ve finally jumped, you wanted to do it over and over.

To me, that’s how life is.

If you’re constantly looking down, the world can seem dark and scary. You’re only focused on negativity and wondering why the world is against you, which can cause depression.

Don’t miss out on the beauty that surrounds us. Look up and see all the glorious wonders of earth and the amazing people who are in our lives.

Guess what? You’re one of those amazing people, too.

We all have bad days and get disappointed in our actions or the actions against us. But look up and keep a positive attitude.

Learn to find the good in life and make yourself feel like it’s the best day ever. You’ll produce a positive charge, and the world will gravitate its goodness in your favor.

Believe me, I’ve had plenty of days where I just wanted to look down and play the blame game. But through the years and plenty heartache experience, I’ve taught myself to just shake my head, look around and realize that it’s never as bad as it first seems.

Bad situations are never permanent. Through a positive attitude and keeping our heads up, all adverse situations will work its course and good will overcome.

Now, next time you’re having a challenging day, get outside, start exercising and shout at the top of your lungs, “I’m an amazing person, so look out world, here I come!”

Swing for the fences and have a great life

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, October 14, 2015 

Have you not reached your diet and fitness goals? Are you still not making enough money?

What’s the problem and why are you still giving excuses?

Just know people around you know the truth. You can fool people and yourself for a while, but after time, your current occupational and health status is obvious.

Be honest, the only thing holding you back — is you. The best investment you can ever make is in yourself.

When it’s for better health, get a gym membership, hire a trainer or take cooking and nutrition classes.

If it’s time to increase income, then maybe you should take night classes, become an apprentice or research the path for the occupation you most desire.

What skill or skills are you good at? It could be sports, music, puzzles or a particular hobby. You should apply that same intense excitement to improve other areas of life.

Write down your income and health goals because they are important to reach quality and longevity. Be clear and realistic in order to be obtainable from your current position.

I’ve been following the baseball playoffs watching players make millions of dollars by only hitting the ball 20 to 30 percent of the time. How much more could they make by increasing batting averages?

Maybe your low wages and bad health is because you only give 30 percent effort. How would your life change if you increased focus and effort by an additional 50 percent? Only you can answer that question honestly.

We are all born with the capability to become successful. Embrace life and take full control of your destiny. Laugh at the challenges and turn them into opportunities.

Now, let’s all swing for the fences and have the life we truly deserve

With cooler weather, time to exercise outdoors

 By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Finally, we have “no excuses” weather to exercise outdoors.

All summer long, you’ve been whining about it being too hot and humid in this Texas heat. Well, now it’s time to enjoy the cooler weather and get your bodies in motion. 

I typically ride my bike for at least an hour or so, but this past weekend, I took a 2-hour ride with energy to spare. I barely broke a sweat with the cool breeze against my body. Mother Nature was serenity, and I was one happy fella. 

Grab your spouse or friend and take a brisk walk through the neighborhood or drive to the Galveston seawall to walk 45 minutes in one direction so it takes 45 minutes to get back. 

Also, it’s time to get those outdoor chores taken care of. I’m sure your flower beds, trees and bushes need grooming. It’s amazing how much better your house looks when yard work is completed. 

I know retired people who won’t hire a lawn service because they use mowing grass and weed eating as their outside exercise, so maybe you should, too. 

As I’m getting older, I seem to appreciate my physical body. I’m slowing down, but at the same time, I’m making sure to stay in decent shape to enjoy life. 

Making excuses and being lazy is the easiest thing we can all do. Developing good habits takes time, but the reward is a longer and better quality of life.

Our bodies are designed for physical activity, and that’s how our ancestors built this country. Don’t be part of the obese epidemic of 34.9 percent or 76 million Americans.

Now, get your booty outside, play some music, dance around the yard and make the neighbors think you’ve gone crazy. It’s a great way to keep them away, but you might find yourself on YouTube.