Tag Archives: accomplishments

Diets, Fitness, Inspiration

Who is the hero saving your life?

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, August 26, 2015

If you’ve been following my column, you’re familiar with my work in the medical industry. I’ve been involved with well over 1,000 knee replacements, plus I work with some outstanding medical professionals.

Recently, there was a situation where a patient went into cardiac arrest and my friend Ramon, who is a physician assistant, performed chest compressions for about 15 minutes and saved this man’s life.

Ramon was very humble over the situation and thought of it as another day on the job. 

Of course, we commend all other non-doctors who save lives like firefighters, EMS, nurses, policemen and women, and many others.

But, since this column is about “Simple Fitness,” it made me think about other professions that help save lives.

Let’s take nutritionists and personal trainers who do their best to change lives, but for some people, they’ve saved them or at least prolonged their lives.

There are people with diabetes, obesity and unhealthy lifestyles that are on the brink of catastrophe. They desperately needed guidance, planning, training and education to start or return to a healthier lifestyle.

But really, who is the biggest hero when it comes to saving your life? That person is you.

You’re the one who recognized that there’s a problem with what’s happened to your body. You realized that you no longer have control and a quicker death is inevitable. And now, you’re taking positive steps in seeking help.

You only have one life, take control for not only you, but for all the people who count on you. They deserve it and so do you.

Abdominal Reanimater, Diets, Inspiration

Be aware of ‘the zone,’ take life to a new level

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, August 12, 2015 

If you’ve ever played sports or at least watched sports, you’ve seen players get into what is called “the zone.” It’s the pinnacle of achievement for an athlete to perform at his or her best.

This phenomenon happens in all sports, but lets’ take basketball for our example. 

There were many instances during the basketball playoffs in which a team was down by 20 points, then all of sudden, they would get into the zone, and make a run for a lot of points. Typically, the opponent’s coach would call a timeout to get the other team out of the zone.

There have been multiple studies about the zone, and they all have a common explanation. First, an athlete must have mastered the basic fundamentals then clear their minds for all body senses to synergize together and become one. This is usually temporary but will take an athlete to their top performance. For an athlete, there is not a better intrinsic feeling and reward. 

Now, think about if we could tap into the zone in other areas of our lives. 

What would happen to your income if you could learn with consistency to tap into the zone at work? I’m sure raises and promotions would be in the immediate future. 

We’ve all experienced being in the zone — like house projects, studying for a test, cleaning house or cars, athletic events or even spiritually. 

What’s important is to become conscious of the zone then concentrate on getting your mind and body into it when it’s time to focus on something substantial. Imagine how productive and successful you’ll become. 

I once had a photo shoot for my abdominal invention and needed to lose substantial fat weight to dial in a ripped stomach. I consciously tapped into the zone and lost one pound a day for almost two weeks. 

We all have different needs and wants. Consciously tap into your zone and find a way to accomplish those needs. The reward of accomplishment puts you into a euphoric state of mind. 

Be aware of the zone and take your life to a whole new level.

Fitness, Inspiration

Losing is part of life’s journey

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, July 29, 2015

If you’ve ever played sports or competed in something, besides winning, you’ve  experienced the feeling of losing. None of us like losing, but it’s part of life’s lessons that’s important to learn, especially for children.

As parents, it’s difficult watching our kids lose competition that’s clearly important to them at that time. 

My daughter Daylyn just went through a tearful loss of trying to win a position for a club volleyball team. There were hundreds of skilled players competing for only a few positions. She and many other girls were devastated after being cut from the team.

This was a moment in which parenting played an important role. We discussed every detail of where she gave full effort, and her possible weaknesses.

After going through a brief crying session and realizing there is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about, we put to together a new plan to tryout for one last team.

First, I worked on her confidence, good sportsmanship and understanding to turn this into a positive learning experience. Then, we targeted weak skills to rebuild courage and determination.

On the day of tryouts, Daylyn walked in ready to own and conquer the practice. During the car ride, she visualized already winning a position. My little girl took no prisoners, and played at a whole new level.

So you know, she did make the team, but the lessons learned in losing out-weighed any victory she’s ever had.

To be a champion, you must learn from losing.

Inspiration

It’s not where you are, but where you started

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, July 22, 2015 

Recently, I was asked to join a small group of businessmen to give advice on a new exercise device that was about to come on the market. During our discussion, Grand Master Al Garza made the statement, “sometimes its’ not about where you are, but where you started”.

Boy, how true is that statement in every aspect of our lives? I give countless fitness and diet tips to people of all body types and ages. It’s very rewarding to witness the transformation most of these people  accomplish. Today, some of these people would just blend in with the average person on the street, but you would be shocked if you had seen where they started.

How about other areas in our lives? Are you in a better job creating more income today? Are you in a loving relationship with spouse and children? Have you become more spiritual? Are you saving for retirement? The list is endless according to your situation, but you must answer those questions honestly.

We’ve all made mistakes with some being more severe than others. Believe me, I’m somewhat ashamed at some of my past mistakes, but at this time in my life, I’ve accepted that it’s made me a better person today. Now, I don’t beat myself up over something that can’t be changed, and don’t regret anything I’ve done – good or bad. I only feel remorse for anyone I might have hurt along the way.

It doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past, or possibly where you are at today. Just know if you’re not happy with current status, you can start by making positive changes today.

Choose to be happy and be a better person with a purpose in life. Eventually, good things will happen to good people, if not now.

We are all in this amazing world together with the responsibility to make it a better place, and to live the life we deserve.

We should all be able to look back on our lives and say “wow, I’ve come a long way from where I was. I love me, and today was much better than yesterday.”

Fitness, Inspiration

In sports or in life, what did you do next?

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, July 15, 2015

A common phrase I ask my children during their sport’s competition is, “what did you do next?”

We’ve all witnessed professional basketball players miss baskets and cry to the referee that someone fouled them, while the other team is hustling down the court to score. 

I told my son Dylan, who plays basketball for his high school team, that eventually someone will block your shot, and the opponent’s crowd will be screaming at you. But, it’s what you do next that will shut them up. It’s up to you to cry foul, or you can out-hustle, steal the ball back, and take another shot.

My daughter plays competitive volleyball, and sometimes she misses a block, dig, or has a bad serve. But, it’s what you do next that will determine the proceeding outcome. You can either show teammates a bad attitude or accept it’s part of the game, and make the next big play.

Over the past few years, my family uses the phrase, “what did you do next?” in all aspects of life. 

My kids have faced different levels of bullying and typical teenage drama, but they’ve become accustomed to handling those situations. 

What about you? Do you have challenging situations at work or home? When something happens to you, what’s your next action or words? Do you confront with professionalism and rationalism, or do you respond with anger and aggression? The later typically only makes the situation worse.  

Notice, people who stay cool and rational during adverse situations can diffuse problems peacefully. Also, these people typically receive occupational promotions and better life partners.

We all face challenges on a daily basis, but it’s how we respond to them that determines our true character. You can’t always control what happens to you, but you can always control how you respond.

So, next time you’re playing sports or are in challenging situations, ask yourself, “what do I do next”? I bet you’ll be the better person standing.

Inspiration

Improve life’s journey, and create a legacy for others to admire

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Lately, I’ve really been thinking about if something happened to me, what type of legacy would I leave behind for my children to reflect on?

About 10 years ago, I made a conscious decision to change my thinking. At that time, life was throwing me some very difficult challenges.

I recognized all this was happening because I put myself in those situations. I owned it, and did not blame anyone else. When something bad happened it was really, in some kind of way, my fault for being there.

Once I started changing my thinking and putting only positive thoughts in my head, these thoughts became actions. My children and others around me would only see kindness and understanding. And, through time, these actions determined my character.

Now, this took some time and self-training. First, I changed my environment by eliminating negative people in my life. I only surrounded myself with positive thinkers and successful people, but really, spent most of the time alone. 

For almost 10 years, I had become a single father raising two young children practically on my own. I wanted to be the best role model possible, but this could only happen by changing me first.

I read countless motivational books and listened to numerous inspirational CDs. Once my mind was filled with only positive thoughts, there wasn’t room for any negativity. It was quite refreshing, peaceful and rewarding. 

This type of behavior seemed to spread amongst people I’d spend time with, especially my children. 

I recognized, the most important role as a parent, is to raise children to be good people in this world. This alone would be the best legacy I could ever leave them.

What about you? When you pass from this world, not only family members, but how will others speak of you? Really, only you can answer that question honestly.

Starting today, improve life’s journey, and create a legacy for others to admire for the rest of their lives. 

Just think, if everyone would embrace love and character, what a wonderful world we could live in.

Diets

If you want to lose weight, stop dieting

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, July 1, 2015

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, stop dieting. It seems like I give diet and fitness tips almost daily, but the problem is our definition of dieting.

Most people think of diets as a temporary reduction of food in order to lose weight. This definition is true except for the word “temporary.”

When it comes to losing weight, it should be a permanent change. Almost all of us have tried the many fad diet trends, but they don’t keep the weight off. There seems to be a diet war between all the choices. 

Remember Oprah Winfrey and the liquid diet? Her goal was to fit into a small size pair of Jordache jeans. She accomplished her goal, but we all witness the end results. Oprah said when she went back to her dressing room, she scarfed down a whole big bag of potato chips. Everyone I know who tried that diet became more overweight shortly after.  

When it comes to losing weight, you should be making a lifestyle change. Sometimes, my family thinks I’m kind of strange because I order grilled chicken salads when we are out to eat at a nice restaurant. I explained how much better and energetic I feel after a light, healthy dinner compared to the heavy, saturated meals.

Recently, my 14-year-old daughter decided to order the same light meals as me. To her surprise, the food was tasty, she felt full, and had a better overall feeling. 

The process of losing weight doesn’t have to be a burden. I find pleasure eating nature’s fresh foods. 

Without going into detail, here are a few quick lifestyle diet tips: avoid sodas and junk food, eat healthy snacks between meals to ward off hunger, eat breakfast, choose whole foods over processed, and, most of all, change your environment. 

Remember, if you don’t change lifestyle, the weight will always come back.

A clean diet doesn’t mean doing the dishes while eating chocolate cake.

Inspiration

Love yourself first and the world’s beauty will shine before you

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, June 24, 2015 

Recently, my son asked, “is it really true that there’s someone for everyone?” My response was, “absolutely, and as a matter of fact, there are lots of people who will match up to each of us.”

You see, we are all mentally wired different when it comes to attraction. Everyone is attracted to different body types, races and cultures. That’s the beauty of the human race. There is an abundance of people to fall in love with. 

So, are you happy with your body? Are you hard on yourself for certain body parts that were inherited? Isn’t it funny, how someone with curly hair wants straight hair or vice versa? 

We all wish we had something different about us — typically height, weight, facial features or hair color. 

Don’t be hard and cruel on yourself. Look in the mirror and recognize the beauty you truly possess. Remember, there are plenty of people who find you attractive and sexy. 

Yes, we all need to take care of our bodies with better diets and exercise, but there is no reason to be excessive. Don’t worry about the extra weight. You only want to feel better, so you can enjoy each day and live a happier, healthier and more energetic life. 

All you need to do is be confident, and attack the world as if you own it. Walk through life like you’re ready to conquer anything that crosses your path. You should float around the room and be kind to all, not stumble and hide. 

As I’ve written before, now that I’m older and understand the world better, I see beauty in everyone. It’s really a cool feeling to love all the amazing people I meet each day.

Just know, when we meet, one of my first thoughts is “what a beautiful person is standing in front of me. I hope they are living the life they deserve.”

Love yourself first and the world’s beauty will shine before you.

Diets, Fitness

Are you training according to your body type?

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2015

For those of you who train regularly, are you frustrated that goals are coming way too slow or not really at all? The problem could be that you’re not training properly according to body type. 

So many of us read fitness magazines or celebrity fitness books, and then try to emulate those workouts. Even though it works for some people, it might not be best for you.

You need to understand we all have different body types, and according to your type, workouts should be more specific. 

Understanding your body type will help get the results you want.

There are basically three body types – ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph.

Ectomorph bodies are lean and long like marathon runners. They typically have trouble gaining weight and muscle. If your goal is to gain lean muscle mass, then lift heavy weights with compound movements and cut back on cardio because you already have a fast metabolism. You will also need to eat 6-7 times a day with a proper balance of proteins and carbs. 

Mesomorph bodies are naturally stocky, more athletic and gain muscle easily. You have the body most people are seeking. Your downfall might be from taking your body for granted. If you’re not making gains, it’s from lazy workouts and sloppy diets. Mesomorphs should train like an athlete, and you’ll be surprised how fast goals are met. 

Endomorph bodies are pear shaped and hold body fat easily. I feel endomorphs have the biggest challenge of all. Your emphasis should be lots of cardio to boost metabolism. You need to train with intensity and watch your carb intake. Eat carbs in the morning for energy then drastically reduce with each meal. 

So, it’s important to identify and understand your body type. Each one requires different training methods and diet plans. 

Just know, once you recognize body type, you can get the ripped muscular body desired.