By David Tepera, March 25, 2020

“Tough times never last, but tough people do” is a famous quote by Robert H. Schuller that we all need to absorb. Rev. Schuller was an American televangelist who built an empire preaching self-belief. He wrote many books, along with famous inspiring quotes.

No, I didn’t follow him, but since we are all dealing with challenging times in our lives, I thought sharing some of his wisdom would be welcomed.

There’s no secret, each and every one of us are dealing with some type of loss from the coronavirus. The shutting down of multiple businesses, who typically hosts large numbers of people, is taking its toll, with no end in the near future.

We have to remember, especially those of us in Galveston County, we’ve dealt with plenty of disasters, including the latest from Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

One thing we witnessed was how all communities came together as one. Well, my friends, we are in the same situation where brotherhood is a must.

When I was playing and coaching team sports, no one cared about your religion, political beliefs, race, gender or sexual orientation. The only way to win a championship is through team unity.

There were many games where we were losing in the fourth quarter. It was at that moment where leaders stepped up, licked their wounds and lifted their teammates to come back and win the game.

Today, I’m asking you to take on the same mentality. This is the time for each of us to become leaders of kindness, courteous, helpful and understanding.

We have many friends who are small business owners that had to shut down, with some to never reopen because of the financial loss. We are saddened for all their employees and families affected by this.

We at Ageless Muscle fitness center are in the same battle. This past weekend, Tina and I sat down over many tears as we develop a new plan to pull through and save our business. We understand, we are not in this fight alone because as Rev. Schuller told us, “problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines,” and, “let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future.”

Please, do you part of responsibility, don’t spread hate, and only voice happiness and hope. We are in this together.

By David Tepera, March 18, 2020

Sooner or later, everyone will have some type of medical condition. This ranges from arthritis, digestive, cancer, obesity and so on. And, as you get older, you could have multiple conditions.

What we love about our clients at Ageless Muscle is these people have chosen to take control for a better quality of life.

My message to you is to not let age dictate taking back control. There is never a day or time to give up fighting. We have many clients into their 60s, 70s, 80s and our oldest at 101 years old. This gentleman will be featured in a future article.

How many of you are battling cancer or any other threatening disease? I’m pretty sure almost all of us know someone who is or has. So, what are you doing about it? Are you sitting around waiting on Father Time or giving life your best?

Are you going to the gym and exercising? Do you take early morning or late afternoon walks? Are you loving all those around you just as much as they are loving you?

Bottom line, are you a pleasant person to be around? Because, you would be if you decided to take control and be a survivor.

We have many clients who’ve battled those type of diseases — especially, three amazing ladies surviving breast cancer. All three have chosen to live, and are getting stronger and stronger with each training session.

I understand we are under a coronavirus awareness. We all have our own beliefs, but for us, we are moving forward and not letting anything or anyone slow us down from living our chosen lives. My family has always practiced clean hygiene, so we keep moving and improving.

What about you? Have you found another excuse to not exercise? We are in a season where the weather isn’t too hot, so get out there for a long walk or bicycle ride. Exercise is a stress reliever and an anti-depressant. And, guess what? The outdoors hasn’t been canceled.

Now’s the time to get back on all the projects you’ve been putting off through the mild winter. We’re building new flower beds, and believe me, that’s a workout itself.

Really, I’m just trying to give suggestions for you to get your bodies in motion.

Just know, no matter age or medical condition, if you find a way to stimulate your mind, soul and body, you’ll have control.

By David Tepera, March 11, 2020

Oh yeah, you think you can knock me out Mr. Bad News? Nice try buddy.

Look, there’s no escape from devastating situations occurring in our lives. Sooner or later, the worse news possible will happen. It’s during that moment, we find ourselves defeated, deflated and lost with no direction to go.

But, remember, every event throughout our whole lives is preparing us to be stronger. This starts at an early age.

The simple lessons from riding a bike prepares us for life. The neighborhood boys and I built ramps like Evel Knievel. We crashed and burned so many times I became a walking scab. But, at least, I held the ramp distance record for that week.

Every sport taught us to get back in the game. How many ankles have you twisted, fingers jammed, broken bones, bruises, cuts and so on? Back in the day, athletic trainers would wrap some white tape around injuries, and we were back in the game. Playing with pain is part of the sport.

Now, we are adults dealing with real grownup situations that have found a way to blindside or knock us to the canvas.

Divorce is an extremely difficult change in life. People have typically been doing the same routine for as many years married. Now, your life has been turned upside down, there’s a void, and you’re not sure who you are.

Flip your thinking and let divorce be the opportunity to become a better you. Start exercising, eat better, get your nails and hair done regularly and fall in love with yourself.

Did you get laid off from work? Good for you because you probably hated that job anyway. Now, chase your dreams and passion, start your own business, or just change direction and create a new identity.

Now, I do understand the death of a loved one is the biggest challenge in life to deal with. To us, time has stopped, but once reality has settled in, you realize the earth is still revolving.

Yes, there are many emotional tasks involved surrounding funeral arrangements and boxing of personal belongings. The best way to honor the loss of a family member is to enjoy life more and be kind to all.

As most of you know, I’m like you. I’ve dealt with all the tragedies listed above, and at this time, at the ripe ole age of 58, I’ve never been happier. So, don’t let setbacks and life’s challenges knock you out. Get back up and punch tragedy in the face because it can’t knock you out.

By David Tepera, March 4, 2020

One aspect in life we all share is our destiny. We must recognize, that eventually, we will face death. The only thing different is our individual journeys.

Every day we wake is an opportunity to chase our dreams. Once a dream or goal is achieved, then another must be put in place. This learning process starts at an early age.

That’s why I encourage parents to put their children in something that is competitive. It doesn’t always have to be sports. It could be dance, music, art, cheerleading, engineering and so on. This will help ensure our kids to work hard in a competitive world and not look for handouts.

How about us older folks? What dreams are you still chasing to achieve at your age? It’s never too late to accomplish your goals.

Several years ago, when I turned 55 years old, I set out to become a professional physique athlete. I wasn’t sure if it was possible, but after winning many competitions, I was awarded my pro card. It changed my life.

My wife Tina received her pro card a few years ago at 46 years old. We still get a kick out of being the oldest professional athletes in the greater Houston area.

How many of you are trying to lose a significant amount of weight? Set your goals small in 5- to 10-pound increments to prevent discouragement. The journey will be more obtainable and exciting.

Since many of our clients are older and have medical conditions, they chose to change their journey, and prolong their destiny by starting a healthier lifestyle.

If you truly want to control your journey, start a business. We all have a unique skill, so make money with it. Remember, your destiny will come to an end, so why not give it a try?

Being in the health and fitness industry, we meet plenty of people who started their own companies. This is selling anything from dietary foods, lotion products, exercise apparatus, and so on.

Most of these people worked their day jobs until business grew enough to meet a full income.

If you’re not happy with current journey, make today to turn at the fork in the road. Quit staying on the same path that leads to a dead-end. You’re alive, let go of all the small stuff, eliminate negative people, and enjoy the journey that will one day lead to your destiny.

By David Tepera, February 26, 2020

Let me begin by letting you know that I think participation trophies are a good thing for little kids starting out in sports. Even though all sports should be fun, at an early age, they also, should be less competitive and more about learning skills and team work.

But, at some point, kids must understand someone or one team is going to win, and the other will not. There is a reason why some people or teams rise to the top and some won’t.

Once my kids were older and battling teammates to win positions, I told them “You have to outwork everyone.” There were plenty of days and nights we practiced for hours on basketball drills, batting cages, catch and throw, serving volleyballs, and so on.

After every single game my kids played in, if they won or lost, we would discuss strengths and weaknesses. I wanted them to understand that working hard would bring a better opportunity on the outcome. Of course, you can work hard and still lose the game, but at least you know you’ve given your best and walk away with a sense of pride.

I was preparing my kids for the lessons of life because, as we all know, it can be a rough go in the real world.

How many of you are sitting around waiting for someone to hand you a job? Are you taking online classes, attending night school or learning a new trade? We all have a unique set of skills, so why not find a way to make money with it. You must quit putting a hand out, but put your hand in.

This same concept parallels with exercising and diets. The only way to improve your body is through hard work and dedication. We help all our clients be accountable by giving them set training times each week. Those who stick with the program obtain results once thought were impossible.

Look, we all will one day face the death of a loved one, possibly divorce or unemployment. My question to you is, “What are you going to do about it?” Don’t lay there in the fetal position because life isn’t going to hand you a participation trophy.

This is your day to get up, readjust and fight your way back into the game of life. You got this!

By David Tepera, February 19, 2020

One of the hardest acceptances in life is from losing. We never set out on a challenge expecting defeat.

Back in the 1990s, as an assistant football coach for the La Marque Cougars, we lost the state championship game two years in a row to the Stephenville Yellowjackets. That was a hard pill to swallow. Not only that, as coaches, keeping the next round of players excited and amped to give their best each season had some challenges.

I have to give credit to then-head coach Allen Weddell because he was a master of planning. He built a championship program that never faulted. He knew how to get the best out of players and coaches.

In case you didn’t know, after those two losses, we went on to win the next three state championships over Denison. That is called” lessons from losing.”

What about you? Have you learned lessons from other areas of life? How many diets have you failed? Are you a better spouse the second time around from a previous failed marriage? Did you lose the promotion to a coworker? I know families who’ve lost some serious money from court battles because they wouldn’t mediate.

Just know, it’s OK to fail in certain areas of life. Throughout my adulthood, I had several startup businesses. Even though they all started out strong, at some point, they failed for various reasons.

Instead of giving up, I learned to lick my wounds and keep pursuing a state championship in business. Of course, this path led me to my wife Tina, to which we built the Ageless Muscle fitness center.

If you truly want to learn from losses, write out each failure, along with reasons why it failed and what changes are necessary to succeed. These are lessons I share with my adult children, especially since they are involved with our family business.

Whatever your failures and losses seem to be at this time, don’t let that stop or slow you down from getting back out in this world. We all have a unique set of skills, and there’s people who need your services.

Stay true to your character, keep away from negative people, learn from losses because it’s your time to win a state championship.

By David Tepera, February 12, 2020

Well, Valentine’s Day is only two days away, which creates panic for those who procrastinate.

The average consumer is expected to spend $196.31 for Valentine’s Day, which is up 21 percent from last year’s $161.96, according to the National Retail Foundation.

The overall expected amount consumers will spend in the United States is to be around $27.4 billion, which is up 32 percent from last year’s $20.7 billion, according to the foundation.

Even with people spending more money, the number of people celebrating Valentine’s Day is only at 55 percent, but it was up from last year’s 51 percent, according to the foundation. People who spend the most money are from the ages of 35-44 at $358.78, according to the foundation.

With Ageless Muscle being in the health and fitness industry, it’s been a nice surprise to see spouses are purchasing personal training for their significant others. They come to us because of the friendly family atmosphere we’ve created. Our gym is not intimidating for first-timers, women, medical conditions or the older population.

What new creative ways are you looking to express your love? Does your loved one want some type of exercise apparatus, equipment or athletic apparel?

There’s always the running joke if you buy your wife a treadmill, you’re calling her fat, and that might not go so well. But, I argue a different point because it depends on the presentation.

If you’re a romantic, still give the tradition of a personalized card, flowers, chocolate, but this time, include a form of health and exercise. What will make it more special is for you to join them.

Tina and I have rescue dogs, including a foster. One of our special times together is walking the dogs. Nothing says “I love you” more than talking and picking up dog poop.

One of our delights at Ageless Muscle is training husbands and wives. There are a few who train together, and those who train with their own perspective trainer. Our goal is to educate them, so they are comfortable to come in on other days and train together.

Just recently, the wife of one of our male clients thanked us for helping her husband become comfortable in a gym environment. They now spend time together every weekend in the gym, which has helped bond their relationship even stronger. This could be each of you.

So, make this Valentine’s Day a little different with a gift of health and fitness. It could be as easy as a promise note stating you love them and want them to be around much longer, so let’s start a new chapter in our lives to become healthier. All it takes is grabbing them by the hand to head out the door for a walk.

By David Tepera, February 9, 2020

Recently, I was having a conversation with one of our clients, Don Filidei. Seventy-one-year-old Don has been with us for a little over two months, and is excited about his strength gains.

You see, Don came to Ageless Muscle due to a severe shoulder issue, along with a knee replacement. The pain in Don’s shoulder had become so overwhelming, he was in need of immediate help.

So, I asked Don what made him finally make a decision to improve his health condition? Don’s reply was quick as he told me, “I was sick and tired dealing with constant extreme pain.”

Of course, we are excited to help Don as he continues to make progress. Now, his improvements are steady because Don is staying consistent with the Ageless Muscle program.

How about all of you out there? What areas in your life are you sick and tired of? Could it be from lack of exercise, addictions, relationships or occupational? You must recognize depression can be created from any of these choices.

How often do you get upset with yourself for not eating healthy or exercising? Have you already given up on your new year’s resolution? If you have, just get back on the wagon. Try to make one healthy decision each day and it will make you feel better about yourself.

Years ago, a distant friend came to me because he struggled with alcoholism. He was sick and tired of waking up each morning with a severe hangover, which led to an unproductive lifestyle. I introduced him to the gym and made him meet me there several times a week until he developed new healthy habits. It took some time, but he succeeded.

Now, what’s it going to take for each of you to change your life? Do you really need to hit rock bottom? You see it coming, so do something about it today. You keep putting it off, and all you caused was another day dealing with depression.

Today, you’re going to jump out of your comfort zone and take back your life. You alone get to make that decision. You don’t need to ask permission from anyone but your conscience.

Starting today, you’ll no longer will be sick and tired of being sick and tired. You got this!

By David Tepera, January 29, 2020

As you know, the Ageless Muscle team frequents many gyms. It’s quite often we observe people misusing the weight equipment, which can ultimately lead to either hurting themselves or not really getting any true benefit.

I would like to share a few weight lifting tips that we see most common. First, for whatever reason, people think to lose “love handles,” they must perform multiple sets of side bends while holding weight.

Guess what? The only thing you accomplished was building your obliques muscles and NOT burn any fat in that area. So, what this means is you made your waist wider and more-blocky. It’s like the worst possible exercise to build a smaller waist.

Listen, the only way to make your waist smaller is in the kitchen. Yes, you should perform abdominal exercises to help build a strong core, but not side bends.

Another bad no-no is pulling the lat bar behind the neck all the way to your shoulders. Huge no-no because you’re over-rotating your rotator cuff and putting unnecessary stress on the neck. The safest range of motion is to pull the lat bar to the front of the body right below the chin. Just squeeze your traps along the range of motion and you’ll feel the difference.

We see the leg press machine abused way too often. Remember, place your feet up high on the platform, so that your knees will not flex over your toes. If not, you’re putting stress on your patella and achilles tendon which will result in injury.

Look, I understand if you’re not familiar with the gym, the above explanations probably didn’t make any sense to you. But, I have a strong presence of gym readers who’ve been asking for help, and we take pride in educating people all over the country.

I cannot express the importance of weight training, especially as we get older. It’s fantastic if you’re out walking, riding a bike or performing some type of cardio, but it’s a must to incorporate weight resistance.

Weight training is our path to the fountain of youth. I don’t care how old you are, weight training is a game changer. Our oldest clients are in their late 70s, and now have more energy than over the past 15 years.

I know the weight room can be a scary and intimidating, but don’t let that stop you.

We’ve created a friendly family environment at Ageless Muscle. Even though we are professional athletes, our gym is for people like you, who want to just be educated and train safely.

Ask for a tour at your local gym, along with no more than two or three personal training sessions. If you don’t gel with your trainer or gym, search and seek others.

The biggest lesson of all is to understand the no-nos, and keep it safe.

By David Tepera, January 22, 2020

We frequently have people reach out to us because of being stuck with current exercise routines and diets. For some reason, even though they’re being strict and consistent, people’s bodies are no longer making changes.

It’s what is known as “plateau,” and it will happen to everyone who stays on the same routine week after week.

I’m going to try to explain this as best as possible. You see, our body’s job every single day is to survive. If we start overheating, the body will perspire for coolant. When we get too cold, the body will shiver to produce heat. When the body needs food for energy, it creates hunger.

When you lift weights, it produces micro tears within your muscles. At night, during rest, the body will repair itself and build more muscle tissue to take on that same weight. If you continue to use the same weight, the body will no longer build more muscle. It has already survived the weight you placed upon it. Make sense? To build more muscle, you must use more weight, including changing you weight routine.

The key is to keep confusing the body into building muscle tissue. If the body is confused, it has to keep making changes to survive.

This phenomena is the same process for dieting. For those of you who go on these strict or crazy diets, once your body has adjusted, you will no longer lose weight. Remember, after a period of time, the body has already survived. That’s why diets don’t work!

A good friend of mine went on one of those no carb diets and lost plenty of weight in the beginning. She was depressed and frustrated that she was stuck and plateaued. I told her because of the lack of carbs, it’s time to throw down some pizza, burgers and fries. She thought I was crazy, but when she did, her metabolism kicked back in and lost more weight. It was time to confuse her body.

If you deprive your body from certain important food vitamins and nutrients, your metabolism will shut down to survive.

When you start a diet, you must ask yourself, “Can I stay on this diet the rest of my life?”

Whatever is going on in your life, do not accept or be satisfied being “plateaued” because today, you’re going to mix it up.