By David Tepera, November 25, 2025

For starters, here’s a quick history lesson on the background of Thanksgiving. The holiday traces back to the year of 1621. The Pilgrims, who were English settlers, held a harvest feast and invited the Wampanoag Indian tribe because they helped the settlers survive the first year.

For years, Thanksgiving was only religious days and didn’t include feasts. George Washington proclaimed the first national day of Thanksgiving in 1789, but it didn’t repeat annually.

During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November for the holiday to promote healing and unity. Finally, Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving up one week to help create a shopping season during the Great Depression.

Today, Thanksgiving has many traditions. Many families gather for big meals, typically with turkey, pies and all the trimmings. Most large cities have big beautiful parades, with Macy’s being the most famous.

Also, there are many people who donate their time to volunteer, along with charitable giving. When the kids were younger, we frequently participated.

Being from Texas, like them or not, Dallas Cowboys have been hosting Thanksgiving games every year since 1966. My sister Karen lives in Dallas, so one year, I got to hang out with her, husband Tod and many friends. We scalped tickets, tailgated and had a blast.

Just know, the Detroit Lions have played on Thanksgiving day every year since 1934. They are the longest running football tradition. In 2006, NFL added a third game played at night. I’ve never seen that game because I’m usually passed out from a full belly.

Now, what’s your tradition? I know plenty of people who get up early to jog or hit the local gym. For some, this is the last big blowout to stuff yourself before setting new health goals.

Thanksgiving is the start of the holiday season. I think we can all agree, even though it’s festive, it is also stressful. The best way to deal with stress is through exercise. This doesn’t mean on black Friday running through Walmart, grabbing the big screen TV and fighting off the other customers. Okay, that might had been a bad joke, but it was still funny.

Here’s a new tradition for you, after the heavy Thanksgiving meal, take a nice long walk with a family member. It will give you both alone time to catch up and rekindle the relationship.

Listen, what ever is going on in your life, find a way to start a healthy loving Thanksgiving tradition. People need you.

By David Tepera, November 19, 2025

Recently, mom and I visited my Uncle Johnny in San Antonio. You see, Johnny is dad’s twin brother, and was recently given less than six months to live. Cancer has rapidly spread to his lungs, bones, and other parts of the body.

My dad passed four years ago from melanoma at the age of 80, and my uncle just turned 85. At-this-time, he is the oldest living, Tepera. Just know, I’m of Czech decent, and Johnny is one of the last full bloods knowing the language fluently.

Well, when mom and I pulled up to my uncle’s house, to our surprise, he had just finished a 1-mile walk. As we went inside, Johnny refused to sit down. Actually, we moved to the backyard, so he could boast about all the gardening and orange trees.

You see, Uncle Johnny knows life is coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean to throw in the towel, sit around and just wither away. Why not keep living while you’re living?

Johnny has an only daughter named Jennifer. She has taken over all the hospice, insurance, doctor’s schedules, plus anything related to helping her dad. I will say “Jennifer is an angel for my favorite uncle”.

Now, what’s the lesson in this? How many people sit around and gave up on living? Don’t be mad, but for some people, why are you still relying on a motor scooter? Why do you hang out all day in a recliner watching dumb tv programs? When’s the last time you took a stroll outside and let mother nature kiss your skin?

What motivation do you need to get up and start living while you’re living? All our elderly clients came to us with a variety of physical setbacks, but they wanted to keep enjoying life.

We are humbled to see the joy on their faces as they describe traveling again, gardening, golfing, plus returning to their favorite hobbies.

It’s time to throw excuses out the window because they have no purpose. I don’t care what your current situation may be, just get up and take back life.

It’s possible, I might not see my Uncle Johnny alive again, but his inspiration will be with me for eternity. Now, start living while you are living.

By David Tepera, November 12, 2025

Listen, one of the best lessons of life is failing, but that should be the motivation to succeed. It’s easy to get caught up reflecting over mistakes because that’s a normal human characteristic. None of us liked to admit failing, plus it’s in our nature to defend ourselves, even though we are at fault. Once you can accept these failures, I promise, you will start seeing results. Bottom line, don’t point the finger at others for your decisions.

Are you ready for results? Then put your blinders on and don’t look back.

Here’s an interesting fact; Tesla trucks are so compact and sealed that the driver can’t see out the back window, but through the multiple cameras, there’s visible access. The interesting part is through law, it’s mandatory for all vehicles to have a rearview mirror. The Tesla trucks have them even though it’s useless.

That should be all of us my friends. We know what’s in the past, but if you haven’t learned from it, it’s useless. You get my drift? The only people who make excuses are those lacking confidence.

Whatever is going on in your life, are you having results or making excuses? Just because you got knocked down, you didn’t get knocked out, so get up and keep fighting.

If you want results, then be accountable, disciplined, focused, and resilient. Excuse-makers talk about problems. Result-makers talk about progress. Which one are you?

One thing we all control is our health. You choose the meals to feed your body, frequency of cardio exercise for a healthy heart, and weight training to build a quality of life. Hopefully, you’re having results from improving your lifestyle.

Believe me, none of us care about your excuses for being lazy. I know there are people who’ve had serious health conditions that changed their lives, but what are you going to do about it?

Besides health reasons, this is the same for relationships and occupations. If you are not happy with any of these, then do something about it to get positive results.

You have one life to live, so live it. It’s either excuses or results, the choice is up to you.

Lastly, today is my youngest child and only daughter Daylyn Tepera’s 25^th birthday. She will always be daddy’s little girl.

By David Tepera, November 5, 2025

Recently, I was fortunate to attend my sister Karen Tepera’s yearly women’s conference known as WAM – Women’s Asset Managers. It has become one of the largest conferences for women in the entire United States.

Each year, it is held in Frisco Texas at the Dallas Cowboy’s training location. First class is an understatement to all that’s involved.

To my point, this year’s key note speaker was Martha Stewart. Since I’m a true guy’s guy, I never really watched or cared for Martha Stewarts girly programs.

Well, I was overly impressed with all of Martha’s accomplishments, plus paving the way for women in the corporate world. She is now 84-years-old, and looks amazing.

Also, for all you followers of her, just to give you an insight, Martha and Snoop Dog will be performing an ice-skating duo at next year’s Olympics, even though Snoop has never put on a pair of ice skates.

Before I get to my message, yes, I did meet Martha Stewart, held hands, had a brief conversation, including a photo shoot together. She is a very classy and friendly lady.

One of Martha’s most important advices to all the attendees was to give quality service with friendliness to their customers.

Even though Martha owns a big beautiful farm in New Jersey, she also has two apartments in New York. One of them, from the doorman to the employees are friendly to her and every tendent. The other complex doesn’t give her or anyone the time of day. Martha will never do business with them again.

So, what is the message for all of us? Even if you don’t own a business, how do you treat the people you interact with? If you’re in competition for a job position, are you the employee that deserves a promotion? If you do own a business, your service and friendliness should separate you from the competition. The choice is up to you.

Lastly, Martha went through a rigorous cardio and weight training program to prepare for her photo shoot with Sports Illustrated. She was 80-years-old at the time, and still wanted to be at the top of her game. I have to admit, for her age, she looked hot.

Now, are you ready to take your life and business to another level? Then separate yourself from the competition.

By David Tepera, October 26, 2025

Did you know, that your body’s only job, at every moment, is to survive. Do you have to think about breathing? If we did, we would never sleep. Your body needs a constant supply of oxygen to circulate and supply all the organs.

How often does your heart rate increase through exercise? Did you know the heart is a cardiac muscle that needs to frequently elevate?  It’s an involuntary muscle that keeps pumping without us having to think about it. Just know, the heart pumps on average around 100,000 times per day.

When the body needs nutrition for energy and repair, the stomach will release the Ghrelin hormone to tell the brain “it’s time to eat”. I know, Americans are obsessed with food, so going hungry is not an issue for most.

For all of us snowy white skinned people, exposure to the sun will produce more melanin. The extra melanin moves to the surface of the skin making it darker for protection. It only offers a limited amount of melanin, which is why there is still sunburns, premature aging, and skin cancer.

Here’s an interesting fact; did you ever notice female swimmer athletes carry more body fat than expected? Think about it, these elite athletes swim hours per day, but some body fat will distribute across their bodies. Well, it’s because the body is trying to survive, and fat is what keeps them buoyant. The body doesn’t want to sink and die.

This typically doesn’t happen to men due to high testosterone levels. That’s why they are so much faster.

We don’t have many cold or frozen days in south Texas, but when it is, why do we shiver? The body is trying to survive the cold weather, so it shivers to create heat. Just like perspiring when overheating, the body will cool itself down.

Also, you must realize our bodies have a waste removal system for protection against unwanted materials. The lungs remove carbon dioxide, kidneys filter waste from blood and make urine, liver detoxifies harmful substances, and of course, the digestive system expels what the body doesn’t absorb.

Just know, the human body can’t survive without water for more than three days. There are records of people surviving up to five and seven days, but it was during cold conditions.

Now, how are you going to treat your body today? What nutritional value will it receive, how much water intake, frequency of exercise, and so on?

Bottom line, how did your body survive today?

By David Tepera, October 22, 2025

We are now in the trend of people losing weight through multiple prescription drugs. Don’t worry, I’m not going to pooh-pooh it because there are benefits.

To keep it simple, these appetite suppression injections or drugs derive from the hormone GLP-1. For all you science nerds, GLP-1 stands for Glucagon-like Peptide-1

This natural hormone has many functions surrounding blood sugar regulations, but most important, it tells the brain that your full from eating. This occurs at each meal, if not, you would never stop eating.

These prescription drugs inject GLP-1 into your system to tell the brain that your full without ever taking a bite. There’s more science to it, but that’s the basics. So, people are losing weight because they aren’t hungry, and never think about the next meal.

Just know, this is fine for a starter kit, but if you don’t get on a maintenance program after, you’ll lose muscle, including loss of proper organ and brain function. Your body needs nutrition to survive, so be careful.

Don’t misunderstand me, I know the difficulties of losing weight and exercising. Everyone wants the quick fix because we’ve all failed the fad diets.

Getting your health back is about the life you gain. Have you started exercising? Are you cooking and preparing healthy meals? What destructive habits have you cut back?

Believe me, if you aren’t making lifestyle changes while taking these weight loss drugs, then you will lose in the end. Your life is worth more than a temporary fix. I promise, you might look and feel thinner, but you won’t be happy. Don’t be mad at me, I’m only trying to help you be successful in that journey.

Listen, you all know we own a fitness center that caters to the older population. At this time, we have family, friends and even clients who are currently on the route of GLP-1 weight loss.

The extreme ones who have chosen to take the lazy route and only utilize the drugs to make changes are on the road to deterioration. They are weak, depressed and struggle with simple conversation.

The people who have the best success rate are the ones who chose to exercise and lift weights. I know many of them, and support their exciting knew confidence in life.

Please, take note, the choices taken for your health should be about the life you gain.

By David Tepera, October 12, 2025

The definition of gratitude is the expression of being thankful and appreciative. It’s a positive emotional response to appreciate the kindness, help and benefits you’ve received from others.

The best part of understanding gratitude is the state of mind you will enter due to an increase of happiness, stronger relationships, including reduced stress.

For me personally, years ago, I decided to step away from any negative or destructive influence from others. Why let them control your emotions when we all have something to be grateful for? Notice, negative people seem to migrate to each other, but also, positive people seem to bond and find happiness and success.

Stop focusing on what has gone wrong in your life, but enjoy the gratitude of the goodness, plus those who helped you.

When my kids were young, we would sit around the dinner table to discuss gratitude. We took turns sharing the best experiences of the day. It was simple as doing small gestures for others. My kids loved helping students that had challenges. There’s so much more to that story.

Listen, we all have challenges, but there is always something to be grateful for. You just have to open your mind and let go of all the negatives that others try to throw at you. Misery loves company, but you are no longer miserable.

What are your first thoughts when you wake? Isn’t it amazing to get another day of life and choices?

I’m always up before my wife Tina. Every morning, I look over at her sleeping and can’t believe she’s mine. Her gratitude starts with a home cooked breakfast.

We both express our gratitude each day as we pull up to our business. Daily, we hear the gratitude from our clients expressing the quality of life we’ve given back to them. But really, it was the client who chose to take control.

Come on now, what’s your gratitude? What are you going to accomplish today that makes you happy? When your head hits the pillow tonight, what are the positive thoughts that run through your mind?

How many people did you impact today? Did you make a difference in this world that others appreciate you for? We all have that power. It just comes down to a choice.

Now, let’s all take a deep breath, and realize there is so much gratitude to be thankful for.

By David Tepera, October 5, 2025

I can not express enough about the importance of presentation. It varies across almost all aspects of life, including work, communication, food, public speaking, and most important – your physical appearance and character.

From early on, we are all trying to find our identity. This is the reason by high school, that we hung out with a specific group because they made us feel accepted.

Today, you’ve become an adult in the real world. What is your presentation? Every room you walk into, people form an impression immediately.

If you’re seeking the corporate world, do you have the physical appearance and speaking voice to win over the competition? Think about it, would you hire you?

In today’s world, the are countless opportunities for all sorts of people. You just need to take a serious look that you have the presentation to succeed in that particular line of work.

Tina, Dylan and I just happen to be in the health and fitness business, so we make sure our bodies represent the professionalism we market. It is an important appearance towards the success of Ageless Muscle.

Remember, two things we all control is our physical appearance, plus the way we treat others.

Let’s switch gears a little. I’m sure some of you will agree with me, when dining out, the presentation of the food is important. For all restaurant owners, besides the appetizers and entrees tasting delicious, the presentation of the dish is extremely important. When that platter hits the table, it should have the visual appearance that the customer is ready to dive in.

Let me give you a couple examples. A few years ago, Tina and I had a date lunch at a popular local seafood restaurant. We ordered some appetizing crab cakes, along with a few cocktails. When we received the crab cakes, they were the only item on the plate. There was no presentation. Why not throw a little parsley with squiggly sauce on the plate? It didn’t matter how tasty it was, we were thrown off because of the presentation. We will never go back, and believe me, there are others on our list.

Now, on the bright side. Recently, we experienced an upscale restaurant in Galveston. The steak and lobster were cooked and presented with perfection, plus the entire experience was first class. We are now on a mission to make Tuesday evenings – date night.  

Bottom line, if you want to win, what’s your presentation?

By David Tepera, October 1, 2025

Go ahead and answer the question “how many challenges are you facing today?”.

When you’re giving this world your best, there will always be challenges. Even those who decided to throw in the towel and accept failure will still have challenges. You can-not escape the realities of life.

How many of you battle obesity, addiction, heart disease, arthritis, cancer, depression, financial issues, divorce, or you fill in the blank. Just know, in severe cases, seek out professional help.

Today is about you. Just know, you’re not alone. From the wealthy to the poor, you face challenges each day. The only thing that separates people is how they respond.

As you know, We’re in the health and fitness world, so we give advice throughout the country. All of us will eventually face physical issues. Whatever yours may be, accept it and begin the steps to improve it. Don’t rely on excuses, so get up and take control.

Listen, if you are depressed, weak, no energy, please don’t give up. We will all enter the gates of Heaven, but today is not the day to give up.

Why sit back and feel sorry for yourself? Believe me, no one around you cares, so be a warrior. There’s a time in life where you need to focus on you and stop worrying about what other’s think.

Years ago, I accepted all my failures and realized I’m just human who experienced life. Some good, some not so good, but so what? I don’t need anyone’s approval because today I’m doing my best, and so should you. Are you with me?

I was fortunate to have a support system around me during the struggles. Even though Dad has past, I do want to thank my parents for sticking with me through the toughest of times. Today, my wife Tina and I tackle the challenges together.

Hopefully, you have a support system too. If you don’t, that means you’re the strong one who’s supporting others.

Life has been throwing challenges your whole life. I don’t care what your situation is, it’s time to start fighting back. Go out with a bang. Get up, put your game face on, and punch your challenges in the face.

By David Tepera, September 16, 2025

Recently, my son Dylan and I played a round of golf at a local course. Just know, I am not an avid golfer, and only play to spend time with family or fund raisers. Even though I rarely play, I do have an average game.

I was a single parent for over ten years, so giving up a Saturday or Sunday playing golf wasn’t a thought. I spent the weekends coaching my kid’s sports and building memories.

Years ago, I bought a nice set of Callaway clubs, including all the additional name brand gear. Even when I don’t play that well, I do look good. Okay, that’s a joke.

Dylan doesn’t play that well either, but we get a kick out of making fun of each other. For all you golfing enthusiast, we do respect the course and other golfers. We’ve played enough to give proper etiquette which is important.

To both our surprises, Dylan actually parred the first hole, so he had bragging rights from the beginning. But, as usual, the rest of the course wasn’t as friendly.

On most tee-offs, Dylan had a great drive down the fairway. His short game was semi-decent, and like some of us, three putting kept him in the bogie category.

Being his dorky dad, I told Dylan this game is similar to life. Even though every shot counts, don’t define yourself with one bad shot. Pick up and stay focused because the best shot might be the next shot.

For all you golfers, don’t you agree, when trying your best to beat others in a foursome, you’re actually competing against yourself? No one else is swinging that club. The end results is totally from your skills.

Sometimes the playing conditions don’t seem fair. It could be a windy day, with bumpy greens and sand traps.

Success in life is never a smooth ride. We’re going to slice it in the trees, hook it in the rough, but we’ll keep swinging because finishing the hole is the goal. Giving up is not an option.

Playing golf for most can be frustrating, but it forces us to focus and have patience. There is a time in life that we need to slow down to get farther, not rush it to find ourselves in the weeds.

Listen, we will ever master golf and play a perfect round, but that’s really not our goal. But, it is fun to have that one hole we can brag about because golf has many life lessons.