Tag Archives: people

Diets, Inspiration

Reward yourself this Thanksgiving

By David Tepera – Posted: Tuesday, November 24, 2015

By now, you’re aware that if you’ve been dieting for a period of time, that I recommend to reward yourself with foods desired.

Well my friends, it’s Thanksgiving holidays and it’s reward time. I always indulge myself on vacation and Thanksgiving holiday.

Hopefully, you’ve been a good girl and boy and have been training consistently and frequently. This is the one time of year I’m going to tell you to throw the diet out the window. Enjoy every moment with family and friends and all the wonderful tasty foods.

I truly hope everyone is as fortunate as I with the blessing of an enormous holiday feast. It’s the biggest event of the year for my family, and we are going to nanna’s house for a major grub fest.

I will be pouring extra gravy on the turkey and dressing along with all the fixings, extra butter on steamy bread rolls, two scoops of vanilla ice cream on hot apple pie and pumpkin pie engulfed with whipped cream.

Later on in the day, after watching and sleeping through football games, I’ll take a little walk through the neighborhood to help digest my overstuffed belly. It helps create more room to shovel down more helpings of delicious homemade foods.

You and I should not feel any guilt for all the extra calories and the few pounds gathered.

To truly enjoy and embellish the rewards, you know that within two days, it’s back to a healthy diet and fitness training. It usually takes me about five to six days to lose the extra pounds.

Now that I’ve rang Pavlov’s bell and you’re salivating all over this paper, get ready to make an eating fool of yourself.

Most importantly, take the time to sincerely thank everyone who helped participate in the feast and express love for all.

As I’m getting older, my heart has grown softer and I emotionally love all the wonderful people around me.

Life is getting shorter my friends, so don’t waste time on unnecessary hate. There are others who love you, just show them love back. It’s a life changer.

Inspiration

Tap into your inner strength, overcome life’s challenges

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Recently, I visited my daughter at school.

As we were enjoying our lunch, I noticed a student with a long cane strolling along the walls feeling his way through the cafeteria. Daylyn told me he was deaf and blind, and this is how he maneuvers through school.

What was impressive to me, even though there was an adult supervisor, how he was still able to independently get his own food tray.

I told Daylyn to think about his daily routine. All the medial tasks we take for granted are his challenges, but it seems he has overcome them.

We can find unlimited stories and videos on YouTube with people who overcome their challenges to accomplish amazing feats of courage.

So this made me wonder, the only handicaps are the ones we accept of ourselves.

People we perceive as handicapped have learned how to tap into their inner strength and overcome life’s challenges.

We all have that same inner strength but chose to be complacent and lazy to glide through a boring and unhealthy life without any purpose.

I asked Daylyn, “why don’t we all attack the world with that type of determination and better our lives and those around us?”

According to Webster, the definition of handicap is “a circumstance that makes progress or success difficult.”

So, what about you? What’s your excuse? The only thing keeping you from progress and success is you. Accept it, embrace it, and do something about it.

Get off the couch and make a promise to yourself that now is the time. Take control of your life and be the person you daydream about.

Take that inner strength, bust through all barriers and make our world a better place because you’re in it. We need you.

Inspiration

What’s your motivation?

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Tuesday, November 3, 2015

We all get up every morning to start our regular routine with hopes of accomplishing something by end of day. Those accomplishments should be specific according to your position in life.

But my question is: what’s your motivation? When you get out of bed and your feet hit the ground, what excites you about the day?

Are you ready to get to work, show leadership qualities and prove to your company that they made a wise decision in hiring you? You should be excited because this promotes job security and will eventually, if not already, produce more income.

Maybe this is the day you’ve committed to start a healthier lifestyle. You’re heading to the grocery store to purchase produce, fruits, low-fat meats and unprocessed foods.

Also today, you’re starting a new exercise program in which you’ve bought new running shoes and workout apparel. I love wearing new clothes because if you look good, you feel good.

For me, my greatest motivation in life is my children. I bounce out of bed ready to treasure all the new memories I’ll experience today. I get to watch them play sports, help with homework, make dinner and interact about all the events from the day.

It’s so important to be involved in every aspect of our children’s lives. Before Dylan started driving, I would drop him off early in the mornings at school for basketball practice.

I would watch his tall lanky body stroll up to the school, then as I pulled away, tears would flow down my face knowing he is experiencing memories to last a lifetime.

I know I’m a big softy when it comes to my kids, but they are my motivation and purpose in life.

So, what’s your motivation? Start making a plan today and wake up tomorrow ready to accomplish those goals and have the life you deserve.

Inspiration

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!”

Inspiration

What will you do on 4th-and-1?

 By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Every football team has faced the situation of fourth down and 1 yard to go to get a first down. The decision of going for it or punting is based on a few factors like the score, time on the clock and field position. Sometimes the outcome can determine a win or not.

How many times in our lives have we faced fourth-and-1? Sometimes we develop issues, problems or important situations, and we have to make life-changing decisions. 

The choice is to either punt and take the path of least resistance or create a strategy and go for it. This outcome most likely will be life-altering.  

You might be in a bad relationship, and something needs to change. It might be time to ask for a pay raise or position advancement. Maybe you’ve made too many bad decisions and need professional or spiritual help. 

Years ago I was working in the biotech industry making a decent living, and another startup company made me an offer with less money, but the future potential was huge. 

I had to make a decision to continue with my comfortable life or to go for it and challenge myself to become more successful. Believe me, I wanted to punt, but with only seconds left on the clock, I chose to grip the ball hard and go for the win. 

Eight years have passed, and it was one of the best decisions I made in my working career. 

Now, next time you’re facing fourth-and-1, go for it by putting a winning strategy together, and score in the game of life. No matter the outcome, you’ll never have to say “if only I would’ve.”

If we all learn to embrace confidence, then winning championships will become a way of life

Inspiration

Life’s law of reaction

by DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, September 23, 2015 

Newton’s third law of motion is “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” As stated in the definition, this is pertaining to objects in motion.

To me, you can spin this law and apply to all parts of life.

For example: you eat fat foods and don’t exercise — you get fat and out of shape. You excessively smoke, drink alcohol and use drugs — you destroy your life.

You’re kind to all people — good things will come to you. You become spiritual — happiness and fulfillment will follow.  

Whatever your situation is right now and whatever shape your body is in is from every decision you’ve made to date. 

If you’re not happy with current status quo, start producing positive actions to create positive reactions. This is the one area in life that you have full control.

Once you’ve become an adult, your life will shape under every decision you make — good and bad. When you take an action, you are taking responsibility for the possible reactions. 

I told my children that sometimes it seems like bad people are receiving all the riches, but eventually “bad” catches up and they’ll lose everything. And, sometimes it seems like good people are getting bad breaks, but eventually “great” will come into their lives and stay there. 

Just think, if we all produced positive and loving actions then wonderful amazing reactions would drown the negatives in our lives.  

Start today by making better diet and exercise choices. Try to be the kindest and gentlest person in the room and watch how uplifting and happy you’ll become.

“If you want your life to be different, you have to start reacting to life differently,” by Bryant McGill.

Fitness, Inspiration

Use fitness to reach new levels in life

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Recently, I was grocery shopping and ran into my friend Natasha Reyes, the owner and personal trainer of Fitt Life Fitness in League City.

We spoke and shared inspirational stories for about 30 minutes. But, what became apparent to me was how fitness and training builds confidence in people to take their lives to another level.

Natasha has helped countless people accomplish their goals through diet and fitness. And now, she is taking all the steps and learning to bring her experiences to whole new levels as a life coach. 

Because of my busy schedule, I only personally train one or two people at a time. Through the years, almost every one of these people built confidence to pursue higher levels in other areas in their lives. 

For example, one gentleman fixed air conditioners during the day, started taking college classes at night and now owns his own business. Another lady with low self-esteem lost over 30 pounds and built the confidence to pursue executive positions within her company. 

I could write about countless stories that would take up my column through the rest of the year, but I want to help focus on your current situation. 

Now, I’m not saying you need to be extreme or try to reach an elite physical level, but I am telling you to start a regular consistent exercise program. Pushing your body past its comfort zone will produce a natural high of endorphins in the brain.

Once you’ve progressed to one level of fitness, your body will crave more frequency and intensity to reach another level. The endorphins will overflow through your nervous system, which creates a desire to improve other areas in your life.

You’ll have the passion to move up in your company and find ways of increasing income. You’ll become more energetic, which leads to better quality of time with the spouse and kids. 

So, as Natasha has discovered and so will you, there are no boundaries and limits to keep reaching higher levels in life.    

Fitness, Inspiration

Go for it and enjoy all of life’s experiences

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, September 9, 2015

My daughter just completed a series of volleyball tryouts for her school in which she made the team. Daylyn told me about her friend Jennifer who tried out knowing that she really didn’t have a chance.

You see, Jennifer is not very athletic and has tried out in the past only to be one of the first girls cut from the team. But what struck me was that Jennifer didn’t care. She decided to go for it anyway because it was still a lot of fun. Wow, now think about that. None of us like to expose our weaknesses or enjoy the embarrassment of failure. We get too caught up worrying what others will think and possibly say.

Jennifer didn’t care about anyone’s thoughts but only about the great experience she was having along with her friends.

It’s obvious Jennifer will have a great time experiencing life. She will glide through adulthood never saying “I should’ve, would’ve or could’ve.” 

This is a great lesson as parents. How many times do we allow our children to quit or not even try? We teach our children to accept standing on the sidelines or to sit in the stands and watch instead of participating. 

Be the example in your family and try something that is out of your comfort zone. Even if it didn’t turn out as you hoped, the journey and the experience will far outweigh the results. Plus it builds confidence to try again or at least attempt another spectacular feat. 

So go tell your kids to go for it, and they will build confidence and have fun like a supposedly nonathletic girl named Jennifer.

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.

Fitness

Which cardio exercise is best for you?

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Tuesday, August 18, 2015

I frequently get asked which cardio exercise is best. I always answer with, “which one do you like the most?”

By far, the two most popular cardio machines are treadmills and ellipticals. Typically, there are more of these machines than any other in most gyms. They both provide effective cardiovascular workouts and caloric burning. 

There have been multiple studies comparing the benefits of each. A Mayo Clinic study shows ellipticals burns 50-75 more calories per hour than walking on treadmills. The Medical College of Wisconsin shows running on a treadmill burns more calories per hour than ellipticals.  

The benefits of treadmills create natural running mechanics with compound movements. This is useful for strengthening bones and muscles, which is important for people with osteoporosis. 

Treadmills can be uncomfortable for people with severe osteoarthritis due to joint pain.

The benefits of ellipticals are that it is non-weight bearing and much easier on joints, which is better for people with osteoarthritis. Also, with the use of handles, it includes an upper body workout.

But, let’s be for real. If you don’t like any of these exercises, you won’t spend an hour on them, if ever at all. That’s why I tell people, “which exercise do you like the most?”

Experiment with all the different types of cardio equipment. Maybe, you like several types, so mix it up and have fun. 

For me, I rarely ever get on treadmills or ellipticals. My cardio of choice has always been my bicycle. I love being outdoors, listening to music, feeling the breeze, and sight-seeing through all the neighborhoods and trails. Plus, it still makes me feel like a kid again — “look ma, no hands.”

The late Robin Williams was an avid bike rider. He said bicycle riding was the closest thing to flying.