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Should Training Determine the Diet or Vice Versa?

There are a lot of different ways to train.  And there are a lot of different ways to diet for fat loss.  In many cases, specific forms of training combine well with specific forms of dieting.     But in many others they do not and a given form of training will simply not be compatible with a specific approach to fat loss.   In that situation, the trainee is faced with the question of whether their training should determine the diet they use or vice versa?

When Does the Training Determine the Diet?

The first situation, when the training determines the diet, occurs when someone’s training program is either very specifically set up or simply cannot be changed.    In other cases, trainees can’t change their weight training program or simply don’t want to. 

Perhaps it’s a program they know works for them.  Perhaps it’s simply set up in a specific way in terms of the days per week they are supposed to train or the specific split routine that is being used.Keep Reading

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Volunteering at the Austin Humane Shelter: Thank You

I was originally going to try this as a video post and wish I could have.  But I couldn’t make it through the tears so words on a screen will have to do. It’s weak as hell but apparently, right now, so am I.

I just want to make a quick post about what happened after last week’s series of articles on Volunteering at The Austin Humane Shelter.  I had been last Friday and simply been told that ‘the response to your articles has been amazing’ but I knew no more than that. I knew that a tremendous number of donations had come in for the Loretta fund and had asked for an overall total so I could thank people later this week.

I had no idea.

Thanking Me?

What I found amusing about the whole situation is that people at the shelter kept thanking me for what I’d done.  I talked to various staff members, none of whom I’d ever even met before, and they kept trying to thank me.… Keep Reading

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Volunteering at the Austin Humane Shelter: Part 5

Continuing from Part 4 while I thumped on about the shelter, I tried to make the point that doing volunteering of any sort can only be good for everyone involved.  I told you about another project I do regularly as well as a couple more I may get involved with through a friend here.  I want to sum up that piece quickly: it doesn’t matter what you do volunteering, just do something.

But this series is about the Austin Humane Shelter mainly and I’m going to finish up by moving (mainly) back to dogs.   Originally there was only going to be one picture but something came up as I was writing it that has modified that to two.  I’ve shown you plenty of beautiful dogs already and today is not the time for showing non-specific dogs; the two I’m going to show you are for very specific reasons.

But before we get into it.… Keep Reading

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Volunteering at the Austin Humane Shelter: Part 4

Yesterday, in Volunteering at the Austin Humane Shelter: Part 3, I talked about my general experiences at the shelter during the summer and falling in love with a dog named Babe who then got sick and adopted.   I’m going to continue in that vein and keep telling you about how the shelter really impacted on me and why I think volunteering, either at a dog shelter or elsewhere, can be a good thing to do.  I’ll wrap up tomorrow and really hit you where it hurts and I apologize for not having any doggie pictures today.  They just didn’t fit my flow.

I had ended yesterday’s piece by pointing out the flood of emotions that volunteers go through when one of their favorite (or in my case, beloved) dogs is adopted.  You’re hurt because they aren’t there anymore but you’re happy that they have a home.  You’re sad that you may never see them again and you worry that their new home won’t care quite as much as you; but you can’t think that way, the people wouldn’t have adopted your dog if they didn’t want to love them.… Keep Reading

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Volunteering at the Austin Humane Shelter: Part 3

Continuing through Part 2 I described the shelter itself, what they do there, and how the volunteer program in fairly abstract terms.  I also tortured you with dog pictures.  I know I said I didn’t want to be a general advocate for what they do but I really do feel that their program is brilliantly set up and run well and I’d thump on about it for that reason alone.

But this is a place where the shelter in general is only part of the picture.  My experience this summer at the Austin Humane Shelter was probably as responsible as anything for my recovery from my depression and it has special meaning to me for that reason. That’s what I’m going to talk about today and tomorrow.  And as I promised in Part 1, I’m going to make you cry at the end of it all.  You can fight it, but I’m going to win. … Keep Reading