by Lani Muelrath, M.A. aka The Fitness DreamMaker

If you think IMF means "impossible missions force", then think again! If you think it means "international monetary fund", well, you might be right but actually not on this occasion!

It is the NEW acronym I've invented for what I call intermittent mini fasts.

I NEVER thought I'd say this, but….I have become a big fan of the intermittent mini!

~ reduce inflammation
~ increase insulin sensitivity
~ decrease stress hormones

~ increase human growth hormone production

What?  I'd been thinking since forever that fasting eats into our muscle mass.  That it decreases your metabolism, and does all kinds of other things to wonk up our efforts to be trim!

NEW Research Proves "Fitness Fasting Mythology" Wrong!

There is lots of documentation out there that refutes these common beliefs about fasting.

But you know what?  That didn't happen.  And it hasn't happened for me during the several weeks that I have been enjoying the many benefits of the IMF.  As I already, said, I never thought I'd say it, but….me likey!

4 weeks ago in Thailand I picked up the worst cough and chest infection I have had in my entire life. I have been in bed virtually every day since. It had left me gasping for breath and taking asthma inhailers that also were doing absolutely nothing.

My local doctor prescribed 3 weeks of potent antibiotics but they were doing nothing - I was getting wose and worse and they were concerned I might have developed pneumonia.

I was getting quite desperate. 

Then a friend in China suggested I make a tea with dried Goji Berries (You can buy the berries at your local supermarket or health store for under $5.00).

My Chinese friend told me to place a small handful in a mug of hot water and let it stand for 10 minutes then drink the tea and eat the berries.

To be honest, I realy didn't like the taste but the results have been nothing short of amazing.

Within 2 hours I was breathing ok for the first time in 4 weeks. Three days later and my cough has all but vanished.

We don't have an anti-doctor, anti-medicine bias at Drug Free Health Secrets - far from it. But this is just another real-life experience that has strenghtened my heartfelt conviction that there are powerful alternative treatments that work wonders.

The first was a massage lady. I visited a massage spa near my apartment and was amazed to learn that a 2 hour massage was just $8.25

I started talking to the lady who was massaging me - asking her about her life and if she had kids, family nearby, what her hopes for the future were etc

She told me she was 30 years old and had 3 kids - all girls - 5 year old twins and a 6 year old.

She showed me pictures of her girls on her cell phone. Really cute looking kids. Then she started to tell me her story. her husband had left her for another woman and her kids lived with her Mom and Dad - about 3 days away by bus.

She lowered her head and her voice fell to just a whisper as she told me how much she missed her girls. "I get to see them once a year. I miss them so much!"

I asked her how much she earned. "About Baht 8.000 a month" (about $232) She works 12 hours a day 6 days a week.

Can you imagine how hard her life must be?  She then shared her dream with me… "My dream is to marry a farang (Westerner). I asked why she wanted a Westerner and she told me. "Because western guys are kind and he probably wont beat me and will love my kids"

Did I mention that this woman (Like most Thai ladies) was stunningly beautiful? In Australia or America she would be beating guys off with a stick. I really hope she gets her dream one day!

The second person was a young street kid  that I almost trod on as she lay sleeping on a busy Bangkok sidewalk.

I looked at her and honestly thought: "This kid has not had a bath in 5 months"

It was a stinking hot day - the kind of heat that ONLY Thailand can create and there she was - fast asleep on the footpath.

I wanted to help but I only had a few hundred Baht in my pockets so I walked to a local foodstand and bought her some noodles.

I wish you could have seen her face as I gently shook her arm to wake her up and give her the food. Just for amoment, a fleeting moment, she looked like such an innocent young girl and when it dawned on her that the food was for her, she beamed.

As I walked away a Thai friend explained to me that she was probably addicted to sniffing thinners. I asked them "If this girl wants to change her life. is there anyplace she can go to get help? even to wash and shower?"

"No"

"But surely there must be some government department that will hep her or some Charity?"

"No she is a beggar - why would anyone bother to help her?"

"But imagine if she did want to change her life - she would need clean clothes (Hers were rags) and to wash before she could even hope to get a job - surely someplace must exist here to hep her? Some people we can call?" "Maybie some Christians would help her but there are so few of them here"

By now my Thai friend thought I was completely bonkers as they asured me "Chris this is her life - she is a crazy girl only a silly person would want to go near her!"

As I sat in the train on the way back to my hotel the thought struck me how unfair it all seemed.Think about it - this kid seems doomed to remain a street kid - even if she wants to change. It also made me feel very thankful that I lie where I do - in a society that truly cares for the individual and that despite the current financial nightmare, truly does abound with possibility.

Finally, I'd like to offer a challenge to everyone reading these words: Go and find someone in need - greater need than you and help them. help them with wild abandon.  A great teacher once said that it is more blessed to give than it is to receive - very true words.

Let's face it, I love feeling fit and strong, and SuperSets are a powerful part of my workout routine for body shaping and - I'm finding - Fat Loss !

P.S. If you are looking for something out there similar to Supersets as I practice and coach it, I recommend Turbulence Training. This is the best newest thing out there to organize Supersets into an easy-to-understand format.

I just returned from Thailand and China. I was OFFline the ENTIRE trip.

It was the longest time I have been away from the Internet in 9 years - quite an experience.

I felt like a fish out of water!

I am busy responding to about 300 emails but will be uploading LOTS of pics and info in the coming days!

Best Regards

Chris Bloor

Let me ask you something.

What if you could find exercise that:

1) challenges your cardiovascular fitness (of course!)
2) builds muscle (anabolic activity)
3) invigorates and provides stress reduction at the same time
4) can be finished in 20 minutes 2-3 times per week.

Tada, it exists! And it’s right here at your fingertips and footprints. And it’s been here all along, it just got buried under all the “long, s-l-o-w” cardio information we’ve been presented with for the last few years.

The good news is, you needn’t do long, s-l-o-w to get the best benefits from cardio exercise, quite to the contrary! If you are willing to put a little more muscle and mind into the equation, you can slice your cardio time by huge chunks and come out ahead as well.

Interested? Here’s more….

What Exactly IS Interval Training?

Interval Training (IT) involves changing speed or resistance - and thus intensity - within the course of a cardiovascular workout. Thus, instead of a slow, long distance - or long, slow time - within your aerobic intensity aerobic training “zone”, you intersperse short, intense periods into otherwise more moderate minutes.

This approach - intermittent bouts of intensity systematically built in - works better for f*at loss and muscle building than long and slow does.

Bottom line, what I best like about IT is that it aligns beautifully with my preference for “short and to the point” fitness. Bang for your buck is essential with my busy life, and IT fits the bill.

AND (there’s more!) IT creates a huge afterburn effect, in terms of elevated metabolic advantage. I’m talking for HOURS after the exercise itself…not to mention that which comes along with the added muscle from this type of exercise. Now THAT is what I call great ROI! (return on investment!)

Simply put, the easiest way to do interval training is to start off at a good pace for about 5 minutes. A variety of modalities can be utilized: stationary bicycle, eliptical trainer, jogging/walking, for example.

Then, you pick up the intensity and go hard and as fast for a minute and then bring it back down for a minute or two - however long it takes for you to recover enough to do it again. Then you repeat the process for a total of only 15-20 minutes, including warmup and cool down. It is advisable to start with one interval a session, then progress to two, and so on.

The intervals can feel more intense than you might imagine. Jack LaLanne refers to it as imagining “you are running for your life” -that’s tough stuff! And also not for the foolhardy who may have been out of condition for a long time. Doctor’s clearance is always recommended. (I always think it’s funny that a doctor’s clearance isn’t required for laying around on the couch for years at a time! )

Another way to practice interval training is simply to keep changing your speed and intensity level every two minutes or so - go up and down - challenge yourself…

…Read MORE about Interval Training and Part 2 of this article here

Need to get clear about planning a nutritious eating plan? There is some breakthrough software that completely simplifies the process for you!

We know - or we SHOULD all know by now - that we build our health - and dig our graves - with our eating utensils.  As a holistic fitness coach, I find that my clients come to me with a broad spectrum of understanding regarding what does constitute a healthy and balanced diet. 

At the same time, they can have been so inundated with conflicting information that they don't know where to begin - so they just throw up their hands (and forks!) and eat what I call "chaotically".

And more often than not, chaotic eating delivers chaotic results.

I have just reviewed some very simple software  that is designed for in-home (as well as professional) use.  Meal Plans 101 is easily down loadable upon purchase or can be bought as a hard copy CD as well. 

Here's how it works, once you've down loaded the software.

1)  Enter your personal data:  height, weight, weight goals (lose, maintain, or gain?)

2)  Select what ratio of macro nutrients to which you wish to aspire with your dietary balance

3)  Select from the food lists provided desired options for each exchange.  In other words, you are building a daily balanced diet from foods that YOU like!

4)  Click "enter", and a printable page with your day's selection and appropriate quantities to your weight goals is produced.

There you have it! You can also go in and change preferences at any time, if your goals need adjusting.  It thus becomes an organic tool that grows with you as your weight loss, health, and dietary needs change. Simple!

For anyone who desires to get back on track with balanced structure to their eating day, this may be just the ticket.  This provides convenience and support for anyone considering improving their dietary intake - whether for weight, allergy, or preventative diabetes, for example.

Lots more details - and easy online ordering - at  Meal Plans 101.

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