Herbalife fitness expert, Samantha Clayton shares her advice on how to jumpstart your fitness plan for the new year. Tired of making resolutions that you break one month in? Make sure your new year's resolution to get in shape lasts by creating a fitness plan. Answer these 5 questions to determine your fitness plan goals. Keep your fitness plan in a visible place & it will lead you to success in the new year.

So Many Ways To Give

HFF provides over $1 million in funding and volunteer assistance each year to more than 80 organizations worldwide. These funds help feed more than 16,000 children in over 40 countries on a daily basis.

Cash Gifts

A gift by cash, check, or credit card is the most common and convenient way to give to HFF. Gifts may be made outright or pledged over a period of up to five years. Checks should be made payable to "Herbalife Family Foundation." If you prefer, you may charge your gift through most major credit cards.

If you wish to designate the use of your gift, you may do so at the time you make the gift by enclosing a brief note letting us know which area of support we should apply your gift.

With a minimum US $25 donation, you can also celebrate a special event by sending an inspiring Tribute Card to honor a friend or loved one.

Please make a gift now though HFF secured website. 

Royalty/Production Bonus (Herbalife Independent Distributors only)

As your Herbalife business grows you will begin to receive additional income. You can request a specific amount from these income streams to be donated to HFF monthly or for a one-time occasion. You can also donate uncashed bonus checks by signing the back and sending it to the HFF office.

Just download the following form if you would prefer to fax or mail your request to the HFF office.

Download the Automatic Deductions Form.

Stocks, Bonds, and Appreciated Asset Gifts

A gift of appreciated securities such as stocks, mutual funds and bonds can provide attractive benefits and are a great way to give.

An owner of closely held stock may give the stock to HFF and receive important financial benefits. Closely held corporations are corporations whose stock is owned by family members and/or by business associates. The stock is private in that it is not publicly traded and in most cases there are restrictions on the transfer of the stock to third parties.

Donors considering a gift of closely held stock must not enter into a prior written agreement with either the closely held corporation or a potential third-party purchaser. The transfer should be an arms-length, independent transaction. Donors who make gifts of appreciated assets should consult with their attorneys or tax advisors.

In an outright gift of closely held stock, the donor typically transfers stock to HFF. To determine value, the donor must have the stock appraised by an appraiser who is knowledgeable in establishing the value of closely held stock. HFF then redeems the stock to the corporation and receives a check for the redemption price. It is important that the appraised price reflect the redemption price. If the stock is sold within two years, HFF is required to notify the Internal Revenue Service.

The stock may also be transferred through a purchase of the stock by the closely held corporation's Employee Stock Ownership Plan. In this case, the stock is reacquired for redistribution by the corporation to its shareholders or to the Employee Stock Ownership Plan.

Instead of redeeming the stock to the closely held corporation, HFF may transfer it to a third-party purchaser as long as there are no restrictions on the ability to transfer the stock.

A Gift of Real Estate

Over the years, most real estate has appreciated faster than the rate of inflation and, therefore, can offer great potential for a charitable gift. HFF will consider accepting a gift of a home, vacation property, condominium, apartment complex, undeveloped land, or other real estate in support of our goals. In order for HFF to accept such a gift, the property would have to undergo an appraisal at the donor’s expense to determine the donation value.

Tangible Personal Property

Gifts of assets such as cars, jewelry, and boats are also welcomed.

Life Insurance

There are several ways in which a donor may use life insurance to make a gift to HFF:

Make a Gift and Search the Web

Support HFF by using GoodSearch as your search engine. HFF receives a donation for each search you make. Click the button and learn more. Be sure to select Herbalife Family Foundation (Los Angeles, CA) ID: 840855 as your charity of choice!

With help from local staff and independent Distributor leadership, find a charity that is helping children and offers an opportunity for HFF involvement:

1. Funding for better nutrition
2. Volunteer assistance from independent Distributors and employees
3. Special projects
4. Casa Herbalife program branding

Gifts Through Your Estate Leave a Legacy

For many donors, making a gift through your estate is the most realistic way to provide a substantial contribution to HFF.

The most common ways to make a gift through your estate are:

• Specific Bequest - HFF receives a specific dollar amount, a specific piece of property or a stated percentage of the estate. This is one of the most popular forms of bequests.
• Residuary Bequest - HFF receives all or a stated percentage of an estate after distribution of specific bequests and payment of debts, taxes and expenses.
• Contingent Bequest - HFF receives part or all of the estate under certain specified circumstances.
• Trust Established Under a Will - A trust may be established that designates HFF as a partial or full beneficiary.

Charitable Trust

A Charitable Remainder Trust will pay you a lifetime income. If married, both spouses will be included as income beneficiaries. Highly appreciated stock, real estate and cash are all good assets to fund such a trust. Because the assets go to HFF at your death, you may want to consider an asset replacement option.

Gifts from Retirement Funds

Donors are invited to consider designating HFF as a partial or full beneficiary of their retirement plans.

Consult With a Tax Expert

US donors may be eligible for a tax deduction. Check with a tax professional to determine which of the following ways to give (e.g., Cash Gifts, Royalty/Production Bonuses, Stocks, Real Estate, Personal Property) may be tax deductible. Contact HFF if you have any questions or would like assistance in talking with your tax professional about your gift to HFF.

2 reasons why you need to make time for yoga

By Samantha Clayton, January 29, 2013

Let’s talk about yoga. Do you think it’s a calming and low impact form of exercise? While it can be, yoga also offers challenges that are suitable for exercise newbies and professional athletes alike.

Although mastering the form and spending time showing off a perfect yoga pose on an empty beach or atop a scenic mountain looks good, yoga is about building strength. No matter how much I can bench press, there will always be a need for yoga in my life but for many years, I viewed yoga as simply gentle stretching in peaceful surroundings. Pretty much something I would do on my rest day from what I considered to be ‘real exercise’. I loved the calm but at about the 30 minute mark I’d be desperate to leave any yoga class because my mind would start to get busy thinking about all of the errands I needed to do … Watching the clock, I’d be thinking to myself ‘when is this going to be over?’

I knew there were many disciplines of yoga, all with unique benefits and challenges but I admit that I had no idea you could get so strong from practicing yoga.

Finding the right yoga style for you

As a group fitness instructor, I have always felt the need to be well rounded and certified in several areas of fitness. Becoming a dynamic instructor with skills that relate to people with all types of interests has always been my top priority. I wanted to add yoga to my skill set, so I looked for a style that would suit my personality. It won’t come as a surprise when I tell you that I signed up for a ‘power yoga’ weekend. It may make you laugh that my ‘power’ trip made me realize I need yoga in my life to help me focus on myself and be present in the moment for more than 30 minutes at a time, It turns out that, for me, the physical strength benefits were outweighed by the mental strength I needed to develop! I came to the realization that yoga makes you strong in ways beyond the physical.

If you are like me and have a busy mind, always thinking about your next task, maybe you need yoga to help you develop mental strength too. Do you want to get a strong and flexible body? Or, do you need to spend time following a set and flowing routine to help you develop some co-ordination? Whatever your needs or fitness goals; let me share with you my three favorite yoga styles and show you how yoga can make you strong.

Hatha Yoga

Hatha yoga is a style that truly encourages the mind-body connection, it is a very traditional practice focused on truly controlling the breath and calming the mind through meditation. I find this style of yoga practice great for slow, controlled and focused movements and it is my favorite for a full mental workout. This style is great for anyone new to exercise because a lot of emphasis is placed on being in perfect alignment.

Ashtanga Yoga

There are many variations of this dynamic style of yoga, but traditional ashtanga yoga it is based on a set of flowing movements. Each movement is directly connected to your breath, one movement on your inhale and the next movement on your exhale. If you like to follow a set routine without much variation this style of yoga is for you. No matter which studio you go to, the flow will be the same making it a perfect choice for people who travel and love keep some consistency in their routine.
Once you have the basic movements mastered, the breathing can truly become the focus of your practice. Ashtanga yoga is calming and stress relieving and I think that ashtanga yoga provides participants with a true physical challenge that will strengthen your muscles and help you to stay focused.

Bikram or Hot Yoga

Bikram yoga is a mind-body-physical challenge like no other. This style is based very closely on the traditional ashtanga flow yoga but with an added element of difficulty; the room is kept at a temperature of about 100-105 degrees. The heat makes you sweat profusely and creates an environment that is believed to help the body de-toxify and also to improve your ability to stretch further with each pose.

Bikram yoga can help you to get strong toned sexy arms, flat lean abs and killer leg definition because the flow of movements in the heat challenges your entire body. I love it because I can’t think about running errands or anything other than breathing and moving in an attempt to stay alive and survive! I believe I gain true mental strength and willpower from practicing bikram yoga because just staying in the room is a challenge for me. Many studios use great music to help keep you motivated but let me warn you that this practice is not those people new to exercise.

There are dangers associated with working out in the heat so use caution and be aware of the dangers before you take a class. A typical class lasts for about 75 minutes. My husband goes to our local studio every day armed with water and Herbalife24 Hydrate dietary supplement and I try to brave the bikram studio at least twice a week even if I’m traveling.

Allow yoga to make you strong

I can’t think of anybody who wouldn’t benefit from developing mental strength while also improving their physical strength.  I hope I have sparked your curiosity enough for you to give yoga a try so that you can discover for yourself that yoga is not just for relaxing on your off day from running or going to the gym. Yoga can give you a challenging workout that will build your strength in ways you never imagined.