Magnolia bark: This is one of the oldest plants on earth and has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Fossils date back 95 million years! Mostly found in Mongolia and Japan this bark has been used to heal almost everything! It lowers cortisol, the stress hormone, easing anxiety and depression. It is used as a fat burner and a laxative. It’s also used to boost immunity, diminish cramps, and ease digestion by vanishing bloating and gas. As if all this wasn’t enough, Japanese studies show that honokiol and magnolol, both found in magnolia bark are over 1000 times more potent than vitamin E as an antioxidant. It’s truly every woman’s dream herb! You can purchase it at the health food store.

But really, take a few moments each morning before getting out of bed, and each night before going to sleep. Close your eyes and imagine yourself healthy, strong, energetic, and fit. Picture the cells in your body waking up and being fully alive. Picture yourself as the you you wish to become.

This exercise will relax you and really help you meet your goals. We promise if you do this every day you will motivate yourself and become the best YOU ever!

So at least half of you will be successful right? Well out of that number, according to a study conducted by the University Of California, 80% of you who lose weight will gain it back within one year. That’s a huge number! No pun intended.

How do you remain successful against such odds? There is no magic bullet. No powder, pill or delivery juice fast that will help. It is old fashioned discipline, education and execution – mixed with a extra large serving of desire.

Read VIB each day. Karen will share her tips on how to reframe your thinking and overcome negative patterns, and Susan will show you what to eat, when to eat it, and why.

You can do it, we can help!

15 grams of protein for a petite woman and 20 for a bigger woman.

A few ways to get your pre-workout protein:
-A Protein smoothie
-3 egg omelette
-Greek yogurt
-Almond butter on whole grain toast and a skim latte
-Smoked salmon on 1/2 sprouted grain bagel

50%- this represents the percentage of women who quit their wellness-fitness program within a year of beginning!

HALF of all women quit.

Read VIB all year long to make sure that YOU remain in the successful percentage group.

You can do it, we can help.

Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions in the USA: What’s on your list?

1. Lose Weight
2. Exercise
3. Get a better job
4. Save money
5. Get out of debt
6. Spend more time with family
7. Quit smoking
8. Find a partner
9. Take a vacation
10. Have more fun

VIB wishes you all a healthy New Year. In 2012 we will share many tips for how to keep those resolutions!

Tis’ the season to put those nutcrackers to good use!

Have a handful of walnuts before your lunch or dinner, 6-10 should do the trick. Eating walnuts before a meal triggers a chain reaction that slows down the rate at which your stomach empties, making you feel fuller longer, and less likely to over eat.

Walnuts are high in protein, rich in fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, antioxidants, and contain omega 3 essential fatty acids. EFA’s are the good fats your body needs for brain function and to transport many nutrients. Incorporating walnuts into your diet reduces the risk of heart disease by lowering LDL cholesterol and the C-Reactive Protein. CRP is one of the predictors of heart disease. So go a little nuts this season!

While celebrating, try to avoid the Eggnog. We know it’s yummy, but it packs 350 calories in each 8 oz. glass. Almost all of those calories come from bad fat and sugar – bad for your waistline and bad for your heart. It will take about 40 minutes on the treadmill to undo just one glass! A healthier choice is a glass of champagne. At only 85 calories a glass, that’s worth cheering! Make sure to avoid the Bellini or the Kir. These are champagne drinks with added sugary syrups. Please remember to eat before having your cocktails and always drink responsibly!

MACA is one of the best kept secrets for reducing stress. Add a scoop to your morning smoothie and help make this holiday season stress-free.

Maca is also used for balancing hormones and restoring energy. It helps strengthen the immune system, re-mineralize poorly nourished bodies, aids in fertility, diminishes hot flashes, relieves pms and menopausal symptoms. So powerful it can be used as a safe alternative to hormone replacement therapies. It relieves thyroid and adrenal imbalances, insomnia and depression! As you can see this herb gets to work on our very delicate female chemistry. Maca comes from a South American plant akin to a cruciferous vegetable. It’s known as Peruvian ginseng.

Please note that Maca is considered an adatogen. This means that it goes to the part of the body where you need it. If you are seeking to reduce stress and gain extra energy but have no adrenal or peri-menopausal symptoms, it will be inert in those areas.

So during this very busy time of year, please don’t forget about yourself. Nourish yourself well so that you can have the good health and energy to make it happily through the season.