1. PLAN: By this I mean plan to have the best Christmas and holiday season of your life! That's right. PLAN FOR IT. Get out a sheet of paper or type into your computer a list of what is most important for this holiday season. Leave out all the parts that can bring stress into your life like overspending on gifts, buying "things" for people you really don't want to give gifts to, useless partying, over eating, and the overindulgence in sweets. Instead, place on your list the IMPORTANT activities you want to do this holiday season. These points may include spending quality time with your children, your family, your parents, and your friends. It may also include going to church, singing Christmas carols, taking part in a Christmas play, or just plain stopping for a few moments each day to pray in thanks. The key here is to make a plan and then stick with it.
    
2. JUST SAY NO: The holiday season is, hands down, the most challenging time of the entire year to stick with your diet (which I hope is The Fat Burning Diet). You may feel that the only way you can get through the holidays without gaining weight is to apply a liberal amount of duct tape to your mouth. But instead of letting the holidays add to your joy and "size" I suggest that you learn to say the following words, "No thank you." You can say those words very politely, but you must say them! "Have another cookie and glass of eggnog." And you will reply, "No thank you." "Have another wedge of cheesecake." And you will reply, "No thank you." Here, have another box of chocolates." And you reply with a smile, "No thank you, Jay Robb is watching my weight."
    
3. PROTEIN PLEASE: During this holiday season, don't slack off on your intake of protein. Make sure you are including beef, chicken, fish, eggs, egg white protein and whey protein in your daily diet. Protein can help you steer clear of sweets and junk during this culinary decadent time of the year. Protein will also keep you mentally focused, and energized during this potentially demanding season. Get out your blender and make those Jay Robb protein drinks!

3 Keys To Sidestepping The Flu Bug 

There seems to be a very nasty flu going around this year. Actually, it is just another mutated strain of "the flu" that can seriously attack a weakened immune system and cause a person to become very sick for up to a week or more. Is a vaccination the way to avoid the flu bug? I say, "No."

The truth is, you can't avoid germs, "bugs," and viruses, but you can do a few simple things to boost your immune system thus allowing your body to naturally fight off invading germs and viruses before they can make you miserable.

1. AVOID SUGAR: To avoid illness, you must avoid sugar, junk food, refined foods and sweets. Sugar can depress your immune system for up to 48 hours if consumed in ample amounts. One soda can contain up to 7 teaspoons of refined sugar (which may appear on the label as corn syrup, fructose, sugar, dried cane juice, brown sugar, molasses, or evaporate cane juice). Many holiday treats are laced heavily with sugar and sugar byproducts. If it is sweet, and it is the holiday season, just say, "No thank you." Instead of loading up on sugar, eat a balanced diet with plenty of protein, vegetables and essential fats as suggested in The Fat Burning Diet.
    
2. EXERCISE: The holiday season is no time to slack off on your workouts. To maintain a healthy immune system requires physical activity. Don't be tempted to do a lot of extra exercising during the holiday season because you feel guilty. Too much exercise, if you are unconditioned, can actually depress your immune system. Keep in mind that exercise is a positive stress, but too much exercising of an unconditioned body can become a negative stress.
   
3. VITAMIN C PLEASE: This is not a new suggestion for staying well. Vitamin C should be your number one supplement of choice for avoiding the flu, colds, heart disease and cancer. I also suggest that you supplement your diet with L-Lysine to accompany your Vitamin C intake and offer the one-two punch for building a healthy body and strong immune system. Vitamin C is water soluble, so you must consume it frequently to get its prophylactic effect. 
    
   Vitamin C maintains collagen and connective tissues of the body. It also helps fight bacterial infections, and allergic reactions, stimulates the immune system and acts as a powerful antioxidant. Suggested dosage for Vitamin C and Lysine: 500-1000mg Vitamin C and 500-1000mg L-Lysine (free-form) three times daily with meals. For more information on how Vitamin C and Lysine can prevent heart disease and cancer please visit Dr. Matthias Rath's (one of the world's foremost leasing authorities on Vitamin C) website www.dr-rath-research.org.
    
   Vitamin C and L-Lysine can be purchased from your local health food store vitamin department. We offer one of the best sources of vitamin C called JayC made from acerola berry powder (with Stevia) this supplement is rich in natural Vitamin C. (I talk extensively about acerola berry powder in my new book The Fat Burning Diet!)