IT'S FALL Y'ALL!!!!

Now is the time to start thinking about the holidays.

We all have a lot to do this time of year, but don't let that throw you off your fitness routine.

even if you only have 20 minutes to work out, MAKE IT COUNT!!!! 

when you are crunched for time try out my circuit routine posted below. The only thing you need is a jump rope and a place to do a pull up! if you don't have a bar then try bent over rows with a pair of dumbbells or a barbell. IF you don't have a jump rope, try jumping jacks! IMPROVISE.

on a scale from 1 to 10 you want to be working in the 7 to 10 range!

try the following with what I like to call "active rest" (active rest is just the time you take prepping from one set to the next) talk about intense!

Jump rope 5 minutes

push ups 20 reps

crunches 20 reps

squat jumps 10 reps

walking lunges 2 minutes

push ups 20 reps

crunches 20 reps

pull ups as many as you can in one minute

jump rope 5 minutes

triceps dip 20 reps

Do the circuit until your set amount of time is up...20, 30, 40 minutes?? what ever you have time for! JUST DO IT!

Hello all!

It has been a really long time since I have worked on my site!

Things have been extremely busy for my family and I. Moving across the USA will do that!

Setting up our home, unpacking, digging beds for our vast gardens, painting and decorating, have really occupied our time.

When one gets too busy, it is easy to neglect workouts and eating right. So it is important to set an appointment with yourself to exercise. Treat it just like you would an appointment to see a business associate, or your dentist! make it a priority.

Make sure to have quick and easy snacks and meals that are healthy and low in calories in the fridge. I always have fat free cottage cheese, nonfat plain yogurt, apples, bananas, baby carrots and cucumber slices handy for a quick snack. Pre cook your chicken or turkey and have it ready to heat in the microwave. If you plan a little and so some of the work in advance, there is no reason to eat poorly when you are consumed with work or homekeeping.

How is the Summer going for all of you? What so you have planned? any vacations? anything exciting or new?

Send me an email and tell me all about it! I would love to hear from all of you!

CHECK OUT OUR RECIPE SECTION

there are a few recipes there that you can include in your 4th of July celebrations. Check them out!

Have a wonderful day!

Amy Stebbins, CFT

Amy@risingstarfitness.com 

I have finally made it over here to the computer to update my blog! This was not easy.

Things have really progressed for my family this month. We have found out when we will be moving, so we are very busy looking at listings for houses, packing, arranging for movers etc. On top of all this, we are busy with school, and business maters!

When things get like this, I long to RUN! It feels good to burn off some steam!

Yesterday my husband and I went to the beach and ran sprints! I SLEPT PRETTY HARD LAST NIGHT! It was exhausting!

I highly recommend that you try it sometime! The sand creates resistance, so it causes you to work much harder! Swimsuit season is right around the corner, so head to the beach, and run some sprints! You will have that beach booty in no time!!

Here are some articles about how to run sprints!

They are THE BEST! You will get fantastic legs, a nice butt, and SHED FAT!

http://www.nzgirl.co.nz/articles/8907

http://www.nowloss.com/butt-inner-thigh-exercise.htm

A HEALTHY VALENTINES DAY

This year, on “loves own day” treat yourself and your sweetie to a healthy heart!

Instead of eating scads of fatty, heavy food, opt for healthier fare!

Try having a strawberry spinach salad, in which you cut your strawberries length wise, so they look like little hearts!

How about some grilled chicken with red bell peppers cut into the shapes of hearts!

Top it off with a low calorie dark chocolate dessert!

You could even serve our Valentines Day chocolate pancakes! Just go to the recipe section here for the recipe!

After you have your meal, go on a romantic bike ride, hike or walk to a beautiful spot! Celebrate a healthy heart, and long life. Show your mate that you care, by choosing a healthy lifestyle.

A SUPER SOUP!!!

OK…here is a new discovery of mine! This recipe is REALLY GOOD TASTING! And good for you!

I call it “lean and green”

I highly recommend that you fix yourself up some today! It is FABULOUS!

MAKES 12 CUPS

2 tsp olive oil

4 slim leeks, whites and light green parts, well rinsed, well drained, and coarsely chopped

1 large cooking onion, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp chopped fresh sage OR ½ tsp dried sage

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock

2 cups water

2 cups cooked navy beans

2 Lbs. chicken breast, grilled and cut into 1 inch chunks

8oz pkg. frozen spinach thawed and partially drained.

Heat olive oil in soup pot or Dutch oven. Add drained leeks and chopped onion. Cook until clear and soft, about 5 minutes. Add sage and cook 2 more minutes. Add broth and water and bring to a boil. Add chicken, beans and thawed spinach and continue to cook until all ingredients are heated through

179 calories per serving

22g. protein

4g. fat

16g. carbohydrates

If you have any feedback, or questions about anything, just write to me at

Amy@risingstarfitness.com

Did you know that exercise promotes sound sleep?

If you are having troubles sleeping, then perhaps you should get that body moving!

Combining strength training, cardio, and stretching, makes for a sound sleep at night.

Working out stimulates growth hormone...you know...that stuff you have abundant amounts of when you are young!  

Think back to when you were a teen...did you have problems sleeping? probably not!

regular work outs can make it so you sleep like a teenager again! 

and PS- they make you just as spunky too!! HE HE HE! 

If you have any questions, suggestions , or requests, Just write to me!

Amy@risingstarfitness.com

Are you living up to your new year resolutions?

2008 is off to a busy and hectic start for me.

To make things simple, I would like to know what all of you would like to see, or read about on this web page!

I would rather not write about things that are of no intrest to all of you.

I want to give you content on subjects that you actually want to know more about!

Do you want to see more recipes? More stories about people? More pictures? More articles on how to burn fat, or build muscle? More on general health? How to manage time? How to be a fit mom? How to get your pre- pregnancy body back?

I want to know what YOU WANT TO SEE!!!! SO I DO NOT WASTE MY TIME OR YOURS!

Please drop me a line and let me know! 

write to me at Amy@risingstarfitness.com

I expect to hear from all of you

Best Wishes

                                          One of My Favorite memories of 2007! 

I can't believe it is here! 2008! the year of change is what I like to call it!

There will be a lot going on for my family this year, as well as the world!

I hope that all these changes will be for the better, and that 2008 will see more peace, and less war.

I also hope it brings all of you good health and fit bodies!

I will give you a little help here in this blog to get you started in the right direction nutrition wise. I have posted a list of healthy foods to ALWAYS have in your pantry at home,and what to get rid of, so that you ALWAYS eat healthy!

May this new year, bring you much happiness and joy to your lives!

remember...I am always here if you have a question! so please don't be afraid to ask!

WHAT IS IN MY PANTRY!-and fridge!

It is another year...and I KNOW a lot of you have made "resolutions" to eat halthy and get in shape.

I have made a list here of what I always have in my kitchen.

If you truly want to eat healthy and stay trim you are going to have to GET RID OF CERTAIN THINGS!!! I don't care if you have kids or not! don't use children as an excuse! AS A MATTER OF FACT YOU SHOULD EXCLUDE JUNK ITEMS FOR YOUR CHILDRENS HEALTH! seriously! what kind of a parent would you be, to eat healthy, and then serve your children junk?? THINK ABOUT IT.

ITEMS YOU SHOULD EXCLUDE:

ALL processed foods! EVERYTHING! that includes sugary stuff and things like macaroni and cheese!

Sugar!-why do you need this?

Anything that mother nature has not made!

Butter

Full fat dairy products...sorry but you are not a baby cow!

Chips, crisps, fatty crackers, cookies...all that...NO MORE! furgetabboutit!

Canned fruit & veggies- too much salt and sugar! (some canned fruit is ok occasionally if packed in JUICE)

Fatty sauces, gravy and the like. 

Candy

Soda pop...NO NO NO!! and I mean the diet crap too!

Splenda, nutrasweet and sweet and low....YUK!!! BAD FOR YOU!

I think you get the message here...at least I hope you do!!

THINGS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR KITCHEN PANTRY AND FRIDGE

Tons of fresh fruit and veggies! eat a rainbow every day!

skinless chicken breasts and turkey breasts

Fresh white fleshed fish and some salmon

canned tuna packed in water

beans of various types (dried and canned only in NO SODIUM varieties)

oatmeal, quinoa, barley, brown rice

ezekiel bread

whole grain pitas, wraps and tortillas

good sugar free& artificial sweetner free protien powder

raw almonds, walnuts and various nuts

ORGANIC nut butters (the ingredients should say NUTS that is it!)

all fruit spread

stevia

honey

veggie butter

pam cooking spray

good quality olive oil

flax oil

flax seed

sesame seed

whole grain and whole wheat flours

a multitude of herbs and spices

tobasco sauce

low sodium tamari

Braggs amino acids & apple cider vinegar

Lemons & limes

FAT FREE DAIRY PRODUCTS ONLY

Sugar free PLAIN fat free yogurt

Tofu and tempeh

sodium free tomato sauce (not jar spagetti sauce) and tomato paste

sodium free canned tomato paste

low sodium broths and bullion cubes

Eggs 

whole grain pastas and soba noodles

With these items all around you, there is no need to worry about getting what you need!

and NO EXCUSE not the eat healthy!

If you have more questions about eating healthy, just shoot me an email at

Amy@risingstarfitness.com

PICTURE-S-PHOTO BLOG

My Husband has posted up a blog for our photography business.

for all of you who are interested here is the link to check it out:

http://picture-s-photo.blogspot.com

Here's to a healthy and happy new year to us all!

Amy Stebbins, CFT

My piece on the Wii did not go through.

So I will sum it up for you here.

GET YOURSELF A Wii

It is a fantastic way to burn some extra calories.

My husband and I like the Wii boxing.

talk about getting your heart rate up and breaking a sweat! The next time we play, I am going to wear my heart rate monitor, just to see where I am at! By the end of the training drills I was sweating, then we started the actual rounds....it was great! I was out of breath and had decent sweat going on!

Now if they could just come out with a kick boxing game! that would be so cool!

If they do have one, let me know! I want one!

If any of you have the Wii system, I would love to know what your experiences with it have been like.

Write to me and tell me all about it!

amy@risingstarfitness.com

WHY I WORK OUT

It was brought to my attention lately, that certain people believe that the only reason I work out (and am a trainer) , is to look good.

Well apparently they have not been reading my blogs AT ALL!

I work out because, I think of my body and health as a bank account. The more I put into it, the more return I get later….

IN OTHER WORDS….I WORK OUT SO THAT WHEN I GET OLD I CAN STILL FUNCTION ON MY OWN!!

That’s right!!!

I am NOT one of those people who want others to feel sorry for me, take care of me, or have to push me around in a wheel chair. That is just LAME!

I make an effort to be healthy, because I do not want to put my family through expense and trouble as I age. The more I care for myself now, the better it will be for them later.

I tell everyone that looking good is just a side effect of being healthy.

I don’t care how much you slice and dice yourself  up on a surgery table, or spend tons of money to get facials at some trendy day spa…If you are unhealthy on the inside, no amount of “cover up” will fix that.

If you are in good health, you glow. It is as simple as that.

Being healthy and in shape, is WAY more than some superficial surface appeal…

your attitude shows good health too!

Healthy people do not walk around trying to cut others down to make themselves feel better. Healthy people exude a confidence, and happiness you just can’t get in a pill.

They are a joy to be around. They are strong both inside and out.

forgotten. Some have happened, and others have not.

In my house we don’t have resolutions…we instead take part in”Yuletide planning”

We sit around the fireplace, as our Yule log burns, and write down all of the things we want to accomplish in the coming year. We also reflect back to all the things we have done during the past year, and re-evaluate to see how far we have come.

We have found this really helps us to focus on what we need to get done, where we need to go, and how much work we have to get there.

What are your goals for the coming year?? Now is a good time to think about it.

Write them down. Now stick this in a place where you will see it everyday.

Good luck to you all in the coming year. May all your wishes and dreams come true!

Happy Planning!

WHAT DO YOU HAVE PLANNED THIS YEAR??

2008 is about to start….

What do you have planned this year??

Are you going on any vacations? Starting a new job? Welcoming a new member to your family? Getting married??

These are fantastic reasons for keeping fit and healthy!

Like I have said in past blogs…use these special occasions to set goals in regard your fitness & nutrition routines.

I will be moving this summer…new place, therefore new goals!

I hope to be going on vacation too…PLUS upcoming photo shoots, and my husband and I will be renewing our vows! All excellent reasons to keep me motivated!

What are your reasons to stay motivated this year??

Write to me and tell me all about it! I love to hear from all of you!

Amy@risingstarfitness.com

Seasons Greetings to you all!

Can you believe it is already almost 2008? WOW! Time flies when you are having fun!

And fun we are having with our photography business! We have a photo shoot coming up within the next couple of months, so of course I have to be photo shoot ready!

How does one become photo shoot ready?

The following advice applies to everyone and anyone who is going to get pictures taken, so that they look their very best!

First, if you are not already working out, START NOW! The goal is to get rid of some fat and firm up before your pictures are taken. I suggest a circuit routine. This way you get the best of both worlds: muscle tone and fat loss. If you would like to learn some more about circuit routines contact me at Amy@risingstarfitness.com and to get an idea of how one works, click here http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/randy18.htm  or here http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/sclark35.htm

Second, you want to have CLEAR SKIN! As blemish free as possible. This make less work for the photographer during the post processing…less stuff to remove in Photoshop! How can we achieve this “dewy glow?”

NO PROCESSED FOODS

NO CHEESE OR DAIRY PRODUCTS FOR A WEEK TO TWO WEEKS BEFORE A SHOOT

WASH YOUR FACE MORNING AND NIGHT AND USE A GOOD SKIN CARE PROGRAM

EAT ONLY FRUITS, VEGGIES, WHOLE GRAINS AND CLEAN PROTIENS

DRINK HOT LEMON WATER UPON WAKING AND AFTER EACH MEAL (it is just lemon squeezed into hot water)

LIMIT CAFFEENE and green tea is your best choice.

AND GET LOT’S OF REST! No partying the night before your shoot! You will look BAD on camera!

Follow this eating plan as soon as you find out about the photo shoot. It is a good idea to follow this anyway everyday! You will always look fabulous, and will not have to worry about shedding weight, because you already eat clean.

I hope these tips will help you. I hope all our models follow this advice, so they look fabulous in their photos!

For more info, or if you are interested in being a model for us, contact me at Amy@risingstarfitness.com

EZEKIEL BREAD…that good for you high protein bread!

What is Ezekiel bread?

It is ultra- slow- burning carbohydrate bread! This is PERFECT for all your pre-workout needs. It is also high in protein. It contains no flour, but instead is made from organic sprouted whole grains. I just had some for breakfast! The bread is a complete protein, which means it contains all nine of the amino acids your body can’t produce on it’s own that are needed for muscle growth!

I suggest that all of you look into including this amazing bread in your nutrition program.

If you are adventurous, and you would like to make your own homemade Ezekiel bread, here are some links to some recipes!

Happy baking!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Ezekiel-Bread-II/Detail.aspx

http://www.breadbeckers.com/recipes/ezekiel_bread.htm

Also check out the April 2007 issue of oxygen magazine for more bread recipes!

www.oxygenmag.com

Also look at this month’s issue of muscle and fitness

www.muscle-fitness.com

FEELING MARIE ANTOINETTE

Ok…for all of those out there who really know me; you know that I adore the movie Marie Antoinette!  You would also know that I LOVE drinking tea, and so I was so happy to find this!! What a FABULOUS gift to give someone for the holidays or a birthday! I just had to share this with all of you. Take a look at this link, and make sure to watch the whole video they show. I love this site…It is really relaxing!

http://www.importika.com/teaposy.cfm?CMP=KAC-IMP-Google-Teaposy

I hope you are all having a fun holiday season! Write to me to tell me how you are doing!

Amy Stebbins, CFT

 Amy@ Risingstarfitness.com