Creating high quality videos used to be something best left to the pros, but these days, you can shoot your own with a camera that fits easily in your pocket. And now, you might not even have to buy the camera yourself!

This week, we're giving away a Creative Vado HD Pocket Video Camera -- it's compact, easy to use, and gives great results. All you need to do is head over to the original giveaway post and leave a comment entering yourself to win!

There are so many possibilities -- film your trainer to remind yourself of all the moves you should be doing at the gym, or just use it to take video of your kids running around at the park. The winner will have a blast with this camera -- good luck!

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Ever wonder what you look like when you're running or lifting weights (or doing those crazy balance games on your Wii Fit)? Maybe you need a video camera. Not that I think you're vain -- far from it. I think seeing video of yourself working out can be really helpful for perfecting technique and improving motivation. And the Creative Vado HD Pocket Video Camera might be just the tool you need.

Lucky for you, this week we're giving one away! With it, you'll be able to take high-definition video easily with a 2x digital zoom, record in HD for up to two hours, upload it in seconds, and even edit it with the included software.

Think about the possible uses -- create a video for your friends or family to share a workout, or finally find out just how goofy you look doing those dance workouts in your living room. And, of course, if you have kids or dogs or just some fun friends, the nonworkout-related possibilities are positively endless. Plus, as always, entering is easy!

• To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us what you're most excited to film (and keep it clean, people -- this is a family blog).
  
• The comment must be left before 5pm ET on Friday, May 1, 2009.
  
• You may enter only once.
• One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
  
• One winner will receive a Creative Vado HD Pocket Video Camera (valued at $229.99).
• Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
• Click here for complete Official Rules. Winner will be notified by email, so make sure to check next week to find out if you've won!

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Raise your hand if you remember your family's first video camera. Ours weighed about the same amount as a prize-winning watermelon, and took only slightly better video. It was bulky and not all that easy to use, and so it was only brought out for special occasions -- Christmas, birthdays, dance recitals ... you get the idea.

Times have changed. People take video now the way they used to take pictures (and let's not even get into how many pictures are taken -- I mean, I'm just not always camera ready, people!).

Often, they use their phones, and the videos are okay, but what if you want really good video -- like, if you're trying to film your running or weight-lifting form and watch it on your HD TV -- but you want to use something small and simple? In that case, you might want to pick yourself up the Creative Vado HD Pocket Video Camera. Read all about it in the gallery below!

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Kate Winslet is one of my body image idols. She is who she is -- she embraces her curves and doesn't buy into the idea that you have to be a size zero to be successful in Hollywood. And according to her costume designer for the upcoming film Revolutionary Road, her body is perfect as it is. "Kate's Body is terrific to work with," says Alberta Wolsky.

Speaking out amidst the scandal surrounding her potentially airbrushed Vanity Fair cover photo, Wolsky goes on to say, "Kate is a serious actress but she is someone who really cares about what she looks like. She is not out to be someone that she isn't, she wants to be herself. She is terrific." Adds her representative: "She is in terrific shape and what you see is how she looks or she would never have agreed to pose for those shots."

I couldn't agree more. Your thoughts?

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We've written before about how celebs gain and/or lose weight for certain roles. It makes their portrayals of characters more believable, but it can't be a good practice for their health. Look at how these celebs changed their bodies for a role:

• Jake Gyllenhaal bulked up for his role in the upcoming film, Prince of Persia, by working out two to three times a day, six days a week. He followed that routine for three to four months, in addition to stunt training for the film.
• Irish actor Michael Fassbender lost 33 pounds in 10 weeks by severely restricting calories -- 900-1,000 calories for the first six weeks, then dropping down to 600 calories a day.
  
• Christian Bale survived mostly on apples and coffee when shedding pounds for his role in The Machinist.
• Robert de Niro packed on 60 pounds for his 1980 role in Raging Bull; by the end of shooting, he was visibly not feeling well.
• Renee Zellweger knows all about putting on extra pounds -- she's done it twice for the Bridget Jones movies. While she admits eating whatever you want many sound fun, she says: "After a week your glucose levels are going crazy. It doesn't feel good."
  

Sure, celebrities may seem to lead glamorous lives ... but a job that requires you to risk your health? As for me, I'm happier just being an average Jane.

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Celebrities slimming down for a film is nothing new, but one would hope they'd do it in the healthiest way possible -- after all, yo-yoing weight is unhealthy enough as it is. Hunky Irish actor Colin Farrell recently slimmed down dramatically for his role in the upcoming film Triage. How did he do it? Here's what he ate each day according to FitCeleb:

• Two cans of tuna
• Black coffee
• Diet Coke
  

That's it. That's about a net caloric intake of 300 calories a day. No wonder he lost 44 pounds. Though Farrell previously said his weight loss was healthy, he's changed his tune -- he now admits that his weight loss was not 'healthy' or 'advisable.' No kidding, huh? He has since gained it back: "I just ate like a pig,'" the actor says.

This is probably the least healthy way to slim down, don't you think?

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We're used to seeing celebs balloon and shrink to suit a movie role. Now Russell Crowe is the latest star to beef up -- the Aussie actor recently gained an astounding 63 lbs to star alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Body of Lies, earning him a barrage of headlines proclaiming, 'From Hunk to Chunk!'

"I'll have the cheeseburger for breakfast, thank you," Crowe admitted in a recent interview talking about his weight gain. He also indulged in more than a few cupcakes. One diet no-no he didn't rely on to the pack on the pounds? Alcohol. "The drinking thing has sort of taken a different place in my life since I had kids. There's a whole lot of things I don't do anymore because it affects my level of patience. I don't want to be in that place where I'm exasperated with these beautiful children.

Too bad losing the weight is so difficult -- having cheeseburgers for breakfast sounds kind of fun, don't you think?

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Renee Zellweger did it for Bridget Jones' Diary. Charlize Theron did it for Monster. Gaining weight for a movie is commonplace in Hollywood. But in the case of Hilary Swank's new movie, it certainly is unexpected. As Elastic Waist reveals, Swank will be appearing in the book adaptation of French Women Don't Get Fat -- and ironically, she is gaining 30 lbs for the role. Doesn't that totally defeat the theme of the book?

Apparently, Swank will play the manager of a champagne company that deals with French women who remain slender despite eating all the things we're told to stay away from: Bread, cheese, dessert, and so on.

Me thinks a little bit of meat on the bones of this frail-looking actress can't hurt. Though, gaining weight and losing it quickly can. Your thoughts?

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There's no disputing that actress Kate Beckinsale has a rockin' body -- the girl is just gorgeous. However, the actress isn't comfortable showing her bare bottom on the big screen and has requested a body double for a nude shower scene in her new film Whiteout.

Body issues aren't new for the star, who was named England's #1 beauty by Hello magazine in 2002. She battled with anorexia as a teen and as an adult has admitted that, if she could switch bodies with someone for a day she'd choose "Someone with gigantic real breasts, like Queen Latifah."

A source on the set of Whiteout said that Kate was very open about not liking her body, specifically her bottom and that she couldn't face the thought of seeing her butt up on a big screen. Personally, though, I can't help but wonder how much of it is that she doesn't like her butt and how much of it has to do with the fact that she doesn't want her nude tush on the big screen, period. She's not a fan of gratuitous nudity in movies, so regardless of her reasons, we're glad she stood up for what she wanted. After all, seeing your backside on the big screen can be difficult -- just ask Jack Black!

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The Dove Campaign For Real Beauty has been based upon the idea that, while our bodies might have flaws (real or perceived), we're all beautiful. It's a good message, and they're looking to boost the self-esteem of females of all ages, starting with young girls. I'm all for it -- it's important that women realize that they don't need to be able to trade clothes with their favorite actress or be stalked by paparazzi in order to be beautiful.

However, some discussion has recently surfaced saying that the women in the Real Beauty ads were retouched. Premiere retoucher, Pascal Dangin, told The New Yorker that there was a great deal of retouching done on those ads, "But it was great to do, a challenge, to keep everyone's skin and faces showing the mileage but not looking unattractive."

What do you think about this development? I can't say I'm surprised -- I appreciate the fact that Dove still used women of different shapes and sizes. I mean, these are regular women being photographed and filmed in their undies! I can't say I would object to a little digital help were I in their position. But, others feel that it destroys the message -- they're not showing "real" beauty if there's retouching. What do you think?

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Hooray! I just completed a perfectly fun and grueling weekend shooting a ton of fitness videos for you. The videos were filmed for Tracy Benham's Sports Health and Exercise (SHE) company which is known for quick, smart, energetic and fun health and fitness tips from some of the foremost experts in the world.

We created a bunch of strength training and cardiovascular workouts which you'll be able to train with at home, as soon as they are released this summer. One of my favorite parts of the videos was being able to include my fellow blogger and friend, Kristen Seymour. Kristen has trained with me off and on for a few years, and truly has amazing levels of strength and endurance. She also has a perfect smile and looks brilliant on camera.

We were also blessed with the opportunity to film in one of the most beautiful gyms in the world. The Gainesville Health and Fitness Center generously opened their doors to myself, SHE and our team. The facilities are stunning, and all of the equipment is top of the line. Who could ask for more?

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I love inspirational sports movies, and I'm always excited when I hear a new one is coming out. That being said, I don't think we're in for another Hoosiers or Remember the Titans with Run, Fat Boy, Run, but then again, it's not meant to be that kind of movie.

This movie is about a man who does a horrible thing to his fiance and, years later, decides to run a marathon to prove to her that he's changed. I think we can all agree that this is not the best reason to decide to run 26.2 miles, but hey, that's why it's funny.

And, while I wouldn't opt to run a marathon to impress someone, I can't say that I haven't ever taken part in an athletic event in order to look good in front of a cute boy or impress a friend -- can you?

Run, Fat Boy, Run hits theaters tomorrow. Will you be running out to see it?

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People Magazine's 2007 Sexiest Man Alive Matt Damon has big plans for 2008 when he pushes his body to new limits.

It all starts with trainer Robert Severiano who will help mold Damon into lean, mean proportions for his role in the movie Imperial Life in Emerald City, which begins filming in early 2008. Then Damon will purposely plump up for a part in The Informant. He'll play a heavy-set guy in this film so he plans to stop training midway through the first movie so he's out of shape for the second.

I'm not sure I'd want a job that required regular body morphing. Even though the stars who succumb to this job requirement receive a hefty paycheck in exchange for their yo-yo endeavors, it seems a pretty unhealthy practice. And a difficult one too. I have a hard enough time maintaining one weight all the time. To jump up and down and all around in body weight is more of a challenge than I'm willing to accept. How about you? For a pretty penny, would you allow your weight to bounce around?

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For me, and for many I imagine, the holiday season is also movie season. It's one of the only times of the year when I take time off for myself, and taking in a show is a great way to enjoy my time off when it's cold outside. I'm a sucker for that movie popcorn, though. Even thinking about it makes me drool. Since I only seem to go to the movies once or twice a year, it's not a big deal for me to indulge, but if you're a regular movie-goer, you'll need to re-vamp your list of treats -- eating the popcorn every week can add up fast.

Here are some tips for eating well at the movies:

-Instead of a candy bar, go for Glossett Raisins. They have less calories and just as much flavour. Or, instead of chocolate, go for licorice. It has less fat. Or, go for those all-fruit gummy bears for an even healthier choice.
-Instead of regular chips, by some baked chips. Your theatre might not have them so bring a large purse or backpack and smuggle them in.
-Instead of movie popcorn, make your own at home. You can opt for the microwave variety, or make your own on the stove. Again, pack it in the big purse/backpack.
-If you need some sort of sweet drink, choose Gatorade over pop -- it has less sugar and more nutrients. Or, if you want to be even healthier, opt for water.

The Business of Being Born is about just that. But it's just as much a statement that the Feminist Movement is far from finished and many women aren't informed enough to continue the plight. The film itself could change that as it offers viewers a vast education on why the treatment of pregnant women during childbirth isn't just sexist, but costly and dangerous for them and their children all in the name of doctors keeping their jobs and covering their back sides.

I caught a screening of the Ricki Lake production last night. It was one of several that are part of an Oscar qualifying run in advance of a planned January theatrical run in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The movie reflects the ignorance of many American women regarding childbirth and chronicles how informed mothers' desires and questions are systematically ignored, ridiculed and at times downright demeaned before they are given a series of unnecessary medical procedures and drugs in the name of the supposed safety of their babies. Specifically, the film examines normal, healthy women undergoing traditional hospital birth amid a rising Cesarean section rate in the Unites States versus at home with a midwife's assistance.

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