Photo: EA SPORTS

Do you wish you could workout one-on-one with a celebrity trainer, like Oprah's fitness guru, Bob Greene? Well now you can get closer than ever with the EA SPORTS Active for the Nintendo Wii that we're giving away right here at That's Fit. The programs, created by our very own Bob Greene, along with other fitness experts, allow you to work with a virtual trainer who will give you a total fitness plan for great results. Active includes a 30-day Challenge with different workouts to tone muscle while getting your heart pumping. And if you get bored easily, don't fret, EA SPORTS has you covered. There's everything from cardio dancing to boxing to keep you moving.

• To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us your favorite activity for Wii Fit.
  
• The comment must be left before 5pm ET on Friday, July 31, 2009.
  
• You may enter only once.
• One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
  
• One winner will receive a EA Sports Active (valued at $59.99).
  
• 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!

Bob Greene recently told us why we should all consider working with a personal trainer. And his reasons are great. A trainer can help hone your workout, so you're getting the best results for your efforts. In addition, a trainer will verify that your workout is safe and is in line with your fitness goals, and a trainer can help keep you motivated.

I have to admit, even though I work in the health and wellness industry, I've never had a dedicated session with a personal trainer. But there have been many occasions when I called up my friends who are personal trainers and asked them for advice ... and their expertise has been a great help. How about you? Have you worked with a personal trainer?


Speaking of fitness goals, swimsuit season is right around the corner.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. Our That's Fit fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz. My office has a really nice fitness facility, but I feel a bit awkward using it. It's free and very convenient, I'm just a bit nervous about getting in there. I'm not very fit and it embarrasses me. Donna

A. I feel for you Donna. Office dynamics can be kind of weird, but your lack of gym savvy should not prevent you from enjoying what we both agree is one awesome benefit of your job. You said it yourself: You have full access to a nice gym that's both free and convenient. Who could ask for more? I'm confident my suggestions will put you at ease and get you moving quickly.

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That's Fit Club is our feature devoted to you, the reader. We have all learned so much on our paths to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other. That's Fit Club members are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect; some are not. But all have health on the mind.

Besides showing you off, we want to reward you for all of your hard work! Adidas is giving gorgeous gym bags to each featured member. To join, please send Fitz your answers to these questions, with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!

Name: Tania Alavi

Age: 42

Occupation: Trial Attorney

How often do you exercise? Four to five times per week.

What type of exercise do you do? Aerobic and strength training.

What gets you to work out, even when you're feeling lazy? My trainer, Fitz.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. Our That's Fit fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz, I'm a 42-year-old mother of three and am completely out of shape. My life had become so hectic several years ago that I totally gave up on fitness. I'm now 60 pounds overweight, have zero endurance and have horrible eating habits. I don't even know where to start. Help! Leann

A. Hi, Leann. I'm sorry you're feeling so badly about yourself. It sounds like you're a wonderful mother who mistakenly thought your job was to give 100 percent to your family and zero percent to yourself. Although that sounds like the perfect equation for perfect parenting, you found out the hard way that it's not. Having said that, three years is a short period of time in the scheme of your life. There's no reason you can't undo what you've done and get your life and body back on track. Let's get started!

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That's Fit Club is our feature devoted to you, the reader. We have all learned so much on our paths to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other. That's Fit Club members are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect; some are not. But all have health on the mind.

Besides showing you off, we want to reward you for all of your hard work! Adidas is giving gorgeous gym bags to each featured member. To join, please send Fitz your answers to these questions, with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!

Name: Danielle Urtnowski

Age: 34

Occupation: Personal Trainer & nursing student

How often do you exercise? Four to six times a week.

What type of exercise do you do? I always change it up from cardio on the BOSU to plyometric exercises using full body movement to incorporate more than one muscle group at a time.

What gets you to work out, even when you're feeling lazy? I have a large puppy who requires lots of exercise.

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If you missed our daily postings this past week, we invite you to take some time to catch up on our prior week's news and gear up for a new week of healthy living information and inspiration.

Obese on purpose? That's right. Personal trainer Paul James is putting himself in his clients' plus-sized track pants by ballooning to 265, so he can turn around and take it off again.

Katie Holmes' detox diet -- should your diet leave you so weak and tired you can't hit the red carpet? How can that possibly be good for you?

Julia Louis Dreyfus is looking fit and sexy on the cover of "Shape." How does she do it? "Unfortunately, I have to work at not being fat. I'm always trying different things to see what sticks," Julia says.

Overeating doesn't only pack on the calories, but it also triggers your body to crave even more food. Control your weight and your cravings by eating until you're 80 percent full.

Gliding disks are your answer to fit and sexy abs. And if you don't own a set, Fitz will tell you how to make your own set out of stuff you can find in your very own home.

Can't turn away your favorite Girl Scout? If you're can't help but order a box or two of Girl Scout cookies, at least choose a flavor that isn't too sinful.

If you can't find time for a 30-minute workout, don't give up on exercise. Try squeezing it in 10 minutes at a time, instead. It works, I promise.

Time to head to the gym ... for a nap? That's right. Some fitness centers are offering yoga classes with extended Savasana time, giving you time to relax or even doze off for a few minutes. Now that's a workout I can get behind.

Just wrapped up a monumental workout? Pat yourself on the back, then share your success on Twitter to motivate the rest of us.

You really can't clean up your diet until you clean up your kitchen. Try Bob Greene's tips for creating a healthier pantry.

Have a fun and fit weekend, everyone!

Try these three exercises using Gliding Disks and you'll achieve a full contraction of your abdominal muscles at a variety of angles. Want some sexy grooves between your hips? You know, the kind Usher has made so famous. Then pay close attention to the last of the three moves. If you don't own Gliding Disks, Fitz will tell you what household object you can use instead.

For more innovative training videos starring Fitz and a variety of celebrities, visit Fitzness.com.

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"Confessions of a Shopaholic" star Isla Fisher famously admitted that she prefers cake to the gym. So how did it go when the movie's producers hired her a personal trainer? Um, not well. Not well at all. In fact, the petite redhead recently admitted that she made her personal trainer cry.

"He wanted to come round (to my house) every single day and I couldn't have that," she admitted. "There was a list of things I couldn't eat -- it was so long, there was nothing left that I could eat! It was awful. I had to lead this double life where I was pretending I was being really good, when secretly I had cakes stuffed in my anorak pockets ... I confessed that I'd eaten one bread roll -- I lied about everything else -- and he almost cried. And I thought, 'Oh no, imagine if he had any idea what I was actually getting up to behind his back!'"

She sounds a bit like her on-screen character -- perhaps "Confessions of a Cake-aholic" will be in the works soon. One thing is certain: I sure wish I could look like her after stuffing cakes in my pocket.

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Last week, I wondered how That's Fit readers felt about seeking the advice of personal trainers and/or nutritionists. After all, nobody thinks twice about calling a plumber for a leaky faucet ... but are we as likely to consult fitness and nutrition professionals for help?

• 49 percent of you think personal trainers and nutritionists are important to a healthy lifestyle. This is great to hear! Qualified professionals can really help you meet your fitness, nutrition and weight goals.
• 24 percent of you, however, admit that you wouldn't see a personal trainer or a nutritionist.
  
• 16 percent would seek the help of a personal trainer, but not a nutritionist.
• 9 percent would see a nutritionist, but not a trainer.

Having a personal trainer can be a real boon to your workout routine. A properly trained professional can help you decide what exercises are best for your fitness goals as well as motivating and encouraging you.

However, there are no federal or state requirements for personal trainers. Case and point -- a friend of mine lost his corporate (completely non-fitness related) job a few years ago. He went to his gym, asked if they were looking for more trainers and was hired right away even though he had no experience, no training and no qualifications other than being familiar with the gym's equipment. (My friend is a hard worker, however, and he immediately sought professional training and now holds multiple certifications.)

So how do you know if you can trust your trainer?

• Do your research. Ask the gym what their hiring practices are and if their trainers are qualified. Also, ask other people for personal trainer recommendations.
• Check for certifications. You wouldn't go to a doctor who didn't have a medical license, so why not check into the certifications your potential personal trainer has. Some reputable organizations that certify trainers are the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and ACE Fitness. Your trainer may also have received a related college degree.
  
• Ask for referrals. Trainers worth their salt will have a number of clients who are willing to talk to you and give you a referral.
• Trust your instincts. It's a trainer's job to push you and encourage you, but good trainers will not push anyone beyond safe limits. If your gut instinct is telling you something is wrong, trust that.

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Here at That's Fit, we're constantly telling you what we think about things, but sometimes it's nice to know what you think. So from time to time, we'll ask you a question. Don't be afraid to speak up -- we love feedback.

If a faucet is leaking, most people have no problem calling a plumber. If your car is squeaking and squealing, you visit your mechanic. If you have a cough that just won't go away, it's off to the doctor you go. But how do you feel about consulting fitness and nutrition pros?

Why must personal trainers be so expensive? Geez, wouldn't it be nice to get half price or something on a one-on-one fitness session? Maybe you can. Just split the training fees with a friend. FitSugar tells all about this affordable idea. Read here for more.

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Who can forget the image of Carol Burnett as Scarlet O'Hara, complete with curtain rods? Actress and comedian Carol Burnett is as loved as the quirky characters she's played. So it's great to hear that she's taking good care of herself.

When asked what her New Year's resolution is, Burnett said, "Just to keep on keeping on -- and something for my own personal self, to continue to exercise. It's a tough one, but I do pilates, and they do help, for the bones and general flexibility. You have to have a trainer, and I have a wonderful gal who helps me. I'm not too thrilled as I'm doing them, but afterward I feel great."

Check out other TV stars New Year's resolutions.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz, We're half way through December and I've already gained four pounds. How do I stop this? Colin

A. Happy Holidays, Colin! Thanks for writing. I've got some pretty clear advice for you, which is the same advice I'd give if you showed up for a personal training session with me. Get a grip! Put a moratorium on the indulgences and focus on fighting that new fat.