Kettlebells

There are lots of fitness fads that come and go. But Wiserhealth has joined the Russian kettlebell bandwagon. This device looks like a cannonball with a handle and allows you to exercise in a flowing pattern that is centered around the hips and leg muscles, i.e. the real core.

The basic movement is the swing. Grab the kettlebell by its handle with both hands and let it hang between your legs. Take a semi-squat stance and thrust your hips forward to raise the kettlebell up to eye level. Don't use you arms to lift, let them hang loose. Let the kettlebell fall back down between your legs like you're hiking a football to the quarterback. Raise it again, using your hips.

Try this basic movement for five to 12 minutes to get a vigorous full-body workout that also blasts your lungs and heart. An average man can start with a 35-lb. kettlebell, a woman can start with the 16-24 lbs.

Worst excuse for not trying

One of the lamest excuses I hear is when someone sees a fit celebrity and says, "Well if I had a personal trainer and full-time cook, I could look like that."

Don't hate. Get to library and teach yourself how to cook. Actually, the healthiest foods are simple to prepare because not much is actually done to the basic ingredients. Learn to love food in its most natural state.

As for the personal trainer excuse, search for a good exercise program, find some activity you like and get to it. Push yourself and keep an exercise journal if you need accountability. You may never look like Matthew McConaughey or Demi Moore, but that's mostly because of genes.

"Up In the Air" mini-review

You've heard the accolades from the press. "Up in the Air" stars George Clooney as a nomad corporate tool for mass layoffs. It will certainly stand up as one of the more entertainingly cerebral film experiences of the year.

It's 100 minutes of smart conversation, musings and sorrow that boldly explores whether settling down in one place with one person has any merit. Breezy and attention-grabbing, these are old-Hollywood-type characters that are well worth your cinematic dollar.