The New Year is upon us, and this is your year! Your year to look, act and feel your best. Sure, you did some neat things in 2008, but that's all way behind you now and it's time to turn towards the future. You should consider me, your fancy online fitness trainer, an expert sculpture. Do what I ask you to do and your arms will be curvy, your legs will be strong and your abs will be hard enough to bounce a quarter off of.

The following are my five favorite short training videos from the Fit Kicks with Fitz series; incorporate these exercises in to your workout routine a few times a week, eat like I've asked you to and by summer 2009 you'll consider me one of your best friends in the world. Now GET TO WORK!

Innovative Push-ups with Emphasis on Your Abs

Shirts will become a nuisance to you and your strong curvy chest after you've done these moves for a while.

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Do this workout and put Usher to shame.

Work a little bit of everything with this workout.

Grab a friend and torture each other! Oops! I mean ... train with each other.

Drop your drawers and drop some pounds. It's time already!

For more innovative training techniques, healthy recipes and star-studded fitness videos visit Fitzness.com.

When Gumby meets Arnold Swarzenneger ... you get this type of training.

There are good reasons why the words "healthy" and "sloshed" don't go together. Calories from alcohol are devoid of nutrition, putting them squarely into the empty calorie category. And since those extra calories don't fill you up, they just get tacked on to everything else you're eating (or overeating, as anyone who has ever made a late night run for the border can attest to).

But, look ... it's New Year's Eve and no one likes a party pooper. Still, if you want to wake up on January 1st feeling good enough to face your New Year's resolutions head-on and maybe, possibly, with a little less of a headache, here are some suggestions for making those New Year's Eve cocktails just a little healthier.

I was a vegetarian for three years, once upon a time. I eat meat now, but frankly, I really don't like to think about the animal that resulted in my steak. I feel that's the case with a lot of us.

Gerard Depardieu, on the other hand, just totally blew my mind. When given the opportunity, which, as a restaurant owner (La Fontaine Gaillon in Paris) he surely often has, he talks to -- and even "caresses" -- his food before he kills it. That gives me the willies!

His justification is apparently that relaxed animals taste better. He told Decanter magazine:

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Okay, so maybe you've already given out all of your holiday gifts, but if you have a fit friend or family member (or maybe a gift certificate to spend on yourself), Gunnar Peterson, trainer to the stars, has a gift suggestion.

Adjustable dumbbells are his number one suggestion, because male, female, strong, or week, anybody can benefit from strength training. And, if you're concerned that the weights will make you (or the gift recipient) bulk up too much, stop worrying. Gunnar says, "Big weights don't give you big muscles -- big food gives you big muscles."

The other gift he's a fan of giving? "The gift of confidence to keep attacking their workout." Gunnar finds ways to help his clients reach their goals, such as using bands to help them complete a number of pull-ups, so that they see the light at the end of the tunnel. So, if you have more time than money available, take a tip from one of the world's top trainers and lend a hand at the gym!

For more exclusive tips from the man who trains Jennifer Lopez, Hugh Jackman, and many more, read here, here, and here.

Usually, I'm not too big on making New Year's resolutions. Most years come and go without me resolving anything, or even attempting to. But this year I think maybe I'll give it a try. Here's my resolution: Give up spicy foods ... and switch to extra spicy.

Yep, 2009 is go to be the year where I turn it up a notch. I don't care whether its chili, salsa or even Thai curry -- I'm going for 5 stars, and no one can stop me.

For years now, I've been stagnating here in the middle -- buying "medium" salsa and trying to please everyone. No longer. There's even a salsa named Ass in Hell that I've been meaning to try for a long time. I don't care what La Niña has in store, 2009's going to be a scorcher for me. Happy New Year everyone!