Girlcott the TV Guide Channel

I just wanted background sound for the ten minutes it took me to eat my lunch so I turned on the TV. Not wanting to flip through all the crap, I went directly to the TV Guide Channel, or should I say the 24-Hour Fat Phobia Generator. They were airing interviews with personal trainers to the stars, and these trainers had lots to say about how people, anyone, like even you and me, could have "hard" bodies like Madonna for example. One trainer explained that it was all about "hard work" and your genetic makeup didn't matter that much. Another trainer even declared we could learn the secret to longer limbs.

I dunno about you, but I am a full grown adult woman who stands at a whopping 5 foot 4. But apparently there's a secret that will lengthen my limbs? Two responses: 1) really? and 2) no fucking thanks.

"Hard work" is interesting and nuanced and kind of fucked up. On a completely personal note, I've noticed a correlation between exercise, circulation, and mood. When I exercise, I feel warmer for the rest of the day, which for always-chilled-me is a pretty great reward. I also notice that exercising somewhat frequently regulates my moods; it makes stress more manageable and I don't tend to feel long stretches of the blues and blahs. And no, I don't "work" very "hard" for these benefits but I still get them. Why wouldn't that be enough? Or maybe a commitment to being proactive about my circulation and mood is, in fact, hard work and in that sense I'm working very hard on my own terms.

Fat phobic TV seems to have a definition of "hard work" that defies genetics, reveals secrets, and frankly, attempts to ruin my lunch. Of course I won't let it. Next time I want background noise I'm going to try WPR or maybe just the sound of Mabel snoring. She's got "hard work" down.