Michelle Obama

As I lifted weights at the gym recently, I noticed that my upper arms made a flapping motion like that of an ancient pterodactyl taking flight. I turned to my trainer and said, "I've been weightlifting for two decades, so why don't my upper arms look like Michelle Obama's? My triceps are flabby while hers are fabulous."

She smiled. She is gentle with us septuagenarians who are engaged in a tug of war with aging.

"Michelle's well-sculpted arms come from her being trim and toned all over," she said. “For the Obama’s, achieving ‘arms control’ is not just a foreign policy goal. Michelle works at looking that good by getting to the gym several days a week for a 90-minute workout.”

The First Lady is apparently disciplined when it comes to diet, too. I read that some recent White House guests have been critical of the smaller portions now being served at state dinners.

Undoubtedly, the combination of nutrition and exercise has kept the 44-year-old First Lady in the peak of fitness and she’s showing it off. When she was featured on the cover of Vogue and People magazines, she chose to bare her shapely arms. She went sleeveless at the joint session of Congress, the Inaugural Ball, and for her official portrait. Despite the comments of a few prudes, 85% of Americans have no problem with the exposure. In fact, women suffering from jiggling triceps are flocking to fitness centers to see what dumbbells can do for them between now and the onset of summer. If Michelle’s tony triceps display strength and self-disciple, that's not a bad image to convey in times like these.