In the summer months, when it turns far too hot for exercising outside, I am forced into the gym to run on the treadmill. So how do I pass the monotonous minutes without feeling like a gerbil in a cage? Easy. Foodie TV, of course!

The gym is the only opportunity I have to watch cable, and I absolutely adore tuning in to my favorite sweat-hour channels, the Food Network and the Travel Channel.

Anthony Bourdain is my absolute favorite nutty chef. He travels around the world getting into trouble, eating weird street food, drinkin’ and smokin’. He’s got a foul mouth and a fabulous New York attitude. If I could steal anyone in the world’s life, it might be his. Freaky Friday, Tony? Please?

The concept of Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods is pretty self explanatory. Zimmern also travels the world, but unlike Bourdain (who is really trying to paint a picture of a place through the culture’s food), Bizarre Foods seeks to hunt down the strangest consumables possible. Frog’s still beating heart, fried bees and squid ink soup, anyone?

Finally, Paula Deen is my favorite foodie TV personality I love to hate and hate to love. Watching her show reminds me of watching my awesome Texas granny in the kitchen, cooking up some deep fried Twinkies whenever I’ve had a rough day. Deen’s style is pure Americana, and I love to watch her unrepentantly cooking such quintessentially naughty southern foods.

Nothing makes me sweat more than watching cooks doing their best work on camera. Viva Foodie TV!