Author O'farrell Posted October 18, 2012 Author Posted October 18, 2012 Dude you are missing the mark. We arent talking only about overall build here. Body fat and overall shape matter too. And body fat has a large impact on how ones body looks. And body fat on men isnt masculine. It takes away from a guys masculine shape regardless if he has a large or small build. A guy with a larger build but a beer belly (6'2 240) may possibly be stronger and bigger than a smaller guy with a slim build and muscle (5'10 185). But the slim guy with muscle and little body fat will be the guy most women are naturally attracted to and seen as inherently masculine. Same goes for women. Sure a smaller and weaker Megan Fox may be considered most feminine to some men due to her small size (however she is thin and with not much curve to her)...but compared to the hourglass Christina Hendricks...Fox is def not the most feminine...despite Christinas taller height and larger frame. The point is that certain attributes are inherently more masculine and feminine. Little body fat, more muscle and a V shape torso is more masculine. Less muscle, more body fat, and more curves in more feminine. So I guess these guys are feminine then...
silicone Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 Muscle weighs more than fat. Smaller doesn't mean anything if he is quicker and more talented. Smaller people are more agile....
kaylan Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 So I guess these guys are feminine then... Seems your having trouble comprehending what I said. I said fat makes a guy more feminine. It doesnt mean hes not masculine at all. Hence those guys are less masculine than they could be, and less masculine than a guy like Randy Orton, who in is prime has as much muscle as those guys, but not nearly the amount of fat. Hence Randy Orton will appear more masculine to most people.
Mme. Chaucer Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 When the men have boobies to go with their bellies, that enhances the feminine effect. Google Image Result for http://images.wisegeek.com/three-men-with-beer-bellies-at-the-beach.jpg
LittleTiger Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 Not necessarily true at all. We all store fat differently. I have a small pot belly, or flab, w/e and I regularly work out and take good care of myself. My peers don't think I need to lose weight, but realistically speaking, if I lose any more than 5kg in weight then I'll become clinically underweight. Gaining muscle isn't easy on my frame as I naturally have a muscular build. If you have a small pot belly which is 'flab' then you are still carrying excess body fat. Excess body fat is not 'cute' on anyone. I'm not being harsh, just stating my personal preference. I don't find anything 'curvy' on a man to be a physical 'turn on'. I like him to have a hard body. I prefer lean and 'cut' to bulky muscle. Most men find curves on women cute, because we are supposed to have curves with a reasonable amount of body fat. Lots of men even get turned on by watching women's curvy bits 'wobble'. Men who are in good shape don't have 'curves' and they certainly don't wobble! Flab generally wobbles! If you are working out or exercising on a regular basis and eating healthily, you will eventually lose your flab. If you don't, you need to change what you're doing.
LittleTiger Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 But why is a a guy with lower bf percentage who will be weaker and smaller 99% of the time be considered more masculine than a guy with a pot belly? Can you answer this question? It's not about being more 'masculine', it's about being healthier and at the peak of fitness. If we are talking biology, the fittest, healthiest male is the one who is more likely to be highly fertile and produce the healthiest offspring - and he'll be better equipped to take care of them too. Women's brains are tuned to this fact and a pot belly is a sign of being less healthy - in both men and women. 1
JamesM Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 It's not about being more 'masculine', it's about being healthier and at the peak of fitness. . And that is why I lost my "pot belly." It was not a pregnant one, but an obviously noticeable one. Almost forty pounds later, I do feel healthier and more fit. I can't say I feel any more masculine, but I do have more confidence knowing I look more fit. I like that I fit back into 32" waist pants for the first time in ten years. It has been almost twenty since I weighed this low. I never did it to look better. I did it to feel better and stay (hopefully) healthier. If my wife had said that she preferred a belly on me, then I would have said, "Tough." She used to tell me I needed to lose weight. Now she will say (if anything) that I am too skinny. THAT is a compliment! This country (USA, but I suspect it is worldwide) has an epidemic of overweight and obese people. We should look at it as unhealthy, not as more/less masculine or more/less feminine. We should look at the extra weight we have as equal to less years of life. Google BMI chart and see where you are. That will be an eye opener. And yes, it is accurate and reasonable. And yes, when I was overweight, I always said it was not realistic. Now I know that my comment was from denial of my own health. Pregnant men are not healthy nor masculine. Women who like pot bellies should be thinking of their men's health. While we should love each other for who we are and not simply how we look, we should also want our partner to be in his or her best condition. If a woman loves your pot belly, then by all means either run from her or hope that she will also love you without it. Losing your pot belly for health is better than keeping it for love. Certainly just my opinion. 4
Els Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 Google BMI chart and see where you are. That will be an eye opener. And yes, it is accurate and reasonable. And yes, when I was overweight, I always said it was not realistic. Now I know that my comment was from denial of my own health. Agreed, completely. Unless one is at the extremes of height or weight, or is a very hardcore athlete, the BMI works for the majority of people. Most people who insist otherwise are in denial, either of being thin-crazed at the expense of their health or of being overweight. It isn't the gold standard by far, as a person with a BMI of 17 or 26 can still be healthy, but 15 or 30 is just way out no matter what they say about their 'body type'. Kudos on you for losing the 40 extra lbs, James. Absolutely right that people who are overweight should strive to lose the pounds for their own health, most of all. It's entirely possible to be in the healthy range and still have a small belly, but a 'pot' one... quite unlikely.
silicone Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 If you have a small pot belly which is 'flab' then you are still carrying excess body fat. Excess body fat is not 'cute' on anyone. I'm not being harsh, just stating my personal preference. I don't find anything 'curvy' on a man to be a physical 'turn on'. I like him to have a hard body. I prefer lean and 'cut' to bulky muscle. Most men find curves on women cute, because we are supposed to have curves with a reasonable amount of body fat. Lots of men even get turned on by watching women's curvy bits 'wobble'. Men who are in good shape don't have 'curves' and they certainly don't wobble! Flab generally wobbles! If you are working out or exercising on a regular basis and eating healthily, you will eventually lose your flab. If you don't, you need to change what you're doing. Most people carry "excess body fat", it is the average, whereas my body fat percentage falls below the average but I still have fat. I eat healthily and exercise regularly, and it's gone down slightly, but the risk I run by further trying to lose weight will ultimately adversely affect any gains that I try to make, a person of my body nature cannot eat much without putting fat on, more so, I am compounded and restricted by my work. I've had girls asking me why the hell I'm trying to lose weight, they think I look fine the way I am, even my work colleagues tell me that I don't need o lose weight. FYI my waist is below 29.5, and abdomen is about 33.
oaks Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 It isn't the gold standard by far, as a person with a BMI of 17 or 26 can still be healthy, but 15 or 30 is just way out no matter what they say about their 'body type'. Yes, but... People can be obese yet physically healthy and fit, say researchers and I was surprised when I first read that. (and I'm not saying that from a position of denial at either end of the scale. BMI between 19.5 and 21.5 depending on pie and cake and chocolate and beer and exercise variations.)
silicone Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 Agreed, completely. Unless one is at the extremes of height or weight, or is a very hardcore athlete, the BMI works for the majority of people. Most people who insist otherwise are in denial, either of being thin-crazed at the expense of their health or of being overweight. It isn't the gold standard by far, as a person with a BMI of 17 or 26 can still be healthy, but 15 or 30 is just way out no matter what they say about their 'body type'. Kudos on you for losing the 40 extra lbs, James. Absolutely right that people who are overweight should strive to lose the pounds for their own health, most of all. It's entirely possible to be in the healthy range and still have a small belly, but a 'pot' one... quite unlikely. Then the BMI isn't going to work for me, at 20.7
JamesM Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 Yes, but... People can be obese yet physically healthy and fit, say researchers and I was surprised when I first read that. (and I'm not saying that from a position of denial at either end of the scale. BMI between 19.5 and 21.5 depending on pie and cake and chocolate and beer and exercise variations.) Yes, they CAN be, but very, very few are. And many who are in the normal weight range can be unfit. Yet the "numbers' (BP, cholesterol, sugar levels, etc.) are much better overall when someone is not overweight or obese. That which may be sexy is not necessarily healthy. Some men like BBWs (Big Beautiful Women). I can't say that I do. Yet when my wife has extra weight, she retains her beauty IMO. She is an exception...at least in my eyes. Having said that, I know she feels much better when she is in the normal range and she does look better.
kaylan Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 When the men have boobies to go with their bellies, that enhances the feminine effect. Google Image Result for http://images.wisegeek.com/three-men-with-beer-bellies-at-the-beach.jpg ...
silicone Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 Most people carry "excess body fat", it is the average, whereas my body fat percentage falls below the average but I still have fat. I eat healthily and exercise regularly, and it's gone down slightly, but the risk I run by further trying to lose weight will ultimately adversely affect any gains that I try to make, a person of my body nature cannot eat much without putting fat on, more so, I am compounded and restricted by my work. I've had girls asking me why the hell I'm trying to lose weight, they think I look fine the way I am, even my work colleagues tell me that I don't need o lose weight. FYI my waist is below 29.5, and abdomen is about 33. Oh, and here are a few pictures. and about a week ago, this: . Looking solely at the fat distribution on the face, you can see that some fat has been lost, but the earliest of the picture was taken early this year. I've stayed at 51kg for the past 3 months at least, well since July. The plateau is in effect, yet I'm still doing martial arts training biweekly, in addition to my other exercise routines. What isn't attractive to you is attractive to other people. I've had girls tell me that I'm too thin.
january2011 Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 This thread now seems less about the attractivenss of pot bellies and more about fit vs unfit and healthy vs unhealthy. I am not delusional. I love my SO and I do think his belly is cute. For those casting aspersions towards myself and posters with similar opinions, I am a size 0-2 - not "thick" at all, whether mentally or appearance-wise. And for the record, I've dated men of all shapes and sizes and activity levels - including guys with a very well defined six pack. A guy who spends a lot of time in the gym is not compatible with me. I like to be fit and healthy, but I don't want to be fit and healthy to the exclusion of everything else in my life.
kaylan Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 (edited) ^lol Im so tired of people who dont really work out throwing around the "you have no life outside the gym" idea. I love the gym, but I know how to manage my time so that I still have time for my friends and other hobbies. I dont exclude anything important to me. If anything, going to the gym has made it so I have less time to play video games and be a couch potato. PS -Being a size 0 or 2 doesnt make you fit on its own. There are tons of skinny and weak females out there who arent in the best shape. They say the same thing thick and weak females say about gym folks...they throw around the "obsessed with the gym" line. Edited October 18, 2012 by kaylan
january2011 Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 (edited) kaylan, it's obvious that we're not going to agree on this issue. Thankfully, you are not in my target dating pool, nor are you my SO nor my personal trainer - otherwise, I'm sure we could argue about fitness levels until the cows come home. My personal preferences and what I find attractive/unattractive are not going to change based on what you've posted so far. I'm sticking to my original post about pot bellies. Indeed, re-reading the OP again, this thread is about pot bellies and whether women like them, not about who is fit and unfit. Why not stick to the topic at hand or start your own thread about misconceptions about gym attendance, size and fitness levels? Edited October 18, 2012 by january2011
Els Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 Then the BMI isn't going to work for me, at 20.7 I'm not sure what your point is? Are you saying you think you're unhealthy at 20.7? Why do you feel your weight is negatively impacting your health? Yes, but... People can be obese yet physically healthy and fit, say researchers and I was surprised when I first read that. (and I'm not saying that from a position of denial at either end of the scale. BMI between 19.5 and 21.5 depending on pie and cake and chocolate and beer and exercise variations.) The title of the article seems a little misleading. The quote below from it pretty much sums up my belief (which has been shaped by med school): Amy Thompson, of the British Heart Foundation, said: "In the majority of cases, obesity is an undeniable risk factor for developing coronary heart disease. However, these studies remind us that it is not always your weight that's important, but where you carry fat and also how it affects your health and fitness. "It is particularly important to be aware of your weight if you are carrying excess fat around your middle. The fat cells here are really active, producing toxic substances that cause damage which can lead to heart disease. "Maintaining a healthy diet with lots of physical activity can help to slim you down as well as reduce your risk of heart health problems. "But don't get too caught up on the numbers on the scale. Calculating your body mass index and measuring your waist are great ways to keep on track. If you are concerned about your weight and want to make changes to your lifestyle, make an appointment with your GP to talk it through." FWIW, I think there is nothing wrong with liking a person who has a pot belly. I do think there is something wrong with glamorizing pot bellies and encouraging people to have them, though. I also think we need to define what exactly a 'pot belly' is - my idea of one is A pot Belly Increases Risk Of Bowel Cancer | IndiaNews , not Ronal-dough boy! Fading Brazil star piles on the pounds during his injury lay-off | Mail Online .
kaylan Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 (edited) Stick to the topic? Werent you the one who just presented some silly generalization about gym goers? Again Ill say this, its usually the non fit people, be they whatever size, who say gym goers have no lives outside the gym. And in my experience, such an idea comes not from fact, but from an insecurity and intimidation regarding the fitness lifestyle. Dont tell me to stick to the OP when Im merely responding to your off base critique. Edited October 18, 2012 by kaylan
Author O'farrell Posted October 18, 2012 Author Posted October 18, 2012 If you are working out or exercising on a regular basis and eating healthily, you will eventually lose your flab. If you don't, you need to change what you're doing. No this is wrong. People store fat differently. You can be at like 8% bodyfat and only have your top 2 abs showing if all your fat is stored in your stomach.
rubberduck Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 I like my guys bigger! Always have. I've been with all sizes.. very skinny, average, ripped, and extra weight... I much preferred my bigger men I don't think *pot* bellies are great, but chunky men are definitely where my heart lies <3
silicone Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 I'm not sure what your point is? Are you saying you think you're unhealthy at 20.7? Why do you feel your weight is negatively impacting your health? I was born with a very small frame, and I was born prematurely. My weight has never been great, however, I do have a muscular body. By standards of this thread, I am unhealthy at my current BMI.
Els Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 I was born with a very small frame, and I was born prematurely. My weight has never been great, however, I do have a muscular body. By standards of this thread, I am unhealthy at my current BMI. Huh? Who said that you are unhealthy at your current BMI?
silicone Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 Huh? Who said that you are unhealthy at your current BMI? By standards of fat at masculinity by which some people are saying in this thread.
Els Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 By standards of fat at masculinity by which some people are saying in this thread. The BMI isn't about masculinity, it's about a healthy weight range... People saying you are 'too fat' or 'too thin' really has absolutely no bearing on whether or not the BMI 'works' for you. 1
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