In all your concern about cellulite and bikini body, you may have lost sight of the fact that guys are also self-conscious about being overweight. Seriously-nearly 45 percent of men claim to be dissatisfied with their body for one reason or another. And considering there's an obesity epidemic going on, there's good reason for that.So, while you may think that guys can take a little extra teasing about love handles, bingo wings and hungry butt, don't be so quick to call him out on those extra pounds. Specifically, avoiding the following oversize offensives will help you keep from leaving a bad taste in his mouth.
10. "Maybe you should hit the gym."
Even if you're harboring the best intentions, you're gonna sound like a gym teacher barking orders during the shuttle run. Instead, go to the gym yourself, and welcome his company.
9. "I like a little meat on the bones."
We appreciate your tolerance, but that's like us saying, "We like the way you fart when you laugh too hard."
8. "Are your parents overweight?"
Is that a nice way of saying "obesity is a genetic predisposition?" While true, it's not the best conversation starter.
7. "Let's skip dinner tonight."
Not eating can be just as counterproductive as eating too much (except starving ourselves isn't as delicious). In order to burn fat, your body needs to fuel its metabolism, and not eating shuts that down. Rather than skipping dinner, offer up a meal of chicken breast, whole grains, salmon, steak, apples, peanut butter, turkey or unidentifiable drugstore-packet energy pills, all of which speed up the body's metabolism.
6. "Looks don't matter to me."
Then why draw attention to the fact that we're not Abercrombie catalog fodder, instead of not mentioning it?
5. "I never liked six-packs and pelvic dips anyway."
See above. Again, we get what you're trying to do -- show us that you like us for reasons other than cosmetic. But even mentioning what we don't have could plant an unwanted seed of insecurity.
4. "You must be really funny, huh?"
Yeah, you'd think that, thanks to the likes of Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill and Chris Farley. And, by that same logic, since you're a girl, you must be emotionally unstable and know nothing about football, huh?
3. "Muscle weighs more than fat!"
Wrong! Five pounds of muscle weighs exactly the same as five pounds of fat. Fat happens to be bulky, though, while muscle is tight and appears lean. This contrast creates the illusion that there is more fat per pound than muscle. Try this instead: "Muscle is heavier by volume than fat."
2. "Does this make me look fat?"
That's a loaded question even when asked to the sexiest of six packs. Asking it to a dude who's a bit beefy is only going to make him more even self-conscious.
1. "Don't eat that!"
Got a dietary suggestion? That's awesome. But, make it just that -- a suggestion, rather than an order you'd bark at your dog if he was slobbering on your flip-flops.
Matt Christensen has written for Maxim, Cosmopolitan and Match.com. He's phat.
More Good Stuff From Around the Web:
356 days of working out time-lapse video -- exercise really does pay off. (College Humor)
Funny mug shot t-shrits. (The Chive)
This is what Ellen Degeneres on American Idol will be like. (Funny or Die)













Comments:
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Friday 11 September
By jess
I really do like guys with a little meat on their bones, and am not really that into 6 packs (or beer bellies), just average, nice guys.
Reply
Friday 11 September
By lorenzo
Well duh 5 pounds of mucle weighs the same as five pounds of fat! Muscle dose way more than fat. if you had a basket ball filled with fat and one filled with mucle mucle would weigh more.
Reply
Friday 11 September
By Andrew
....how would you fill a basketball with fat?
Friday 11 September
By Ed
thats exactly what i was thinking. i was like wtf? Its just like that 1000 lbs of feathers and bricks joke. Its easy getting 1000lbs of brick.....feathers though....
Saturday 12 September
By T
5 lbs is 5 lbs. If you had 5 lbs of steel and 5 lbs of feathers, they would both weigh 5 lbs. The materal "Dose" not matter.....
Saturday 12 September
By anwrose
Perhaps your post would carry more weight, if you learned to spell.
Mucle=Muscle
dose=does
Saturday 12 September
By Greg
You are mistaking weight for mass. Muscle is more dense. Hence, a square inch of fat would weigh less than a square inch of muscle.
Friday 11 September
By Kalikkalack
What do you think people means by muscle weighs more then fat? Duh. Someone was tired or hungover when they wrote this....
Reply
Friday 11 September
By exoticdoc2
The writers claimed that #3 is a lie. WRONG. They simply state the argument wrong in order to claim it is a lie. Of course five pounds of anything weighs five pounds. It is the weight per volume that is the question. A cubic foot of muscle tissue weighs more than a cubic foot of fat because muscle is more dense. If you are going to make a claim, at least have the decency to get the argument right.
Reply
Friday 11 September
By Diane Hunter
EXCUSE ME??? I CAN'T like men with more meat on them??? Try again! YOU don't tell me WHAT I like and don't like. YOU don't get to have an opinion in MY sex life!! You need to learn, not everyone LIKES a toothpick!!! And I have ALWAYS liked heaver men. I don't LIKE to have to wrap my legs twiced around a man to feel him between them. I am no longer a slim woman myself, and trust me, I have enough men chasing me that I know there are a TON of men out there JUST LIKE ME!!!
Try again!!!!!
Reply
Saturday 12 September
By Honest Jeffrey
Thank you Dianne.
Saturday 12 September
By Bret
Really? You totally missed the point.. it's not about what you want, it's an article telling you that Men take offense to these things, if only subconciously. Everytime my fiance asks if something makes her look fat i think - "no... " and I look down at my self and realize that my favorite tshirt for years is, in fact, to small.
Friday 11 September
By fnky
What is meant by muscle weighs more than fat, is exactly what is stated in the article. If measured by volume because muscle is more dense than fat it weighs more, ie a liter, or some other volume, of muscle will weigh more than fat.
Reply
Friday 11 September
By Paul
6 yrs. ago I was 190lb. Driveing a Truck makeing a good liveing. I got sick, and the meds. they gave me made me put on some pounds. It got so bad that I couldn't walk 100 feet. I lost my job, and had to go on disability. My doctor took the meds away, and I lost a lot of weight. I'm still overweight, I don't like it but there is nothing that I can do. I have tryed every thing there is. From 190 I went to 370, due to meds. I lost 100 lbs. since I stoped the meds. For two yrs now no matter what I do the weight will not come off. I'm still 270. I hate the way I look, and the way people look at me. So if you have an overweight friend and can't say something nice don't say anything at all
Reply
Saturday 12 September
By Marielle
Paul focus on the positive....that you are healthy enough to be off your meds. The weight may or may not come off....learn to accept what is yourself...you are still the same man you were before you had your health issues. Focus on other aspects of your life, and you might just be pleasantly surprised.
Much success to you....M
Friday 11 September
By george
When someone says something weighs more than something else, they inherently mean that if they occupy the same space, one will weigh more. That's density. So don't get bent out of shape and say 1 pound of this equals 1 pound of that. That's obvious. We are not in the 3rd grade.
Reply
Saturday 12 September
By gr8bsn
Exactly. 1 ton of bricks takes up less space than 1 ton of feathers, even if they weight the same.
Friday 11 September
By DarkLordMiLo
I was 168lbs 5'11'' in 5th grade. 238lbs 6'1'' in 8th. 245lbs 6'3'' in 12th. Short story version: Milk,Cheese,&Twinkies with no exercise once so ever. After high school my weight started fluctuating like crazy. 225-205-235-265-225-205-185-175lbs at 21years old. Starved myself for a year. Ate once every 3 days and occasionally forced it up afterward. Replaced food with cigarettes. Looked like a skeleton,family was freakin out,but I was extatic to finally know slimdom. Stayed that way for about a year,enjoyed the hottest girlfriend i've ever had. Then i let them convince me to start eating again...back on the roller coaster. 195-225-245-225-245-265-285-305-325! Topped out at 325 around 27 years old and been stuck there ever since(4years,I'm 31 now). Satrving isn't working, What lil energy i can muster to work out doesn't seem to be working. Over the counter speeders isn't working. Plain dieting isn't working. What the heck can i do? It's like my metabolism packed up and said "You're on your own fata&&!" I just wanna see 225 again before i die.
Reply
Friday 11 September
By Roxanna
Dear Dark Lord,
Please see a doctor or nutrionist. While it may be slow going, persistance is the key. Don't wait until "monday" to start your good eating plan. Just get back on track and try every day. I wish you well and feel sure that you can suceed!
Monday 14 September
By Shar8375
Hi Dark,
I have struggled with my weight since high schoo l(36yrs. old now) At one point I reached my highest weight of 191 and was a size 13/14. (fitting very snug) Before I started having problems I was a size 3/4. I have come to accept that I will not be that size again. I am happy to say that I am a size 9 now. Although I have been slightly lower recently. The difference is my occupation. I am now working in an office position so I am not as active. Bad excuse I know but I used to serve tables @ a restaurant so I was constantly moving @ work, unfortunately they closed. I want to tell you though that my weight at 185 (thats when I decided to make a change) made me miserable even now at 155 I am not where I want to be. I am content however because I do not starve myself. That is the worse thing you can do. I've tried to purge but can't (I hate throwing up) I knew I needed to make a change. I ate breakfast everyday (hate breakfast) to start my metabolism and reduced my calorie intake. At first it is hard but it works. I also measured my portions. I never realized how small a serving such as a cup of cheerios could be!. I also did what a local radio station called the 12 noon workout. (commercial free almost an hour) I used that hour to dance freely and incorporate all the aerobics I had learned over the years trying to lose weight. To my amazement one day I had steeped on the scale & was 140. This was great my goal was 145. I am working on this again. Try to eat smaller meals and find a way to get excercise doing something you enjoy. I love dancing thats why I think that worked for me. Breakfast needs to be eaten. Did you ever notice on days when you do not eat breakfast you are hungrier at the end of the day. Snacking on bad foods. I can challenge you if you like because some people work better that way. Lets do it right. Start Monday. Pysche yourself up. Get all the bad things out this weekend and lets start together fresh next week. You do not have to deprive yourself. You just need normal size portions and a slighly lower calorie intake. I know we can do it. One year from now or even 6 mths. we should have an unveiling. I wish you all the luck and I am here if you need my help