It shouldn't come as a surprise that a woman's body image is linked to her sexual habits. But a new study done at the University of Pittsburgh among teenage girls offers some eye-opening figures as to how the woman in the mirror affects your sex life.
A formerly overweight newlywed discovers that feeling sexy on her honeymoon is not about being thin. "I was running four miles a day, panting through countless crunches, and bleeding sweat on the Stairmaster at the gym, and for what? Well, like every other woman in America, I wanted to feel sexy. But more than that, I wanted to look sexy for my soon-to-be husband. I was two months from getting married. My hunt for sultry lingerie and swimsuits for our Cancun honeymoon had sent me into hysterics."
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.
A recent survey should put some women at ease, it turns out that guys don't mind your body being imperfect. In fact, many prefer it that way. Sure, they think it means you'll be less high maintenance but whatever. Unfortunately, Ashley Dupre (lately of the Eliot Spitzer scandal) believes that she deserves a second chance. Fair enough, she also thinks that many of her critics are hypocrites because they like nice things and have rich husbands. So, have fun dating with that news.
FOX's More To Love, which premiers tomorrow (July 28th), follows the typical reality T.V. dating show formula, except with one main difference: there's an added layer of vulnerability to the contestants, and dare-to-say-it a different shade of neurosis in these bachelorettes, which range in ages from 21 to 37 years and in weight from 180 to 270 pounds. It's a combination that sits in your stomach in different, sometimes conflicting ways; none more so then when the show bounces back and forth portraying its characters' weight as something to be celebrated, and at others times, something to be overcome (or worse, gawked at).
Commitment is linked to weight gain finds a new study published in the July issue of the journal Obesity. Just what is it exactly that makes it so easy to pack on pounds once commitment enters the picture?
The perfect size
Men have long rejected women because of what they perceive as excess weight. We've all heard of men who pressure their wives, partners or girlfriends to lose weight, and often female fears of losing a man will prompt a major overhaul. On the flip side, experts say women often withhold sex as a weapon of last resort when their partners refuse to or don't lose weight.
Seventeen is the magic age for a young lady's loss of virginity and seven is the average "number" for a woman -- whether she are overweight/obese or of a slender size. A study of 6,700 women out of Oregon and Hawaii shows overweight gals sleep with the same number of sexual partners per year, as well as during their lifetime, and lose their V-cards at about the same age, according to the Seattle Times. Surprising, right? It just goes to show you the cultural stigma against bigger women -- whether they're simply not Kate Bosworth-sized or unhealthily overweight and obese -- skews our perception about whether these women are sexual beings.
Last month during an intimate girls' night in, I publicly posed the question that many overweight women wonder but never say aloud: "Is someone only going to marry me to get US citizenship?" I don't mean to knock cross-cultural love, but the fear I'd always had confronted me a few days before. A woman I knew, a good-looking gal with a great job and also about a hundred excess pounds, just got engaged to a weird-looking guy who I don't think speaks English. And, apparently, my fears are pretty commonplace among bigger gals.
When a couple moves in together, sharing is inevitable - but can combining eating habits turn your meal routine upside down? Find out how to stay healthy, avoiding overindulgence, and still reap the benefits of dining with your darling.
