Defining the new male ideal: Perceptions of Beauty

[Bateluer]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/23/living/male-ideal-body-image/index.html?hpt=li_bn3

His perfectly chiseled body was hairless due to regular "manscaping." People assumed he worked out three hours a day, seven days a week, but the 31-year-old personal trainer said nutrition was really the key to his dream body. As for working out, he indulged in his favorite activity for only about 45 minutes a day, four to five days a week.

Then, Manning's once impressive muscles softened to pounds of bloated fat -- on purpose.

Manning, a personal trainer, decided to gain nearly 70 pounds so he could better understand how his clients feel. He then planned to lose the weight to show that no matter the numbers they faced, others could get fit, too. He called it his "Fit 2 Fat 2 Fit" campaign, and documented it on a blog, and a book that debuts in June.

He expected some physical discomfort, but the emotional struggle -- and judgment from others -- surprised him. As he loaded sugary cereals and soft drinks from his cart at the local grocery store one day, he caught three women staring at him, then sliding their eyes to the food he was buying.

"'I'm doing this as an experiment! I used to be a fit guy, not the fat guy,'" Manning wanted to turn around and explain. "I'm a lot more self-conscious now. There was a total lack of confidence in the way I felt in public because I wasn't the fit guy anymore."

The female form has long been the topic of discussions about self-esteem, but what about men? Their ideas about weight, body image and self-esteem have been largely swept under the ambiguous rug of masculinity. Meanwhile, changing standards about the ideal male form can leave them overwhelmed and exhausted by the chase for perfection, too.

Men don't talk about it as much, health experts say, but that doesn't mean they're not thinking about it, whether they're ultra-fit or kind of fat.

"Men are still taught as boys that the body is something that is designed to be a perfectly performing machine, not something to be cared for and nurtured," said Michael Addis, professor of psychology at Clark University and author of "Invisible Men." "But men base self-esteem on body image and weight."

Interesting read. I've commented on some of this before when I posted the ESPN photojournal with the nude Olympic athletes and how we've really forgotten in our society what a healthy body is supposed to look like.

To talk specifically about the Before/After picture, I don't think many people would consider the right picture attractive. I certainly don't, but thats an increasingly common image of a male body. Almost nauseating. And it reveals what I'd call character flaws, someone who lacks self discipline or concern for their own health. A major red flag for someone looking at a potential long term partner.

How many people would choose the man on the left vs the man on the right? The left picture shows a man that has considerable self discipline, motivation, and someone who cares about their health and appearance.

But, this entire article discusses the male perceptions. I don't think there's any argument that women are pressured much more heavily than men to maintain a healthy body weight. If men can demand that women maintain health and fitness, then women have every right to demand the same from men.

 

[highland145]

http://www.fit2fat2fit.com/

His current pic. 2/25

To talk specifically about the Before/After picture, I don't think many people would consider the right picture attractive. I certainly don't, but thats an increasingly common image of a male body. Almost nauseating. And it reveals what I'd call character flaws, someone who lacks self discipline or concern for their own health. A major red flag for someone looking at a potential long term partner.

Agree but when the choices for mates is as limited as it is by our obese population, what's a woman supposed to do? Not that the female side of the population is any better/worse. And they may always get hit with a double standard where weight/sex is concerned.

People with specific goals can find partners with like minds.

 

[Blintok]

yep double standard for sure.

man on right = fat disgusting slovenly pig

woman who is in similar health and proportional weight and shape as man on right
= Big Beautiful Woman

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

Who the hell cares? Live and let live.

If someone is happy being fat, let them be fat. It's their decision and none of your business unless they're children.

If people had half a brain they'd just figure out looks are subjective and would realize pushing the idea of there being one ideal body is BS.

And for the record, I'm 140 pounds.

 

[prism]

Gotta give that guy props for going through that. It may be just his own marketing gimmick, but I'm sure it was hard as heck to go from being fit his whole life to eating junk food and not exercising at all for 6 months.

 

[QueBert]

yep double standard for sure.

man on right = fat disgusting slovenly pig

woman who is in similar health and proportional weight and shape as man on right
= Big Beautiful Woman

Depends on the female for the man on right, I lost 60 lbs over the past 10 months, and my GF cannot stand my body now. She liked me as a teddy bear, I was never huge but I did have a stomach. Now it's a lot smaller and she isn't nearly as attracted to me. There are a lot of females who like a man with some pounds on him, and I'm not just talking about females who are equally big.