The 'Perfect Body' Myth (page 4 of 4)

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Sex is more about attitude than weight, but studies show losing pounds can lead to bigger gains.
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Personality Counts

"If Queen Latifah doesn't think she's sexy, she sure does a good job of fooling us," says Pepper Schwartz, PhD, a sociology professor at the University of Washington in Seattle. "She carries herself like she's a babe. And a lot of men think she is."

Once we get to know a person, the non-physical aspects become much more important in long-term relationships and pleasurable sex, says Swami. Still, this is one area of study in which scientists may never have absolute understanding. "Even after all the studies I've done," he says, "I still find myself thinking about what attracts me to someone else, and I don't really have an answer. We've always assumed there's one type of person that we always go for, but that isn't the case. We see a myriad of people in our everyday lives, and we're attracted to different people at different times for different reasons. There is a part of attraction that should remain shrouded in mystery."

After all, a bit of mystery can make sex a lot more fun.

More Stats
  • When asked to rate themselves as "yuck," "OK," or "hot," 14% of women and 20% of men chose "hot." More than 25% of women chose "yuck." Just 13% of men did.

  • 35% of men said they would like to have a body like Brad Pitt's in the movie Troy. Some 5% said they'd be happy to look like chubby Kevin James in The King of Queens.

  • More than 26% of women who say they're overweight would rather eat live bugs than let their partner watch them walk out of a well-lit room naked.
    From Reader's Digest - January 2008
     
    Additional Reporting by Kathryn M. Tyranski
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