Who’s Overweight?

My 9-year-old doesn’t think there’s a girl in the world that can beat him up. It makes us laugh that this little guy thinks he’s so strong. About two weeks ago, he was showing me his biceps to prove how strong he is. I felt his muscle and told him I don’t feel anything, its just a little noodle. He smiles, pats me on the stomach, says, ‘Daaahhhd?’… and laughs.

On Sunday afternoon, my wife was having a bite to eat at the kitchen table. I walk into the kitchen to tell her something but before I can get a word out, she glances at me and suggests that maybe I should start exercising… that I’ve gained some weight.

It’s okay if my 9 year old thinks I’m a little over weight, but my wife!? What the heck am I supposed to do now? The truth be told, though, my white dress shirts have gotten tighter since I first bought them.

When I was younger, I could eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, and in whatever quantity I wanted. I was significantly more active than now and any unnecessary weight could be burnt off with little to no effort. Now, in my early 40’s, it’s so bad, that I gain weight even when I don’t eat!

After my wife’s comment, I decided it was time to take a look at myself… it was time to stand in front of the full length mirror… with my shirt off. Have any men out there ever attempted such a feat? Canoeing over Niagara Falls is less frightening.

I think the biggest problem we men have with looking at ourselves in a mirror is that when we actually get around to doing it, we tend to hold in our stomachs. It seems we’ve been given a special talent to continue breathing while holding our breath.

I was getting undressed to take a shower Sunday night and I glanced at myself in the bathroom mirrors. I didn’t have enough time to even hold my breath and suck in my stomach… I got to see what I really look like. Thank God I’m already married, lol!

To all men out there, me included, don’t think that our wives don’t care how we look… they do. They may not walk down the street and look at every guy they see like we look at every woman we see, but they care how we look. Women aren’t especially attracted to big beer bellied, dirty, and unkempt husbands. It’s incumbent upon us to think about ourselves physically, worry about how we look, and to physically take care of ourselves as much as possible.

I think it’s important to try and stay attractive to your wife. You want your wife to be comfortable with your look, enjoy looking at you, to desire to cuddle and be romantic with you, to look forward to making love to you. It’s hard to do all of that with someone you think is unattractive.

For me, as much as I don’t want to do it, I think I need to start watching what I eat, get back on the running machine, and start some type of exercise program.