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Do you work out/devote a lot of time to your appearance? If so, why?

Why do you put so much effort into your appearance

  • You want to attract members of the opposite sex

    Votes: 11 21.2%
  • Social prestige/ you want to be socially popular

    Votes: 4 7.7%
  • For health reasons

    Votes: 15 28.8%
  • Because you work a job that requires you to

    Votes: 1 1.9%
  • I just work out because I enjoy playing sports

    Votes: 5 9.6%
  • Other

    Votes: 16 30.8%

  • Total voters
    52

The Great One

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Do any of you work out or devote a lot of time and/or money into your appearance and looking good? If so, why do you do so? Is it because you want to look sexy and attract more people? Maybe you exercise a lot just so that you have good health? Finally, maybe you do this because you want the social prestige that comes with it? Why do you put a lot of effort into your appearance? Personally, I would do it so that I can attract members of the opposite sex and somewhat for my health as well. I mainly do it to attract women though.
 

Eugene Watson VIII

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I walk everyday to keep up my physical strength and keep my weight down. My weight started rising due to the prescription drugs that I started taking but I'm cutting them out as I don't need them so that means I can be at average weight again. Clothing wise, I like to shop for new stuff but sometimes I wear shirts without even realizing what kind of shirt I'm wearing. I'm not big on colours and own mostly shirts with grey and black (even work clothes rofl).
 

cafe

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I don't put a lot of time/effort into it, but I've started watching my weight. I like feeling and looking sleeker. It feels like my body is correct again.
 

Luv Deluxe

Step into my office.
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Jun 25, 2011
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I work out five times a week, cardio and weights - though deliberately just enough to be toned, not ripped.

I do this because:
- I like feeling sexy.
- The endorphins feel good. I get a lot of stress relief from exercise.
- My job requires some physical upkeep.
- It's good for my body; I can feel its effects and I like them.
- I can wear whatever I like.
 

Odi et Amo

To here knows when...
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I play pickup soccer and tennis because I like it - it's relaxing. It's also a nice companionship experience. I bike because it helps me to reflect. I am still at the stage where my metabolism is faster than a flea on speed.
 

Thalassa

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I exercise for good health. Men have been sexually attracted to me even when I was more voluptuous. I have the sort of figure where a certain kind of man likes my body even when I am less thin. I suppose I am lucky in that regard, but frankly I would rather decrease a bra size or two for better health and mobility. I am outdoorsy, do yoga, and walk a lot, and used to dance, so having extra weight actually simply doesn't feel as good to me. I feel freer when I am leaner. So I have reached the point in life where my weight is more about health, for sure. I have always been active by nature though because of my disposition, since childhood, except for periods of depression.

I have taken care of my looks also to make money and attract the opposite sex.

I am not super high maintenance though. I don't have time for that bullshit.
 

Thalassa

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I want to add that I think social prestige is the weirdest reason imo to "look good" which is why I am not high maintenance, but even as I say that, I know I was born with symmetrical features and reap the social benefits of being thought of as a reasonably attractive woman, so there is a.note of hypocrisy in my saying it, as I have mostly exploited natural resources versus working to fit a certain ideal of being tan or dressing in certain clothing or wearing make up to the market.

I am really opposed to that on some fundamental level, like with a vengeance...the social role of looking like or trying to look like a Hollywood star or even just an upper middle class white woman.

I am also opposed to tolerating a partner who had unreasonable demands. I am happy to stay in shape and well groomed, but I would never stay with a man who actually tried to alter my appearance significantly. It's like, um, ok, there are people attracted to me just as I am...maybe you are just not the right person for me. Narcissistic personality disorder sometimes causes this. A person who worries not about the sexual attraction, but of how the partner APPEARS SOCIALLY AS A TROPHY.
 

á´…eparted

passages
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The only reason I try to look good is so that others perceive me to look good. I'm shallow like that.

While it's a bit sad, if I feel like I look good, but nearly everyone claims that it looks bad, I'll change it likely (even if I don't want to). Ultimately I want to be sexually attractive to another guy, so I have to appease that.
 
R

RDF

Guest
I work out and put effort into my appearance and social skills in order to score high on the pecking order.

That doesn't mean that I want to be popular or pick up women. I'm an introvert and like my time alone. But when I do get out and socialize, I want to hang with the alpha dogs rather than the folks at the bottom of the pecking order.

I suspect a lot of INFPs tend to score low on the pecking order by default and/or hang with the outcasts. I did that as a youngster; I took pride in being odd man out or feigning indifference to social conventions. But eventually I noticed that I didn't really respect the caliber of people I was hanging out with. So I tried pushing back at people higher up the pecking order and working my way up the ladder a bit. And I liked the result.

Nowadays I enjoy interacting with the alpha dogs in any social group. It means standing your ground and having confidence that you're up to it, IOW, that you look good, have comebacks for whatever they throw at you, etc. I know some people will ridicule this line of thinking. But having experienced both ends of the pecking order, I definitely like the top ranks: The stakes are higher, the people are more interesting, the interactions quicker, etc.

So for purposes of the poll I checked "Social prestige/ you want to be socially popular." I don't necessarily want to be popular, but I want the ego gratification and social enjoyment of being one of the alpha dogs when I interact with people.
 
W

WALMART

Guest
I enjoy being fit. It provides an ease of operation, frees the mind from struggle.

I don't devote a lot of time. I don't devote any time. My strength comes from the daily actions I decide to take... it gets a bit complicated.

"Work harder, not smarter" is my philosophy.
 

FDG

pathwise dependent
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I work out and put effort into my appearance and social skills in order to score high on the pecking order.

That doesn't mean that I want to be popular or pick up women. I'm an introvert and like my time alone. But when I do get out and socialize, I want to hang with the alpha dogs rather than the folks at the bottom of the pecking order.

Lmao. That's pathetic.

Anyway, I work out because I enjoy the rush of endorphines and I enjoy feeling strong, being able to lift heavy stuff, having the endurance required to climb a mountain, and so on.
 

Opal

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Anaerobic to deal with stress and improve my self-image and cognition.
 
R

RDF

Guest
Lmao. That's pathetic.

Anyway, I work out because I enjoy the rush of endorphines and I enjoy feeling strong, being able to lift heavy stuff, having the endurance required to climb a mountain, and so on.

Just expressing my own opinion, as pathetic as it may be. After 40 years of hard working out, the endorphins don't really do all that much for me: frankly, I just feel beat up and tired after a hard work-out. So for me, mainly I like how people treat me when I'm fit and looking good--the alpha dog thing.
 

Animal

So carnal it's spiritual
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I work out because

- If I don't, my mind doesn't work as well
- If I don't, I have too many emotions, but not even the intense, inspiring kind - the muddled, frenetic kind. Like a voice speaking in the background clouding a conversation - except that I don't think or emote in words, so it ends up more like a sense of something lingering. When I work out, that gets purged.
- I work out to rage music, and workouts are a time to indulge the mixes and albums I have on my ipod. In the past I had a collection of mix tapes that I took along on long walks and those mixes were like a diary or a ritual; they marked times in my life. The making of them and using of them was cathartic and a form of self-expression as well as a formula to handle the hardships of life. It works best when I'm alone, in my headphones, and also when my blood is pumping.
- Ideas for novels and music come to me when my blood is pumping. I'm glad for the iphone because now I can write them down while I'm on the elliptical, taking a walk or between sets.
- I want to look hot for photo shoots, video shoots, and shows
- If I am into a guy, I want to look my best for him

I haven't worked out much this past two years - bad Animal. I plan to start again soon. Things that motivate me to never skip a workout:

- Limerence
- Having shows & photo shoots & video shoots on the calendar

I should still go back to working out though, because I'm writing a book and my mind will work more effectively. This two years have been very rough and I've been working out less often but I still can't go that long without it because too much pent up internal drama needs to be released.

_____

Aside from working out, the effort I put into my appearance is more.. maintenance. Everything is about looking good one day in the future when it's necessary.

- Hair. I take great care of my hair, which falls out from my illness. I take all my vitamins, give it oil treatments, use good SLS free products, and a longer list to try to keep my hair from all falling out. But taking care of my hair means NOT ironing, curling, drying, or washing it every day. So it might not look good day to day but that's okay; I can throw it in a pony tail. I need it to be there so that when I have a show, photoshoot or video shoot, I will have something to work with.
- Skin. I wash my face with hot water, soap it and wash it off with cold; then moisturize. Usually twice a day. I wear sunblock and try to stay out of bright sun or wear a hat to shade my face. However I only wear makeup on stage, photoshoots or video shoots. But even then , I have been on stage since I was a kid and I have yet to EVER wear foundation. In professional theater I used to tell the makeup people I don't wear foundation, period. It ruins my skin. Eye makeup and lipstick and blush is okay. Occasionally I wear eye makeup and lipstick off stage to look good for a guy but this is very rare. I keep my skin nice so that makeup isn't necessary.
- Clothes. I spend money on costumes for my shows and videos, but I rarely spend much on clothes I will wear day to day. I need to feel right in what I'm wearing; it needs to express who I am. My taste used to be a bit wilder, but I know how to cut corners and be creative. For instance, sewing panels into my jeans, sewing shoelaces that cross-hatch up the sides. I find ways to express myself inexpensively. The only time I'm willing to drop real money for clothes is costumes/ stage wear, as my money is all investment for my creative endeavors. I don't tend to wear stage wear day to day because I wear white on stage and don't want my dresses to get messed up. My clothes off stage are still expressive - home made, rockstar clothes, cut off sleeves or collars because I don't like to be confined, etc. But they are never expensive and I don't have that many clothes that aren't stage/photo wear. I don't mind wearing the same jeans every day if they fit well. I don't mind wearing the same shoes for years and years. I also don't wear high heels or anything uncomfortable except for show/photo purposes. I like being able to move; I value my agility.
 

Honor

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I enjoy being fit. It provides an ease of operation, frees the mind from struggle.

I don't devote a lot of time. I don't devote any time. My strength comes from the daily actions I decide to take... it gets a bit complicated.

"Work harder, not smarter" is my philosophy.

Think you got that backwards, big guy.
 
L

LadyLazarus

Guest
Work out?Hell no!(haha that Se stereotype is a bunch of bull crap)

I do the unhealthy thing and starve/binge in order to keep myself at my ideal weight because I am far too lazy to exercise but I care about my appearance.
It'll probably be bad for me in the long run in some way I suppose, but it works for me right now and I'll deal with the consequences when I'm old.
I do so in order to attract a mate above all and partly because I want to appear beautiful/aesthetically admirable to others.
 
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