Look around you in the Castro: Despite what you might think, what you see is that men's bodies are remarkably diverse.
Small, tall, paunchy, skinny, buff, average - There are all kinds of men who find all kinds of men sexy.
Given this diversity, it is impossible to say that there is one ideal body for gay men to strive for.
Your Body is Perfect
You might think you need to lose 5 or tighten those abs, and you might. But it's more important to learn to love your body as it is than to stress about how you want it to be.
Men who self-criticize about their looks are less desirable than men who are okay with the fact that they aren't perfect 10s.
Your pants are supposed to fit you, not the other way around.
If You're Obsessed
Spend more time focusing on what you love about your body than what you hate.
Steer the conversation in your head towards fitness, strength and energy and away from fat and calories.
If you can't stop thinking about your body, what you eat, or how you look, you might need help. Try the National Eating Disorders Association Association at 1-800-931-2237
Check out some of these resources to learn more about male body image:
An interesting six-part article about what is happening to the idea of male body image in the United States. HealthyPlace.com’s article on male body image has a lot of information as well as more resources. Overeaters Anonymous of San Francisco, a fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience, strength and hope, are recovering from compulsive overeating
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