to assess sexual desirability. "Women rate muscular men as sexier, more physically dominant and volatile, and less committed to their mates than nonmuscular men," the authors noted in their paper in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. I don't know about my volatility, but I've been committed to one woman for more than two decades. So there. The most interesting part of the study was the finding that "men with moderate muscularity are rated most attractive" and that the more brawny bodybuilder physique is deemed less desirable. Just one more reason to avoid anabolic steroids. So what do men prefer? A 2009 study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology reveals that the No. 1 desired trait is for our mates to be thin. The study, which involved 4,000 men and women ages 18 to 70 looking at a series of photos, didn't say anything about women who are too thin, but judging by the frequent media backlash against stars who lose too much weight and based on my own anecdotal experience -- meaning what I chat about it with guys in the locker room -- I'd say retaining curves is good. Most men I know don't go for the praying mantis look. Overall, I don't believe there is anything wrong with using vanity to motivate you toward becoming a regular exerciser and improving your diet, as long as it's done in a mindful way that doesn't sacrifice health and performance.