Vanity Drives Results

Vanity Drives Results

shred_
February 25, 2026•5 min read

Let's talk about something men pretend they don't care about. The way their body looks.

We will happily tell you about our new car, our latest watch, or the suit we just had tailored. But ask a man if he cares about how his body looks and watch him squirm.

"I just want to be healthy." "I'm doing it for my blood pressure." "My doctor told me to lose weight."

No he didn't. You looked in the mirror and didn't like what you saw. And that's perfectly fine. The doctor probably did tell you, but because he too is a guy, he gave you a way out. "Nothing to worry about, just keep an eye on…" and we run with that.

Men would rather punch a new hole in their belt than admit they need to lose 30 pounds. Even if it meant acid reflux that is 8 times worse after every meal. Even if it meant elevated blood pressure increasing their risk of heart attack and stroke. Even if it meant nerve damage causing burning pain and numbness in their thighs. Even if it meant chronic back pain from a pelvis that no longer moves the way it should. Even if it meant literally pushing their stomach up through their diaphragm.

All because they won't say the words: "I don't like the way my body looks."

And here's the stinger. Men don't even compliment other men on their physical appearance. A woman walks into a room and her friends will tell her she looks incredible. A man walks into a room having lost 30 pounds and his friends will say absolutely nothing.

Research from Dr. Janet Holmes found that male-to-male compliments are the rarest form of human compliment. In one study, women complimented each other almost 250 times. Men? Less than 50. We have been conditioned to treat acknowledging another man's body as awkward, suspicious, or soft. So we say nothing. And men walk around starving for recognition they will never ask for and rarely receive.

One of the things I tell my clients is to do this for themselves because none of their colleagues or friends will say anything. I only had one guy ask me if I had been sick. Later he confided in me that he thought I had a terminal disease. At 12% body fat? Damn.

But things are changing and that's why I give men the opportunity to say it, if they feel it. Admittedly, just because vanity was my personal driver to abs doesn't necessarily mean it will be the same for you. But the research says it most probably is.

You only have to look at the trends to see the shift across the board. The global men's skincare market is worth over $18 billion and projected to nearly double within a decade. Male cosmetic procedures have nearly doubled in just six years. The men's health and wellness market is a $1.4 trillion industry heading to $2.9 trillion by 2030. Athleisure isn't just comfortable. Men want to look good in it.

This isn't about being superficial or fat shaming. Far from that. It's about being radically honest with ourselves.

You care about how you show up when you walk into a room. You care about the impression you make when you meet someone for the first time. You care about the suit fitting right.

Why would your body be any different?

Health. Strength. Vanity.

All three matter. And the sooner we stop pretending the third one doesn't, the sooner we actually start getting results.

Because "I just want to be healthy" never got anyone out of bed at 5 AM.

But "I want to look incredible at 47" absolutely did.

It did for me. Is it doing it for you?

Scientific References

Tight Belt Health Risks:

  1. Lee, Y.H. et al. (2014). "Effect of Wearing a Tight Waist Belt on the Sagittal Kinematics of the Pelvis during Sit-to-Stand." Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 26(3), 435-436. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3976020/

  2. Lee, R.A. et al. (2017). "Abdominal Compression by Waist Belt Aggravates Gastroesophageal Reflux, Primarily by Impairing Esophageal Clearance." Gastroenterology, 152(8), 1881-1888. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28267445/

  3. McGill, S.M. et al. (1996). "Wearing an Abdominal Belt Increases Diastolic Blood Pressure." PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8877843/

  4. Jonesco, M. (2025). Ohio State Wexner Medical Center — Meralgia paresthetica and blood flow restriction from tight belts. https://health.osu.edu/wellness/prevention/fashion-trends-affect-health

Male Compliment Research:

  1. Holmes, J. (1988). "Paying Compliments: A Sex-Preferential Politeness Strategy." Journal of Pragmatics, 12(4), 445-465. Foundational study establishing that women give 68% of all compliments, receive 74%, and male-to-male compliments are the rarest category.

  2. Wikipedia summary of Holmes and related compliment research: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complimentary_language_and_gender

  3. Gao, S. et al. (2019). "Personality Counts More Than Appearance for Men Making Affective Judgments of Verbal Comments." Frontiers in Psychology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6362430/

Men's Skincare Market:

  1. Custom Market Insights (2025). Global Male Skincare Market valued at $17.6 billion in 2025, projected to reach $30.9 billion by 2034 at 6.5% CAGR. https://www.custommarketinsights.com/report/male-skincare-market/

  2. Global Market Insights (2025). Men Skincare Products Market estimated at $20.6 billion in 2025, projected to reach $31.7 billion by 2034 at 4.9% CAGR. https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/men-skin-care-products-market

Male Cosmetic Procedures:

  1. International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery — ISAPS (2026). Male surgical procedures up 95% and non-surgical procedures up 116% between 2018 and 2024. Total aesthetic procedures globally reached nearly 38 million in 2024, a 42.5% increase over 4 years. https://www.isaps.org/discover/about-isaps/global-statistics/global-survey-2024-full-report-and-press-releases/

  2. Medical Xpress (January 2026). "Men getting twice as much plastic surgery, new data shows." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-men-plastic-surgery.html

Men's Health & Wellness Market:

  1. ResearchAndMarkets.com (September 2025). Global men's health and wellness market valued at $1.42 trillion in 2024, projected to reach $2.88 trillion by 2030 at ~12% CAGR. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/09/04/3144247/28124/en/Men-s-Health-and-Wellness-Analysis-Report-2025-Market-to-Reach-2-88-Trillion-by-2030

proteinfat lossweight lossabsexecutivesleaderstransformation
Back to Blog

Vanity Drives Results

shred_
February 25, 2026•5 min read

Let's talk about something men pretend they don't care about. The way their body looks.

We will happily tell you about our new car, our latest watch, or the suit we just had tailored. But ask a man if he cares about how his body looks and watch him squirm.

"I just want to be healthy." "I'm doing it for my blood pressure." "My doctor told me to lose weight."

No he didn't. You looked in the mirror and didn't like what you saw. And that's perfectly fine. The doctor probably did tell you, but because he too is a guy, he gave you a way out. "Nothing to worry about, just keep an eye on…" and we run with that.

Men would rather punch a new hole in their belt than admit they need to lose 30 pounds. Even if it meant acid reflux that is 8 times worse after every meal. Even if it meant elevated blood pressure increasing their risk of heart attack and stroke. Even if it meant nerve damage causing burning pain and numbness in their thighs. Even if it meant chronic back pain from a pelvis that no longer moves the way it should. Even if it meant literally pushing their stomach up through their diaphragm.

All because they won't say the words: "I don't like the way my body looks."

And here's the stinger. Men don't even compliment other men on their physical appearance. A woman walks into a room and her friends will tell her she looks incredible. A man walks into a room having lost 30 pounds and his friends will say absolutely nothing.

Research from Dr. Janet Holmes found that male-to-male compliments are the rarest form of human compliment. In one study, women complimented each other almost 250 times. Men? Less than 50. We have been conditioned to treat acknowledging another man's body as awkward, suspicious, or soft. So we say nothing. And men walk around starving for recognition they will never ask for and rarely receive.

One of the things I tell my clients is to do this for themselves because none of their colleagues or friends will say anything. I only had one guy ask me if I had been sick. Later he confided in me that he thought I had a terminal disease. At 12% body fat? Damn.

But things are changing and that's why I give men the opportunity to say it, if they feel it. Admittedly, just because vanity was my personal driver to abs doesn't necessarily mean it will be the same for you. But the research says it most probably is.

You only have to look at the trends to see the shift across the board. The global men's skincare market is worth over $18 billion and projected to nearly double within a decade. Male cosmetic procedures have nearly doubled in just six years. The men's health and wellness market is a $1.4 trillion industry heading to $2.9 trillion by 2030. Athleisure isn't just comfortable. Men want to look good in it.

This isn't about being superficial or fat shaming. Far from that. It's about being radically honest with ourselves.

You care about how you show up when you walk into a room. You care about the impression you make when you meet someone for the first time. You care about the suit fitting right.

Why would your body be any different?

Health. Strength. Vanity.

All three matter. And the sooner we stop pretending the third one doesn't, the sooner we actually start getting results.

Because "I just want to be healthy" never got anyone out of bed at 5 AM.

But "I want to look incredible at 47" absolutely did.

It did for me. Is it doing it for you?

Scientific References

Tight Belt Health Risks:

  1. Lee, Y.H. et al. (2014). "Effect of Wearing a Tight Waist Belt on the Sagittal Kinematics of the Pelvis during Sit-to-Stand." Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 26(3), 435-436. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3976020/

  2. Lee, R.A. et al. (2017). "Abdominal Compression by Waist Belt Aggravates Gastroesophageal Reflux, Primarily by Impairing Esophageal Clearance." Gastroenterology, 152(8), 1881-1888. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28267445/

  3. McGill, S.M. et al. (1996). "Wearing an Abdominal Belt Increases Diastolic Blood Pressure." PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8877843/

  4. Jonesco, M. (2025). Ohio State Wexner Medical Center — Meralgia paresthetica and blood flow restriction from tight belts. https://health.osu.edu/wellness/prevention/fashion-trends-affect-health

Male Compliment Research:

  1. Holmes, J. (1988). "Paying Compliments: A Sex-Preferential Politeness Strategy." Journal of Pragmatics, 12(4), 445-465. Foundational study establishing that women give 68% of all compliments, receive 74%, and male-to-male compliments are the rarest category.

  2. Wikipedia summary of Holmes and related compliment research: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complimentary_language_and_gender

  3. Gao, S. et al. (2019). "Personality Counts More Than Appearance for Men Making Affective Judgments of Verbal Comments." Frontiers in Psychology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6362430/

Men's Skincare Market:

  1. Custom Market Insights (2025). Global Male Skincare Market valued at $17.6 billion in 2025, projected to reach $30.9 billion by 2034 at 6.5% CAGR. https://www.custommarketinsights.com/report/male-skincare-market/

  2. Global Market Insights (2025). Men Skincare Products Market estimated at $20.6 billion in 2025, projected to reach $31.7 billion by 2034 at 4.9% CAGR. https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/men-skin-care-products-market

Male Cosmetic Procedures:

  1. International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery — ISAPS (2026). Male surgical procedures up 95% and non-surgical procedures up 116% between 2018 and 2024. Total aesthetic procedures globally reached nearly 38 million in 2024, a 42.5% increase over 4 years. https://www.isaps.org/discover/about-isaps/global-statistics/global-survey-2024-full-report-and-press-releases/

  2. Medical Xpress (January 2026). "Men getting twice as much plastic surgery, new data shows." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-men-plastic-surgery.html

Men's Health & Wellness Market:

  1. ResearchAndMarkets.com (September 2025). Global men's health and wellness market valued at $1.42 trillion in 2024, projected to reach $2.88 trillion by 2030 at ~12% CAGR. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/09/04/3144247/28124/en/Men-s-Health-and-Wellness-Analysis-Report-2025-Market-to-Reach-2-88-Trillion-by-2030

proteinfat lossweight lossabsexecutivesleaderstransformation
Back to Blog

THE HEALTH MANIFESTO

We’re living through the silent collapse

People are tired. Inflamed. Anxious. Overweight. Under-muscled.

Overfed with misinformation, yet undernourished in truth.

This isn’t a book. It’s a call to reclaim what was stolen - energy, strength and clarity.

The ability to say no to a system designed to keep us sick and compliant.

We are sick. Not metaphorically – literally.

Obesity is skyrocketing.

Chronic disease is the default.

Anxiety, depression, infertility and autoimmune dysfunction.

The modern epidemic is not one disease, but a whole ecosystem of slow, preventable collapse.

And it’s not your fault.

You’ve been lied to.

Download for freeAudiobook, eBook, PDF & MP3
Download The Health manifesto for Free

Vanity Drives Results

shred_
February 25, 2026•5 min read

Let's talk about something men pretend they don't care about. The way their body looks.

We will happily tell you about our new car, our latest watch, or the suit we just had tailored. But ask a man if he cares about how his body looks and watch him squirm.

"I just want to be healthy." "I'm doing it for my blood pressure." "My doctor told me to lose weight."

No he didn't. You looked in the mirror and didn't like what you saw. And that's perfectly fine. The doctor probably did tell you, but because he too is a guy, he gave you a way out. "Nothing to worry about, just keep an eye on…" and we run with that.

Men would rather punch a new hole in their belt than admit they need to lose 30 pounds. Even if it meant acid reflux that is 8 times worse after every meal. Even if it meant elevated blood pressure increasing their risk of heart attack and stroke. Even if it meant nerve damage causing burning pain and numbness in their thighs. Even if it meant chronic back pain from a pelvis that no longer moves the way it should. Even if it meant literally pushing their stomach up through their diaphragm.

All because they won't say the words: "I don't like the way my body looks."

And here's the stinger. Men don't even compliment other men on their physical appearance. A woman walks into a room and her friends will tell her she looks incredible. A man walks into a room having lost 30 pounds and his friends will say absolutely nothing.

Research from Dr. Janet Holmes found that male-to-male compliments are the rarest form of human compliment. In one study, women complimented each other almost 250 times. Men? Less than 50. We have been conditioned to treat acknowledging another man's body as awkward, suspicious, or soft. So we say nothing. And men walk around starving for recognition they will never ask for and rarely receive.

One of the things I tell my clients is to do this for themselves because none of their colleagues or friends will say anything. I only had one guy ask me if I had been sick. Later he confided in me that he thought I had a terminal disease. At 12% body fat? Damn.

But things are changing and that's why I give men the opportunity to say it, if they feel it. Admittedly, just because vanity was my personal driver to abs doesn't necessarily mean it will be the same for you. But the research says it most probably is.

You only have to look at the trends to see the shift across the board. The global men's skincare market is worth over $18 billion and projected to nearly double within a decade. Male cosmetic procedures have nearly doubled in just six years. The men's health and wellness market is a $1.4 trillion industry heading to $2.9 trillion by 2030. Athleisure isn't just comfortable. Men want to look good in it.

This isn't about being superficial or fat shaming. Far from that. It's about being radically honest with ourselves.

You care about how you show up when you walk into a room. You care about the impression you make when you meet someone for the first time. You care about the suit fitting right.

Why would your body be any different?

Health. Strength. Vanity.

All three matter. And the sooner we stop pretending the third one doesn't, the sooner we actually start getting results.

Because "I just want to be healthy" never got anyone out of bed at 5 AM.

But "I want to look incredible at 47" absolutely did.

It did for me. Is it doing it for you?

Scientific References

Tight Belt Health Risks:

  1. Lee, Y.H. et al. (2014). "Effect of Wearing a Tight Waist Belt on the Sagittal Kinematics of the Pelvis during Sit-to-Stand." Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 26(3), 435-436. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3976020/

  2. Lee, R.A. et al. (2017). "Abdominal Compression by Waist Belt Aggravates Gastroesophageal Reflux, Primarily by Impairing Esophageal Clearance." Gastroenterology, 152(8), 1881-1888. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28267445/

  3. McGill, S.M. et al. (1996). "Wearing an Abdominal Belt Increases Diastolic Blood Pressure." PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8877843/

  4. Jonesco, M. (2025). Ohio State Wexner Medical Center — Meralgia paresthetica and blood flow restriction from tight belts. https://health.osu.edu/wellness/prevention/fashion-trends-affect-health

Male Compliment Research:

  1. Holmes, J. (1988). "Paying Compliments: A Sex-Preferential Politeness Strategy." Journal of Pragmatics, 12(4), 445-465. Foundational study establishing that women give 68% of all compliments, receive 74%, and male-to-male compliments are the rarest category.

  2. Wikipedia summary of Holmes and related compliment research: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complimentary_language_and_gender

  3. Gao, S. et al. (2019). "Personality Counts More Than Appearance for Men Making Affective Judgments of Verbal Comments." Frontiers in Psychology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6362430/

Men's Skincare Market:

  1. Custom Market Insights (2025). Global Male Skincare Market valued at $17.6 billion in 2025, projected to reach $30.9 billion by 2034 at 6.5% CAGR. https://www.custommarketinsights.com/report/male-skincare-market/

  2. Global Market Insights (2025). Men Skincare Products Market estimated at $20.6 billion in 2025, projected to reach $31.7 billion by 2034 at 4.9% CAGR. https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/men-skin-care-products-market

Male Cosmetic Procedures:

  1. International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery — ISAPS (2026). Male surgical procedures up 95% and non-surgical procedures up 116% between 2018 and 2024. Total aesthetic procedures globally reached nearly 38 million in 2024, a 42.5% increase over 4 years. https://www.isaps.org/discover/about-isaps/global-statistics/global-survey-2024-full-report-and-press-releases/

  2. Medical Xpress (January 2026). "Men getting twice as much plastic surgery, new data shows." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-men-plastic-surgery.html

Men's Health & Wellness Market:

  1. ResearchAndMarkets.com (September 2025). Global men's health and wellness market valued at $1.42 trillion in 2024, projected to reach $2.88 trillion by 2030 at ~12% CAGR. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/09/04/3144247/28124/en/Men-s-Health-and-Wellness-Analysis-Report-2025-Market-to-Reach-2-88-Trillion-by-2030

proteinfat lossweight lossabsexecutivesleaderstransformation
Back to Blog

Disclaimer: This is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.

When you’re ready, here are two ways I can help

1. The ShredTech Protocol: Lose fat, build strength, and restore energy with a system built for busy leaders. Evidence-based nutrition, efficient training, real results. Start your transformation here .

2. Private Coaching: For founders and executives who want a complete physical and mental reset. Fully tailored, data-driven, and discreet. Apply here .

Sign up for the weekly mailing list and get exclusive insights, unreleased content, and unfiltered truths the mainstream won’t touch.

Unsubscribe anytime.

Zero guilt. Total control.

ShredTech on Instagram
ShredTech on Facebook
ShredTech on ikTok
Nuno on LinkedIn
ShredTech n YouTube
ShredTech on X
Talk to Us
Soon...
ShredTech on Instagram
ShredTech on Facebook
ShredTech on ikTok
Nuno on LinkedIn
Soon...
Talk to Us
ShredTech on X
ShredTech n YouTube

All the information on this site is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.

© Human Due Diligence. 2026.
All Rights Reserved.