But even though my past relationships with these women failed and didn’t last, I got something out of it. I learned a few things or let me say lessons that every guy should remember whenever they enter a relationship. So let me share with you guys a few do’s and dont’s that you should know so that you could apply it to your life and relationships as well.


1. Always keep in touch with your girlfriend
This is probably one of the main reasons for my past breakups. I admit I’m not the type of guy who is fond of texting my location and whereabouts. It’s not that I’m cheating on her. It’s just that I’m too lazy to text and the difficulty of typing texts in touchscreen phones these days just got me lazier. Such a lame excuse right?

My advice: After realizing my own mistake, it is now clearer to me than ever that you should always text or call your girlfriend from time to time. Tell her what you are doing, ask her how she is doing, ask her if she’s taken her lunch and so on. Even a simple Facebook wall post saying you miss her (no matter how cheesy it sounds) is enough to make her happy.


2. Learn to accept her for who she is
We all have our own tastes when it comes to the women we date. Personally, I cannot handle naggers, smokers, flirts and girls who have a certain degree of weirdness in them. What if she has a dark past? Say she was a former ecstasy addict, a lesbian or may heaven forbid: a former prostitute? Well that seems a bit exaggerated but it can happen. It’s up to you whether you can accept her for who she is and who she’s not. Your tolerance level to her negative traits is a measure of how long your relationship will last.

My advice: Before making that hot girl your girlfriend, control your crotch and make sure to get to know her well first. If you can accept her for who she is in the same way she accepts you for who you are, then that is the time to make her your girlfriend.


3. Quality time at least once per week
I understand that we can get busy with our own lives. I had my own fair share of overtimes, holidays at work, family and friends getaway, blogging activities and so on. Now with all those things going on with our lives, it’s easy to forget to ask your girlfriend out on a quality date. Sometimes you are just too exhausted that you would rather sleep all day at home than spend time with your girlfriend. But those are not valid reasons to not go out on a date at least once a week and by that “date”, I mean you and your girlfriend alone.

My advice: Although typically you would go out 2-3 times a week with your girlfriend, you two as a couple have to go out at least once a week in case you are truly busy. That’s the minimum. Any fewer than that frequency will cause ugly fights, cold relationships or just the bitter end – breakups.

Image credit: ThompsonChan | CC License

4. Fighting is healthy
I used to have a girlfriend whom I never had a single fight with. I thought it was awesome but at the same time weird. I realized that the reason why we never had a fight is that we were both keeping to ourselves secretly what we do not like about each other. That was until that fateful day came when we just both exploded in angst and we had a HUGE fight. That single huge fight ended our relationship.

My advice: Openness is very important in any relationship. Telling your partner how you feel, what you like and what you do not like is needed in order to know each other better and to make the relationship last. It is also necessary to set some rules and guidelines between you and your girlfriend. Things as simple as what time you expect her to be home, what clothes she is forbidden to wear, how many bottles of beer she allows you to drink on a boys night out are all necessary so that you fulfill each other’s expectations.


5. Badmouthing is a big NO-NO!
This is related to number 4. Sometimes when we get into fights or quarrels with our girlfriends, we tend to vent those emotions to our beer buddies or other male colleagues in order to get some consolation and to ask for advice. We might even go overboard by badmouthing our own girlfriends – telling everyone how much of a bitch or slut she is and the list goes on. Worse, we might even tell our family (our parents or siblings) in advance that we have broken up with her and that we swear not to get back with her no matter what. Then suddenly, after a few days, you and your girlfriend resolve things and voila – you two are back in each other’s arms.

Now what will your beer buddies, colleagues and family think once you tell them that you have fixed things with your girlfriend and you two are back together? They will think that you are such an idiot! And the worst part of it is that your girlfriend already has a permanent mark in their minds that she is a bitch, a slut, or whatever-bad-adjective-you-used-to-badmouth-her-while-you-two-were-having-a-quarrel. A fugly situation isn’t it?

My advice: Whenever you and your girlfriend have a fight, please keep it between the two of you and resolve it on your own. Or if you just can’t and you find that you need to tell someone to preserve your own sanity, then open up to your most trusted male friend (probably a best friend) who understands you. NOTE: I said trusted male friend because most of the time, female friends cause much gossip you wouldn’t want.

Also, as much as possible, do not open up your girlfriend problems with your parents or siblings unless you are 100% sure that you no longer want to get back with her again. Parents and siblings have a tendency to remember everything you say about your girlfriend and they will naturally take your side (which on one hand is a good thing). On the other hand, the bad thing happens when you and your girlfriend get back together and subsequently get married. Well guess what? Your family will always remember her as someone who is not completely trustworthy for hurting you in the past. Not a very ideal scenario between your wife and her in-laws isn’t it?

……….

So there you have it. These are the five things every guy ought to know when it comes to relationships. I have learned this the hard way through my own experiences and some from my peers. I hope you use these tips well to your advantage and if you can add to the list to help the other guys, please leave a comment below.



Not yet subscribed to Pinoy Guy Guide? Enter your email here to receive free updates. Need dating advice? Join the PGG Forums.

Image credit: Luke | Creative Commons

Let me share with you the 3 kinds of girls I’ve dated in the past and the level of friendship and attraction we’ve had. I’ll just use false names to avoid any form of drama and more importantly, to be equally fair with them. Perhaps you could relate to my story and realize the same things that I did about having just the right amount of friendship and attraction before transforming your date to a girlfriend.

Sarah (100% friendship, 20% attraction)
She’s a cute and funny girl.  So funny and easy to get along with. She thinks the way I do and just one look at each other, we already have an idea of what we wanted to say or laugh at without saying a word.

You know that kind of girl you’ve known since you were a kid? Sarah is one of them. We both know what we like and what we don’t. In fact, our friendship is so deep that it would be very awkward for us to take that friendship to the next level. So at 100% friendship and only 20% attraction we are just that. Close friends -  no more, no less. We both understand that it’s the best thing to do to preserve the friendship and to keep us both sane.


Jessica (20% friendship, 100% attraction)
Jessica is one hot girl. Hot in a way that you get excited everytime the two of you go on dates.

Unfortunately, she’s the type of girl that is pure physical attraction only.

When we started dating, it was fun. Initially, it felt so good to tag along someone who seems to be catching everyone’s stares – but that feeling didn’t last for long.  Sooner or later, things didn’t work out. Having 100% attraction to her and only 20% friendship, I figured out that we didn’t really have a connection for us to last. Imagine this scenario. I like music she doesn’t like. She likes food that I don’t like. I like to do stuff she doesn’t like and vice versa. Even though we were attracted to one another (physically, that is), we realized we just had too many differences. The lack of connection felt like I was going to go nutts so we both decided to call it quits.


Nicole (60% friendship, 80% attraction)
Nicole is a gorgeous girl who likes many things that I do. She seems to be just the right combination of Jessica and Sarah. We started out as good friends and we just had the same likes and dislikes. Although we had differences, they were not deal breakers.

So she became my girlfriend back then. Then one day I started pondering why she seemed better than the first two. I realized that we just had the right amount of friendship and attraction to become a good couple (60% friendship, 80% attraction).

Now 60% friendship, 80% attraction isn’t really a hard rule. So how do you find out if you have just the right amount of chemistry with your date? Here are three indicators:

1. 50-75% similarity
I believe that for any relationship to work, you should have at least 50-75% similarity with her. It’s very important to have a common set of likes or dislikes that you two have. Whether same sports, same music or same hobbies, doing common things would make romance and your bonding last.

Now going beyond “75% similarity” might be boring. You might just be better off as friends like Sarah and I were.

2. You are mysterious enough to turn her on and vice versa
Remember back in highschool? We always get infatuated with that hottie cheerleader in our P.E. class and as soon as we get to know her true character, the mystery is gone and instead of being turned on more, we usually get turned off?

Same is true with the woman you are dating. Is she mysterious enough to keep you interested? Do you get more attracted the more she reveals her true self? If your answer is yes, then you are good to go to the next level.

But how about you? Are you mysterious enough?

I remember Nicole told me once that one of the main reasons she found me attractive was my being mysterious. Mystery is sexy. It is one of the major factors that keeps us attracted to the other person. The best advice I can give when you are dating someone new is to preserve your being mysterious by not divulging too much information about yourself all at once. Give little details one at a time so that you maintain that chemistry and attraction. It is what keeps women interested and draws the line between friendship and lovers.

3. Honesty
Confidence and honesty come in pairs. If you are comfortable and confident enough to say to her what you like and what you do NOT like and she could also do the same, then you have the right amount of friendship and it is time to level up. Now once you reach that point wherein you are both open and honest to each another, you will find that it would be so much easier to utter that question that makes us guys extremely sweaty and nervous: “Would you be my girlfriend?”. I’m sure by that time you will certainly get a “YES!”


I hope my experiences with my past dates and the indicators that I gave you would help you a lot this Valentine season. I wish you the best of luck on your dates and I hope to see you take your girl to the next level. Anything you want to share? Feel free to comment below.


Want to learn more about dating? Subscribe to Pinoy Guy Guide by email. Want to talk about your girlfriend? Join the other guys at the PGG Forums.

Now that the polls is just a week away, do you know who to vote? I’m going a bit off-topic today from the usual men’s fashion posts and will share my own guidelines in choosing the best people to put in our ballots. Remember that most of us guys are interested in power so choosing the next leaders to put in power is very important for our country because even if we are just one person, we are still ONE person and we can do something just by casting our votes. You may not agree with everything that I will say but this will serve as a guide for you in case you are still undecided just as I was that is why I made this up.

In my opinion here are some characteristics of a good president or an ideal leader (this also applies in choosing your vice president, senators and maybe even your local officials). Feel free to add to the list.

1. Has proven track record of accomplishments
When regular people like us apply for a job, employers will look at our curriculum vitae and see if we have relevant working experience or background to find out if we are even worth to be called for a job interview.

Same is true with the people we are voting for. Remember that being a president or leader is also a job. But this time it is us who will act as employers and we need to find out if the person we are voting for is fit to become president or leader of our nation. Does he have enough experience? What has he done so far? We should be diligent enough to find out the personal background of each candidate.

2. Is honest
I am tired of hearing of vote-buying and all those cheating. We need honest leaders.

3. Is not corrupt
Need I say more? This time, we need to spare our beloved country from the humiliation that we are facing globally regarding corrupt leaders.

4. Can represent our country to the world
For me, I think it is very important that a president or leader can represent our nation to other world leaders. We need a leader who knows how to converse intelligently and can close deals with foreign investors. We need a leader who can carry himself well and can stand up like he is implicitly saying “I am Filipino and proud” when facing the likes of Barack Obama and Ban-Ki-Moon (Secretary General of the United Nations). We need someone who can uplift the Filipino image to other countries.

5. Cannot be manipulated
No matter how honest a president or leader is, it will all go to waste when he can easily be manipulated and influenced by people close to him. Vote for someone who can stand up for his own decisions.

6. Has a high sense of morality
Imagine if our country allows abortion and polygamy. Our society will definitely be chaotic.

7. Believes in the Divine
Related to #6, if a leader believes in the Divine, morality will follow. A president should learn to acknowledge that his powers are God-given through the power of the ballot. He needs to be aware that he is not invincible and that there is a greater power up there.

8. Has genuine passion to serve
The president, vice-president, senators, mayors and all other officials are there to serve – not in words, but in action. Leaders are there to uplift the condition of the people and to do what is best for their fellow countrymen. Choose a leader who has been serving already before he has even begun his political career.

9. A strong leader with a well-defined platform of government
Ever heard of the Banana Republic? Not the clothing brand since I’m not talking about fashion now. Banana Republic is a term used to describe a politically unstable country. And I’m sure you do not want Philippines to be coined as a Banana Republic where leaders are weaklings who cannot bring peace to the country.

For me, I want a strong leader who can bring everlasting peace to our nation especially to our brothers in Mindanao. I want a leader who can unite our country as one. I want a leader who has a well-defined platform of government that can sail our country smoothly through his 6 years of leadership. I want a leader who, in 2016, will make the people rally behind him saying “Re-elect Mr. President” even if it is already the end of his term because people really love him and he has proven to be one of the best presidents the Philippines has ever had.

10. Has a strong desire to make the Philippines a better nation
It’s true that many nations have already surpassed the Philippines. Many Asian nations have already prospered and left us behind but I’m not losing hope that the Philippines can catch up.

I want a leader who has a strong desire to improve our nation especially in terms of education, infrastructure, poverty, employment, military, tourism, business, economy, science, technology, health care and even sports (heck, I would love to see Philippines to get a gold in the next Olympics and even join the FIFA World Cup).

. . . . . . .

After saying all that I’m looking for in a leader, I know what you must have in mind. Who will I vote for? Well I haven’t completed my list yet, but for president, I am going for Manny Villar. And no, this is not a political ad of his but this is my honest choice. I know that some have negative things to say about him (some maybe true, some maybe not) and as a matter of fact, he wasn’t even my choice last year when the election season was just about to start. But as May 10 comes closer each day, it becomes clearer to me that Manny Villar is the best choice among all the candidates for president that we have right now.

Let’s face it – nobody is perfect. I know that he doesn’t have all the 10 characteristics of a good president or leader that I listed above. But compared to the others, he has most of them.

But what if my candidate of choice doesn’t win? Well, it is okay for me. I need to respect who the majority of my fellow countrymen voted for. After all, Vox Populi, Vox Dei (A Latin maxim associated with democracy which means  “The voice of the people is the voice of God”). I will support whoever wins for president, after all, he is the elected president and we need to support his efforts for our country to move forward. That is what democracy is after all.

Want to discuss more about the elections? Join the discussions at the PGG Forums.

*Image credit: amonthestreets

Image credit: whatmbthinks | Creative Commons License

Resistance Workout
This one is obvious but the question is why? When the muscles are put under constant working stress like a heavier weight, the cells will try to adapt by growing bigger (unlike other cells which multiply instead of growing bigger). However this adaptation occurs slowly and doesn’t happen immediately after a workout.

What makes the muscle look bigger during resistance workouts is the contraction of the muscles due to stimulation and acute cell expansion from injury. Usually, a lot of people mistake this as the actual growth but this goes away after a while.

There is emphasis on resistance workout because cardio does not help in building muscle. Cardio exercises help burn fat by using oxygen but it does not put much effect on hormones of the muscle. Sprinting however is different because it uses more of the non-cardio (fast-twitch) muscles and becomes more of resistance workout. That’s why High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) exercises were made to spare muscles to be used as energy.

Food and nutrients
Food intake promotes anabolic or bodybuilding metabolism. The body requires protein to build up the cell mass and carbohydrates to spare the muscles to be used for energy. Fats and some cholesterol are also needed because of long-term energy and formation of hormones. You need some vitamins like Vitamin A, B complex, and magnesium to increase metabolic processes.

If you eat less, the body will lack macronutrients to rebuild itself. This would make the body resort to using your muscles as energy that would lead to a reduction in muscle size.

A lot of people say that their metabolism is too high that they’re not gaining fat no matter how much they eat. This can be a false belief because metabolism is involved with both catabolism (destruction) and anabolism (building). This might just be a case of a lack of nutrients. If this happens, you have to eat.

On the other hand, overfeeding yourself with protein (like whey protein shakes) doesn’t actually benefit in extra muscle growth. Extra protein is converted to glucose and urea that will be excreted by the kidneys.

Rest
This is probably one of the most important but often neglected. People need sleep to give time for the body to repair from the damage and stress of the workout and the whole day. During sleep, the body releases growth hormone that basically rebuilds most of the damaged cells like muscles after a workout.

If you lack sleep, you’re giving less time for growth and more time for the body to release Cortisol, the stress hormone, which basically converts your muscle into energy. This means your muscles will be getting smaller.

Hormones
These are chemical messengers in the body, which drive the cells to grow or act a certain way. Two important hormones drive the muscles to grow, the growth hormone and testosterone. These two promote cell growth and muscle formation and are excreted mainly in rest or eating.

The body usually tightly controls these hormones. Abuse of these hormones like sports enhancement drugs would result in undesirable effects like man boobs, smaller testicles, and baldness.

However, you also might just have a hormone disease. Now if you suspect that you’re not growing as much as you expect with increased food intake and exercise, there might be an imbalance in your body. You might want to see a doctor for these diseases.

Kilo is a former sales associate and is currently pursuing a career in the medical field. He has a great interest in topics such as technology, health issues, economics and business. You can catch up with him at the PGG Forums.

Want to be a PGG Contributor? Contact Chris here. Not yet subscribed to Pinoy Guy Guide? Enter your email here to receive the latest updates.

“Hi Chris! I just want to commend you for a nice blog you have and I need some help in choosing fashionable clothes for fat/chubby guy like me. I am wondering where can I buy fashionable clothes for myself. Because when I go to F&H, People are People, Refill, etc.. there are no clothes that fits me. Can you help me? Thanks in advance.”

-ASH

Thanks Ash for your email and for the compliment. As you wish, here is my response to you. I have provided here some tips to help you and the other big guys in choosing comfortable and stylish clothes.

1. Don’t buy too loose or too fit.

When chubby guys buy clothes, they have a tendency to buy either clothes which are too fit or too loose to prove that they are not too big. However, I think this is a wrong move in choosing clothes.

If you happen to be a chubby guy, go for clothes which are one size bigger than your actual size BUT choose a slim fit version.

Confused?

Let’s say you go shopping for a shirt. You know that you are a size XL. So what you need to do is to find nice clothes on size XXL which are SLIM FIT. Once again read: SLIM FIT! So what will happen is that you will end up buying clothes which are just about right for your size and since it is slim fit, it will make you look slimmer.


2. Vertical Patterns

If you have attended Psychology 101 you should remember a topic their called visual illusions. During my freshman year in college, I clearly remember my Psych professor teaching us how to wear good clothes which will make short guys appear taller, fat guys appear slimmer, skinny guys appear bigger and so on and so forth.

I will not go over all of them. But what I remember is that, if you are a chubby guy, you should avoid horizontal prints on clothes because it only will make you look bigger and yes, fatter. Instead, what you should do is to wear vertical prints because the length of the prints will produce an illusion that you are taller and slimmer than you actually are. Choose a variety of vertical prints and not just plain stripes. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to find your wardrobe full of vertically-striped clothes would you?


3. Buy from shops like…

…Jag, Lee, Penshoppe, Bench, Human, RRJ, Tribal etc. They have tons of stylish and inexpensive clothes available up to XL (and in some cases even XXL). I also recommend that you go shopping for clothes in department stores rather than stand-alone shops for variety and for size availability. And if you can find American and foreign brands like TopMan, Van Heusen, Izod and Von Dutch – it would be much better because American sizes are naturally bigger.

You mentioned in your email some brands that you like. However, People are People, Folded & Hung, Refill, Mint, Oxygen and other similar brands rarely have BIG sizes. Yes, their clothes are very modern and chic but their target market is for slim guys. So I suggest you go for the previous ones I have mentioned.


4. Try MaxWear at SM Department Store

If you have some time, try to drop by SM Department Store one of these days. They have a section there called MaxWear and they have a wide variety of inexpensive clothes for big men.  Check out a few photos below:

They have plenty of clothes for both casual and formal wear and most of the designs are the latest ones which you will also see from the other brands.


Anyway, I hope you and the other guys will find this post useful and helpful in a way. If the other readers have some tips also, please don’t hesitate to post a comment below.

Want more tips on men’s fashion? Subscribe to Pinoy Guy Guide by email or discuss more about style at the PGG Forums.

Marky wearing blue checkered polo from Penshoppe, white tailor-fitted jeans, brown sneakers from Rusty Lopez, stainless and black rubber bracelet, and Guess watch.

Marky wearing white polo from Blue Soda, checkered slim tie from Folded and Hung, red jacket and gray jeans from Jag.




Style Tip from Marky:

“I don’t necessarily go for branded and expensive clothes or accessories. Depende naman pag ok ang dating sa akin, mix and match lang and there you go. Mostly I’d go for polo and polo shirts tapos sa jeans semi or medium fit. Minsan kapag medyo malaki yung nabili ko (kasi I grab it na kahit XL ang size kapag SALE), I’d have it re-fitted by a nearby tailor which costs me 50-100 Pesos per piece so malaking tipid na rin!”

Learn more about men’s fashion by joining the PGG Forums.

Want to Show Your Style like Marky? Click here for details.

The year 2009 has been another fantastic year. So as the year comes to a close, let’s have a recap on Pinoy Guy Guide’s top posts for 2009.

1. Beware of gold-diggers in bars – this post created lots of talk over other blogs and even Plurk. It tells a true story of how some women are just after your wallet. Sad, but true.

2. Modern men’s formal trousers – after I got tired of the usual slacks, I bought this pair of formal trousers which actually look like jeans.

3. Why being a “torpe” will never work – I remember I wrote this before Valentine’s day this year. It’s an enlightening article for the guys out there who are still thinking whether or not to confess to the girl of their dreams.

4. Von Dutch super thin shirts – these thin shirts are really awesome. It feels so comfortable to wear and if you are a gym rat, these shirts will be a plus point to you towards the ladies.

5. Gym Guide – the three posts below are a series of posts talking about the most popular gyms in the country:

• Gym Guide (part 1): Gold’s Gym
• Gym Guide (part 2): Fitness First
• Gym Guide (part 3): Slimmers World

6. Sneak Peak – a PGG contributor talks about three of the best shoe finds.

7. Merrell Shoes – I’m telling you that these has to be one of the most durable shoes I’ve ever worn.

8. Who’s your Male Fashion Icon? – Jessie, a PGG contributor, wrote about three of the most popular icons today. So who’s your icon?

9. What should a Pinoy Guy be able to do? The two posts below discuss them in full.

• A Pinoy guy should be able to…
• 10 more skills a Pinoy guy should have

10. iPod and Creative have lots of competition on-going. This year we had iPod shuffle 3G as well as Nano 5G and Zen X-Fi2.

11. Ash Gray and Cloudy Gray Jeans for Men – if there is one type of jeans that became popular this year, it is none other than the gray jeans. I love them!

12. How to flash your killer smile – I always laugh when I remember this post. It’s something I learned from a workshop. It’s useful actually.

13. Bangs on guys rule – this type of haircut is popular. Thanks to Gatsby!

14. Korean Style Men’s Jacket – I sold some of these at the PGG Store. Until now, I’ve been receiving praises for this jacket.

15. Plaid Polo is still in and is good for any occasion – plaids are nice. They have been around for quite some time and they are still in.

16. Would you drive a vintage car? – ahhh vintage cars. They are expensive and they really catch people’s attention but would you want to drive one?

17. Speed Dating based on the experience of Tim – ever wondered what speed dating is like? Tim, a PGG contributor, shares his experience.

18. Is Megan Fox hotter than Angelina Jolie? – it looks like PGG readers had a debate on who’s hotter between the two. Check out the comments to the post.

19. PGG’s four picks on Men’s Scents – if you are still lost on what fragrance is best for you, check out this post and try these scents.

20. When boardshorts are not just for summer – if you find it strange to wear boardshorts when it is not summer, then think again. Guys are now wearing them to malls!

21. The Game of Buying – Kilo, a very active member of the PGG Forums,  gives us some advices when is the best time to buy.

22. Men’s Hair Wax with Hair Color – this new wax with hair color is a surefire hit especially if you want a new look.

23. Adidas Jeremy Scott: The shoe with wings – I haven’t seen this in the country yet, but once I see them in actual, I think my jaw will drop.

24. How to NOT get into the Friend Zone – some guys just fall into the friend zone. Here are some tips how to not get into that dreaded zone.

25. Folding it up – don’t know what to do with your old jeans? Check out this tip from PGG contributor Tim.

26. Nokia Booklet 3G: A netbook to drool for – this netbook is superb. I just wish it was a bit cheaper.

27. Multi-colored sleeves/cuffs and collar lines – these shirts from Topman and Mint MEN are the newest trend in shirts. Get yourself some.

28. Nike Free 5.0 v4 – the most stylish and most comfortable pair of shoes I’ve bought this year.

29. Pinoy Guy Guide and Adidas Christmas Giveaway – I’m very very happy that Adidas became a partner of Pinoy Guy Guide. This recently concluded giveaway helped boost the PGG Forums. I hope that many more sponsors will come so that there will be more giveaways!

30. Show Your Style Project – This project is one that I am very excited about. I wasn’t expecting people to really participate, but I was surprised when I received entries in my inbox. I’m very thankful to everyone for making it happen. There are more Show Your Style entries to be posted so keep visiting the blog and keep sending your entries.

If you want to check the posts related to Show Your Style check out this link.


Whew, that was quite a long list of posts for 2009! I hope you found them to be useful, informative and even entertaining. I also hope that you will continue to participate and support PGG Projects in the future.

This time, let me hear your feedback. What topics did you like or did you not like? And if you have suggestions on how to improve the blog, please leave a comment below or contact me here. I am also on the look out for write-up contributors. If interested, send me an email at  or use the form here.


Have a Happy New Year everyone! Cheers!


Subscribe to Pinoy Guy Guide by email or by feed to receive the latest updates.

Image credit: Here | License

When it comes to the dating arena, the last thing every guy would want is to find himself in the friend zone. Because when you get into the friend zone, it is almost impossible to get out of it. There is no turning back and it’s time to say goodbye to your prospect girlfriend because she is now just your ordinary girl friend (take note of the space).

What’s the friend zone anyway? If you aren’t familiar read this. You see, women classify every guy they meet into two. They group all guys who are a potential date and a potential boyfriend into the “dating zone”. And they group all those guys who are a good friend, a possible best friend or a brother to the so-called “friend zone” – somewhere you will never want to be in for the hottie you’re dating.

I’d like to share with you the things I have observed and learned so that you will not get into that dreadful friend zone.

1. Mystery is the keyword
Mystery is a turn-on. Don’t share too much information about yourself initially. My girlfriend tells me that when I was courting her there is really something in me that keeps her interested. She wants to know me better. Reason? I didn’t spill too much information during our first few dates. Guys who share too much on the first few meetings end up as just friends with the girl. But guys who preserve the mystery keeps the dating game exciting.

2. Don’t talk about relationships with her
This is a no-brainer, I’m sure. Why would you even talk about dating, relationships or even her ex with her? You see, these stories are reserved for her girl friends, not for you (that is, if you still want to fall into her “dating zone”). You should talk about topics involving the two of you, the places where you would want to take her and at least slowly give her hints that you like her.

3. Don’t always make yourself available
Don’t get me wrong on this one. Of course you should ALWAYS be there for her when you feel that she likes you already. But during the initial stages of getting-to-know each other, your availability can determine your fate. Remember, friends are the people who are always around. So if you are always around her you might just fall into the friend zone – so don’t overdo it. Be there when she least expects it and surprise her with chocolates at her desk and I promise you won’t regret it.

4. Don’t be a good puppy
A good puppy does everything their owner tells them. Guys who just say yes and yes to everything she says are wimps and she knows that they are boring to be with. Don’t forget that you have your own set of beliefs and mindset so stand for what you believe in and what you want. Learn when to agree and when to disagree. You’d be surprised that she will get more attracted to you because of your innate confidence.

5. Say how you feel but…
Not too early or you will freak her out. Saying how you feel is the most effective way to NOT fall into the friend zone. Want to know why? Because you have said clearly from the start what your intentions are and that is to be her boyfriend and not just friends. This is important so that she knows what to expect and won’t mistakenly place you in her circle of guy friends. Just make sure that the timing is right.

How about you? What have you learned about the friend zone? Share your own tips or experiences, I’m sure you can add more to the list.

Liked this post? Subscribe to Pinoy Guy Guide by email to receive updates or Join the PGG Forums to discuss more dating tips.

Tired of your old pair of jeans? Thinking of throwing away all your old straight cut denims in favor of skinny jeans? Or felt like your old pants are no longer of good use?

Recession in the economy can be a hinder in buying new clothes and it even makes some fashion savvy guys drive away from updating their fashion pieces. But who says that recession should make any Juan Dela Cruz stick back to their old 90′s high cut blue jeans and baggy white t-shirt?

We’ve read it in PGG that fashion need not to be expensive. It is how you put things together and how you carry it with machismo confidence. So how about taking out your old, outdated pair of jeans in the closet and bring it back to life with style?

I tried experimenting some of my old pair of straight cut denims, and tried folding it up until the knees (or below the knees, it depends on you) making it look like a new pair of Capri denims paired with rubber shoes, sneakers, or ordinary flip-flops. I find this idea brilliant and cost-saving by making an old pair of jeans useful again in one way or the other. I mean, if we do fold our shirt’s or polo shirt’s sleeves an inch or so to showcase our biceps and to feel fitter, then why not do the same with your bottoms?

So how about you? Has the recent recession affected the way you spend your money for style and fashion? What other possible ways can you think of to help us in maximizing our old clothes?

Tim is a 19-year-old Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management student, who considers himself as a modern Pinoy, and a great appreciator of male fashion. Tim hopes to share his experiences, and help the timid guys to get out of their old comfort zones in order to experience the zest that comes within a modern Pinoy.

Get updates on men’s style and fashion by Subscribing to Pinoy Guy Guide by email. Want to share your story with other PGG readers? Contribute an article now to PGG by contacting Chris

No, this is not a fake post. It’s an honest post of me seeking advice from you, my dear readers.

For the past few days I have been having trouble fitting all of my activities in just 24 hours. So maybe you’re wondering, what on earth am I doing that I couldn’t fit all my to-do list in 24 hours? OK, here’s a list of some of my day-to-day activities.

• Work – good for 8 hours and is necessary to make a living
• Exercise / Workout  – for health reasons of course and as a stress-reliever.
• Blogging – just can’t live without visiting and writing topics on PGG, monitoring the forums and reading as well as answering emails from readers.
• My Girl – hmmm… LOL.
• Reading – yeah, I do read books, other blogs and even Internet news.
• Sleeping/Eating – this is given
• Hangout with friends  -  I can’t live without socialization.
• Talking with family members – we’re really close, you know…
• Other hobbies and projects – they are just plenty.

They do appear to be only a few compared to others, but they totally add up a lot, so if you have some tips to help me (and possibly other readers who are in the same boat as I am), I’d really appreciate it.

Image credit: Mayeve | License