Sweat365 » Top 5 Ways To Avoid The Muffin Top
Post by:Lisa Sabin
Saturday, June 14th, 2008 at 4:20 pm | 24 Comments
The Muffin Top: Fashion Craze Who’s Time has Past?
Why do women wear shirts that expose their midriff? Why do they wear pants that are so tight that their flesh comes over the top? “Muffin-top” is a generally pejorative, slang term used to describe the phenomenon of overhanging flesh when it spills over the waistline of trousers or skirt in a manner that resembles the top of a muffin spilling over its paper casing. This generally occurs when an individual wears low-rise, hip-hugger pants, or midriff-baring tops that are too small.
In November 2007 the BBC website published an article entitled “Is this the end of the muffin top?” in which they described a fashion trend for high-waisted shorts, trousers and mini skirts, which they believed would prevent the appearance of muffin tops. However, Laura Craik, fashion editor for London’s Evening Standard said that she didn’t think it spelled the end of the muffin top, but that “perhaps they will be in retreat for a while.”
An additional derivation is “Split Top Muffin” to describe seeing the “muffin-top” from behind with the jeans so low as to expose the top of the gluteal cleft.
In an episode of the NBC Sit-Com 30 Rock, Jenna Maroney records a song called “Muffin Top”, which becomes a chart-topper in Israel and Belgium. Although no one in the US appears to have heard of the song, Jenna is permitted to perform it on stage, which plays over the episode’s end credits.
You don’t really want a Muffin Top, do you?
Now that we know what muffin tops are and what they look like. We can finally address the problem. Even though “It’s the best part of a muffin,” I think most women want to avoid this look. The “Split Top Muffin.” is a definite fashion faux pas.
Here are my top 5 Ways To Avoid The Muffin Top
- Stop wearing super low rise jeans. Leave these to the teenagers. No one wants to see bulging flesh coming out of your jeans.
- Stop wearing midriff shirts. There shouldn’t be a gap of skin between your pants and your shirt, especially if you are over 30 years old.
- Cardio. Engage in aerobic activity 20 - 60 minutes on most days of the week. Muffin Tops are caused from excess bodyfat. While all of us have some natural curves, there is no reason to have flesh spilling outside your pants.
- Strength Train. Engage in resistance training 2-3 times per week. Do 1-2 sets, 8-12 exercises for all major muscle groups. Keep the repetitions between 8-15 to increase lean body mass. Increasing lean body mass speeds up your metabolism so you burn more calories.
- Eat Healthy. A lowfat diet that is high in fiber, low in saturated fats will help you avoid Muffin Top. Also don’t forget to drink plenty of water. A good rule is half your body weight in ounces.
I hope this fashion trend will soon end. I am tired of trying to find pants that fit. The other challenge is finding underwear to wear with these lowrise pants. Not all fashion trends work for everyone. Don’t be tempted to wear something because it’s “In Style”. Wear what looks good on you and you won’t regret it.
Sources:
Wikipedia, Muffin Tops
Is This The End Of The Muffin Top? By Denise Winterman
YouTube, Lifesaver Muffin Top Commercial
Filed under: weight-loss, diet, exercise, TV, Articles, General Fitness, fashion |
Digg! this story.
|
Leave a Comment
24 Comments: :
Top 5 Ways To Avoid The Muffin Top
June 14th, 2008 6:36 pm
carriejean says:
EXCELLENT!! I can’t stand the “mushroom top” (that’s what I call it)!! It drives me crazy everytime I see it….I just keep thinking: “Do they really think that looks good??” and “Wow, jeans that tight can’t be comfortable!!” I am completely on your side on this one!! Under no circumstances does the “muffin top” look good….PERIOD!! If your pants feel a little tight around the waist, go up a size….you look bigger if your clothes are too tight….a little big actually makes you look smaller in most cases….
June 14th, 2008 7:32 pm
bigdave_nv says:
lol - cant believe you posted this. funny.
June 14th, 2008 8:30 pm
luluorange says:
I think it is amazing how many people either don’t look at themselves in the mirror before they head out the door or they just have this distorted self-confidence that they actually think muffin top looks good! Either way, it’s WRONG!!!
Great post!
June 14th, 2008 10:31 pm
Seashell says:
Here! Here! Down with the Muffin Top!
June 15th, 2008 11:07 am
brigid says:
It’s positively nuclear.
June 15th, 2008 3:09 pm
heather.kick says:
I agree. Trying to find clothes these days is next to impossible!!
June 15th, 2008 3:10 pm
neversaydie says:
Amen!
June 15th, 2008 7:12 pm
dmt0311 says:
“Beauty lies in the Eye of the Beholder”
I have mixed feelings about this subject. On one hand I completely agree with the article and that people (men and women) should dress in way that flatters thier body make-up and isn’t visually offensive. But on the other hand I feel that the US’s perception of beauty is skewed. Wafer-thin models make millions just becuase their body fat percentage is less than 2% and they can fit into size 0 jeans. No matter if they are healthy or have conditions such as bulemia or anorexia. Which is ironic becuase the US has a LARGE problem with obesity. Large size models are becoming more prevalent with stores like Lane Bryant and Torrid but they are still heavily outnumbered and not generally considered beautiful.
I guess the point I am making is that Beauty lies in the Eye of the Beholder. What is beautiful to you is not to the next person. I think what is important is how a person feels about themselves. Even though the “Muffin Top” may not be beautiful to you it may be what another person is looking for and enjoys.
June 15th, 2008 10:03 pm
andreabona says:
i will admit that the time i like to see a “good” muffin top is when i realize that i might look better in that outfit than a girl 20 years my junior. i’m evil i know…
just to be clear, i usually wear low rise pants but my shirt is always long enough to cover up my mid section.
June 16th, 2008 2:45 am
Karl McCracken says:
What’s it called when a guy has one? I ask only for information. I mean a friend of mine asked me to ask . . . or something like that.
June 16th, 2008 5:32 am
lisasabin says:
I agree with Andrea, I think it’s okay to wear low pants as long as no skin is visible!!
June 16th, 2008 7:42 am
warbles64 says:
LOL!! It reminds me of the line from an old Seinfeld episode, “Top of the muffin to you!” That’s the episode where they decide to sell only muffin tops and throw out the rest of the muffins to the homeless.
Anyway, fantastic article…quite humorous. For all the ladies who think men find muffin tops attractive please not that this man does not. I agree with the suggestions (for both men and women) regarding good fashion, healthy living, and regular exercise posted earlier in this post.
June 16th, 2008 8:30 am
nutritionexpert says:
Karl, tell your “friend”, when a guy has one, isn’t it called a “spare tire”? Ha Ha!
June 16th, 2008 9:34 am
Brad Hefta-Gaub says:
I have to admit, I don’t think the muffin top is an attactive look. But it’s clear that a lot of the people who are “wearing” this fashion actually WANT to look this way. Sure, some people wish they didn’t have it, some people (like the girl in the Lifesavers commercial) may not realize they have it, and if they did, they wouldn’t want it…. but for all those people who like the look, I guess I have to agree with DMT, which is… “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”….
There are plenty of things about our society that push people toward one “look” or another. Before the turn of the last century, rounder softer bodies were considered MUCH more attracive than skinny bodies. Recently the pendulum swung dangerously in the opposite direction, pushing many people to focus on unrealistic weight loss goals.
Food for thought.
June 17th, 2008 9:43 am
moosewake says:
Every man and women needs to do a “mirrow check” before they leave the house…this would fix alot of problems for us…haha
Have a good one and keep moving..
Moose
June 20th, 2008 11:14 am
estrec1 says:
I don’t think that the article was meant to say we should all be wafer thin. I think that in reality many people would agree that looking healthy is the best look, even if that means you are not super skinny. However, having an awful buldge of flab hanging over does not look healthy at all. You are making yourself seem much bigger than you actually are. The point of clothing is to accentuate your wonderfully unique body- not to make you look flabby for the sake of fashion!
I certainly am guilty of holding on to smaller clothing than I should be wearing but when I finally get something that fits, I look ten times better
June 22nd, 2008 11:00 am
sippi33 says:
Hello people, new here. but glad to find so many like-minded people. I will continue to check in and enjoy the comments. Oh yeah will also continue to pound the pavement.
June 23rd, 2008 6:40 am
hardly says:
On the eating healthy front, you don’t make any mention of removing the sugar from your diet. Maybe it’s assumed? Removal of most sugar from the diet gets rid of a major source of empty calories. Not all carbs are created equal!
June 23rd, 2008 6:43 am
hardly says:
I should add that my favorite look is a muffin top who is slurping down a carmel frappucino w/whip. Bug-eye sunglasses required. YEAH BABY!
July 7th, 2008 10:19 pm
michelle227 says:
hahahahha.. if this is not motivation… what is?! Love it
July 22nd, 2008 10:04 am
firstimer says:
Muffin top is not cute. I agree that America really needs to accept bodies of all sizes. I’d consider myself a “big girl” 5′9′ with very large thighs that are in total rebellion against my body. I’ve learned to accept them and accentuate them with my clothing. But the muffin top craze is strongly attributed to people trying to fit into something they have NO business wearing. Muffin top is everywhere.
The person that mentioned sugar removal from the diet. So true. In addition to having thunder thighs my kids (pregnancy) gave me muffin top. I could be naked and still have muffins. But through exercise and food modification, my muffins are shrinking. They are dying a slow death and I am so happy about it.
So for all the muffin tops out there, back away from the tight jeans and slim shirts. Get a tunic and some capris and rock out! Be proud of your shape and act like it.
July 28th, 2008 1:39 pm
jeannie says:
oh my goodness, never knew it was a muffin top. Also, never thought I would have one on the way
Great article!
August 4th, 2008 7:52 am
faith1159 says:
Muffin tops are worse on 20’s and 30 + yr olds that don’t want to let go of the teeny bopper/ fad looks. Enjoy who you are at all ages but remember to dress yourself appropriately! Loving the pavement!
August 25th, 2008 6:02 am
msteechur says:
Actually, for those of us who have lost a great deal of weight, MT can be unavoidably without a body girdle. Sadly I get it, and I’m 120 lbs and size 2 with very low body fat. So to say there is no reason for it…well, in a few cases, there is. Losing 100+ pounds leaves some of us with really loose skin.