Kenyan men should do something about those potbellies.

It's no secret that women love soap operas. We love our telenovelas for many reasons; for the romance that we are often starving for, for the exaggerated and unrealistic storylines that make our mundane life more interesting, but mostly importantly, because Alejandro (normally William Levy) in these shows, always looks absolutely 'delicious' when shirtless.

Alejandro is no slacker when it comes to maintaining his body. He is attractive, muscular and looks strong. He has a chiseled body;  broad shoulders with rock-solid abs, biceps bursting through his shirt that turn your everyday run-in-the-mill shirt into something drool-worthy, and a sculptured firm butt. Basically, he cuts the image of virility and masculinity.

Fast forward to the real world after one precious hour of watching Alejandro parading around in his tight-fitting shirt, and you will notice that the city is filled with grown men sporting protruding potbellies. When a majority of young men who are supposed to be virile and fit flaunt bellies not unlike that of an eight-month pregnant woman, can barely climb up 10 stairs without panting like their lives ares ending, and score below par in bedroom performance, you know we have a crisis!

I mean, are these the type of men we are supposed to feel safe around? Yet, the puzzling thing is that most men are proud of these potbellies. They carry them around like a badge of honour. You will often see them rub their tummies affectionately like a father who is proud of his son.

They probably walk around with songs like, 'I know You Want Me,' and I Know It,' playing in their minds as they stuff themselves silly with everything unhealthy. What is even worse is the fact that mainstream media that constantly put pressure on women to stay in shape and look young, have no expectations of men. In fact, there is a famous myth that women love men with potbellies! Really? Which woman, I ask?

I am convinced that the only women who perhaps love men with potbellies are married or dating men with potbellies and have no way out of the relationship. I have heard them defend their choice. "I could care less  about what is on the outside, it's what is on the inside that really counts. If a man is kind, loving and funny, I don't mind his belly, he is my teddy bear," they always lie.

He probably has a fat wallet. A woman who tries to fatten her man up in this day and age just wants to stuff him up so no one else will want him. The other day, I bumped into an ex from campus who is apparently doing very well in the corporate world. He had expanded quite a bit and had a potbelly the size of two footballs; the centre button of his shirt was open and the other buttons appeared to be on the brink of bursting out. Mind you, he is only 30. One word. Eyesore.

Gone are the days when potbellies were a sign of affluence and a slender frame implied poverty. Gentlemen, let's move with the times and ditch primitive beliefs that only lead to lifestyle diseases and even death.