The New York Post just published an article about online dating that gives the following statistics, as compiled by OKCupid:

• Men are on average 2 inches shorter than they say in their profiles
• Women are an inch shorter.
• About 50 percent of daters lie about their weight.
• Almost everyone exaggerates their income by 20 percent

So, are you a liar, too? If so, it’s time to question why you’re lying. In many cases people lie online to attract more partners, (though I’m not certain what in the world an inch or two of extra height does for you), thinking that by the time they meet in person, the other party will like them so much that the lie won’t matter, or in the case of income, that the other person won’t find out.

But, lying is a dangerous game. It doesn’t really matter if you never meet them. But, if you find a person who could be “the one” your little white profile lies could really come back to haunt you.

I once went out with a guy I met online who lied – a lot- about his weight. His profile picture was one taken from several years before, when he weighed about 50 pounds less.

Now, I didn’t really care what the guy weighed. He was very well kempt, dressed well, and overall was reasonably attractive. What I had a problem with was the lie. It immediately made me wonder what else he lied about, and why he didn’t think he was good enough at his real weight. Needless to say, the first meeting didn’t go all that well, and I’m sure he left thinking I was shallow and thought he was fat.

So, next time you’re tempted to lie, consider the worst case scenario of being found out. Is it worth the risk?

You can read the NY Post article here.

Dating Essentials Lies, Online Safety, Personal Profiles

Dating is all about meeting new people, getting to know them, and hopefully finding a person to be that “special one” in your life. It’s a long process in most cases, filled with plenty of dates and opportunities to spend time with potential partners. The fairy tale side of dating is all about meeting the perfect person the first time around and living happily ever after; the reality of dating is, unfortunately, quite a bit different.

The vast majority of people have a few “false starts” along the way toward finding that special person; it’s almost inevitable, really. But how, exactly, are you supposed to handle those situations when you’ve dated someone once, twice, or even a few times, and you just don’t feel that “spark” of wanting to spend time with them anymore?

This is a big challenge because let’s face it, having to tell someone they’re “not your type” or letting them know you don’t want to continue dating is very, very hard. It’s tough to give that kind of honest feedback to another person and it’s tough to hear that kind of honest feedback from someone else. It might be tempting to avoid having that kind of straightforward conversation, but have it you must. It’s the only way to end the situation with dignity, respect, and integrity.

Here are some quick “do’s” and “don’ts” to help you through the process:

Don’t

• Lie about your reasons
• Break up via text message, Twitter, or Facebook
• Blame yourself for everything
• Get angry, defensive, or emotional

Do

• Be respectful and honest
• Be gentle with the other person’s feelings
• Explain your reasons clearly and succinctly

Do your best to part on reasonably good terms

When you don’t feel that spark for another person, remember it’s perfectly okay. Just deal with the situation honestly and then focus your attention on other opportunities to meet new people.

Rejection Breaking Up, Emotions, Lies, Social Networking

Let’s face it, online dating is a hot bed of lies. Everyone does it, it seems, whether it is small little lies (fudging on your weight, shaving a year or two off your real age) or great big whoppers (you’re married? Really?) of all kinds.

But even though we all know just about every online dating profile contains at least one lie or half-truth, how good are we at spotting that little lie? It turns out there is research out there that reveals the most common areas in which people lie, and not surprisingly there are some differences between what men lie about and what women lie about.

Men, it turns out, are most likely to lie about their income and their height. I suppose this isn’t too surprising, given how many women talk about looking for that “tall, handsome, wealthy guy” as their ideal dating partner. And if you have any doubts about whether this is true, the next time you’re online at a dating site take note of how many men claim to be at least six feet tall and have incomes of over $85,000 per year.

As for women, they too have weak areas when it comes to lying in their online profiles. The most common lies told by women are their weight and their physical build – surprise!

At least there is one area of common ground when it comes to not quite telling the truth in an online profile. Both women and men are just as likely to lie about their age, especially those who are over the age of 40. These are the people who are most likely to list themselves as in their mid to late thirties.

Don’t say you haven’t been warned!

Personal Profiles Height, Income, Lies, Profile, Weight