Dating gurus claim that hobbies are key to finding a partner, but they leave a crucial piece out.
The hobby matters!
But men and women have vastly different ideas of unattractive hobbies. Here, women share the male pastimes that turn them off.
Unattractive Hobbies that Repulse Women

Someone recently polled the internet and delivered an authentic list of unattractive hobbies in men.
If you’re a man looking to date a woman, you should avoid these unattractive hobbies like the plague.
All Her Hobbies
Having a hobby is attractive, as long as it’s YOUR hobby. Please don’t look to a partner for your identity or demand to share in her established hobbies. It’s off-putting.
“I don’t care to be honest, as long as you’re not the type that insists that we do everything together. I like my alone time, and I already have my hobbies.”
“So I’m not going to change for you, and I don’t want you to change for me,” one confessed. Another agreed, “This. For me, the biggest unattractive ‘hobby’ in a potential partner is not having their own hobby.”
Dating for Sport
Dating is not a hobby, and I don’t know what results men think they should get when they tell a potential partner it is.
A lot of people enjoy dating because it provides the opportunity to meet new people, but it’s highly suspect as a hobby.
“I once asked a guy about his favorite hobby on our first date. His answer was dating,” shared one user.
Another said, “When I was a teen, I was hanging out at an afterschool club at the library for nerds, and this person walked up to me and asked me out. I was contemplating it, and then they yelled out, I don’t like being single! So I gave them this wide-eyed look and said something like, ‘I, uh, think I’m good.’ And walked away.”
Why would a woman want to date someone who admits they won’t ever stop dating other people?
Putting Your Workout Above All Else
We get it, you’re fit and healthy. But a love for the gym can quickly transform into an unattractive hobby when taken to the extreme.
“My EX husband put his marathon training above me, losing my baby weight. I could only run once he’d run his miles, done his stretches, and eaten his peanut butter. He also left his sweaty socks on the floor. The jogging stroller was annoying to me,” one mom explained.
Striking a balance can present a challenge, but it’s worth it. Why are you spending so much time refining your body if not to attract a partner?
Gambling is Very Off-Putting
Gambling on an annual trip to Vegas is one thing; spending hours at the local casino, blowing all your savings, is another.
Most women have no problem with a partner who enjoys a little sports gambling now and then, but fear it can quickly morph into a life-altering addiction.
“I don’t mind my boyfriend having a good time making sports bets or having a fun time playing poker with friends. However, my friend had to leave her husband because he gambled all their savings away. It can become a slippery slope, so it’s not my favorite,” one replied.
“Agreed,” said another. “Because of my husband’s gambling, we are trying to claw our way out of £48,000 ($58,413) worth of debt. That doesn’t include the £3k ($3,651) a month my husband spent from his earnings. It’s life-destroying.”
Gambling is an unattractive hobby due to the high risk involved.
Being an Obsessive Sports Fan
There’s a healthy love of sports, and there’s a sports obsession so intense it becomes repulsive.
Someone shared, “An obsessive sports hobby is something that I would find unattractive. For example, a grown man screaming red-faced at the TV over their team losing is unattractive.”
“My boyfriend told me about a time when Tom Brady won a game coming back from seemingly unwinnable circumstances. He got so happy he started crying and throwing up.”
“I’ve never experienced such a sense of repulsion as when he told me about his undying love for Tom Brady. I can’t look at Tom Brady the same anymore,” admitted another.
It’s just a game. Getting too invested in it is a massive turn-off.
Work As a Hobby
We love your ambition, but you need to take time off for yourself and your loved ones, too. Workaholics aren’t attractive, as these ladies explain:
“Working. I’m not even lying; I met a guy once whose only hobby was working,” one explained. “So when he’s at work, he works. And when he’s at home, he also works. And during holidays, it’s also him and his PowerPoint + Excel sheets.”
“The man can’t even watch an entire movie without typing away on his financial report. And when there’s no work, he becomes extremely grumpy.” A second user replied, “I dated a dude like that, and it was miserable. He would work from nine to nine. And he genuinely couldn’t understand how people could take vacations for longer than three days.”
“He would say, ‘Vacations are boring and a waste of time.’ He would bring his laptop on a trip with friends, and after socializing for 3-4 days, he would return to working on his laptop while still abroad. I’ve never met a workaholic worse than him. That was indeed very unattractive.”
Day Drinking
Women aren’t attracted to alcoholics. Day drinking on vacation is fun and quirky, but day drinking as a hobby means you have a drinking problem. And women don’t like it.
“Day drinking. Being married or in love with a high-functioning alcoholic is soul-crushing. Let me clarify myself a bit. I have nothing against having a drink with a meal. That’s not what I mean. What I mean by ‘day drinking’ is whenever you pop a top in the AM and don’t stop until evening or until you pass out, then repeat the process every day.”
“I’ve been married to him for over eight years, and it’s been a lot to deal with,” one stated. “My husband was a functioning alcoholic for like 25 years & now we’re dealing with his sobriety + having relapses, and it’s tough.”
“It was not easy dealing with him in that condition, and it was heartbreaking to think of how unattractive he was to me during those times,” another agreed.
Collecting Bellybutton Lint is Gross Man
One person shared that their ex collected their belly button lint. A second said, “YUCK! That is disgusting; who does this? I would never date a man who collects belly button lint. Why would you even do that?”
Finally, a third asked, “My question is this, what joy could this bring anyone? So I’d refuse to be around any man who does this.”
Obsessively Buying Guitars
“I have yet to see obsessively buying guitars on this list, so here it goes. OBSESSIVELY BUYING GUITARS,” screamed one. “Their excuse is always along the lines of, but they will be worth something someday.”
Another shouted, “THIS!! I once dated a man who owned 37 guitars. Let that sink in. Don’t get me wrong, I love music and own a few instruments. But we were 19(f) and 21(m). So I can only imagine how many he has now.”
Hentai
Many women have a negative impression of hentai, considering it a twisted form of anime specifically designed to appeal to the male gaze. Far too many female characters present in child-like bodies, which makes the hobby even more disturbing.
This Whole Vaping Thing
“Vaping, as in they make their flavors and modified devices and then blow smoke rings everywhere to look cool. It becomes their entire personality,” suggested one. “Vaping is disgusting. I’d sooner date a smoker, and I’m not too into that idea either,” noted a final user.
Obsession
As you can see from this thread, it’s typically not the hobby itself that’s problematic (except the belly button lint – gross!), but the obsession.
Enjoy sports, working out, and vaping, but don’t make those things your entire personality. Don’t neglect the rest of your life in pursuit of one hobby.
Find balance and enjoy all aspects of your life, and your weird hobbies won’t seem so unattractive.
Want a Hobby That Won’t Turn Women Off?
ImageFlow via Shutterstock.com.
Get creative! Women love a man who will do craft nights with them.