"No offense, but please no fatties."

Let's face it. We all have certain physical qualities that we find attractive and others that turn us off. I often have male clients asking me "How do I say 'No fatties' without saying 'No fatties'?" (This is extra ironic because by their definitions, I am a fattie.)

But this issue encompasses a lot more than weight. There are people who don't find skinny people attractive, or who find artificially colored hair gross, or who would never date a Republican or an atheist or someone who owned more than one cat.

How do you make your desires known without coming off like a rude person? It all boils down to one rule:

Be Positive

Whatever you say, find a way to phrase it in a way that is positive. Here are a few examples:

No fatties becomes "I'm looking for a man who keeps up with my active lifestyle. Whether you run, bike, or rollerblade, I want a guy who wants to get sweaty with me!"

No skinnies! becomes "I love a woman who has curves."

No Republicans becomes "I'm pretty serious about politics and would love to find someone who feels strongly about the same causes as I do."

No Atheists becomes "My faith is important to me and I want to find someone who has a similar relationship with God."

Keep a positive attitude in your profile and you'll attract more of the right people without being rude to the people you're not interested in dating. As a child of the 80s, I am reminded of the movie Bambi and the advice of Thumper's Mom: "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say nothin' at all."