What Not To Say To Someone Who Is Losing Weight
Rido/Shutterstock By Lauren Waters/July 31, 2022 4:21 pm EST
In our society, we’re conditioned to believe that losing weight is good and gaining weight is bad. In truth, though, things are often quite the opposite. If it looks like someone you know has lost weight, you’ve been taught to believe that they’ve been deliberately eating a healthy diet with the intent to shed some pounds and that their work has paid off. Yet, in reality, weight loss can be a sign of many different problems with mental or physical health (via Healthline). Whether or not someone has deliberately tried to lose weight, there are plenty of comments that they likely don’t want to hear on this sensitive topic (via Cosmopolitan).
For the most part, people get a lot of things wrong about weight loss, and it’s difficult to know how to respond when you notice that it’s happened to someone close to you. Still, weight fluctuations and changes are normal and happen to virtually everyone from time to time. As a result, you’re bound to run into a situation now and then where you notice that someone you know has lost weight. Knowing what not to say to them can be the difference between being a helpful friend and being hurtful.
How to respond to weight loss
Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock
With all of those things you definitely shouldn’t say to your friend who’s lost weight, you’re probably wondering what you should say. Well, there’s one thing you can say that will never fail you: nothing. Most of the time, avoiding the topic of another person’s weight fluctuations is your best bet (via Lifehacker). It’s the easiest way to make sure that you don’t find your conversation with your friend in any undesirable territory.
There are, of course, exceptions to this rule, and the biggest exception is when you know that your friend has been trying to lose weight in a healthy way. If your friend has been talking to you all about the Blogilates videos she’s been doing or how she’s been making salads for dinner to shed a few pounds, that gives you a yellow light to bring it up (a.k.a. proceed with caution.) If you notice that your friend who’s been on a weight loss journey looks like they’ve made progress toward their goal, telling them they look great can open up the conversation if they want to talk about it (via WebMD). A “You look so good!” is pretty much always a positive thing — just leave the weight out of it.
What Not To Say To Someone Who Is Losing Weight
Rido/Shutterstock
By Lauren Waters/July 31, 2022 4:21 pm EST
In our society, we’re conditioned to believe that losing weight is good and gaining weight is bad. In truth, though, things are often quite the opposite. If it looks like someone you know has lost weight, you’ve been taught to believe that they’ve been deliberately eating a healthy diet with the intent to shed some pounds and that their work has paid off. Yet, in reality, weight loss can be a sign of many different problems with mental or physical health (via Healthline). Whether or not someone has deliberately tried to lose weight, there are plenty of comments that they likely don’t want to hear on this sensitive topic (via Cosmopolitan).
For the most part, people get a lot of things wrong about weight loss, and it’s difficult to know how to respond when you notice that it’s happened to someone close to you. Still, weight fluctuations and changes are normal and happen to virtually everyone from time to time. As a result, you’re bound to run into a situation now and then where you notice that someone you know has lost weight. Knowing what not to say to them can be the difference between being a helpful friend and being hurtful.
For the most part, people get a lot of things wrong about weight loss, and it’s difficult to know how to respond when you notice that it’s happened to someone close to you. Still, weight fluctuations and changes are normal and happen to virtually everyone from time to time. As a result, you’re bound to run into a situation now and then where you notice that someone you know has lost weight. Knowing what not to say to them can be the difference between being a helpful friend and being hurtful.
Things you should never say to someone who’s lost weight
Dmytro Zinkevych/Shutterstock
Don’t ask your friend if they’re sure they don’t want mozzarella sticks when they ordered the salad, and don’t pressure them into having ice cream when they’ve already said no to dessert. Focus on what’s on your own plate, since they may be struggling with what’s on theirs.
How to respond to weight loss
Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock
With all of those things you definitely shouldn’t say to your friend who’s lost weight, you’re probably wondering what you should say. Well, there’s one thing you can say that will never fail you: nothing. Most of the time, avoiding the topic of another person’s weight fluctuations is your best bet (via Lifehacker). It’s the easiest way to make sure that you don’t find your conversation with your friend in any undesirable territory.
There are, of course, exceptions to this rule, and the biggest exception is when you know that your friend has been trying to lose weight in a healthy way. If your friend has been talking to you all about the Blogilates videos she’s been doing or how she’s been making salads for dinner to shed a few pounds, that gives you a yellow light to bring it up (a.k.a. proceed with caution.) If you notice that your friend who’s been on a weight loss journey looks like they’ve made progress toward their goal, telling them they look great can open up the conversation if they want to talk about it (via WebMD). A “You look so good!” is pretty much always a positive thing — just leave the weight out of it.
There are, of course, exceptions to this rule, and the biggest exception is when you know that your friend has been trying to lose weight in a healthy way. If your friend has been talking to you all about the Blogilates videos she’s been doing or how she’s been making salads for dinner to shed a few pounds, that gives you a yellow light to bring it up (a.k.a. proceed with caution.) If you notice that your friend who’s been on a weight loss journey looks like they’ve made progress toward their goal, telling them they look great can open up the conversation if they want to talk about it (via WebMD). A “You look so good!” is pretty much always a positive thing — just leave the weight out of it.
