Right and wrong ways to comment on weight loss

lingading

While I understand that people generally mean well, I hate with a passion a few responses;

"keep it up" really? Thank you, I don't know how I got this far without your encouragement.
"someone I know is doing _______, ______, &______, & lost a lot of weight." Because clearly what I'm doing isn't working 80 pounds later?
"i didn't realize you were THAT big before" Gee thanks.

FairyMiss

one of my favorites now was the nurse at my doctors after i step off the scale she looks at it , looks at my chart and says "you've lost weight, did you know that?" (see ticker)

I just stood and stared at her for a few moments flabberghasted before i could even get the word Yes out of my mouth

SiltyPigeon

Everyone knows the highest compliment you can pay someone is "I'd hit that!"

Except that many guys will "hit" anything. And no, it doesn't need to have 2 legs... sometimes it has anywhere from 0-4.

bookyeti

My personal favorite is, "You've lost weight! What are you doing!?" I wish I had a really great witty response to that one.

I'll usually just say HARD WORK! Because it's true (and usually not what they're looking for).

javablondie

My husbands parents actually accused me of "popping pills" because I am losing weight!!! Ugh.. totally not the right way to comment about my weight loss!! Maybe I should tell them I hook it on the weekends too lol!

Haha. Yeah, seriously, between the pills and the added sexual activity, that totally explains it.

javablondie

one of my favorites now was the nurse at my doctors after i step off the scale she looks at it , looks at my chart and says "you've lost weight, did you know that?" (see ticker)

I just stood and stared at her for a few moments flabberghasted before i could even get the word Yes out of my mouth

How about, "Holy crap, are you serious?"

alex215

Wow! You aren't fat anymore!!

you look really great now! are you single? <----from a girl that of course ignored and placed me in the friend zone when i was bigger.

abyt42

No: "looks like you're losing some of that gut."
No: "Wow, Mom. You're fat" (at 30 pounds down)
Yes: "You look great."

boomboom011

i love the "youre getting too skinny" comment when i still have 20 pounds to lose before Im even in a healthy weight range.

AshDHart

I had a friend who lost weight and a bunch of friends posted on his facebook wall that he looked ill. Several even told him to go get checked! Geez!

My mother is the worst. "Did you lose weight?" which might be fine if she didn't look like she sucked on a lemon and smelled dog *kitten* at the same time! She is a jealous cow and I've come to gripes with it.

Articeluvsmemphis

oh my goodness, I love this thread, have read every comment.

don't really get offended when people say certain things, but it is kind of funny when people are shocked that exercising and eating healthy actually works, GO FIGURE! lol

xXxKayleighxXx

Wrong: Your gut is smaller
Right: Wow, your junk got bigger!

Pahahaha!

This might not compliment me :P

Jorra

"Be careful, I had an eating disorder in college."

I'm 5'2" and 165 pounds, do you really think me wanting to get healthy will automatically lead to an eating disorder?

Nikkiairforcewife

one of my favorites now was the nurse at my doctors after i step off the scale she looks at it , looks at my chart and says "you've lost weight, did you know that?" (see ticker)

I just stood and stared at her for a few moments flabberghasted before i could even get the word Yes out of my mouth

What?! How did that happen? LOL

Nikkiairforcewife

one of my favorites now was the nurse at my doctors after i step off the scale she looks at it , looks at my chart and says "you've lost weight, did you know that?" (see ticker)

I just stood and stared at her for a few moments flabberghasted before i could even get the word Yes out of my mouth

What?! How did that happen? LOL

piperjon

My personal favorite is, "You've lost weight! What are you doing!?" I wish I had a really great witty response to that one.

"Uh, I'm losing weight. Didn't you just say that?" Then I look like I may be slightly confused by their comment.

ecaz

A girl I work with came to me and said I was looking great, and wanted to know what exercises I was doing. I told her P90X. She said, "Do you have to get up and down off the floor alot? I don't like that." I was like um, yeah. Of course, this is the same woman who seems to think lying about going to the gym will take the weight off just as quickly as ACTUALLY going to the gym.

kimi131

I said no to some chocolate the other day. My friend said, "it's like I don't even know you anymore!" I know she was joking but it kinda bugged me. I guess if my willpower means she doesn't know me anymore then I'll take the "compliment".

kimi131

Oh, and another. My mom always tells me, "I've got my daughter back!" yeah, thanks mom cuz when I was fatter I wasn't your daughter? :huh:

stenochick0417

Here's one along the same lines. Over the past year and a half, my hubby has lost around 80 pounds and drastically changed the shape of his body. It took him a while to get comfortable with his new body and buy new clothes that actually fit. Once he did, of course, people really started to notice. BUT instead of positive comments, people have made comments about his (seemingly) rapid weight loss that he HAD to be on (1) doing drugs or (2) asked if he had cancer because it was "impossible" to lose that much weight using (OMG!!) DIET and EXERCISE. :noway:

I honestly cannot believe how insensitive and downright rude people can be. :explode: I mean, surely no one can lose weight using diet and exercise alone. *sarcasm* Matter of fact, his success doing it the old-fashioned (right) way has inspired me to get off my butt and do the same. People just can't wrap their heads around the fact that the best way for long-term change isn't a quick fix. *sigh*

okay. rant over.

Crystalchaos72

Wrong: You look so skinny!
Right: You're looking lean!

Love this and your points are great! I have had people say almost all of the aforementioned comments.......my fave so far is when I say I have lost 108#," WOW, that is a person"..........REALLY?! I NEVER would of guessed that.......

Autonotions

It amazes me how people are so uncomfortable with change, as a small frame male, I carry most of my extra weight around my waist. But as any woman can tell you, when you lose weight, you lose it everywhere. So like many have already commented, I get lots of concerned looks and whispers about "is he sick?" or "he doesn't look well!" etc etc. I have decided it is a combination of equal parts aversion to change, not wanting to see people able to make change through hard and slow work and finally probably a little petty jealously mixed in. I too believe that most people mean well.....they just dont know how to get it from their hearts to their mouth's without screwing it up LOLOLOL!! :laugh:

Jillian2128

i love the "youre getting too skinny" comment when i still have 20 pounds to lose before Im even in a healthy weight range.

same here!! so annoying, and even when you try and tell people that theyre like no no thats not true

rhodes2b

Compliments are a part of daily life especially when you lose weight. Personally you need to remember that people just want you to know it is noticeable and that they are happy for you. I still have a hard time accepting them.

But it is even harder since I haven't lost weight since April.

I will admit my body has changed. I have completely transformed my body, but weight loss has been zero. Yes, I am becoming toned and the curves are almost ONLY where they are supposed to be. But I still have a long way to go.

I found that it is easier to be less sensitive when it comes to others paying compliments. It is all good.

bluevwgurl

My mother is the worst. "Did you lose weight?" which might be fine if she didn't look like she sucked on a lemon and smelled dog *kitten* at the same time! She is a jealous cow and I've come to gripes with it.

Have a sister in law like this. exactly like this actually. I am toning up a bit and it shows and now she has gotten a gym membership...and is joining weight watchers. All I can think is ummm, Okay, but i have my own routine. i really dont need your "lets make this a pissing contest" crap right now. But good luck to ya!

bluevwgurl

Once, I thought i was looking pretty slim (not this go round with weight loss, but...) i wore a skirt to church and went to visit my gram after. She said to me in a hushed voice "hun, are you gonna have another baby?" and patted my belly. went home and threw the d*mn skirt away. i thought it had looked good.

randomartisrgirl

I hate when people say stuff like "you look so skinny," or, "you could manage to gain some weight, you look so unhealthy," because by foing that thdy're not only ignoring the blessibg they've had in reaching that weight and being a healthier person, but are actually ENCOURAGING them to be what thsy hated before, and DUSCOURAGING their wonderful loss.

punk_mama

A girl at work told me my scrub pants I had on made me look skinny. I wanted to ask her what she thought I looked like without the pants! But I am not brave.

fridayjustleft04

I went to my doctor to get my BC refilled and when he weighed me, he said "you've lost weight since you started this? How? No one ever loses weight. Are you eating? Taking pills? Drugs? You need to take care of yourself." I appreciate the concern, but seriously? I was 220 the first time he weighed me. Losing weight WAS taking care of myself.

javablondie

If I'm not in the mood to talk about it, I just reply, "I don't think so - must be my outfit".