When you notice that someone has lost a noticeable amount of weight, often people’s first instinct is to say, “You look so good, and what is your secret?” Weight loss can be a sign of improved health, but not all weight loss is good, and not all weight gain is bad, because someone’s body size is a very poor indicator of health. Most people who make weight loss comments have good intentions, are trying to give them a compliment but you never is going through because even people in your own family can be fighting battles you cannot see. I never comment on people’s bodies because weight doesn’t equal health, and I never want to be that person who draws attention to someone’s eating disorder. Weight loss can be good, and a lot of the time it is a sign of improved health, but we can’t always assume that everyone who loses weight is healthier because a small body doesn’t mean a healthier body. There are so many reasons why someone may lose weight, and some of those things we don’t need to encourage. Why don’t I comment on weight loss? In this post, I am sharing a few reasons why someone may lose weight that is not always a sign of improved health.
It can be a sign of a body image or eating disorder– People who post constant gym selfies online often struggle with eating or body image disorders and are trying to get people to say how good they look. It can be very harmful to comment on someone’s body who is stuck in diet culture, who may be struggling with disordered eating, body image issues, or an eating disorder, because complimenting on their body is only going to fuel these issues, so they don’t get better. You never know who in your life is struggling with an eating disorder because not everyone gets help, and you can have an eating disorder without being diagnosed with one. Weight loss sometimes is a sign that someone is not eating enough, and commenting on their body is not going to help them and will only make them worse. If you comment on someone’s body who may have an eating disorder, you are reassuring them that their choices are good, so they won’t make positive changes that actually will improve their health.
It can be a sign of increased pain-Pain can affect your diet because pain doesn’t have a specific look, and everyone responds to it in a different way. Some people in pain get depressed and don’t eat, while others eat more calories than their bodies need. If you have someone in your life who lives with pain and has lost a large amount of weight, it might not be a sign of good health, and sometimes it’s increased pain levels. Some people in pain can’t eat because their pain makes them nauseous, so they don’t have an appetite, which causes them to lose weight. When you compliment weight loss, you could be saying, “Your increased pain levels are doing wonders for your waistline, and keep it up.” Do you really want to be complimenting someone’s pain? You never know who has a medical condition, such as endometriosis, who may be experiencing severe painful bloating and is not able to eat. Pain affects all aspects of your life, and not everyone shows visible signs of pain because chronic pain is often invisible.
It can be a sign of depression- Mental illness affects everyone differently and some people may eat more while others can’t stop eating. You never know who in your life is struggling with mental illness, because some people are ashamed of their poor mental health and struggle in silence. You could be praising someone’s mental illness when you comment on someone’s weight loss, because weight loss or weight gain is often the first sign of depression. You never know if someone has recently lost a loved one or had a miscarriage and is struggling with depression and is triggered by your weight loss comments.
It can be a side effect of some medication– Some people take weight loss medications and are intentionally trying to lose weight, but not everyone who takes medication is trying to lose weight, and sometimes it’s a side effect. You sometimes can lose your appetite when taking certain medications, but can’t come off of it because it’s working and there are no other alternatives. Sometimes patients have to learn to cope with mild effects because it helps them improve their health condition. You never know who is taking a medication that is causing them to lose weight, because not everyone who loses weight is eating healthier, and sometimes your medication is to blame.
Some people are going through illnesses such as cancer- Cancer is a horrible disease that I would not wish on my worst enemy. Chemotherapy and radiation are hard on your body, and it is not uncommon for people who are going through cancer treatments to lose their appetite. You never know if someone is going through cancer or another painful condition because not everyone is going to be open about it. Weight loss sometimes is a sign of illness, and you never want to be that person who praises someone for being sick because weight loss due to illness is not good. Weight loss comments can be harmful to say to someone who is not well, because you want to get better and would rather gain weight and be well than lose it and be sick. It is so important that you be mindful of the things you say to a sick person, because sick people are already going through and don’t need people to draw attention to their illness.
Most people have good intentions when they compliment their friend’s weight loss, but you never know what someone is going through, by looking at them, because even though someone looks healthy, that doesn’t mean they are. There are so many ways you can compliment someone that won’t potentially cause harm, because weight loss is not the only type of comment you can give someone. Tell them that you like the new color of their glasses and the outfit they are wearing because people aren’t going to be triggered by that. We need to get away from making body comments as a society because you don’t know if a stranger has a medical condition that is causing them to lose weight. Some people can be triggered by weight loss comments, and it’s best to avoid them because you can make someone uncomfortable when you bring attention to their weight loss that was caused by illness. Keep body comments to yourself and don’t compliment weight loss because you don’t know who is going to be triggered by it. Why do you think people should not be commenting on weight loss? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.
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