The level of praise you receive when you lose weight will be the level of shame you feel when you gain weight again in the future, and that’s a fact.
How many of you have revelled in compliments and praise about your body when you lost weight? And how many of you felt shameful, even embarrassed, to be seen when you put weight on again in future?
People don’t get why body image specialists advise against complimenting others on their weight loss, especially when it can feel like the most god-tier compliment a woman could receive.
Even I have thrown it out there a few times because I felt it was going to uplift the woman on the receiving end.
But the 2 main reasons we should hold back from complimenting a woman’s weight loss or body changes are:
1. Our bodies are ever-changing as we go through life. By complimenting a woman on their body at this stage, you may instil the belief that she isn’t good enough or as good if her body were to change in future (even if you couldn’t give AF about her body changing).
2. Not all weight loss is positive weight loss. Even if on the outside, it looks like it results from positive habits and a healthy lifestyle. We never know what’s going on for somebody internally – most of the time, they don’t even know themselves until it’s gone too far.
I’m not anti-weight loss; you get to do whatever makes you feel happy with your body. I am pro complimenting women on more than *just* their body, weight and appearance, though weight gain.
