BellaOnline Forums Beauty and Self Large & Lovely Weight-loss-Based Compliments

Here is a man's perspective on weight-loss-based compliments: Read Walkby Shouting.

Interesting article. People really are very in your face about this type of thing no matter what weight you are of how big or small you are. People always seem to have some lame opinion about it whether your weight is up or down and it seems no matter what you say to them they feel it's their right to comment and make their approval or disapproval known to you.

I NEVER comment on people's weight unless I'm at work with a client and they specifically ask me if I can tell this or that. I actually banned the ridiculous weigh in that many clients felt the need to torture themselves with (blame WW for that dumb ritual). I told them their weight was their business not mine and that we needed to focus on working towards health and a body they felt happy with not some stupid # on the scale.

I made it clear that I didn't need them reporting that number to me ever unless they felt it necessary to do so. I also stopped measuring people's bodyfat a long time ago unless they asked me to do it.

I think body acceptance in a culture that is obsessed with youth and perfection is so hard no matter what size you are. We don't need strangers or friends comments adding to our body drama. My feeling is keep your silly opinions about my weight and my body to yo freakin self! I pretty much ignore body comments these days for example:

commenter: "you look like you've lost/gained weight it looks good/not good, yada yada yada" (blah blah blah, santa's little helper is what I'm really hearing)"

me: "so what movies have you seen lately? have you read any good books?"

That gets the message that you don't give a rip what they think across really well.

I also get annoyed when people start commenting on the weight of those they have seen a few times but don't even know. Body weight, for most people, is a very sensitive topic. Noticing is one thing, but I've never understood what makes people believe that it is appropriate to voice their opinions on the body image of perfect strangers. For that matter, I have PERSONALLY witnessed a situation where a man approached a lady at a grocery store and asked, "when are you due?" And, of course, her response, "Ummm, I'm not pregnant".

Sometimes people really are better off keeping their comments and opinions to themselves...

Oh god, Encore, i did that once. In my defense the woman in question was shopping in the maternity section at Goodwill.

But still, lesson learned that day!