How Not to Compliment Friends Who Lose Weight

During my weight loss journey last year, a co-worker stopped me in the hallway and told me I looked great. Then she hesitated and asked, "You're okay, aren't you?"

Since I work in the healthcare field, I had to chuckle since the nurse who complimented me was aware that people lose weight due to causes other than diet and exercise, cancer being the most obvious.

I assured her I was fine and then walked back to my desk on a carpet of air, thrilled that my Medifast diet was producing noticeable results.

Most people on a weight loss diet are genuinely pleased when people notice and comment on their slimmer shape. But a video produced by my Take Shape for Life health coach friend, Leah, made me realize there are good and bad ways to give such compliments. The worst way for her is to say these five words:

"Keep up the good work."

In her video, Leah provides a surprising interpretation of this seemingly positive statement, "You look better, but you're still fat."

Instead of being motivating, the "compliment" is a reminder that she still has a long way to go.

The "but you're still fat" part is silent. But to someone who has a lot of weight to lose, it roars as loud as a Harley.

Telling someone to "keep  up the good work"
can be taken as a backhanded compliment

Not everyone might react to the statement as Leah does, but it's important to know that inference could be there for some people -- especially those who have struggled with their weight and body image for a long time and do not need to be prodded or poked to continue fighting a very personal battle.

Just as you would not tell an overweight person they should go on a diet, telling a person who is in the midst of losing weight they should keep going implies you consider them unacceptable as they currently are.

Leah's insightful video is just one of the many gems on her YouTube channel that helped me lose weight on the Medifast 5&1 Plan. If you're not already a subscriber, you can sign up here.

You can purchase Medifast replacement meals directly from Medifast Centers, the Medifast website or -- for no extra cost -- through the co-branded website of a Medifast TSFL health coach. Medifast does not recommend purchasing its products from third party vendors, but if you choose to do so, you can find them on both Amazon and eBay.

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