While weight loss culture often promotes looks above all else, a 2007 study showed that the majority of people who want to lose weight are motivated by health and mood, not their appearance. Still, many who want to show their support for a friend looking to trim down might make comments like, “If you lose the weight, you’ll look so good!”
But as EatingWell explains, praising someone’s post-weight-loss body can imply that they don’t already look good or that people have to lose weight to be beautiful (which, friendly reminder, isn’t true). And if they weren’t focused on their appearance to begin with, these kinds of comments may make them feel self-conscious.
U.S. News also advises against discussing vanity metrics, like the number of pounds someone is trying to lose. While some people may have a specific goal weight in mind, focusing on the digits on a scale can be counterproductive and may even demotivate people from following their health plans.
