Why You Should Stop Commenting on People’s Bodies—Even If You Think It’s a Compliment

Let’s get real for a second—talking about someone’s body, even with the best intentions, can do more harm than good. We’ve all been there, hearing someone say, “Wow, you’ve lost weight! You look incredible!” and while it sounds like a compliment, it actually sends a damaging message: You weren’t good enough before.

It’s time to change the conversation. Instead of focusing on weight, size, or appearance, let’s shift the dialogue to confidence, happiness, and well-being—because that’s what truly matters.

1. “Even if you think your words are positive towards someone, they could actually have damaging consequences.”

What might sound like a harmless compliment can actually reinforce toxic thoughts. If someone’s weight loss was due to illness, stress, grief, or an eating disorder, hearing “You look amazing!” can feel like a slap in the face. You’re essentially praising their suffering.

Instead of commenting on their body, try:
💬 “You seem so happy lately! What’s been making you smile?”
💬 “You’re glowing! I love this energy you’re giving off.”

2. “The easiest way not to offend somebody or to make a bad impact is to never address anything about their body.”

You know what never ruins someone’s day? Not talking about their weight.

It’s really that simple. No matter what changes you notice, just don’t say anything about their body. There are a million other things to compliment someone on—why focus on something so temporary and personal?

3. “You don't know why people are losing weight. You don't know why people's bodies are changing.”

Weight loss and gain happen for a million different reasons, and most of them have nothing to do with health. Someone might be dropping weight because:

• They’re struggling with depression or anxiety

• They’re dealing with grief or trauma

• They’re on medication that suppresses appetite

• They’ve developed an eating disorder

On the flip side, someone gaining weight might be:

• Recovering from an eating disorder (which is a GOOD thing)

• Going through hormonal changes, stress, or health conditions

• Finally prioritizing their mental health over diet culture bullshit

So unless someone specifically asks for your opinion on their body, keep it to yourself.

4. “To comment on it can be really detrimental.”

Picture this: Someone just lost weight because they’re struggling to eat due to medication side effects. Now, they hear:

💬 “You look amazing!”

And what do they think? Sht. I wasn’t amazing before? I have to stay like this now?*

Instead of making someone feel trapped in a body they didn’t intentionally create, let’s just not put value on their size in the first place.

5. “How about we talk about things that change their life in a positive manner instead of their weight?”

When we focus on body size, we ignore the things that actually matter—mental health, energy, confidence, and overall well-being. Instead of commenting on weight, try asking:

💬 “How have you been feeling lately?”
💬 “I love how confident you’ve been—what’s been inspiring you?”
💬 “You seem really happy these days! What’s been going well for you?”

Weight fluctuates. Happiness, confidence, and energy are what truly matter.

6. “Addressing their confidence and their happiness is going to be so much more empowering and positive than addressing the outer shell of them.”

Our bodies are just the packaging—who we are inside is what counts. Instead of fixating on someone’s weight, why not celebrate their joy, strength, and self-love?

💬 “You seem so at peace with yourself lately—I love seeing that.”
💬 “You look so happy today! Whatever you’re doing, it’s working.”

That’s the kind of compliment that builds someone up instead of making them feel like their worth is tied to their weight.

7. “These bodies are just outer shells of what's inside and we really need to remember that.”

Your body is not who you are. It’s the thing that carries you through life, but it does not define you.

You are not your weight.
You are not your jeans size.
You are not the number on the scale.

What you are is your passion, your kindness, your humor, your love. THAT is what people should notice and appreciate about you.

8. “Nobody has the right to call you out and talk about your body unless you want to talk about your body.”

Repeat after me: Nobody gets a say in my body but me.

Your weight is not a topic of public discussion. You don’t owe anyone an explanation for how your body changes. You don’t have to justify your size, your shape, or your appearance.

And if someone does comment on your weight? You have every right to shut it down.

👊 “I’d rather not talk about my body—thanks for understanding.”
👊 “I appreciate your concern, but my body isn’t up for discussion.”
👊 “I’m focusing on how I feel, not how I look.”

Your body is yours—period.

9. “If somebody does comment on your weight, address it and say, ‘Hey, can we really just not talk about changes in my body like that?’”

Setting boundaries isn’t rude. It’s necessary.

If someone keeps bringing up your body, it’s okay to shut that sh*t down. You don’t have to entertain the conversation just to be polite. Your mental health is more important than someone else’s curiosity.

💬 “I’d really appreciate it if we didn’t talk about weight—it’s not important to me.”
💬 “Let’s focus on more meaningful things than body size.”
💬 “I love our conversations when they aren’t about my appearance—let’s keep it that way.”

10. “The moment you address it and point out problems or changes, they're going to hyper-focus on that part or change, and then it becomes negative.”

Even if your comment was meant to be positive, it can plant seeds of insecurity in someone’s mind. They start wondering:

❓ Did I not look good before?
❓ Will they think I look bad if I gain weight?
❓ Should I change my body just to get more compliments?

See how quickly a well-meaning remark can turn into a spiral of self-doubt? Let’s not put that pressure on people.

The Bottom Line: Focus on WHO People Are, Not What They Look Like

Bodies change. They grow, shrink, age, stretch, and evolve. None of it defines who we are.

So the next time you feel the urge to comment on someone’s weight—don’t. Instead, focus on their energy, their confidence, their joy. Because that’s what makes someone truly beautiful. 💖

👉 What’s the best non-body-related compliment you’ve ever received? Drop it in the comments! 💬✨

#BodyAcceptance #MoreThanMySize #F*ckBeautyStandards