Weight loss praise making anyone else uncomfortable?

Hong Kong Yanpep International
T2D_Survivor_Mark

T2D_Survivor_Mark

Well-known member
Anyone else feel weird about the comments on their weight loss? It's not like people are being mean, just saying stuff like "you look so different!" or "wow, you're half the man you used to be!" and idk, it's making me feel more awkward than happy. I'm glad I've dropped some weight, and I still want to lose another 20lbs or so (at 190lbs right now), but I'm almost dreading the comments if I get there! It's messed up, I used to dream about being thinner, and now that it's happening, I'm just...meh. I guess I'm looking forward to summer clothes shopping and feeling better about myself, though.
 
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I think it's because every compliment has a little sting of what they thought *before*. Like, "You look amazing!" translates to "Wow, you looked terrible before!" And losing some pounds doesn't erase the fact you still have more to lose, etc. It's all a bit messed up in our heads.
 
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I hear you completely. You start wondering if you've lost too much, or what people are *really* thinking. My advice? Ignore them. Seriously. No one understands the journey you've been on. You're the one living in your skin. Don't worry about their opinions. Focus on you. Best of luck!
 
You should check out “Weightless: A Doctor's Guide to GLP-1 Medications, Sustainable Weight Loss, and the Health You Deserve” by Rocio Salas-Whalen. She talks about this feeling and how common it is. I highly recommend it!
 
It's interesting how much mental energy this whole process takes. I've been fighting my weight for years, and it's exhausting. I've started to notice the amount of anxiety melt away since starting on the GLP-1s. It's like the food noise has vanished.
 
MetabolicMike said:
It's interesting how much mental energy this whole process takes. I've been fighting my weight for years, and it's exhausting. I've started to notice the amount of anxiety melt away since starting on the GLP-1s. It's like the food noise has vanished.
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That's it exactly. The mental load is SO much less. It's worth it for that alone, even aside from the weight loss.
 
The implication that how you looked before was something to be ashamed of is the part that sits wrong. The compliments come from a good place but the flip side of you look so good now is always there. You are not alone in reading them that way.
 
The body comment discomfort goes both ways for a lot of people here. Having a pre-loaded response ready so you're not caught off guard helps. The 'I know you mean well' opener takes the air out of the weird feeling without making it a whole conversation.
 
the reaction you got when people who knew you saw the change - asking if you were sick rather than giving a compliment - is actually a really common response to significant transformations. the 'what happened to you' framing comes from genuine surprise but it lands like a medical inquiry. the OP's discomfort with the positive version of this is interesting to think about alongside your experience.
 
The anxiety loop where you lose weight, people notice, and you become anxious about what they'll notice when it goes back - and then watching that happen - is the psychological burden that the medication addresses in a way that dieting alone never could. The OP's discomfort with praise is actually the healthier response than the performance anxiety version. Long-term maintenance changes that dynamic.
 
You know what I keep thinking? There's genuinely a whole area here mental health professionals could help unpack. So quick to point out weight gain, yet painfully slow to offer even the smallest compliment. What's up with that?
 
Dropped the pounds, and honestly that's the only relevant piece here. No personal relationship or obligation beyond that. Weight loss is the whole reason this community exists.
 
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