"You've Lost a Lot of Weight"

I saw someone today whom I had not seen in some time. He did a bit of a double take when he saw me. "You've lost a lot of weight", he said.

I smiled and said "Yes, I have!"

It felt really good to have someone acknowledge my results. I know that sometimes we don't know what to say when we see someone who has had a big change in their appearance, but for most of us who were/are obese it feels good to have our efforts recognized.

This happens to be a wonderfully kind man who I've known for several years. It was obvious in his eyes that he was pleased for me. That was part of what made it feel so good. He also followed it up with thoughtful questions about what I was doing and how I was feeling (my energy level, etc) and I could tell he really cared.

I liked the way he said it, noticing the change first, and asking about the process rather than focusing on my appearance.

Based on this experience, I would suggest that if you notice someone has dropped a lot of weight and you want to give a positive comment--go ahead.

I'd be interested to hear if other people would disagree with that.