Recently lost a lot of weight? Health's resident mental health pro weighs in on how to deal with intrusive comments and own your body after shedding pounds.
Q: I recently lost a lot of weight, but I'm getting sick of hearing constant comments about how much better I look. Is that weird?
You mean you want to run to the grocery store without someone stopping you and saying, "Wow, you've lost a lot of weight!"? That makes perfect sense. Many people who have shed pounds find the incessant remarks about their body to be intrusive or even feel like pressure to keep up the results. You want to get on with your life and make the new you the new normal in everybody's eyes.
Just try to remember that the people who care about you are only commenting because they think you'll appreciate it. You can speak up—just be polite about it. Let folks know that while you understand they mean well, you're hoping to take your focus off weight, body, and dieting. Try saying, "Thank you for the compliment. I'm feeling good and ready to put it behind me and move on to my next chapter." It's better to say something now—if you constantly bite your tongue, your resentment may build up, and eventually you'll let someone have it.
Gail Saltz, MD, is a psychiatrist and television commentator in New York City who specializes in health, sex, and relationships.
You mean you want to run to the grocery store without someone stopping you and saying, "Wow, you've lost a lot of weight!"? That makes perfect sense. Many people who have shed pounds find the incessant remarks about their body to be intrusive or even feel like pressure to keep up the results. You want to get on with your life and make the new you the new normal in everybody's eyes.
Just try to remember that the people who care about you are only commenting because they think you'll appreciate it. You can speak up—just be polite about it. Let folks know that while you understand they mean well, you're hoping to take your focus off weight, body, and dieting. Try saying, "Thank you for the compliment. I'm feeling good and ready to put it behind me and move on to my next chapter." It's better to say something now—if you constantly bite your tongue, your resentment may build up, and eventually you'll let someone have it.
Gail Saltz, MD, is a psychiatrist and television commentator in New York City who specializes in health, sex, and relationships.
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