This statement may appear benign, like stating the obvious. It puts the person on the position to answer and implies you noticed they were bigger. Alternative welcomes include a loving embrace or looking them in the eye while saying, "It's so good to see you."
This sounds nice, but it might be judgemental. Chief medical officer for medically assisted weight loss program Found and New York City endocrinologist Dr. Rekha Kumar says: Commenting on weight or weight reduction ignores the complexities of health and weight.
This may be enticing after major weight reduction. Mariana Prutton, LMFT, an eating disorder therapist, says the “secret” isn't necessarily good: “These comments are detrimental because they assume thinness and weight loss are always good."
Imagine visiting a long-lost acquaintance or family member and being told, “Look how skinny you are!”
“Remarks like these are damaging because they equate health with thinness, reinforcing the misconception that being skinny equates to being healthy. It's crucial to realize that physical size doesn't indicate wellness.
Too frequently, we're most pleased by a person's weight loss, not their other traits or brains. Whether someone looks to have shed five pounds or 100, don't ask about details.