(Lauren Del Turco/ Prevention) — Navigating conversations about weight, exercise, and food is about as tricky as walking a tightrope blindfolded. One wrong sentence and you’re plummeting toward awkwardness and insult. Even the most well-intentioned of compliments or questions can go south quick; after all, our relationships with our bodies are often complex, woven by years of experiences good and bad.
The next time you’re talking to someone who’s on a weight loss journey, avoid the following statements and questions—and follow this psychologist-backed advice on what to say instead to keep the conversation encouraging.
“First of all, anyone trying to lose weight has already heard this before,” says Jim Keller, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist specializing in health and bariatric psychology. Even if you have good intentions, you’ll almost always sound condescending. (…)