Demi Got Real About The Negative Impact Complimenting Someone's Weight Loss Can Have
"Even if your intentions are pure, it might leave that person awake at 2 am overthinking that statement."
Demi Lovato isn’t one to hold back. On Sunday, May 23, the 28-year-old star posted a lengthy statement on Instagram about what could potentially trigger someone who has an eating disorder. Lovato warned people not to comment on others’ bodies, even if they think they’re being positive, because it could have a negative effect on how they view themselves. Everyone needs to see Demi Lovato's Instagram about complimenting someone's weight loss because it shows how someone with good intentions may not even realize they’re harming someone’s self-confidence.
“Idk who needs to hear this but complimenting someone on their weight loss can be as harmful as complimenting someone on their weight gain in regards to talking to someone in recovery from an eating disorder,” Lovato (who came out as non-binary on May 19 and revealed they now use they/them pronouns) began their message. “If you don’t know someone’s history with food, please don’t comment on their body. Because even if your intention is pure, it might leave that person awake at 2 am overthinking that statement…”
As someone who’s recovering from an eating disorder, the singer admitted these comments make them feel insecure. “I start thinking ‘Well, damn. What’d they think of my body before?” Lovato said.
They ended their statement by asking fans not to comment on their body. “Moral of the story: I am more than the shell for my soul that is my body and every day I fight to remind myself of that, so I’m asking you to please not remind me that that is all people see of me sometimes,” Lovato finished.
Lovato has opened up about their eating disorder on a number of occasions through the years. During a February 2020 appearance on Ashley Graham’s podcast, Pretty Big Deal, Lovato revealed they used to do “extreme dieting,” thinking it was helping in their recovery when it actually had the opposite effect. The reason they didn’t think there was anything wrong with it at first was because the people around them encouraged it. "I think when you have certain people around you that are telling you certain things that you should look a certain way, it makes it harder [to recover]," Lovato said at the time.
Lovato is always so honest with fans about their journey to recovery, and that’s why fans appreciate them so much.
If you or someone you know has an eating disorder and needs help, call the National Eating Disorders Association helpline at 1-800-931-2237, text 741741, or chat online with a Helpline volunteer here.
