Compliment: The Most Encouraging Weight Loss Motivation

No one has ever said such harsh words to me, at least not as an adult. But I have several people to thank for that. After gaining an unrealistic amount of weight by dating a man who thought Taco Bell was "fancy dining," I ditched the man. However, the weight wasn't as easy to shed. I worked out, reduced portions, and tried, hard as I might, to avoid chocolate desserts. Oh, and champagne. And eventually, the weight came off. After six months, I was down fifteen pounds. Then I went on vacation.

Vacation is never a good thing when you are on a diet. I threw caution to the wind and ate every delicious morsel in sight. Thankfully, I was a pretty active vacationer, so I kept my weight in check. But when I came home, I found a few surprising pounds added to my frame. I felt like I was ready to throw in the towel. But then, something strange happened. One day at work, a woman I hadn't seen in almost a year approached me. "I don't know what you've been doing, but you look amazing!" she said, "I can tell you lost a lot of weight. Nice job!" Suddenly, I stopped dead in my tracks. I was completely overwhelmed; someone who hadn't seen me in forever could tell I lost weight (even though I was dressed in a hideous work uniform). I felt redeemed! And that was enough to get me to put down that fourth cookie and stay on track. A few pounds may not seem like a lot, but to someone who is trying hard, it can be measured in cookies and compliments.

So the next time you see someone who you know has been trying to lose weight, just give them that little push. "You look amazing!" is the newest three-word phrase.