Unfortunately, we live in a society where thinness and weight loss are equated with health and happiness. However, this assumption is false. Weight loss or gain tells us nothing about a person's health, happiness or the way they live their life. For example, the same person who is praised for their weight loss may be struggling with an eating disorder, terminal illness, poverty, depression or a plethora of other issues.
Assigning morality to weight - seeing thinness as "good" and fatness as "bad" - is a dangerous mentality. To many, comments about weight and appearance can be highly triggering and they shift the focus away from the things in life which are actually important. Luckily, I've provided you with an extensive list of things to comment on your friend's Instagram post (or Facebook, Twitter, etc.) that have nothing to do with their body or weight.
1. "You are glowing!"
2. "You look so happy :)"
3. "This is a great picture!"
4. "YOUR DOG IS ADORABLE"
5. "I'm so happy you're happy! I can't wait to meet your partner."
7. "I miss you, let's reconnect soon!"
8. "I am so proud of you"
9. "You're inspirational!"
10. "I am so happy you exist"
11. "You have such a great sense of style!"
12. "I'm loving the confidence!"
13. "You have a beautiful soul"
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15. "You are an incredible person"
16. "I am so glad I met you"
18. "I'm looking forward to seeing you soon!"
19. "You rock"
20. "I love that shirt where did you get it?"
21. "Have a great trip!"
22. "This post made my day!"
23. "You are royalty!"
24. "Beyoncé would be proud"
25. "You two are my favs"
26. "I'm loving that color on you!"
27. "Your makeup looks amazing"
28. "This is so cute!"
29. "Your eyes look so lively"
30. "Come through with the self love!"
After scrolling through this list, I hope you'll find at least one comment that you can use to support, affirm and empower your friend without the potential harm that comes with commenting on their body. Because at the end of the day, worth and value do not come from physical appearance, but from so many other factors like compassion, kindness, humor, and drive. Weight is just about the least interesting thing about a person--you can be more creative than focusing on that. And if you truly cannot think of something to say that doesn't focus on the shrinking or expansion of your loved one's body, a simple double-tap will suffice.
