Demi Lovato Warns About the Dangers of Complimenting Someone on Their Weight Loss

Demi Lovato has been open about their struggle with eating disorders in the past and, in a new Instagram post over the weekend, reminded their followers that complimenting someone on their weight loss can be harmful.

While Lovato acknowledged that the intention is oftentimes "pure," the praise only feeds into diet culture, at least on their personal journey.

"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," they wrote. "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 a.m. overthinking that statement..."

Lovato said that the praise can "sometimes" feel great, but "only to the loud ass eating disorder voice inside my head that says, 'See, people like a thinner you' or 'If you eat less you'll lose even more weight.'"

They added that it can "sometimes suck because then I start thinking, 'Well damn. What'd they think of my body before?'"

They concluded their post by adding, "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's post comes about a month after they ignited an internet firestorm by putting a local Los Angeles frozen yogurt store on blast to their 100 million+ fans. At the time, they said that walking past "tons of sugar free cookies/other diet foods" to get to the counter was a "triggering" experience -- claiming the messaging "not only enables but praises disordered eating."

The Bill Chill defended themselves by saying they do offer these items for customers with Celiac disease and those who are diabetic or vegan. After some heated social media back-and-forth -- as well as fans criticizing Lovato for their approach -- Demi eventually apologized for how they went about the situation, saying some "took it the wrong way" before offering to work with the shop to "help align the messaging" going forward.