Why Comparisons During Weight Loss Can Be Toxic

Weight loss is a challenging process, and one that can be taxing on your body and your 
emotional health. One of the issues people often face is in comparisons. Comparing 
yourself to other people, how much weight they have lost, their fitness routine, and the 
type of diet they follow. But you are a unique individual, and you are going to have a 
different weight loss journey that most other people.

This article is going to explore some reasons why comparisons during your weight loss 
journey can hurt your progress. 

 
The Comparisons Are Unhealthy
 
Let’s get this out of the way up to: We’ve all done it. We’ve all made comparisons. 
We’ve all wondered what they were doing that we weren’t, why we don’t measure up. 
There’s no judgment, but please understand that this is an unhealthy mindset. 
Comparing your diet, your exercise, or your body to other peoples’ is a recipe for 
depression and self-loathing. You don’t deserve that kind of pain in your life. 

 
Be Kind to Yourself
 
Consider this: Would you go up to somebody and ask them why their diet is so bad? 
Why they don’t exercise enough? You wouldn’t, right? That would be rude! Well, if you 
wouldn’t treat another person that way, why would you treat yourself that way? It's easy 
to be critical of yourself. It's hard to be kind, especially when it comes to weight loss. 
Still, try your best to be compassionate with yourself. Self-criticism and comparison can 
only lead to bitterness. 

 
Your Journey Is Your Own
 
There’s something that you should consider when you start comparing your weight loss 
to other peoples’. Why are you losing weight? Is it for them, or is it for you? Hopefully, 
it’s the latter. Weight loss is an individual journey. It has nothing to do with other 
peoples’ expectations, ideas, or thoughts. You’re losing weight for you and you alone. 
It’s not for anybody else. Don’t lose sight of that. 
 
The best friend you have on your weight loss journey is yourself. You’re the one making 
the decisions and putting in the work. In the end, you’re losing weight because you want 
to. Comparisons are easy to make, but they’re not healthy and they’re not helpful. Just 
remember to be kind to yourself and show yourself the same compassion that you 
would show to anyone else. You deserve it.
