“You look well”

[PowderPants]

Is this a code or something?
I have lost slightly 3st over 10months- quite slowly- slow and steady- it’s been hard work. I am 5ft 9 and now just weigh under 12stones. So I am tall and I think when I was larger I did dress carefully to make myself look slimmer than I was.
No one noticed initially and now get a “you look well” comment 3-4x per day.
Makes me smile obviously, but increasingly I laugh at the same exact turn of phrase.
For context the weight went on quite quickly over 5 years so maybe people can’t quite place why I look better- but I doubt it!
So in is essence is this code for “you’ve clearly lost weight but I’m too polite to mention it”, or are people really just thinking I look better? As I lose more are people more blatant about commenting maybe
anyone else get this?

I think it’s a combination of the two - some being polite, some can’t figure out what it is.

I agree, it is code for "you've lost weight and look better for it".
It is your cue to either just say "thank you" or "thank you I've lost 3 stone"

Women say 'you've lost so much weight how did you do it'

Men don't dare to say that so they go with you look well

Yes it’s code!! My friend now she’s lost weight does actually look radiant!! But I can’t say that either as normally that’s associated with pregnancy 😂

It means you look better / healthier.

Yes it’s code. I’ve lost 5 stone since September, and a total of nearly 9 stone from my heaviest weight a few years ago. Met up with some people at a recent conference who hadn’t seen me since my heaviest days and it was absolutely hilarious. After comically double taking and then swiftly wiping the shocked look off their faces, they calmly said I ‘looked well’. People are scared to mention weight, if you say that someone looks like they’ve lost some, then is it a compliment or an insult because you thought they were fat before? No way of knowing how it will be taken so people avoid the topic altogether.

Yes- I thought as much.
i need to perfect my response I think.
I should just say “thank you” but jabber on instead awkwardly

I had "you look radiant" this week after a 4 stone loss. I am trying hard to just say "thank you, that's very kind to say" rather than witter on but I do find it embarrassing

I’m getting that a lot! If I like them I say yes I’ve lost 3 stone
I also got a LOT of compliments about my hair recently. And how it suits me. I cut it short about 18 months ago and the started my weightloss journey at the beginning of this year. So most of these people have seen me multiple times already with short hair, they just mean my face is less fat

Where I come from it means 'Blimey, you've put on weight'.
I doubt that's true of where you are.