Open Diaries vs Closed Diaries

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Replies

  • MamaMc3
    MamaMc3 Posts: 213 Member
    I keep mine open, but I don't really care what other people think about what I'm eating! LOL! I keep it open so the nutritionist I am working with can see it, and also because I think open diaries help give people ideas. I like to look at other people's diaries for ideas of things I could be eating!
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    edited July 2017
    Mine is closed. Mostly because I don't actually weigh my food due to a history of OCD/disordered eating.

    I guess it kind of makes me a hypocrite when I point out flaws in others' tracking when they post the "I'm doing all the right things but not losing weight" threads, but it kind of doesn't since I realize that I have flaws and would never start one of those threads anyways.

  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    edited July 2017
    I'm closing my diary. Too much judgy nonsense.

    I do have days of 1000 calorie burns as per my Fitbit and even though I've posted screenshots of that data I was accused of lying. I've been accused of fudging numbers on seasoning even though I go by MFP, the label, and the manufacturer website. Hey if 3 sources said it's 0 calories, it's 0 calories! This jerk was deleted.

    Now I have someone questioning why I use creamer every night. I'll log the creamer, but I won't log the tea bag and hot water that went with it. They're about to go.

    And the diary is about to close.

    I usually just log the milk I put in my coffee too... maybe they were just curious idk
    like were they "why didn't u log 2 calorie tea?" Maybe they genuinely wondered. I have also been known to drink creamer for what it's worth lol
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    edited July 2017
    Emmygm wrote: »
    I don't think it's a big deal either way. I love when my friends have it open because I can get some great inspiration and ideas. I would never judge someone's diet without them asking my opinion though.

    Same. I get that some may want it closed and don't care at all but if someone has similar stats to me I like to compare just out of curiosity (I know it's going to vary but just to get an idea) Always disappointing when I click two times and it's closed LOL
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    Visible to friends only. No time for random snarkmeisters.
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    mitch16 wrote: »
    Mine is closed. Mostly because I don't actually weigh my food due to a history of OCD/disordered eating.

    I guess it kind of makes me a hypocrite when I point out flaws in others' tracking when they post the "I'm doing all the right things but not losing weight" threads, but it kind of doesn't since I realize that I have flaws and would never start one of those threads anyways.

    No, because you know where you need to tighten up IF you lack progress. I don't log everything perfectly either but I am not confused as to why I'm "not lOOsing on 1500 cals" haha
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    The worst thing I've done to someone with an open diary is delete them for constantly eating VLC, I'm not going to "like" your eating disorder but I wouldn't dare have said anything either; that's their business.

    I had to delete someone like that once, too--not only was she eating VLC daily, her News Feed posts were all about how she didn't have an eating disorder. So. Much. Drama.



  • bizgirl26
    bizgirl26 Posts: 1,795 Member
    Mine is open to friends and I have strong shoulders so I say " judge away" . I am doing something right obviously and I eat lots and drink wine :wink:
    This being said I will comment on diaries if they ask for advice like " why am I not losing " and I see they have a lot of junk food or foods that are harder to keep track of without measuring but don't ask if you don't want to hear it lol .
    I have seen where someone loses a ridiculous amount of weight in a week and then I look at their calories and see them at a very low 1000 or something and wanted to delete them but I don't . I struggle as I feel they will fail in the end but I try to keep my mouth shut unless they ask but if they ask then I am going to be honest with them

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  • InkAndApples
    InkAndApples Posts: 201 Member
    Mine is closed, mainly because it never occurred to me to open it.

    I don't think many people would be inspired by my gin and mini eggs days tbh.
  • infinitynevermore
    infinitynevermore Posts: 98 Member
    Mine is open to friends only. If you comment, obviously I've opened myself up somewhat to it since I added you.
  • daneejela
    daneejela Posts: 461 Member
    Mine is open to friends, but I don't really feel to much exposed since I don't judge others I don't expect to be judged back.
    My only rule here is to honestly log whatever I ate. I am trying to stay under my goal, if I can't I go for maintenance. If I fail maintenance too, oh well, I want to have that at least logged.
  • MommaGem2017
    MommaGem2017 Posts: 405 Member
    I have mine open and luckily I haven't gotten any negative comments. I eat what I eat, I don't eat totally clean, but maybe I can give someone else on how to manage their days.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    I'm closing my diary. Too much judgy nonsense.

    I do have days of 1000 calorie burns as per my Fitbit and even though I've posted screenshots of that data I was accused of lying. I've been accused of fudging numbers on seasoning even though I go by MFP, the label, and the manufacturer website. Hey if 3 sources said it's 0 calories, it's 0 calories! This jerk was deleted.

    Now I have someone questioning why I use creamer every night. I'll log the creamer, but I won't log the tea bag and hot water that went with it. They're about to go.

    And the diary is about to close.

    Why not just delete the people?

    This, for 1, but 2. I'd be suspicious of a 1000 calorie fitbit adjustment.

    It depends on your settings. If you're active but have yourself set to sedentary on both here and Fitbit, it's not that hard to get depending on your weight.

    I have to be on my feet and walking a lot all day to do it now that I'm lighter (and that's after a morning long run), but when I was heavier, it wasn't that rare.
  • Emily3907
    Emily3907 Posts: 1,461 Member
    Mine is closed and I only share with my husband (so he can copy meals we eat together based on my recipes). I don't really think it is anyone's business what I choose to eat to lose weight. I am doing this for me and only me, so I don't feel the desire to share my daily intake with others.

    Also, I never really look at any diaries. Everyone has their own way of doing this, so when I started out and looked at other people's diaries, I didn't really learn or glean anything from them. So, I just stopped looking.

    That being said, I completely understand why others like the accountability factor and/or sharing with friends or whoever. So, to each their own.

    The most important thing is to stay honest in your logging and do whatever works best for your individual circumstances.
  • newheavensearth
    newheavensearth Posts: 870 Member
    I'm closing my diary. Too much judgy nonsense.

    I do have days of 1000 calorie burns as per my Fitbit and even though I've posted screenshots of that data I was accused of lying. I've been accused of fudging numbers on seasoning even though I go by MFP, the label, and the manufacturer website. Hey if 3 sources said it's 0 calories, it's 0 calories! This jerk was deleted.

    Now I have someone questioning why I use creamer every night. I'll log the creamer, but I won't log the tea bag and hot water that went with it. They're about to go.

    And the diary is about to close.

    Why not just delete the people?

    This, for 1, but 2. I'd be suspicious of a 1000 calorie fitbit adjustment.

    It depends on your settings. If you're active but have yourself set to sedentary on both here and Fitbit, it's not that hard to get depending on your weight.

    I have to be on my feet and walking a lot all day to do it now that I'm lighter (and that's after a morning long run), but when I was heavier, it wasn't that rare.

    I have my settings on sedentary because my job is sedentary. But I do my hour of regular exercise in the morning, 45 to 60 min of stress relief cardio after work. And I walk my errands and volunteer work so 20,000 step days on top of all that does come up to a high burn.
  • xandra47
    xandra47 Posts: 121 Member
    I started out with mine closed because I felt what I ate was personal, but at some point I stopped feeling like that. Now it's public because I like looking at other open diaries for meal ideas, so I figure others might like to do the same. I've never had anyone say anything negative about what I eat, it surprises me that that's even a thing! Ditch those jerks from your friend lists!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    I've had a friend who told me to eat more vegetables. It was kind of funny, but she was right. I can understand how people would be totally creeped out by people looking through their diary...but imo, it's fine and I think it helps you stay accountable and thinking more about eating well throughout the day.

    I would have said, "there was lettuce and tomato on the burger".

    It's so weird for someone to be the food police without any knowledge of my goals or even my budget.

    As I say to my OH, "The amount of lettuce on a burger is no where near a serving size of lettuce." (On his burgers anyway.)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    The worst thing I've done to someone with an open diary is delete them for constantly eating VLC, I'm not going to "like" your eating disorder but I wouldn't dare have said anything either; that's their business. I'm shocked to read how many (even though just a handful) have had negative comments about theirs. I'd get very vicious if someone dared give me unsolicited advice on what I put in my body haha

    Ya, I have two under-eaters in my friends list and pretty much stopped looking at my feed because of them. It made me too sad. Would have made me sadder to delete them.

    I couldn't stand all the liking on their completed under-eating.
  • infinitynevermore
    infinitynevermore Posts: 98 Member
    The worst thing I've done to someone with an open diary is delete them for constantly eating VLC, I'm not going to "like" your eating disorder but I wouldn't dare have said anything either; that's their business. I'm shocked to read how many (even though just a handful) have had negative comments about theirs. I'd get very vicious if someone dared give me unsolicited advice on what I put in my body haha

    I actually had to do that about a month ago. I will accept almost any friend request, but when I accepted, all this person's comments were about eating only 750 calories a day, despite having others tell him that it wasn't healthy. Since I'm not about that life, and he was already being warned about his habits, I simply un-friended him...
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    Mine is open and always has been on the basis I don't really care what other people think, I'm accountable to myself not strangers.

    (BTW - I only log once in a blue moon now, for precision on cycling days)

    Does seem a strong correlation between closed diaries and the "I'm doing all the right things but not losing weight" threads that crop up.
    Doesn't mean people are being secret eaters of course but maybe they might be missing some hints and tips from diary surfers?

    A closed diary is the default. On the "I'm doing all the right things but not losing weight" threads the OP is often surprised that they can open their diaries and need help doing this.
  • bababs89
    bababs89 Posts: 307 Member
    Mine is open to friends only, but I don't really think it impacts my success. I just keep it open because I like to check out other people's now and then for ideas.
  • rparkerslim
    rparkerslim Posts: 398 Member
    For me, I don't think it makes a difference either way. I don't really care much what random people on the internet think of what I eat, I do what works for me. Having it open to public viewing really can't prevent me from lying about what I put in it, that is the real inhibitor to success.

    Lol! So true! You can lie to MFP, but that doggone scale just won't go along with you! Soooo - you might as well tell the truth! I like open because I can get some good food ideas from my friends, and hopefully, they can get some from me!

  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    For me, I don't think it makes a difference either way. I don't really care much what random people on the internet think of what I eat, I do what works for me. Having it open to public viewing really can't prevent me from lying about what I put in it, that is the real inhibitor to success.

    Lol! So true! You can lie to MFP, but that doggone scale just won't go along with you! Soooo - you might as well tell the truth! I like open because I can get some good food ideas from my friends, and hopefully, they can get some from me!

    the body keeps an accurate journal no matter what you write down haha
  • rparkerslim
    rparkerslim Posts: 398 Member
    nyponbell wrote: »
    I have been thinking about this too. Mine is closed, mainly because I don't want to run the risk of someone commenting on it - good or bad. I do this for me and taking that stress out of it helps me be honest about what I eat, knowing it is only for myself. That said, I have issues with food so don't really want to talk about what I am eating, even when I eat "healthy all the time", unless it is my choice to share it. Having an open diary takes away it being my choice (even if I would only share it with friends).

    I understand how you feel! I hate to tell people I'm trying to lose weight because when I do, I seem to lose my motivation! Oh well, we are who we are! God is so good; He loves us anyway!
  • Mary90Mary
    Mary90Mary Posts: 59 Member
    I have an open diary right now to se if I like it. I feel like it makes me more accountable for what I eat.
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    Mines closed. I find it MUCH less stressful, I hold myself accountable its creepy to me thinking of strangers going through my private business. Really nothing against it thats just me lol
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    edited July 2017
    I'm closing my diary. Too much judgy nonsense.

    I do have days of 1000 calorie burns as per my Fitbit and even though I've posted screenshots of that data I was accused of lying. I've been accused of fudging numbers on seasoning even though I go by MFP, the label, and the manufacturer website. Hey if 3 sources said it's 0 calories, it's 0 calories! This jerk was deleted.

    Now I have someone questioning why I use creamer every night. I'll log the creamer, but I won't log the tea bag and hot water that went with it. They're about to go.

    And the diary is about to close.

    Why not just delete the people?

    This, for 1, but 2. I'd be suspicious of a 1000 calorie fitbit adjustment.

    Being suspicious of the adjustment produced by the tracker is really different than accusing the owner of the tracker of lying about their burn. I cut my steps calories down (I eat about half-ish back) because I think they're over-reported. But it syncs what it syncs--I'm not editing up the entries somehow to make it look like I have this hyper-burn.

    I deleted my "Diary Police."
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    I'm closing my diary. Too much judgy nonsense.

    I do have days of 1000 calorie burns as per my Fitbit and even though I've posted screenshots of that data I was accused of lying. I've been accused of fudging numbers on seasoning even though I go by MFP, the label, and the manufacturer website. Hey if 3 sources said it's 0 calories, it's 0 calories! This jerk was deleted.

    Now I have someone questioning why I use creamer every night. I'll log the creamer, but I won't log the tea bag and hot water that went with it. They're about to go.

    And the diary is about to close.

    Why not just delete the people?

    This, for 1, but 2. I'd be suspicious of a 1000 calorie fitbit adjustment.

    Being suspicious of the adjustment produced by the tracker is really different than accusing the owner of the tracker of lying about their burn. I cut my steps calories down because I think they're over-reported. But it syncs what it syncs--I'm not editing up the entries somehow to make it look like I have this hyper-burn.

    I deleted my "Diary Police."

    same. sadly i think the more steps you take the more it overestimates too... so it looks really bad lol
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    I'm closing my diary. Too much judgy nonsense.

    I do have days of 1000 calorie burns as per my Fitbit and even though I've posted screenshots of that data I was accused of lying. I've been accused of fudging numbers on seasoning even though I go by MFP, the label, and the manufacturer website. Hey if 3 sources said it's 0 calories, it's 0 calories! This jerk was deleted.

    Now I have someone questioning why I use creamer every night. I'll log the creamer, but I won't log the tea bag and hot water that went with it. They're about to go.

    And the diary is about to close.

    I usually just log the milk I put in my coffee too... maybe they were just curious idk
    like were they "why didn't u log 2 calorie tea?" Maybe they genuinely wondered. I have also been known to drink creamer for what it's worth lol

    I don't log my tea bag, either. (Don't use anything in the tea.) I also don't log my one Brazil nut per day I eat for selenium.
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    I'm closing my diary. Too much judgy nonsense.

    I do have days of 1000 calorie burns as per my Fitbit and even though I've posted screenshots of that data I was accused of lying. I've been accused of fudging numbers on seasoning even though I go by MFP, the label, and the manufacturer website. Hey if 3 sources said it's 0 calories, it's 0 calories! This jerk was deleted.

    Now I have someone questioning why I use creamer every night. I'll log the creamer, but I won't log the tea bag and hot water that went with it. They're about to go.

    And the diary is about to close.

    Why not just delete the people?

    This, for 1, but 2. I'd be suspicious of a 1000 calorie fitbit adjustment.

    Being suspicious of the adjustment produced by the tracker is really different than accusing the owner of the tracker of lying about their burn. I cut my steps calories down because I think they're over-reported. But it syncs what it syncs--I'm not editing up the entries somehow to make it look like I have this hyper-burn.

    I deleted my "Diary Police."

    same. sadly i think the more steps you take the more it overestimates too... so it looks really bad lol

    I get 1000+ additional calories most days that would annoy me, But i walk 10-15 miles a day (20-30k steps) and am set to sedentary so it sort of makes sense lol that would be irritating to explain daily
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