Is it motivating to look at someone else's diary or NOT?

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  • chad_phillips1123
    chad_phillips1123 Posts: 229 Member
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    I think maybe it can be, for me it's more educational to look at others' diaries (getting food/item ideas, meal/recipes ideas, etc.). I also like people to look at mine; I'm usually pretty confident in my calories (I do eat to BMR on my cheat day, but even with that my weekly calories are more than in check). There are somethings that aren't in my area and somethings here that aren't elsewhere, so I have a list of things to try if I get the chance.
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
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    I go over calories all the time. Do I care if they see? No. What matters is how I feel about it and that I am accountable. Do I look at others diaries? Not unless they ask me for help. Otherwise I don't go out of my way to be a look-e-loo.
  • QuietMorning
    QuietMorning Posts: 28 Member
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    I like to check out others dairies because I'm still fairly new to the eating healthier thing and feel I can learn from them. If someone has lost weight, whether its 10 lbs or 100, there is something I can learn from that. It may work for me, it may not. :smile: As far as being motivational, maybe. I have seen diaries where someone has lost 150 lbs and eaten chocolate everyday. It lets me know that I can have the not so great for you stuff in moderation and still lose and become healthier. I like keeping my diary open to my friends because its a huge accountability thing for me. I don't know if any of them have looked or not, no one has made any comments of it anyway. I do stop and think though. I'm not by any means saying that its perfect, but as others has posted, do I really want everyone knowing that I ate 2-3 slices of cake? :embarassed:
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
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    I like to check out others dairies because I'm still fairly new to the eating healthier thing and feel I can learn from them. If someone has lost weight, whether its 10 lbs or 100, there is something I can learn from that. It may work for me, it may not. :smile: As far as being motivational, maybe. I have seen diaries where someone has lost 150 lbs and eaten chocolate everyday. It lets me know that I can have the not so great for you stuff in moderation and still lose and become healthier. I like keeping my diary open to my friends because its a huge accountability thing for me. I don't know if any of them have looked or not, no one has made any comments of it anyway. I do stop and think though. I'm not by any means saying that its perfect, but as others has posted, do I really want everyone knowing that I ate 2-3 slices of cake? :embarassed:

    For me this is the cleansing part. Once I put it out there it seems to assuage any guilt I had in the first place by over indulging. If anything I feel absolved by being absolutely honest. I leave it out there and I move onto a new day.
  • redladywitch
    redladywitch Posts: 799 Member
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    I like looking because it's interesting and I love different ideas.
  • Winston1717
    Winston1717 Posts: 184
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    I think so. I have gotten some great ideas. Also you can see what not to do ie eating 800 calories a day.
  • BetinaBee
    BetinaBee Posts: 63
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    I try to maintain a neat and tidy diary that I'm proud of. So I like to share it. It also motivates me to keep it looking good. It's like inviting people into your home at any anytime - keep it neat and tidy.

    I've only just started looking at my friends' diaries lately. Just out of interest. Especially those on the 5:2 diet - just to see their eating habits through those fast days. How some eat nothing all day and only eat dinner - now that's interesting :smile:
  • susanrechter
    susanrechter Posts: 386 Member
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    I've looked at people's food diaries and I find it boring. Have never found anything inspiring. Most people eat the same stuff day in and day out. snore.
  • TArnold2012
    TArnold2012 Posts: 929 Member
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    Comparison is the thief of happiness. Be nice and stop looking at yourself in relationship to others.
  • angel1419
    angel1419 Posts: 13 Member
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    I like looking cuz it gives me ideas of other food i can experiment with.
  • NewandImproved1
    NewandImproved1 Posts: 21
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    ok, I'm ready to take the plunge. going to open up my diary :)
    <-- inching towards the edge of the diving board. eeks.

    I've gotten out of my exercise routine (hill hiking, tennis, dvds), so I'm feeling opening up my diary will encourage me to get back on track. wish me luck
    :wink:

    Good luck to you!
  • MikaMojito
    MikaMojito Posts: 680 Member
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    I wouldn't say it's terribly motivating for me because most of the friends on my list live in a different country where you get a lot more single-serving things that have the kcals written on them. It probably makes life a whole lot easier. But I think it's just interesting to see what other people eat. Since my diary is at leasty partially in German, most of the people on here wouldn't understand it anyway.
  • AbsyPernet
    AbsyPernet Posts: 145
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    I find it interesting to look at what my friends are eating as they are from across the globe. At times, there might be something I like to try but I usually stick to what works for me after years of trails and errors. I do comments on their diaries but not in a nasty way and vice versa, so, it's working out beautifully.
  • tochatty
    tochatty Posts: 22 Member
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    I don't use the diarys I view as a was of motivation but just ideas of what to eat. I get into ruts where I eat the same thing over and over and then when I get tired of them is when I usually just eat badly. So at least viewing what others are trying and eat just puts thoughts in my head of ideas of what I can eat.

    I honestly don't even look at how many calories people eat, or specifically if "it was not the best choice".... that's not what I get out of it at all. I'm not judging anyone because my dairy could be viewed the same but if I am proud of my choices I also like that I can call out that I had a good day and friends can view my dairy and go high five.
  • hannahpistolas
    hannahpistolas Posts: 290 Member
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    I like looking at other people's diaries, because I'm a curious cat and I like to be nosy.

    I have people on my friends list who only eat clean, and people who (like me) abide by the IIFIYM theory.

    However, I keep my diary open because it motivates me more to know that people are looking at what I'm eating.
  • Celuwen
    Celuwen Posts: 80 Member
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    I rarely look at anyone else's diary and mine is private. If my diary was open I wouldn't be honest with my food logging, so I keep it to myself and it's completely honest. If I had to share it with other people, I doubt I would have lost weight because I'd have been afraid of logging the truth.

    I find I'm accountable to myself, but I understand that others find a public record of their food intake keeps them more in check. You have to use the site in the way that works for you.
  • tenilleless
    tenilleless Posts: 88 Member
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    I like peaking at my friends diaries or at diaries of people who are posting asking for help, but I kinda wish I had some local friends, lol. At least 2/3 of my friends are from the UK and so when I look at their diaries, they're filled with foods i have never heard of.

    I'm sure my diary though is full of strange recipe names.

    I log everything though since I know that if something happens next weigh in or if I get sick off of a food, I wanna be able to look back through my diary and go "It must've been the ____" or "well, I did have a TON of salt last night" (that hasn't happened yet :happy: )

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