Do you keep your food diary open?

Skittle_BoomBoom

I don't because... I don't see the point. Can someone please explain to me why letting other people see what you eat is beneficial?

suremeansyes

Because maybe they are struggling with hitting certain meal macros, or need ideas and sometimes someone else can give you fresh perspective?

madhatter2013

I'm an open book. I'm all for constructive critisism or someone taking my meal plan for themselves. Either you help me or I help you. Either way, I'm cool with it.

Josalinn

Also many people ask what they are doing wrong in their diet and then keep their diary closed. People can't give advice if they can't see what you are eating.

I keep mine open because I don't really care who looks at it. If people want to be judgey about my food what do I care? If someone looks at and says "oo that sounds fantastic!" then cool I've helped someone.

jim180155

Mine is open. I have nothing to hide.

Whether asking advice or giving advice, other people may want to see some of the specifics in what others are eating.

And some people think it's personal and nobody else's business.

Either way is okay.

GiveMeCoffee

Part of it is a mental thing for me, I used to be a secret eater... wait until everyone else went to bed then raid the cookie jar type stuff, so having an open diary is my way of being upfront and honest with myself. Also gives ideas to others on what you can eat while still losing.

It's a personal choice for me it's beneficial for you... that would be up to you

MizTerry

I don't because I like to keep my friends.

purpledaisy4

I keep mine open in the hope someone will see it on a bad day and come along and shout at me to stop eating

mrodriguez1082

I do... It keeps me in line as to what I eat. I might still fall off a few times but not as bad as if I kept it closed and no one saw what I ate. Also ppl can advise me as to what I'm doing wrong or use one of my meals :-)

mrodriguez1082

I keep mine open in the hope someone will see it on a bad day and come along and shout at me to stop eating

I agree helps keep me on track in a way

sjaplo

There are enough new people on here who continually asking for assistance or food ideas or how to log - mine is not exact, but its what I do. If mine help - then great. To me it's the same as offering opions - only this is a passive form

Francl27

To keep me more accountable I guess. And to show others that having a few bad days doesn't hurt that much in the long run.

ShannonMpls

Yes. I have had some good success here and this way people can see how I eat. Nothing magical, no secrets....just keep track.

RhineDHP

I used to keep it to only friends but then I figured, what's the big deal with keeping it private? I don't really care who sees my food diary.

SezxyStef

why not?

I have nothing to hide...and if it helps someone to look at mine have at.

Not sure why people keep it private...

To be frank if I have see a person on my friends list and I can't see their diary...gone.

sumofRactions

I didn't either when I first joined here mine was closed. Reading some posts I came across a few where they said they enjoyed reading through them to give them menu idea so I went back and made mine available to friends. If I can help someone else simply by leaving it open then why not?

eddiesmith1

Mine is open, (at least to MFP members) no reason not to be,
As pointed out others may use it for inspiration, or If I've asked for help it makes it easy for people to see and offer their 2 cents on what may help (whether I listen or not is another story)
and as someone else said it keeps you accountable to a degree
If someone reaches out for help and suggestions and doesn't open their diary any help is pretty much a wild guess

eddiesmith1

I keep mine open in the hope someone will see it on a bad day and come along and shout at me to stop eating

ROFLMAO
I have days I wish that happened as well, but usually late in the day too late then

Swiftdogs

I keep mine closed. I want as accurate a record as possible. I don't want the temptation to omit that second glass of wine or 1/4 serving of Fritos. I am NOT creative and eat weird things (like salad for breakfast) so most people wouldn't find mine useful.

kshadows

Yep mine's open. When I pose questions in the forums, it's easier to give me an accurate answer if you can see what I'm working with. Friends can use it for ideas. I have nothing to hide.

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kitkatbar972

Part of it is a mental thing for me, I used to be a secret eater... wait until everyone else went to bed then raid the cookie jar type stuff, so having an open diary is my way of being upfront and honest with myself. Also gives ideas to others on what you can eat while still losing.

It's a personal choice for me it's beneficial for you... that would be up to you

This.

It's not like the fact that I eat ****ty at times should be a surprise to anyone... I'm on MFP ffs.

krennie8

Nope. I keep it closed. I don't like the idea of strangers perusing what I've eaten that day, not that I expect anyone to care enough to check it out. Illogical, but there we go.

i keep mine open. Though I've had ppl in real life ask me to join another site and/or invite them here so we can be "friends" while working out. I don't mind strangers seeing my eating habits if they want, but I find it creeps me out to know real life friends/coworkers are scrutinizing my eating habits. Hence half my reason for joining MFP instead of LoseIt.

asiantaye

I keep my diary open to give my friends food ideas. I also like the fact that my friends can look and tell me better options for some of my gulity pleasures to stay on track.

asiantaye

lol, people who do that really help! lol

asiantaye

lol, yes....yes

tomwatso

I do.

Ang108

I don't because... I don't see the point. Can someone please explain to me why letting other people see what you eat is beneficial?

I don't see the point of keeping it private. What I eat is no secret. I learned a lot from the open diaries of people I consider to be successful and hope that there are people who will also learn something from my diary. I also sometimes give advise and personally think that I want to be easily accessible people by keeping my diary open. I eat 1200 calories ( due to age and height ), but eat more food than others and I tend to think that maybe my diary help people who eat low cal to also eat healthy.
Personally I don't care if people have their diary open or not and would never make an issue out of it.....:o).

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eddiesmith1

I don't because... I don't see the point. Can someone please explain to me why letting other people see what you eat is beneficial?

I can't see any benefit and I think it's actually weird. LOL.

Why would looking at what someone else eats, help YOU?

I have never understood it, and I probably never will. I don't get it.

So, therefore, mine is closed to the general public. It's open to my friends, though. I only do that because some people get pissy about it.

you aren't asking for advice about things then. otherwise people will have told you it needs to be open for a hope of valid advice
to each his own. Personally i could care less if people want to troll my diary ,

Koldnomore

Mines open, has been since I started. Never really thought about it. I'm not here to impress anyone so I really don't care if someone wants to see what I eat.

I have had people message me commenting that it's nice to see someone who has been reasonably successful eating normal food so I leave it open in case people are curious and because I really don't care if people want to look.

I normally don't have friends with closed diaries because I have had too many people with eating issues want to be my friend and I won't put up with people anymore who want to starve themselves or not put in the effort required to be successful. I'm not here to be anyone's baby sitter.

Anyone who asks for help on the forums with a closed diary isn't going to get very much.