Do people actually read others posts

charmednz

I have a bunch of friends and they all have their friends here on MFP, and I notice people comment on food diaries, exercise ect with a positive short response ...like good work, well done etc, which is positive and great! but I always look at the food diaries and make comments about the content of the food diary. If one person had only eaten one meal and a lot of booze and people would still say good job....are we meant to be blindly supporting people or helping them to succeed? how many people actually read our info?

Discuss

Dabbles

I read through some of them. I haven't had my friends but just this evening but I do applause them for staying under their calories I'm sure I'll be doing a lot more reading of them as time goes on.

lizc_87

I had never thought about that. I'm trying to get me to eat right...so when I feel I have that down I think then I will feel that I have the right to comment on how others eat.

Jorra

I always do read those that I comment on. I may say something about the specifics, I may not. I get nervous that it would be too creepy if I talk about their specific meals all the time.

leslturn8

That is a good question!
I tend to avoid food diaries due to my eating you could say preferences. I looked once at what someone had consumed and it was beyond the call of duty! Though i do "praise" exercise.

bjohs

I would err on the side of caution. Unless they specifically asked for input or help, I will not provide it. Only support them to keep working on it. You just never know if they had an off day, if they are feeling ill, if they are dealing with outside stress, etc. It is best to keep encouraging them to continue on with a healthy lifestyle. When they want feedback, they will ask for it. Just my opinion.

CallejaFairey

i look at diaries, and if they had a good food day, i will comment, but if i can't see the diary, or they didn't really have a good food day, i won't say anything. but i generally stick to commenting on losses and not food. really, my diary may be horrible to another person, you never know why a person ate what they ate, i just don't want to be negative, and yet don't want to be silent either.

justavoice1989

depends. if im in a hurry i wont look at it until maybe later. ill say good job and then when i get a chance ill go back and maybe comment on something specific like "way to get the ice cream in there etc" or "way to substitute the mayo for light mayo or soemthing positive" but for the most part ill scan it and then comment =] but like others have said i will always comment no matter what if they lost weight! or did a great burn!!

RoseVernon

Either way, they worked hard. Good job to that...

starryheart83

I had one friend actually comment on having a good day regarding my food diary! I was looking at other's and wanted to comment but did not want them to feel like I'm criticizing them or anything remotely close to that! So as it might be a good idea to comment on people's food choices, it might also be a good idea on doing it tactfully! I just know that not everyone is good at taking criticism even if it is constructive! The biggest thing is to be encouraging...everyone has a bad day here or there! I know I do!

kristinathenina

I look at food diaries almost everyday-sometimes i just dont feel like it. I look for ideas on what I might like. I praise people when they exercise because I like it when I get praised- makes me feel like I am doing it for someone (though it is for ME)

charmednz

Would you hope if your food diaries were "on the wrong track" someone would speak up and guide you? Maybe I have a different idea of support and motivation...

shonasteele

I usually comment on exercise and weight loss but rarely on staying under calories, and don't usually look at diaries unless someone has commented about something specific they ate. I wouldn't blindly compliment staying under calories without looking to see what they ate though, cuz why compliment a day when they starved themselves or drank all their calories?

I had to laugh the other day when a friend posted a weight loss, then commented on it saying that that was the result of being sick for 3 days, but shortly after, people we're saying "great work" & "keep it up". I know we can't keep track of everything that everyone is doing, but I try not to comment without having a clue what's up.

bjohs

Would you hope if your food diaries were "on the wrong track" someone would speak up and guide you? Maybe I have a different idea of support and motivation...

Not unless I asked them to.

Heather75

I think most people who eat one meal and drink the rest of their calories already realise that it isn't ideal. The more important thing, as far as I'm concerned, is that they are honestly logging. Criticism might stop that. I just wouldn't comment.

imprimez

Good job!!! Keep up the great work!

justavoice1989

Would you hope if your food diaries were "on the wrong track" someone would speak up and guide you? Maybe I have a different idea of support and motivation...

honesty..no. i think that as long as im losing weight and im not posting "oh i had a bad day or god i need to make better choicies" and essentially not regretting my choices then let me be lol. i dont have a healthy diet at all but i try to stay under my cal. goal and exercise. i havent once had someone criticize me for having mcdonalds for lunch or a doughnut for a snack.and i wouldnt do it to them either. if anything id probably congratulate them for being able to treat themself to SOMETHING lol. if it works for them great!!! but once someone starts complaining then i would show them a possible 'right track'

charmednz

You can always word something in a positive way so it doesnt sound like criticism. There doesnt have to be a negative connotation to honest comments...

for example if one of your friends said they were frustrated they werent losing weight, when it was clear to see they werent eating their calories for the day, or they had been filling up on sweets/ high fat foods and wondering why they were not meeting their goals...

BabyDuchess

I used to comment on other's diaries until I read a post that I happened to agree with. It stated that when we congratulate someone for being under their calorie goal we are actually encouraging them to under eat and since there are people on this site with an ED, that is not a good thing. Now, I make it a rule never to go into anyone's food diary or comment on their diary posts. I will and do wholeheartedly support NSV posts, exercise posts or a post where they just need to vent or need encouragement. I don't have my diary open for this reason too. I haven't ever gone over my goal for the day and I don't go under 1200 either or if I do, it's only by a couple of calories but I'm not on here for food support, just motivation. This is MY opinion and I understand that it isn't the only opinion and I respect that. :flowerforyou:

CallejaFairey

Good job!!! Keep up the great work!

*like* lol

wannabeslim67

I would err on the side of caution. Unless they specifically asked for input or help, I will not provide it. Only support them to keep working on it. You just never know if they had an off day, if they are feeling ill, if they are dealing with outside stress, etc. It is best to keep encouraging them to continue on with a healthy lifestyle. When they want feedback, they will ask for it. Just my opinion.

I would have to agree with this comment. It is a very individual journey, we all come from different walks of life, and each of us is dealing with different issues in life, but the one thing that we do have in common is the desire to lose weight and become more healthy. i am relatively new to the website, but I believe as one becomes more accustomed to using it, and observing what other people do and say, you get a feel for what your individual friends are looking for. Some people may ask for input, then it's good to provide it. Otherwise, I think we all can use all the positive feedback we can get. Right now, I'm not really giving advice, mainly asking others for their advice, and looking at their diaries to see if I can learn something from them. Maybe in time, I will feel comfortable giving advice. Right now, I don't think my weight loss warrants that, so I simply try to provide encouragement and positive feedback.

Sunshine_Girlie

You can always word something in a positive way so it doesnt sound like criticism. There doesnt have to be a negative connotation to honest comments...

for example if one of your friends said they were frustrated they werent losing weight, when it was clear to see they werent eating their calories for the day, or they had been filling up on sweets/ high fat foods and wondering why they were not meeting their goals...

I'm usually short, sweet, and to the point, but there are times when I respond if someone is low on their calories or if they are missing a food group. I might say something such as, "Your calorie intake is great, but don't forget your veggies the next time. :]" or maybe something along the lines of "Your choices look good, but just a little low on calories." I like the input I get from others, so I don't see anything negative in saying something of the sort. If it bothers them, I'm sure they will respond about it.

bjohs

You can always word something in a positive way so it doesnt sound like criticism. There doesnt have to be a negative connotation to honest comments...

Why the need to feel like you have to comment if they aren't asking for feedback? I'm just saying that you don't know what that person's struggle is. If they are asking for help with their nutrition or commenting on their food choices, that's one thing. But to critique someone's choices (however politely) without them asking you to do so is rude in my book. You wouldn't expect someone to walk up to you on a sidewalk and nicely explain how you should dress differently to bring out the best features of your body. Why would you feel you should do that to someone's food choices here? Again, my opinion only, but I would find that offensive.

skinnyhopes

I always read it.

Becca_007

Would you hope if your food diaries were "on the wrong track" someone would speak up and guide you? Maybe I have a different idea of support and motivation...

On the wrong track according to who? Who would decide what 'on the wrong track' means to each of us individually?

Some are on the Paleo, some are Dr. supervised on here, some are working to gain, some are working to lose, so many variables who I am to say 'hey you screwed up'. Often times ppl don't get back to their diaries before MFP closes them out if traveling etc., perhaps they've written their foods on paper but simply not logged them in fully. I would never want to have someone assume they knew what I was doing if they had no clue.

So no, I'd rather you simply stick to being a positive supportive friend and not criticize me and that is the type of friend I am. I might PM someone I am close too (I would feel comfy doing this with any of my friends on here as I keep a very small core group I feel quite comfy with)

If someone speaks up and asks to help them track their food better and watch their diary with them that is completely different, we're all different on MFP but I know I don't need food police checking up on me. Makes it easier on others to not have to ponder the right thing to do to simply choose not to show your food diary publicly.

This is EXACTLY why some keep theirs locked because everyone has a different idea of what 'helpful' means. To some criticizing is helpful but I see criticizing as negative.

Merely my thoughts on the topic...

charmednz

Maybe we are not so different, maybe I feel the need to comment for the same reasons you feel you need to comment here...

However I think people are on this site and seek out friends for motivation and support. My reasoning for posting this thread is to find out what others think and whether they comment honestly.

FabiolaEnvy♥

sometime im actually on my ipod so when you are on the ipod you cant see the food dairy even though you know you can see it on the computer...

(in that case i do the typical good job for staying under)

not knowing what they ate or not..

sometime i just look to see the green numbers. and see if their doing good with that. if i see red thats when i go through where it came from and it will depends what it came from either healthy or junk. i will go what they had. if it was junk i would be like well, you can always try to burn those off. but if its good. im like well you know its good sources. so dont fret about it. ♥

i def look at the sodium cause that is a HUGE thing of our weight loss. unless you down your water then i wont really say much. but i will just nudge them ♥

im pretty supportive when it comes to the food. sometime i dont have time to actually look at the food dairy. so i just say good job if they are still under. and if they are over... (cause sometime they are over by like 100 or less) im like well at least it wasnt like 500 calories. but sometime you cant see their food dairy so you have to give them your support by saying well there is always tomorrow where you can do better or whatever the case is. ♥

naesue

The only person I comment on specifically about food is my mom cause I am connected with her. I look at her diary and see what she is eating and sometimes I will actually call her cause I know she posted something wrong. Some times I get lazy and just say good job to everything cause I feel like I haven't supported in a while but usually it is just for the weight losses that I comment!

bjohs

Maybe we are not so different, maybe I feel the need to comment for the same reasons you feel you need to comment here...

Ah ha... but you asked for us to discuss. Big difference.

charmednz

I dont actually think there is a difference, but thanks for your comments

Alaranio

Is funny like that. I like to be involved and take time to write my comments, look at diaries and so on. I notice that even though I invest in them. No one bothers to even comment on mine. It's really disappointing. Exspecialy when they're supposed to be there for support.