Food dairy, why don't more people make them visible?

paxetamore

I think both sides of this are really valid...If I see that "so-and-so has completed their food diary for the day" and they have a private diary, I don't comment...It really needs to be live-and-let-live where diary privacy is concerned I think.

I do this too, figuring how can I comment on what I do not see? When I can see a friend's food diary and make an intelligent comment, It is not to be judgmental... just what I expect from my friends who can see my food diary. Not to mention that anyone who is under a calorie goal, no matter the number of calories, deserves kudos if they have done it in a healthy way! Mine is open to friends, and I hope they care enough to look. I don't feel "harassed"; it is helpful feedback, and I feel encouraged!

If people choose to keep a food diary private, I respect that; however, I will not comment if they are under calorie goal... I have seen too many under 1,000 calories per day to encourage that on a daily basis

For me, having on open diary means that I think twice about my caloric intake/output, and that works to help me change lifestyle habits. Do I always eat what I should or should not? NO. But my friends are not mean, and they see I am trying, so it is all worthwhile

Thankilates

LOL Number one, mine is on default as I just joined last week.

Number two, I may switch it, but may not since I don't eat any meat and rarely dairy... Sure some Veggies or Vegans might want to know, but then they ask, I can tell them. It's way less harsh this way. I don't want to get into arguments over my food. Hasn't happened here, but happens in the real world ALL the time about V vs Veg vs lacto-ov, vs Foodie, vs cage free, vs Palio, vs SAD.

BUT maybe I will switch in a month or two to make things interesting. I doubt it though.

Also, because of number two, I don't care what people eat or need to see it. I am a good cook, happy with my meals and again, if people are curious as to how I lost 8 pounds this last week, then they ask!

I think we need to be supportive and can be, NO MATTER what we are eating! SO if you want to show it, COOL! If not- COOL!

Either way, Life is Good! Hope this offered insight. I am not trying to be mean, I'm no angry, I just didn't know and I don;t know that I care! LOL I am currently working on recipes for a new article so... ehhh, can't give it all away for free!

bhagavatilad1

Mine is not public because you'll have no idea what I'm eating sometimes because I am Hindu and eat alot of curries and other recipes named differently which I've entered into MFP myself.

jwgca

mine is public and boring. i eat pretty much the same thing everyday.

veganbaum

Eh, when I'm comfortable, I'll open it. Right now it's just a little uncomfortable to share what I eat every day.

rybo

This is one debate I don't understand from either side.

1. Why would I care what anyone thought of what I ate. I don't hide in a closet when I eat my meals.
2. Why would anyone care what i eat? And certainly enough to make a comment on it?

foxilein

I did not even know you had the choice...

Mmmary212

Mine's public...I couldn't care less what others think of my diet. I eat meat.

Watch_Me_Shrink

I prefer when people have their diaries open to view, but I wouldn't not accept a friend request or delete someone because of it. If people want to keep it private that's ther choice and in not goin to criticize anyone for their choices.
I have mine open because I want people to comment on it if they want to. Also because it will make be feel accountable.

HappyLuna

There's not enough privacy these days. People think they have a right to know someone elses business. That's why there is so much more drama and hate in the world because we all know too much now. Keep it private or public. Whatever suits you, your lifestyle and personalitiy.

lolainlondon

Mine's private. The only person I'm accountable to for my eating decisions (good or bad) is me, so sharing would only give random strangers the feeling of superiority for eating one fewer carrot stick than me. ;-)

rachel1496

Mine is private and likely to stay that way. I grew up with a grandmother who, despite being at least 50lbs overweight herself, was very, very critical of what I was eating. I vividly remember being 10 years old and coming to her house after a day at the pool and having her grill me about whether or not I should be eating a cookie at my weight. It's 100% my own issue to get over but until that point I'm keeping it closed.

juliesummers

Sometimes people have personal notes they keep on their notepad at the bottom, Everyone can see them if they open their their food diary. They may want to keep those notes private.

^YES.
Exactly my reason. Plus, if I was super busy that day and wound up way under on my calories, I don't need a lecture from any strangers about it.
I have a hard enough time getting myself to eat enough calories, knowing how satisfying and tempting it is to create such a visible recorded deficit at the end of the day, and if I knew others were going to watch each calorie go up--- forget it. It would just make it that much harder for me to eat regularly knowing people were going to track my every bite.

lisajlb

mine is open, and i have found that friends on here have gleened the odd bit of useful information from it. Seen the good and the bad days but have picked up things that have made them think and helped them.

each to their own i suppose but from a support network perspective then the more information you can get the better options and choices you can make.

i think it is mean though if anyone on here looked at a diary and then judged in a nasty way that person, that is not on and shouldnt be happening. it is about makig suggestions for alternatives and ideas perhaps on a country to country basis.

bunchesonothing

I don't make mine visible because I'm not asking for advice on it.

This.

bry_all01

Mine is public to friends as I have nothing to hide. I have been told that having mine open has actually given them a few tips, etc. (very nice compliment, by the way). I've had people comment on things I have eaten, in a light-hearted manner, but none of my friends have downright been judgemental or rude about it. If they were, they wouldn't be my friend for long. I also appreciate tips from friends, if I ask.

That is not to say that I don't see why others are private. Some feel more comfortable that way and that is their business. I just do not make supportive comments on those diaries, since I cannot see it.

xraylady33

I have mine open and its because I want suggestions. I also would never critisize anyone. I like to look at diaries because it gives me food ideas, plain and simple.

lynn1982

I'll tell you why I don't share mine with everyone:

Because people are judgmental and often rude about it. I am an extremely picky eater who eats the same things everyday. I also consume far more calories than a lot of people on this site do. I used to let people have access to it, but when they get it in their head that it is okay to offer me advice or whatever -- I shut it down. I've lost 60lbs and I am currently maintaining my weight. If I don't ASK for your opinion or advice - I'd appreciate you not commenting on what *I* choose to eat.

Easiest way to eliminate that? Not letting people see what I am eating. Am I embarrassed about what I eat? Nope. Am I trying to hide behind a private diary? Nope. Do I do it try and keep my crappy eating private? Nope. Because for ME, I do not eat crappy. I keep a food diary for me and me alone. What someone else thinks of it is of no concern to me.

Exactly!

Mine was public when I first started. Then I began receiving nasty messages from people whom I don't even know, berating me for eating the same thing for breakfast and lunch every day, or for having one off day and going beyond my calorie goals, or for eating a burrito once in a blue moon. I don't need that.

vim_n_vigor

Mine is visible only to my friends. It is hard for me to share it at all. It isn't that I don't want the support or accountability, it is just that to me, there have always been things you just don't share with others. Eating is one of those things. Maybe someday I will open it up to everyone, maybe not. I do know plenty of people that have been on here a while that have been harrassed for what they had in their diary (or didn't have). That is not something I want to experience.

TavistockToad

Mine is open to my friends and i have only had positive comments, but i have heard of a lot of people who get rude comments, so i am not suprised that most are closed.

millionsofpeaches

I went back and forth having mine visible and not...

First I had it so everyone could see, then just so my friends could see, and yesterday to private. I actually got a pm from someone on my friends list saying that they were "shocked" to see that I had Wendy's. I had a 4 piece nugget and a small frosty. (hey, I had a craving). I am also not really trying to loose weight, just stay in shape and tone up.

The fact of the matter is, I am accountable for what I eat... Not everyone else on this site. It really comes down to what works for you. If you want people to look at your diary and critique then go for it! If not, then don't. I think it is important to not criticize each others reasons for this (not saying that you are). Naturally, if I was looking for a critique -- I would have it set to public... However most on here are not experts so it is all just an opinion anyways.

bry_all01

I went back and forth having mine visible and not...

First I had it so everyone could see, then just so my friends could see, and yesterday to private. I actually got a pm from someone on my friends list saying that they were "shocked" to see that I had Wendy's. I had a 4 piece nugget and a small frosty. (hey, I had a craving). I am also not really trying to loose weight, just stay in shape and tone up.

The fact of the matter is, I am accountable for what I eat... Not everyone else on this site. It really comes down to what works for you. If you want people to look at your diary and critique then go for it! If not, then don't. I think it is important to not criticize each others reasons for this (not saying that you are). Naturally, if I was looking for a critique -- I would have it set to public... However most on here are not experts so it is all just an opinion anyways.

Wow. See, its people like that I would consider removing. If they can't understand we are human and get cravings and either be supportive or not say anything, then they don't need to be a friend. ( your screen name!)

vim_n_vigor

Mine is not public because you'll have no idea what I'm eating sometimes because I am Hindu and eat alot of curries and other recipes named differently which I've entered into MFP myself.

I love curries. If you don't mind sending some recipes, I would really appreciate it!

vim_n_vigor

One other reason I don't have my diary open to the world is I manually changed my calories from 1200 up to 1700. I view this as my daily range. So, I could have days where I am 500 under, but really, that puts me where mfp puts me, not into starvation mode or not eating enough calories to stay healthy. I don't think that eating 1200 calories a day for 'most' people is probably really enough. Obviously shorter, smaller framed people are going to be an exception to that, and some of them can probably go a few hundred under the sacred 1200 calorie zone and be perfectly fine for their size. I don't need frequent comments that I am 500 under my goal because I manually set it higher.

exacerbe

Mine is open -- I really have nothing to hide but I can see how some people might feel embarrassed about what they eat and/or do not want to be judged. Privacy is different from person to person.

SugarBaby1987

Mine is visible to everyone, b/c I could careless what others think about the way I eat. I have received some nasty comments b/c I don't eat grains, and follow a pretty low carb plan. I simply don't care though. I can completely understand why people keep theirs private.

angela828

mine is private and will always stay private. i log every thing i eat, no matter how healthy or bad it is. i don't need people to judge my food choices or give me ideas. i know if i don't log something, my body will anyway. i think if i made it public, i'd lie on it bc i'd be embarressed if someone saw i ate a hershey bar or something. i don't need to worry about what other people think so i keep mine private.

why do people care so much if diaries are public or private??? there are enough recipes in the forum if people really want food ideas and half your friends diaries are private.

i do not comment on anyone's diary ever bc i do not expect people to comment on mine.

SlowlyLosingLolita

I've had it both ways and I really prefer private.
I'm a vegan, so some days I could eat massive amounts of veggies and fruit and make it no where near 1200cals.
Other days, I could eat a few too many slices of bread and go way over. On days I went under even though I ate great and massive amounts of food, I would get emails asking if I was feeling ok and telling me how 'unhealthy' I am (no joke, I had a friend on here email me like three times one day asking if I had an eating disorder because I went under by about 200cals.Which, thanks for the concern but she was less than nice about it) and then days I got to 1200cal (even if over 2/3 of it was Taco Bell) I would get messages praising my diet. It's just weird to me.
I think at the end of the day, the only person you are accountable to for your choices is you.
It's nice to have support and to have people who care and are in the same boat as you, and to me that's what MFP is for.

Jennloella

mine is private because I only track calories, nothing to see!! I think if you are wanting advice/help then it's important to log everything and let your friends see it....but if not, then what's the big deal.

chridow

*disclaimer: please don't read any emotions (or alternative interpretations) into the following. i'm simply stating what i think, as it applies to me. i am not being rude, snippy or defensive*

mine is private because i'm not interested in sharing. while i am here for support, that doesn't mean i have to share everything. and i'm not specifically asking for support with what i'm eating day to day. if i were to ask a nutritional/diet type question that required access to my diary i'd provide it. but short of that what's the point?

while some people may use private diaries as a way to eat what they want without accountability, that's not always the case. i don't like ppl assuming i'm "hiding" something just because i chose to not share every bite i eat with the whole mfp community.