WHY keep your food diary hidden?

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Replies

  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,887 Member
    I kept mine public for most of my weight-loss journey but I made it private a couple of months ago (I'm done losing and am maintaining) because I don't always track anymore - pretty sporadically just to make sure I'm staying on track. I do share what I eat on my wall pretty regularly to both give people some ideas and also to keep myself accountable, but I don't need to share every little thing that goes into my mouth with all 200 of my friends or all of MFP - if you want to know what I eat, just ask. I will tell you. I'm pretty boring, too, as I am a total creature of habit and eat the same things pretty regularly.
  • etremoi53
    etremoi53 Posts: 45 Member
    I don't feel like sharing it and I don't think it will help if I did. I can imagine that it might help to keep some people accountable though and if it works for you to share, more power to you.
  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
    Oh THIS again? Might do some good to first learn to mind your own biz then secondly use the search function at the top of the page as this has been asked numerous times.
  • snookumss
    snookumss Posts: 1,451 Member
    Because they don't want the whole world to see the bad choices they may make.
  • NaturalinCO
    NaturalinCO Posts: 164 Member
    I think I've been scared of people judging me. Like, even if I am within the right limits of calories ~ will they judge me for not eating the right sort of food etc.

    Since going vegetarian I have learned that people are QUITE judgmental about food - something so simple and necessary. So I try to do open diary, but it doesn't last long. For me it's just not comfortable. Some days I eat great, some I don't, I log it ALL but definitely feel a sinking feeling when I post my not-so-good days and have my diary open. It's just me :wink:
  • softwind
    softwind Posts: 440 Member
    Mine is open to friends. Sometimes I look at theirs for meal ideas, but never to scrutinze.
  • Kaddyshack21
    Kaddyshack21 Posts: 225 Member
    I just recently opened up my food diary to everyone .Not that I believe that all will want to sneak a peek it's not that interesting but I thought it was an important step to take for me.

    I have always had a very unhealthy relationship with food and so eating has almost been a shameful thing. So the salad that I would eat in public is so far from the reality of what I truly ate. However, since I have always been overweight I felt that whatever bite I put into my mouth every single person would be thinking...." why is she doing that, doesn't she see how fat she is??? She needs to put that fork down!!"

    So opening up my diary to everyone wasn't an easy thing for me it took me a while to believe that I wasn't going to be completely criticized for what I ate good or bad. Even now if I have a bad day, I really struggle to be honest in my food diary b/c with every entry I truly believe that some someone, somewhere might think less of me. But I am trying.

    I am a work in progress.
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    Because they don't want the whole world to see the bad choices they may make.

    Because of people like this.
  • MrsKunz
    MrsKunz Posts: 151 Member
    keep it public for myself to keep myself accountable of what i eat im not ashamed so come look
  • Kaddyshack21
    Kaddyshack21 Posts: 225 Member
    Oh THIS again? Might do some good to first learn to mind your own biz then secondly use the search function at the top of the page as this has been asked numerous times.

    Why bother even posting?? Seriously.
  • christinad95
    christinad95 Posts: 201 Member
    I think some people don't like the idea of disclosing something so personal; it's a way to avoid judgement (which of course wouldn't happen here, but it's a valid concern). Some people probably don't know how to make their diary public.

    I'm just being honest. My diary is private, but it's because of judgement. You would think that doesn't happen here, but it has. I've had people actually criticize every last thing. And I'm being completely honest here when I say someone actually left me a message regarding the fact that my daily fruit serving was short by half a cup. Really?! That's how petty some poeple can be. So, I made my diary private. However I do use screen print and send it to friends when I need suggestions or ideas.
  • Twins2007
    Twins2007 Posts: 236 Member
    I agree.. i think its because they don't want to be held accountable...or to me are they being completely honest?


    Nope...In this day and age where EVERYTHING is PUBLIC...Just want to keep what I eat, at least, to myself and my MFP friends....DOES EVERYTHING HAVE TO BE ALL OUT?!

    E
  • juleseybaby
    juleseybaby Posts: 712 Member
    I started my journey with it closed. I was completely honest and lost over 20 pounds.

    I then opened the diary to friends. For a while - the honesty continued - and I still lost weight because I was scared to death to eat anything bad that someone might see on my diary. Then I did some zig zagging... posted a message so that those that did bother looking at my diary would know what was up. Zig zagging did not work for me or I messed it up... pretty much maintained weight.

    Finally - I stopped letting the tool work for me and started allowing it to work against me. I started skipping logging meals. I knew I had eaten badly and did not want to see that surplus of calories, sodium, etc. I really didn't want any friends to see it, especially friends that had been counting on me for inspiration and friends that had been encouraging when I went a bit off track. I did not want to disappoint them. However, instead of straightening out - I just kept skipping logging.

    That plus not watching out over the holidays helped me put back on 6 pounds. So - I made a decision to close the diary again. I may open it back up to certain people with a key but that is my choice when the time comes.

    This is for me and no one else and if leaving my diary open causes me to 'fear' logging my food correctly - then the diary stays closed. It may be 'bass ackwards' but that's the way it is. :bigsmile:
  • Twins2007
    Twins2007 Posts: 236 Member
    I think some people don't like the idea of disclosing something so personal; it's a way to avoid judgement (which of course wouldn't happen here, but it's a valid concern). Some people probably don't know how to make their diary public.

    I'm just being honest. My diary is private, but it's because of judgement. You would think that doesn't happen here, but it has. I've had people actually criticize every last thing. And I'm being completely honest here when I say someone actually left me a message regarding the fact that my daily fruit serving was short by half a cup. Really?! That's how petty some poeple can be. So, I made my diary private. However I do use screen print and send it to friends when I need suggestions or ideas.


    I believe it!
    And really...WHO makes it a priority in looking at other people's diaries?! The only diaryI have checked out is a MFP who is a Super Role Model as far as food choices and it gives me ideas :)
  • noexcuses1218
    noexcuses1218 Posts: 332 Member
    At the moment, it's because if I open my diary so that my friends can see it, I will lie about portion sizes and what I eat. I don't want them to think less of me. I don't want anyone to know how bad things really are. And right now I need ruthless, brutal, unflinching honesty, not WTGs. Accountability has to start with the person I see in the mirror.
  • Twins2007
    Twins2007 Posts: 236 Member
    Because they don't want the whole world to see the bad choices they may make.

    Because of people like this.

    AMEN!!
  • vettle
    vettle Posts: 621 Member
    I have no idea why anyone would do this. What's the point on being on here? I have friends look at my diary and say things about it that are so useful, and I do the same. Even if it's just to get food ideas! Those people that have their diaries closed will not be as successful or are missing out huge.
  • noexcuses1218
    noexcuses1218 Posts: 332 Member
    I started my journey with it closed. I was completely honest and lost over 20 pounds.

    I then opened the diary to friends. For a while - the honesty continued - and I still lost weight because I was scared to death to eat anything bad that someone might see on my diary. Then I did some zig zagging... posted a message so that those that did bother looking at my diary would know what was up. Zig zagging did not work for me or I messed it up... pretty much maintained weight.

    Finally - I stopped letting the tool work for me and started allowing it to work against me. I started skipping logging meals. I knew I had eaten badly and did not want to see that surplus of calories, sodium, etc. I really didn't want any friends to see it, especially friends that had been counting on me for inspiration and friends that had been encouraging when I went a bit off track. I did not want to disappoint them. However, instead of straightening out - I just kept skipping logging.

    That plus not watching out over the holidays helped me put back on 6 pounds. So - I made a decision to close the diary again. I may open it back up to certain people with a key but that is my choice when the time comes.

    This is for me and no one else and if leaving my diary open causes me to 'fear' logging my food correctly - then the diary stays closed. It may be 'bass ackwards' but that's the way it is. :bigsmile:

    oh and this pretty much word for word.
  • Tribbey143
    Tribbey143 Posts: 388 Member
    it is called a diary lol to much stigma? hehehe
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    I started my journey with it closed. I was completely honest and lost over 20 pounds.

    I then opened the diary to friends. For a while - the honesty continued - and I still lost weight because I was scared to death to eat anything bad that someone might see on my diary. Then I did some zig zagging... posted a message so that those that did bother looking at my diary would know what was up. Zig zagging did not work for me or I messed it up... pretty much maintained weight.

    Finally - I stopped letting the tool work for me and started allowing it to work against me. I started skipping logging meals. I knew I had eaten badly and did not want to see that surplus of calories, sodium, etc. I really didn't want any friends to see it, especially friends that had been counting on me for inspiration and friends that had been encouraging when I went a bit off track. I did not want to disappoint them. However, instead of straightening out - I just kept skipping logging.

    That plus not watching out over the holidays helped me put back on 6 pounds. So - I made a decision to close the diary again. I may open it back up to certain people with a key but that is my choice when the time comes.

    This is for me and no one else and if leaving my diary open causes me to 'fear' logging my food correctly - then the diary stays closed. It may be 'bass ackwards' but that's the way it is. :bigsmile:

    I'm the same way, I am honest when it's closed, I find myself "forgetting" to log when it's open. And there's judgment too. After all, how many people on this thread had something nasty to say about why they think people keep them closed? Imagine how they look at your food when it's open...