Do people even look at diaries before they comment?

Kirsty_UK

I have mfp friends that regularly or semi-regularly log very VERY low nets cals. And I mean 600 or below, or even regularly in the 3-400s.

If I see a diary that low and it's unusual for them fine. If someone has had a massive burn and is struggling to plan the extra cals in, I might offer support with some advice on how to plan in extra snacks etc, or say not to worry if they "overeat" the following day because the body wont reset at midnight.

BUT if someone is regularly netting very low, even apparently successfully, with regular weight loss, I'll comment that I think cals that low are unhealthy.

However I see lot, and I mean LOTS of "well done", "wtg", "great job" replies on these ridiculously low net diaries.

What I dont know is, do these people think that is a good number of net cals? or do they comment without even opening the diary?

Tara4boys

I delete people that have continually unhealthy diaries (low calories).

May sound harsh but I have a limited amount of time and energy to help others. Most of the 800 calorie people - you can't change their minds anyway.


I do kind of hate the way MFP seems to "celebrate" being under your calorie goal by posting it on your wall. I kind of wish it just said "Suzie finished her food log for today". Then you could look at it to see how the person did. Personally I think undereating by 900 calories is a lot worse than overeating by 25 calories.

I've also had days where I've eaten CRAP and gotten a lot of well done, wtg, etc. I'm like NO IT WASN'T!!!

Kirsty_UK

It just feels like my comments are drowned out in a sea of "well dones".

Absolutely I wish mfp would change the display to "X is within Y% of their target net cals today". Would be a much better celebration.

R_is_for_Rachel

It just feels like my comments are drowned out in a sea of "well dones".

Absolutely I wish mfp would change the display to "X is within Y% of their target net cals today". Would be a much better celebration.

Totally agree with that comment , partly because I don't want to feel bad if I've gone over by 10 cals!

RachelT14

I often comment on my own diary when i am under calories but with not very good choices something like could have made better choices today!

Having said that people rarely comment on my diary anyway

therealangd

BUT if someone is regularly netting very low, even apparently successfully, with regular weight loss, I'll comment that I think cals that low are unhealthy.

Unless you're asked, it's probably best to either mind your own business or delete them as a friend.

Unsolicited advice is never a good thing.

Soon2BeMrsThomson

I admit, people who don't have an open diary get a 'well done' from me if they are my friends on MFP only if they are under their calorie goals just for encouragement mainly. I like to say something more in depth if I can view the persons diary. I think diarys should be open anyway if you are friends, what would be so secret that people shouldn't be able to see it?

Ladyiianae

I think some people want to look at diaries before commenting (me for one) but alot of the time the owners have not made the diary public (more often because they don't know or understand how).

Jen

sailorsiren13

i will often comment without looking because i really don't think it's any of my business what people are eating. I am here to lift up and not put down. Each person's struggle is their own and i don't like being judgmental i myself am not doing a certain "diet" i am watching portions and eating more fruit and veggies. I think it's more realistic and healthier but if someone is drinking shakes or whatever that's their business.

Hungry_Tuna

"Tara4boys" pretty much summed up my thoughts on the matter exactly.

shadowkitty22

I honestly don't even open up people's diaries for the most part. Unless they comment about how they're struggling with something then I'll check it out. But I also don't tend to comment on people's posts about their diary completion for the day. Their exercises and weight loss posts though I will comment on.

SLN11

Once over I used to comment on every diary !

This got a long process and like you said some people just take it to an extreme and I dont believe in bigging someone up for making the wrong choices or not eating enough etc, I much prefer to offer solutions, advice and motivation !

As much as I do comment WTG, Well done, Fab job I tend to do this more on the exercise updates so I can see whats been done etc.

dravenangel

I always look at diaries before commenting. If I see someone not meet their goal plus then log a half decent burn then I skip commenting. Plus, if I have time and the inclination, I try and put something personal to their diary in the comment

LoraF83

I delete people that have continually unhealthy diaries (low calories).

May sound harsh but I have a limited amount of time and energy to help others. Most of the 800 calorie people - you can't change their minds anyway.


I do kind of hate the way MFP seems to "celebrate" being under your calorie goal by posting it on your wall. I kind of wish it just said "Suzie finished her food log for today". Then you could look at it to see how the person did. Personally I think undereating by 900 calories is a lot worse than overeating by 25 calories.

I've also had days where I've eaten CRAP and gotten a lot of well done, wtg, etc. I'm like NO IT WASN'T!!!

^ So agree with this!

DoubleE615312

I generally don't comment on others diaries unless they ask for it. Do I look at them, sure, because I am always looking for new things to eat. If a person as had a really good day then I will comment on it.

tam120

This is one of the reasons I turned off the notification to post to my wall when I complete my diary for the day. I really don't need anyone to comment on whether I was under or over calories, especially if they're commenting based on what the wall says and not what I actually ate. I don't normally comment on other's walls regarding finishing their diaries for this reason as well.

rocketmouse

I always do if the diary is public. If one of my friends is super low I'll usually say something but I tend not to have friends that are eating less than 1100 on the regular. I like to leave a better comment than just, "well done!" so I wanna look for things like a good balanced diet with fruit and veg or low fat or whatever

MrsSWW

I've deleted people because of their eating habits. I'm not here to judge anyone but myself, but if I don't feel able to comment truthfully on someone's diary without them being offended/defensive/rude then I don't consider them to be friends.

I have also kept some friends despite their eating habits, people who have tried every weird and wonderful diet going but who do appreciate your thoughts and perhaps even take some of them to heart.

I only have a couple of friends who have closed diaries and rarely comment when they complete because I don't like to offer my opinion if I don't know what I'm talking about.

:flowerforyou:


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools

ast219

If there's someone you know personally (or well enough to discuss how much they eat) with that you think is eating too little, then you are probably comfortable enough with that person to say something. But don't judge strangers on their calorie intake. MFP says everyone has to eat a minimum of 1200 calories, regardless of the weight they are trying to lose... but as a 29 year old woman who's only 4'9'', that's not realistic for me. Even my doctor has okay'd me eating less than that. I always try to net a lower calorie intake, and it's not because I'm starving myself.

godricshollow

I delete people who have low cals. For some reason girls who eat 600 and under seem to flock to me, I don't understand it!

As for myself, I generally leave about 200 per day spare because I have trouble eating that much. I need to find new snacks I think. My diary is private though because, lol, when it was public a few days I hit the "finish logging" button on my phone by accident and people commented saying WAY TO GO!!!!! AWESOME DAY!!!! YUM!!!! Yet my diary was empty? And had nothing in it? What was yum... the air I apparently consumed? Oy vey.

vim_n_vigor

I don't post my diary because I don't need anyone commenting on it. My diary also requires a key. I don't comment a lot on others diaries unless they ask me too. I don't search out others diaries either. It is none of my business unless they bring it up what they are eating. I am an adult and others on this site are too. I don't feel a need to babysit their diaries or have them babysit mine. That is just my feeling about it. I don't know what everyone's struggles and needs are. Some have restrictions given by their doctors on sodium, calories, etc. It is not mine to judge.

MelissaL582

I look at every one of my pals diaries. There's only one of them who eats less than 1000 and she's under her doctor's supervision- so need to worry about her. As for my other friends, we know that this is a lifestyle change, not some diet. So we'll have days where we have candy or have our cheat days or have a massive carb attack. I try not to pick apart their diaries because I don't want someone doing that to me. Yes, I want to lose weight but I also want to enjoy my food. Lol!

By looking at diaries I get some great meal ideas too!

JustLindaLou

I rarely comment on the diaries although I do check some of them. I have one friend who struggles with eating enough because she usually eats nothing until dinner time. I try to encourage her to remember to eat breakfast and snacks and give her a cheer when she is in a healthy calorie range. I have one friend who has just had to make radical dietary changes and I check in to see what she is finding to eat and encourage her to hang in there. Otherwise I don't check up too much unless one of my friends asks for help or ideas. But I certainly do not give a cheer without checking! I save the WTGs for lbs lost.

zeikiya989

I don't open diaries too often when i comment, if they are under, I am gonna give praise. Each person on here is gonna do their own diet the way they want. Unless I am asked to give tips or feedback, I don't. Just to offer encouragement & praise. I don't need people telling me about my diet. I have to do whats best for me, do with the limited amount of foods i like and what has worked for me. That being said, i don't have too many friends on my list, the ones i do i have, I never saw someone doing something extremely unhealthy like less than 1000 calories. So maybe out of concern, i would send them a private message, but not sure.

NYCDutchess

It just feels like my comments are drowned out in a sea of "well dones".

Absolutely I wish mfp would change the display to "X is within Y% of their target net cals today". Would be a much better celebration.

That is a really good idea!!! And also logging in 200 days in a row...but haven't logged food or exercise in 200 days.... I don't feel logging into the site (as you would FB) is really accomplishing anything...

Helenatrandom

If I see a diary that low and it's unusual for them fine. If someone has had a massive burn and is struggling to plan the extra cals in, I might offer support with some advice on how to plan in extra snacks etc, or say not to worry if they "overeat" the following day because the body wont reset at midnight.

BUT if someone is regularly netting very low, even apparently successfully, with regular weight loss, I'll comment that I think cals that low are unhealthy.

However I see lot, and I mean LOTS of "well done", "wtg", "great job" replies on these ridiculously low net diaries.

What I dont know is, do these people think that is a good number of net cals? or do they comment without even opening the diary?

I have some friends on here whose doctor put them on a very calorie restrictive diet. I'm not about to second guess a medical professional (other than my own.. :laugh: I'm going to admit it, if MY doctor put me on a very calorie restrictive diet I wouldn't last more than one day, even if I tried...). Knowing that they are following a doctor's DIFFICULT orders, I will offer encouragement. However, I'd also say something positive if they are way over on a day. Most of us here need to be lifted up.

If someone who is normally not very low DOES have a very low count, I will ask them if they are feeling okay today.

sculley

I think sometimes (just speculating) people might be just looking at it as a form of being under calories. Some people don't have the option open to look at their diary. I will look at the diary most of the time but if they do bad I am not gonna judge them or point them out I might say hey tomorrow is a new day or we all have those days. But we are only human and are allotted a bad day once in awhile.

cygnetpro

It just feels like my comments are drowned out in a sea of "well dones".

Absolutely I wish mfp would change the display to "X is within Y% of their target net cals today". Would be a much better celebration.

I think that ^^ is a GREAT idea! When I am under in my calories, I try to be within 100 or so of my goal. Because I think it's unhealthy to eat much less than my goal, I always add a comment like, "Under by 46 today!" or "Over by 74", so that my mfp friends don't think I'm horribly off plan one way or another (my diary is hidden). I don't think patting someone on the back for eating far below their target is a graet idea. I generally just stay quiet when I see that.

vjrose

I think a lot of folks just do the congratulations based on "under the calorie goal" and definitely don't look, I'll see 5 or 6 Great job then I look at their diary and there is some disaster in their diary and I'm like WTF.

42micheller42

It just feels like my comments are drowned out in a sea of "well dones".

Absolutely I wish mfp would change the display to "X is within Y% of their target net cals today". Would be a much better celebration.

That's a great idea .. its a good point taking in a very low caloric count but I noticed some diaries are private .. mine is ...and why do I feel like a a stalker when I look at someone's diary ?
Ps .. I am going to change my diary to viewable by friends for accountability ... so there

Amanda_4071

I look at each diary if they have it available to look at ...I like to see what they have eaten to give me some ideas what might work better for myself and then try it. It they don't have the diary available but its put on as being under their calorie I will say a "good job" or 'wtg' from time to time. I just perfer to view them for ideas.