Do people even look at diaries before they comment?

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.

ScatteredThoughts

I look at diaries more out of interest for changes which I might want to make, than to be critical. I've seen a few diary entries where the number of calories seems consistently too low, but usually I don't say anything; i will if its someone who doesn't mind a polite inquiry about what is going on. I try to focus more on their other accomplishments. I'm sure that others could find reasonable faults with my food choices.

Cindym82

Well, I tend to eat my recommended 1200 calories, but I usually do not eat my work out calories back, because it doesn't work for me. Plus I'll have some low days because I don't eat if i'm not hungry and I could have had three meals and two snacks and still be under. But thats me

HisMissus

If someone has an open diary, I will have a look. If They have a particular meal that looks good or they've burned off calories through exercise, I'll comment to say that. I don't comment on all diary logged postings.
I agree with Tara4boys that I don't like how the post states "under calories" or not, that makes me feel I have to justify myself if I'm over my calorie intake even if only by a few.

I must say, I don't have any friends who post very low cal diaries though.

ChristineS_51

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

This - I look if the diary is available; try and look for positives, but have made comments about poor choices

cbl40

I look at diaries each time I comment. I do it to see how they are eating throughout the day, to see if they are making healthy choices and to see if I can steal some ideas for myself! ; ) I find anything under 1300 cals/lday super low! I'm a hungry gal!!

seniorfaye

I've been on MFP over a year and for that year I commented on diaries, but I've come to the point that I just don't have time to check out what everyone is eating. I have quite a few friends and it got to the point at night I felt overwhelmed by all the finished diaries to check. Now I only comment on the days logged, exercise ,weight lost and comment on any of the post that they do. I also felt like because I was commenting on the diaries that my friends would feel like they had to mine. So, I closed my diary. I am still watching my eating and if I start gaining I might open it again to make me more accountable to myself. But, it is working for me and has taken some of the stress off of me. YOu just have to do what is best for you. And it is hard for me to comment on a diary that has junk on it..Just my thoughts...

lexgem

I agree this is a bit of a problem. I'll get more well dones on a day where I ate like crap but came in slightly under than on a day where I went over by 150 calories (I'm on a 250 deficit so it's still under) but hit my macros almost perfectly and ate lots of fruits and veggies.
I don't look at diaries every day, just on days where i have time, and I comment if they really did a good job. I also open diaries where they went over their goals because many of those deserve "well done" too.
Looking at diairies can be helpful to get meal ideas too

gemiwing

Depends on the person- if someone doesn't have an open diary I tend to not comment. What would I comment on, exactly? Some of my friends deal with binging and when they log a difficult day I absolutely will congratulate them for logging that day. It's not easy! Other friends I have I know are struggling to eat enough (myself included) so I will comment 'wtg' even though they are low because I know they are trying to do better.

I comment on progress- not reflective of any perceived perfection.


I like looking at diaries to see what's working for others- also I'm a foodie so I want to get my nose into everyone's kitchen

AmyLRed

YES! I agree, i wish it was a targeted range of cals vs one specific target number, both for my own self and for commenting on others diaries.

To address your original question/thoughts, i have the same pet peeve! I always always always look before commenting. If i dont have time to look, i dont comment. So many people do the wtg, good job etc for the low cal days and likewise, i have been 10 cals over (agan, not really "over" in my mind, i am within my target cal range) and people comment "oh, its ok, we all have those days" etc. um.....really? I think 10 cals over is way way way better for my body than the people who are 600 or more below target and get a "great job!"

garnet1483

I have a couple of guidelines for myself regarding this. 1. I don't feel compelled to comment to everyone's auto-updates every single day. I spend enough time online, that would just be more. I DO comment when someone has an outstanding workout, and at least a couple of times a week on diaries. 2. I don't comment on someone's daily calories unless I can see their diary, and without checking it first. If they've eaten well, and are near their calorie goal, I'll often try to make a specific comment, so they know that I'm checking their diary, and not just posting "WTG!" all down my news feed. If they're consistently low, which hasn't happened often, I try to figure out why they're low, and where they could add something, and mention it. If they eat a bunch of junk food, I figure they know they're eating junk, and refrain from commenting. 3. The "Awesome!", "WTG!", "You rock!" brigade irritates me, which is why I've disabled those auto-updates from my own feed. Sometimes it's appreciated, but not as a comment on my daily diet. My diary is open to friends, and I know some of them read it, because they ask for recipes, or we talk about food, but it's a real conversation or exchange, which is what I prefer.