Poll: YES or NO? Saying "Great Job!" On Your Diary

FORKDOWN

Until I am a licensed trainer I dont feel worthy of critizing someones workout or diet. I just encourage.

I get the if you put it out htere prepare to be judge thing. I just choose not to.

_Ben

I typically do, because you never know how someone views recording their food. I had a MFP friend that only recorded the food they ate with protein if it had 0 protien, they wouldnt record it, even though they ate it

_binary_jester_

There are so many different opinions as to what's the right thing to eat, I don't think you would get a stright answer. Personally I don't post my food journal (when I do) to be judged.

I agree with binary. But if you're gonna post, I can tell if you're posting without actually looking at my diary. #justsayin

"Great job" ...when I had 3 donuts, a candy bar, and a cheeseburger? <

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HAPPENED!

I am proud of my friends when they post everything..even their warts. It happens. You move on.

CMmrsfloyd

If I comment on a friend's food diary, it is only b/c I did take the time to read it and I saw something positive that I could comment on. If they were under calories but their net wasn't crazy low, they get a positive comment. If they were over but by only a couple hundred or less, they get a positive comment. If they clearly tried hard to make healthy choices, they get a positive comment. If they ate fast food or restaurant food but clearly worked hard to avoid letting it make them go over, they get a positive comment. If they netted low b/c of exercise but clearly tried to eat well, they get a positive comment. Even if the only thing I can say positive is that they ate something that I think is delicious, they get a positive comment. I do not comment negatively, period, and I try to hold back offering advice unless they ask for it either publicly or via PM or unless it's something minor that I can offer w/o sounding critical (for example if they comment on how something made them go over or how they miss eating xyz, I might offer some substitutions that they might like and might make things easier for them). I'm not perfect myself.

I like to give 'wtg's for exercise and weightloss but it's hard to keep up with 164 friends . LOL. So that goes in spurts, some days I will sit and scroll down through pages and pages of updates so I can comment on most of my active friends, some days it's all I can manage to check back and respond if anyone has commented on my status updates. I have a really great group of supportive people so I like to try and make sure they know I haven't forgotten about all the support they give, and I try to reciprocate as much as I am able with the size of my friends list.

QueenJayJay

There are so many different opinions as to what's the right thing to eat, I don't think you would get a stright answer. Personally I don't post my food journal (when I do) to be judged.

I agree with binary. But if you're gonna post, I can tell if you're posting without actually looking at my diary. #justsayin

"Great job" ...when I had 3 donuts, a candy bar, and a cheeseburger? <

---

HAPPENED!

I am proud of my friends when they post everything..even their warts. It happens. You move on.

Yeah, but I prefer it when my friends don't encourage me to binge. Does that make me crazy?

rileysowner

I sometimes look, sometimes don't. Frankly, I will say good job to most. I don't even care if I person eats what others call "crap" if they are under their calories. That is their choice. Perhaps unlike some here they don't want to eat "clean". The simple fact they are at or near their calorie goal is sufficient in my mind even though I know many here will disagree with me. Frankly, who am I to judge food choices. If it works for them, great. If it doesn't I will offer suggestions on changing foods that might help if they ask.

slimmergalpal

Heck Yah I cheer my friends on!! Isn't that why we are here? If you dont like how they chart, un-friend them. I cheer them on because it makes such a differance to me when they cheer ME on. I do look at their diary, and I did drop someone who was only charting 300-400 calories a day because that kind of person is not who I want to "feel" what I am going through. But, Heck yah I cheer my friends on ! They are my family on here and I am proud of every pound they loose and every step they exercise off. I do not know any of them personally, but would be glad to call any of them my friend.

gsager

I don't think that we're police.....we're just supportive.

chachita7

I do not comment unless I am able to see the diary - I might not be the best eater out there, but I sure as heck wouldn't encourage someone who isn't fueling accordingly or making poor unhelthy choices.

I can only hope those who are encouraging me do the same...

Alexstrasza

I ALWAYS look over the persons diary before I comment. I even try to point out something I liked about their day in my comment. If I don't like what I see (like they are starving themselves) I will not say anything. If I notice they do this "starving" on a daily basis, I delete them from my friends.

It may seem harsh but I'm not here to encourage unhealthy lifestyles.

Wileyjoe

Great Job!!!

murf19

I only comment if I look. (well, most of the time)

MinnesotaManimal

I sometimes look, sometimes don't. Frankly, I will say good job to most. I don't even care if I person eats what others call "crap" if they are under their calories. That is their choice. Perhaps unlike some here they don't want to eat "clean". The simple fact they are at or near their calorie goal is sufficient in my mind even though I know many here will disagree with me. Frankly, who am I to judge food choices. If it works for them, great. If it doesn't I will offer suggestions on changing foods that might help if they ask.

I agree with this mentality, even though I don't have time to congratulate everybody every day, just the fact that they are logging on and tracking is a huge step for most all of us. Not my business if they want to eat doughnuts and Hershey bars every day or be a vegetarian. Not my concern. I’m just glad to see people logging in and getting things done.

riley711

I will not make a comment without reading the food diary first. So for my friends you keep their diaries private, they don't get diary-related comments from me.

RonnieBigGunz

I'm just happy to get a comment.

Tanyawhite30

Any comment makes me happy

OSC_ESD

If you don't have time to read it ... Don't take time to comment on it !

Somebody might be under and had a Big Mac from McDonalds and three Hershey bars for the day ... And some *kitten* comes along and says " great job staying under " ....

Really ??? Seriously ??? Wow ! Why not just say " great job clogging your arteries " !!!! Diabolical !

Yeah ... I have a STRONG opinion on this subject ! :drinker:

Everybody has treats from time to time ... I know I do ! But some don't realize a calorie is not just a calorie ! The hard part is getting people to understand the nutrient factor and your overall well being. Some get so lost in trying to lose the weight, they sacrifice their health.

It pains me to see such poor choices and those that are way under ... I say " Get educated ... Knowledge is Power " !

And for those who say just loggin is reason enough to say " good job " for accountability ... Well, my support comes with knowledge ... If your killing your diet day after day ... I will inbox you and ask you if you know what affect this has on your system ... Your body as a whole needs fuel ... Not crap. Just forget about the " weight " factor for a brief moment and just focus on brain power ... What eat truly defines us from the INSIDE out !

Rule your world as you may ... But don't encourage poor choices from others. :huh:
I can see where you're coming from, but I disagree. Not a single one of my MFP friends eats like that on a regular basis (or at least none who keep their diary open, lol) so if they give themselves an unhealthy treat once in a while and still manage to stay under then good for them! I would tell them good job staying under, we are all human ney? A lot of people feel guilty enough for having treated themselves without being judged by their so called friends.... If I noticed they were doing it everyday though I wouldn't say anything. I don't comment on food diary's that often, if I comment it's usually on exercise.

What does make me angry though is when I see people commenting on those with super low calorie intakes... netting less than 300 a day.... and people still writing stuff like "great job" "good day" "well done". This is my fitness pal not my annorexic pal! I refuse to encourage this behaviour, and I have deleted people because I can't stand & watch others cheer them on.

riley711

I will not make a comment without reading the food diary first. So for my friends you keep their diaries private, they don't get diary-related comments from me.

Also, I don't like to appear judgemental or like the food police, so I try to make my comments constructive. I do comment on high sodium intakes because that can lead to high blood pressure and other illnesses. I also try to develop relationships with my friends. So if they've been low on their calories for a few days, I will ask if they're feeling okay. I comment because I care. If I didn't care, I wouldn't bother to comment.

OSC_ESD

Everybody has treats from time to time ... I know I do ! But some don't realize a calorie is not just a calorie ! The hard part is getting people to understand the nutrient factor and your overall well being. Some get so lost in trying to lose the weight, they sacrifice their health.

It pains me to see such poor choices and those that are way under ... I say " Get educated ... Knowledge is Power " !

And for those who say just loggin is reason enough to say " good job " for accountability ... Well, my support comes with knowledge ... If your killing your diet day after day ... I will inbox you and ask you if you know what affect this has on your system ... Your body as a whole needs fuel ... Not crap. Just forget about the " weight " factor for a brief moment and just focus on brain power ... What you eat truly defines us from the INSIDE out !

Rule your world as you may ... But don't encourage poor choices from others. :huh:

mgpage

I think if someone is under their calorie goal no matter what they eat I think it's a great job. Even if it's under 1200 calories. I figure if you're not hungry, don't eat. Some days we don't eat the best food and if we still manage to stay under I consider that a great job. None of us are perfect and some days we just don't eat all that healthy. Personally I rarely eat sweets but if I did and managed to stay under I would appreciate a "great job" message.

I agree!! It is much harder to stay at goal or under goal when having a bad day. So if I am on the road and have to eat crappy food, rather than the healthy things I have at home...GREAT JOB...is a welcome comment. I try not to judge a person by what they are eating, rather I look at their diaries to get new ideas for mine.

We all started somewhere and I would bet it wasn't always the healthiest of choices. We are all learning and for that I say, GREAT JOB!!!

Mr_Cape219

I only say something when they have lost about 2 lbs or so. Honestly any more than 2 lbs. is really dangerous to loose per week. I also congradulate when they have logged in for "x" amount of days. I think that regardless of how poor or well they are eating, if they are constantly commited to logging everything in, they deserve the praise. Whenever MFP says "John Doe has logged in for 20 days in a row!" a simple "awesome job pal!" is sufficient. Hey, it makes me feel better when I log in for "x" days and someone recognizes me for it. Despite the crap i've eaten this weekend =_=; (I still feel sick. ugh)

_binary_jester_

There are so many different opinions as to what's the right thing to eat, I don't think you would get a stright answer. Personally I don't post my food journal (when I do) to be judged.

I agree with binary. But if you're gonna post, I can tell if you're posting without actually looking at my diary. #justsayin

"Great job" ...when I had 3 donuts, a candy bar, and a cheeseburger? <

---

HAPPENED!

I am proud of my friends when they post everything..even their warts. It happens. You move on.

Yeah, but I prefer it when my friends don't encourage me to binge. Does that make me crazy?

Binging, I assume, would put you over. if you are a person that constantly goes over then whines about not losing weight, that might get you a comment.

QueenJayJay

There are so many different opinions as to what's the right thing to eat, I don't think you would get a stright answer. Personally I don't post my food journal (when I do) to be judged.

I agree with binary. But if you're gonna post, I can tell if you're posting without actually looking at my diary. #justsayin

"Great job" ...when I had 3 donuts, a candy bar, and a cheeseburger? <

---

HAPPENED!

I am proud of my friends when they post everything..even their warts. It happens. You move on.

Yeah, but I prefer it when my friends don't encourage me to binge. Does that make me crazy?

Binging, I assume, would put you over. if you are a person that constantly goes over then whines about not losing weight, that might get you a comment.

I wish you would stop telling my personal business in like every thread.

REPORTED

_binary_jester_

<snip>
I wish you would stop telling my personal business in like every thread.

REPORTED

We're not friends. heh

QueenJayJay

<snip>
I wish you would stop telling my personal business in like every thread.

REPORTED

We're not friends. heh

GOOD THING.






I should probably stop yelling...

mgpage

And I absolutely hate getting that PM that says ... "Whoa! A little too much wine today." or "You went way over on sodium today good luck ever having abs." <--(it happened) ....I logged it, so trust me, I know

Oh I know! I was in my first week of logging and I got some of those critical comments and I'm thinking, who asked you to be my police? And I wanted to ask some questions on the forums, but I saw how people jumped so harshly on others and decided to stay away.

I like straight shooting, but I'm making good progress and am in good shape so anyone who is consistently critical without either a) being a good friend already or b) my asking their opinion gets X'ed off the friends list.

So, what do you want from your friends? No, GREAT JOB, when your diary looks like crappy but you managed to stay under or at goal. And NO, pointing out the BAD things you should be doing in moderation, that caused you to be over goal. If your MFP friends never commented, what then? Would there be a post to whine about that?

I am thankful for all of my friends and there comments, regardless if they have read my diary or not. There is nothing wrong with constructive criticism, or wanting to be supportive but unable to read everyone's diaries. We have all have a life outside of MFP.

ItsCasey

I don't log as much anymore, but when I did, I always appreciated the comments about specific things, like "Great job on the protein" or "Way to drink your water." That let me know that they actually opened my diary and looked at what I was eating.

And I usually only commented on diaries I had actually viewed. I don't really care as much about the quality of the food. If someone's calorie goal after exercise is 1600, and they ate 1500 calories of some healthy and some not-so-healthy foods, I would still applaud them for staying below their calories. Even if they're eating some "bad" food here and there, they're doing it in moderation, which is the whole point. If someone only ate 400 calories and there wasn't a legitimate reason for it, like being sick or being on an intermittent fasting program, I would not say "Way to go." That's not helpful or honest.

QueenJayJay

And I absolutely hate getting that PM that says ... "Whoa! A little too much wine today." or "You went way over on sodium today good luck ever having abs." <--(it happened) ....I logged it, so trust me, I know

Oh I know! I was in my first week of logging and I got some of those critical comments and I'm thinking, who asked you to be my police? And I wanted to ask some questions on the forums, but I saw how people jumped so harshly on others and decided to stay away.

I like straight shooting, but I'm making good progress and am in good shape so anyone who is consistently critical without either a) being a good friend already or b) my asking their opinion gets X'ed off the friends list.

So, what do you want from your friends? No, GREAT JOB, when your diary looks like crappy but you managed to stay under or at goal. And NO, pointing out the BAD things you should be doing in moderation, that caused you to be over goal. If your MFP friends never commented, what then? Would there be a post to whine about that?

I am thankful for all of my friends and there comments, regardless if they have read my diary or not. There is nothing wrong with constructive criticism, or wanting to be supportive but unable to read everyone's diaries. We have all have a life outside of MFP.

Kell_Smurthwaite

I don't tend to comment on the "coming in under calories" notifications - but I DO comment on the ones that mention how many calories have been burned doing exercise, because I know how hard it can be just to get up and do it in the first place and I thin kpeople need all the encouragement they can get when they DO get off their butts and burn off some energy in a healthy way.

I'm also more likely to comment on blogs to encourage and help keep people motivated and/or congratulate someone on hitting their goals or completing an activity.


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods

dinosnopro

I tend not to comment, but here is my take. Right now I am following a body recomp so my goal is to hit my macros and stay at or a bit under my goal. In a few months when summer is over I will be starting a bulk so I will raise my calorie goal, at that point my goal will be to hit my macros and be at my goal or a bit over (don't want to end up on that dreamer bulk). With all that being said, if you were to look at my diary from a few month ago people would have been offended because my goal then was to hit my protine macros and stay at under 50g of fat and under 50g of carbs, that meant for multiple days in a row I would be below 1000 calories, but I was following an RFL diet.

So in short I dont know what plan they are working with so it's not for me to judge, plus I fallow IIFYM so I could not give a ***t less about what people are eating. I feel hitting you macros is the most important, after that have what you want if it fits your calorie goal.