Why Hide Your Profile / Diary?!

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245

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  • WildcatMom82
    WildcatMom82 Posts: 564 Member
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    I believe mine is open to friends only - my deal is I count calories, but I don't eat all that clean. I don't need people judging the types of food I eat, I used to eat 10x worse and still lost 75 lbs. Like someone else said, too, I don't ask why I'm not losing weight or for tips, I know what I'm doing and don't want unsolicited advice. I don't mind sharing with my friends, though, I've exchanged a lot of recipes over the years.
  • HollywoodDJ
    HollywoodDJ Posts: 296
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    Weight and issues with weight and eating and issues with eating are extremely personal....and not everyone that starts this is the most secure person....We all have our own issues....It took me a while to open my diary up to my friends and when I did I freaked out...I wasn't doing good after that so I made it private again until I was totally comfortable. I sometimes still struggle with it but it's better now....I am not eating to impress my friends....I am not showing off how good or bad I have done...I do it to give them ideas of what to eat and what not to eat...but it is a scary thing being vulnerable to comments.....even from so-called friends on here....

    Hope that my response maybe helped!
  • EDesq
    EDesq Posts: 1,527 Member
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    Why do so many people hide their profile and food diary?

    When I see things like "I lose 1-2 lbs a week and I'm eating this many colories, etc".. then I click on their page and nope, can't see what their stats are to compare myself.. or to see what they're eating to get ideas of how healthy they are eating to also compare...

    :sad:


    Because to Me, opening one's Diary and/or Profile is an Invitation for Comments, reactions... I have been on MFP and Other Message Boards for a while, and I have learned that you ONLY share what you want Exposed to others, MOST people are NOT "Friendly" in their assessments and judgements so I do not need that. This Journey called LIFE is Difficult enough in and of Itself, so I do not need EXCESS CHATTER. Actually, Wt Loss, Maintenance and Good Health are VERY Personal to Me. I have NO Magic Bullet for anyone to follow, so if someone asks what I am doing I MAY Share, but otherwise I don't leave Myself open to anyone's opinion of My Personal Choices.
  • nicholettebell
    nicholettebell Posts: 414
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/jfrog123/view/why-my-mfp-diary-is-private-227790

    This person said it better than I could have.

    Wow. I knew that I was really uncomfortable with an open diary because I just thought that it was so weird to have people comment on what I was eating. But I was generally doing the same as the blogger - lying on the diary. I also am a former closet eater and found that if I keep my diary private then I am honest about what I eat and log in. But I never seen it put in the way she did. That was wonderful for me to read.

    Edited to add that I also now keep the notification of completing my diary off the news feed. I don't want people commenting "Way to go" if they see I am under calorie goal or "Tomorrow's another day" if I am not.
  • cranberrycat
    cranberrycat Posts: 233 Member
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    I am honestly not sure if mine is open or private, never changed the setting. However, I would prefer that it is private, even if I do ask for help. The reason is that most people are only going to look at a day or so of journal entries and then judge me by the small amount of days that they look at, rather than taking into account that a week prior may have looked a lot differently.

    Also, I don't want people just peering at my journal randomly. Privacy is privacy and I open my diary for my friends, not for someone whom I don't know.
  • Astroduckula
    Astroduckula Posts: 70
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    I chose to have my diary viewable to only my MFP friends, I don't like uber nosey people so if you're that interested in what I'm eating you can make friends with me first.
  • lifeinpink09
    lifeinpink09 Posts: 87 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/jfrog123/view/why-my-mfp-diary-is-private-227790

    This person said it better than I could have.

    That's pretty much exactly why my diary is private. I'm working on my messy relationship with food however some days I have massive binges and other days I don't eat at all and I don't need everyone seeing and commenting on it as if I don't realize it's a problem.

    Just makes things better for me.
  • Astroduckula
    Astroduckula Posts: 70
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    I share openly with my friends... but there are some seriously creepy people on MFP! I don't want just anyone lurking through my information.

    I agree with the on creep factor... I've met a few myself on here :grumble:
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    And a reason many people keep them closed, or have returned them to being closed is because when they open them to ask for help, quite often the people commenting seem to be harshly criticizing their poorer food choices (rather than gently advising them), making snide remarks, or trying to convince them of extreme food and exercise changes that scare them away.

    Yep. There are people out there who will read a complete stranger's diary and start criticizing it whether or not they're asking for help.

    I'm not talking about the 'why can't I lose' threads but other random threads.
  • reese66
    reese66 Posts: 2,920 Member
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    Many people keep their dairies closed because some people tend to think that the way they do things is the way everyone else should do things you have the meat vs non meat eaters, the clean vs not so clean eaters, people that don't eat after a certain time the list goes on and on. Some people just like to look into someone else diary and the tear them down for choices that they make. Some people goes as far as posting someone else diary and calling them out by name.

    Someone's diary does not need to be open to get inspiration, if someone is having lack of ideas then they should ask for some.
    Nor does it need to be open to assist them unless the specifically ask what is wrong with my diary or something to that effect.

    Just my two cents.
  • TheirEllie82
    TheirEllie82 Posts: 162 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/jfrog123/view/why-my-mfp-diary-is-private-227790

    This person said it better than I could have.

    Hmm yeah makes sense, I'm wondering if that is the same reason for all though. Wouldn't mind hearing other points of view from those who hide their diary due to other reasons. Thanks.

    I just recently turned my public after having my ex on this site and he would e-mail me throughout the day at work about my food choices and how I needed to watch what I was eating because he had some work function or another that I was supposed to attend with him.
  • mashanda
    mashanda Posts: 120 Member
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    I know some people dont just look for Ideas the critize what people eat. I have no problme telling people what i eat, but I decided to close my diary this time.
  • NiSan12
    NiSan12 Posts: 374 Member
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    Most don't "hide" their diaries. The default when you join is Private. You have to intentionally open it. Most people don't know that it is something that need to do.

    This is probably the reason in most cases when people are asking for help. I've had people tell me their diaries were open, yet they really weren't. They could see it, and they knew their friends could see it, so they assumed everyone could see it.

    And a reason many people keep them closed, or have returned them to being closed is because when they open them to ask for help, quite often the people commenting seem to be harshly criticizing their poorer food choices (rather than gently advising them), making snide remarks, or trying to convince them of extreme food and exercise changes that scare them away.
    This is why I had to close mine. Too many suggestions.
  • MeliciousGibson
    MeliciousGibson Posts: 300
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    And a reason many people keep them closed, or have returned them to being closed is because when they open them to ask for help, quite often the people commenting seem to be harshly criticizing their poorer food choices (rather than gently advising them), making snide remarks, or trying to convince them of extreme food and exercise changes that scare them away.

    VERY MUCH ^^^^THIS!!!!

    Being tactful is an artform that MANY people on this site seem to be lacking in. You can advise someone without being rude. You can make suggestions without putting someone down.

    I'd rather just NOT deal with the snarkiness of people, so I don't bother. Unless, of course, I post something in the forum. That's when I don't mind dealing with it. It amuses me sometimes.
  • _Tara_R
    _Tara_R Posts: 688 Member
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    Mine is set to private. I don't want to be bashed if I ate a piece of cake or treat of some kind.
  • chazsucks
    chazsucks Posts: 170
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    I have no problem with people keeping them private, however I think it's strange when someone starts a forum topic asking for help yet has a private diary. Typically the first few comments will encourage them to open it, yet they still don't.

    I think we're still allowed to ask for help if our diaries are private. If I'm asking about something NOT to do with the food in my diary, why do I need to make it public to ask for help?
  • love4ransom
    love4ransom Posts: 67 Member
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    I don't share b/c if I go over one day I don't want people judging me.
  • FrugalMomsRock75
    FrugalMomsRock75 Posts: 698 Member
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    To the referenced blog... if I hide mine from my friends, I tend to go wild and get the feeling, "who cares? Nobody knows it but me..." If I keep it so my friends can see, I feel some sense of accountability. God knows if I'm only be accountable to myself, I usually fail. O.o
  • jmcdaniel0
    jmcdaniel0 Posts: 130 Member
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    Sorta off topic here... but is mine open... I dont remember what i chose when i set it up, and I only have on friend... lol which is my wife. So yea. No hiding from her, no matter what i do.
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,250 Member
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    Why do so many people hide their profile and food diary?

    When I see things like "I lose 1-2 lbs a week and I'm eating this many colories, etc".. then I click on their page and nope, can't see what their stats are to compare myself.. or to see what they're eating to get ideas of how healthy they are eating to also compare...

    :sad:

    I get more frustrated when I read threads such as "I can't lose any weight been on this diet for 8 years..... what should I do" - I go to their diary to find it is private.

    Ummm yes, I have always been a mindreader, not.

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