Food Diary CHEATERS!

karmasBFF

maybe you should worry about your own weight loss, Im here to loss weight for myself, If someone wants to eat 3 pizzas thats there business. this is a free sight!

yes it is a free sight and it is peoples own business, but this site offers so much support through other users, and that i think is what the main message is. She wants to offer positive feedback when people are learning to make positive choices for themselves to reach life long weight loss. When people cheat or lie to themselves they are only going to reach minimal short term goals, only to relapse and have to start all over again.

Its too bad that you are here only for you, because maybe by taking that view point you will miss out on lots of positive and constructive feedback. No noone wants to hear the contsructive feedback but that is the dose of reality that we all need from time to time.

Maybe everyone responding to this thread should review what she is asking. she is asking for feedback on her feelings about a friend who is cheating and venting her frustrations with this.

Thank you sooo much for seeing my point of view. Its always difficult to watch people struggle and by no means am I saying that people are lying "intentionally". I mean, it is a conscious choice, but I think it comes from a whole other issue inside. Contrary to how some people feel, I am here for EVERYONE, not just me...that is the point of a support network isnt it? And I would want someone to "mind my business" to keep me on track. Because it is for the long term and I would love to be a part of peoples' success as they are such an integral part of mine.

Thank you again Miranda!

BrendaLee

I guess I am more agitated by one particular person that I have noticed puts foods in his/her diary, then goes looking for support or people to make them feel better, then he/she removes it to stay under the recommended calories and takes the encouragement for that, too! Does that really not bother anyone but me??? And everytime I see a diary that "looks" like its doing the same thing, it just further irritates me. I really do look at diaries for ideas but it seems like, in that, I get to see just how many people are being dishonest.

I see what you're saying. I've never experienced that, which is probably why it doesn't bother me. Dishonesty does suck though, and is completely pointless, but I think some people just need the attention.

karmasBFF

I agree with most of the responses here: you're really hurting yourself if you're paying that much attention to what other people are doing EXCEPT those people you can learn from. Focus on yourself and those who can be good role models for you, you'll find it MUCH less stressful! :glasses:

My food diary is public but I never expect anyone to be looking at it lol..I'm so boring

LOL! That is exactly why I look. Because, for me, boring leads to cheating...and I am trying to avoid that like the plague! Mine is public too, for other people to review, find ideas, and yes, criticize. Its public because I WANT to be held accountable for my food and if I can lie to myself about what I actually eat, then I can lie to myself about why its ok. Thank you for sharing!

stormieweather

I don't cheat (I'm only cheating myself, if I do). But I don't judge others as to the accuracy of their entries. I assume that if someone asks what they're doing wrong and invites viewing, that they're being honest, otherwise no one can get an accurate picture of their diet.

But what anyone else does is irrelevant to me and my progress.

ebh1024

I want to say I enjoy getting positive feedback. That is why I really like this site, all the support. The way that I look at this too, is that by deleting, lying or whatever only hurts that person. Trust me, today I ate so much crap I was embarrased to log it, but I did. Just so I can slap myself in the face. But in some cases people look at calories as a calorie is a calorie. So if they choose to eat a pizza for breakfast, well their choice and their calories. It is all about your own honesty and what you want to gain from this site.

lazygalina

when you are cheeting - you are cheeting yourself!!!! you can eat pizza and pretend you did not...but final result when you will Weight yourself!!! I agree...we do not have a police here...you log your food for yourself... and GOOD LUCK cheeter !!! you will not be able to acheve your goasl!!!

noseovertail

If you are THAT bothered by one particular user's eating & logging habits, why not just delete them off your friends list? Problem solved.

karmasBFF

I want to say I enjoy getting positive feedback. That is why I really like this site, all the support. The way that I look at this too, is that by deleting, lying or whatever only hurts that person. Trust me, today I ate so much crap I was embarrased to log it, but I did. Just so I can slap myself in the face. But in some cases people look at calories as a calorie is a calorie. So if they choose to eat a pizza for breakfast, well their choice and their calories. It is all about your own honesty and what you want to gain from this site.

The slap in the face is precisely why I log it too! And I won't lie, I am guilty of trying to convince myself that it was really a tsp and not a tbsp of ranch dressing! but in the end, I make myself be honest. Lying reminds me of the too many times I went to McDs for me and the boys...got our food, plus 2 extra dbl cheeseburgers, scarfing them down in the car and hiding the wrappers just so I could hide the truth. And that didnt help me, it got me here at 219 lbs-and that is AFTER a 13lb weight loss. I just hope these people will realize that its hurting them...and some may not understand, but I have a heart that opens as wide as the ocean for anybody that needs it, so it equally SUCKS when you see someone hurting themselves.

Thank you for sharing!

karmasBFF

If you are THAT bothered by one particular user's eating & logging habits, why not just delete them off your friends list? Problem solved.

I've thought about it, and I will be taking this course of action eventually. But in the back of my mind, I will know they are struggling. It just sucks to think about that, you know....sorry for being sooooo sensitive! LOL My mother was a martyr for a long time, always sacraficing herself for others well being...I guess I havent completely over come that yet! :ohwell:

noseovertail

Sorry, I guess I just don't see the point in even complaining about this. If that person is going through a hard time or whatever, don't you feel bad for creating this post complaining about them? I'm new to the site so maybe I don't understand.... but if I were the person you were complaining about and dedicating an entire thread to, I'd rather you just delete me.

karmasBFF

Sorry, I guess I just don't see the point in even complaining about this. If that person is going through a hard time or whatever, don't you feel bad for creating this post complaining about them? I'm new to the site so maybe I don't understand.... but if I were the person you were complaining about and dedicating an entire thread to, I'd rather you just delete me.

I'm not complaining, I'm looking for opinions.

And I am not concerned with them feeling anything about this post because this post isnt about just one person. Yes, there is one in particular that agitates me, but definitely not the reason I posted this.

And for the record, noseovertail, I didnt dedicate anything. I posted, and -just like you- people responded. So if there is ANY dedication, I believe you just made yourself a part of that.

But thanks for your input; that is the point of a support network, isnt it?

Jerzeebabie04

I personally like to look at other peoples diaries so I can get ideas, because sometimes I feel like I'm always eatting the same foods and don't want to get too bored and end up cheating. When I see someone who has lost a lot of weight I enjoy reading their diary to see what they did to make it work. I also like the encouragement from others when I have gone under my calorie goal, but on days that I barely eat because I'm having a "not hungry day" I make sure to post something on my own status first. I keep my diary private, because sometimes I know I'm going to be so busy with work that I might not have time to get on more than once a day, so I pack all my food up and post what I'm having for the next few days. Of course I could go back & add something else if I ate something else.
I think the encouragement is good either way, but I can understand how it would be annoying encouraging someone who is lying to themselves. If you eat something you should log it, because if you don't you are only hurting yourself. Sometimes I'll play around with different foods, see if I ate something for lunch what it'd leave me with and then if I decide I want something different for dinner I'll change my lunch (BEFORE eatting it of course).
Just don't let it bother you to much, continue your diary planning and your encouragement to those you feel need or deserve it. Constructive criticism is always good too. If you see that someone has completed their diary entry and then you go and look at it to find that they only had a pizza for breakfast and nothing all day, instead of saying good job on their status maybe you could say, "hey what happened today that you only ate once?" maybe they had a bad day and that really is all they ate. Maybe you asking them or giving them some pointers for those "bad cheat days" would help them do better next time. Just be careful how you word things, as long as it sounds like constructive criticism I don't think they will mind and might actually be glad you did that.

PJilly

Most days I don't complete my food diary because I don't want the congratulations for the most part...I actually hate that feature.

Did you know you can change your News Feed Settings? You can select or deselect all of the following for purposes of notifying your friends when:
# I become friends with someone
# I reply to a topic on the message boards
# I create a new topic on the message boards
# I create a new blog post
# I commented on someone else's news feed update
# I wrote on someone else's profile page
# I have not logged into MyFitnessPal for an extended period
# I have logged in for several days in a row
# I have lost weight
# I have completed my diary for the day

I didn't know that! Thank you.
__

Where do you change that? lol
__

Found it.

You're welcome! :happy:

karmasBFF

I personally like to look at other peoples diaries so I can get ideas, because sometimes I feel like I'm always eatting the same foods and don't want to get too bored and end up cheating. When I see someone who has lost a lot of weight I enjoy reading their diary to see what they did to make it work. I also like the encouragement from others when I have gone under my calorie goal, but on days that I barely eat because I'm having a "not hungry day" I make sure to post something on my own status first. I keep my diary private, because sometimes I know I'm going to be so busy with work that I might not have time to get on more than once a day, so I pack all my food up and post what I'm having for the next few days. Of course I could go back & add something else if I ate something else.
I think the encouragement is good either way, but I can understand how it would be annoying encouraging someone who is lying to themselves. If you eat something you should log it, because if you don't you are only hurting yourself. Sometimes I'll play around with different foods, see if I ate something for lunch what it'd leave me with and then if I decide I want something different for dinner I'll change my lunch (BEFORE eatting it of course).
Just don't let it bother you to much, continue your diary planning and your encouragement to those you feel need or deserve it. Constructive criticism is always good too. If you see that someone has completed their diary entry and then you go and look at it to find that they only had a pizza for breakfast and nothing all day, instead of saying good job on their status maybe you could say, "hey what happened today that you only ate once?" maybe they had a bad day and that really is all they ate. Maybe you asking them or giving them some pointers for those "bad cheat days" would help them do better next time. Just be careful how you word things, as long as it sounds like constructive criticism I don't think they will mind and might actually be glad you did that.

Thank you so much for your post! I really thought I created a "situation". LOL I would not bring it to other people's attention, as it sucks to be criticized, especially in the weight loss battle. I was just curious if anybody else has noticed this, and how they handle it. However, your approach example was great! I am always looking for ways to express myself as I know sometimes I come off a bit tough on people!

Thank you!

karmasBFF

Most days I don't complete my food diary because I don't want the congratulations for the most part...I actually hate that feature.

Did you know you can change your News Feed Settings? You can select or deselect all of the following for purposes of notifying your friends when:
# I become friends with someone
# I reply to a topic on the message boards
# I create a new topic on the message boards
# I create a new blog post
# I commented on someone else's news feed update
# I wrote on someone else's profile page
# I have not logged into MyFitnessPal for an extended period
# I have logged in for several days in a row
# I have lost weight
# I have completed my diary for the day

I didn't know that! Thank you.
__

Where do you change that? lol
__

Found it.

You're welcome! :happy:

Yes, thank you! I too will be visiting that page! :flowerforyou:

PJilly

I changed that setting just today because I feel weird when I get kudos for coming in under calories. I aim for hitting my calories dead on, so I feel just as accomplished when I'm 5 over as when I'm 5 under. My diary is always public just because I have nothing to hide. It's there as a tool for me, but if anybody wants to look, more power to 'em. I like that I can change that setting, though, so it doesn't look like I'm tooting my own horn at the end of each day I come in with calories to spare. (Not that I think that's what most people are doing when they click that button!)

Elfie1

GAWWWWW.....go run some laps or something....wayyyy too much time on your hands..

karmasBFF

I changed that setting just today because I feel weird when I get kudos for coming in under calories. I aim for hitting my calories dead on, so I feel just as accomplished when I'm 5 over as when I'm 5 under. My diary is always public just because I have nothing to hide. It's there as a tool for me, but if anybody wants to look, more power to 'em. I like that I can change that setting, though, so it doesn't look like I'm tooting my own horn at the end of each day I come in with calories to spare. (Not that I think that's what most people are doing when they click that button!)

I totally understand what you mean! I set my calories to 1380 so that when I was under, I was still over what I NEED to function! It also gives me cushion if I ever need it. I always try to stay as close to 1200 as possible, like you said 5-10 over. This seems to work for me. And just in case, I have a late night craving (like right now!), I can afford to eat something small, still stay within my calories and I am not taking credit for something I did not work for. And yes, I may just be tooting own horn a little! But for someone who used to hide what she ate, I could use the encouragement from being completely honest, good or bad!

Thanks again!

karmasBFF

GAWWWWW.....go run some laps or something....wayyyy too much time on your hands..

Thanks for your CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM...then again I would be pretty upset, too, if I was guilty of what this post is discussing!

Like I said, I pass no judgement, but people who live in glass houses should NEVER throw stones...

Good luck on your weight loss journey!

SoldierDad

Let me start by saying I pass no judgement on anyone, this is not in reference to any one particular person, most are not even on my friends list.

I am all about encouraging people for doing a great job for staying under their calories, and I try my best to post a comment on each status that acknowledges the achievement. Often times, I will go to the person's page and look at their diary for ideas. Then I see they are under their calories because they hit the "close" button right after breakfast. Or they had a half of a Little Caesar's Pizza for breakfast but then a yogurt for lunch and an orange for dinner. Or they remove things from their diary that I KNOW they ate. I won't go into specifics but lets just say if you're going to admit your guilt for having eaten it, make sure you dont remove it from your diary.

Maybe I am just being hard on people because I want everyone to experience LONG-TERM success but I really think it is stealing the glory of other peoples' efforts (yes, including mine) when someone claims to be under their calories but they are not doing it the right way. Isnt pizza for breakfast and nothing else the rest of the day "cheating" in a sense? I also realize that its an automatic response generated by the site. But then remove it before you start getting credit for something you really didnt achieve....not the healthy way, anyway. and ESPECIALLY if you know you lied about what you ate!

So now, I cant help but look at people's diaries, not for ideas anymore, but to see if they have actually earned the congratulatory comments. Does anyone else do this? Do you give these people encouragement in the form of positive adjectives on their status? Because I don't.

Like I said, maybe I'm just being hard on people because I know the effort I am putting forth, but I just had to put this out there!

Any opinions, judgements, ideas-I am definitely open to reading because Lord knows that sometimes, I have looked at things from the wrong angle. I just really don't see a "right" angle.

If someone wants to cheat its still them not losing weight. I just encourage because thats what you should do. Personally, I set mine up the night before, add and subtract as needed and close "finished" (or whatever it is) after I know I am done for the day... Lol i dont really even pay much attention if i log things under the right time of day! lol

Now is eating a pizza for breakfast, and then maybe doing 200-300 cals the rest of the day, wrong? Prob not but def not healthy.