Do you Hide Your Diary???

124

Replies

  • glovepuppet
    glovepuppet Posts: 1,710 Member
    I have to admit this whole thread has got me wondering. Do random people really make comments about your diary? Even if you're not asking for help? (I'm not).

    I honestly don't care what people think. (Or do I?) I'm eating for myself, not someone else. (Or am I?) So as an experiment, I just opened my diary entirely. I want to see what happens.
    rude people, passive aggressive bullies & control freaks.

    but then, there are people rude enough to tell the overweight gal in the street that she shouldn't be eating that ice cream. it should come as no surprise that even more people are obnoxious when they can hide behind a keyboard.
  • newloafofbread
    newloafofbread Posts: 46 Member
    I have to admit this whole thread has got me wondering. Do random people really make comments about your diary? Even if you're not asking for help? (I'm not).

    I honestly don't care what people think. (Or do I?) I'm eating for myself, not someone else. (Or am I?) So as an experiment, I just opened my diary entirely. I want to see what happens.
    rude people, passive aggressive bullies & control freaks.

    but then, there are people rude enough to tell the overweight gal in the street that she shouldn't be eating that ice cream. it should come as no surprise that even more people are obnoxious when they can hide behind a keyboard.

    Yes, this, seriously. I had some teenagers make fun of me once at my college because I was eating three pieces of pizza. Ever since I gained so much weight I have a weird embarrassment about eating in front of other people. I feel like I need to prove them wrong or something.

    Now I'm eating healthier but I still feel embarrassed.
  • Seaglass1123
    Seaglass1123 Posts: 500 Member
    I wanted to add I think some people may keep theirs prviate because of the comments people make. Unless it's helpful - making comments about people going over sodium or whatever is pointless and annoying.
  • katejkelley
    katejkelley Posts: 839 Member
    It's completely a personal choice. For myself, I am more accountable when I know others are looking at it. I even find myself making better choices sometimes so viewers might be impressed with me! :blushing:
  • I wanted to add I think some people may keep theirs prviate because of the comments people make. Unless it's helpful - making comments about people going over sodium or whatever is pointless and annoying.

    I agree.
  • AwesomelyAmber
    AwesomelyAmber Posts: 1,617 Member
    Having an open diary is certainly NOT a part of MY MFP game. Mine is closed, as it is for ME and noone else. In order to make this work for me I have learned that I need to be honest with myself.
  • nvpixie
    nvpixie Posts: 483 Member
    Mine is open. Food is not private to me. I eat in public and am not ashamed, even when I make poor choices. I'm not sure I consider it necessary to have an open diary on MFP so I don't think it's strange when people hide theirs. To each their own...
  • Amanda_Runs
    Amanda_Runs Posts: 169 Member
    Mine is open since real life happens everyday so being perfect everyday can't happen!
  • SillyFitMe
    SillyFitMe Posts: 130 Member
    I hide it from you but it is in plain sight for me. I am an experiement in the works and my diary is my data catalog.
  • AlexBoBalex79
    AlexBoBalex79 Posts: 99 Member
    I'm relatively new to the site and the first few days I had it private. Then I was asking questions on the message boards and figured it would be helpful to me to have it open. Nobody has commented on it or asked questions. But my first reaction was to keep it closed b/c I was just using the site to track my calories. To each their own!
  • twoss9112
    twoss9112 Posts: 162 Member
    Wow... people on here really send messages to others criticizing their food choices? Some of you said that's why your diaries are closed, and I'm a little surprised that people have the nerve to do that! Mine is open because I don't really care what people think.

    I care more about the people in my real life, who KNOW me and know what I'm doing and just don't "get" it, or make comments and criticize me anyway.

    I don't care what random passers-by of my food log think. If there's a "bad" choice maybe there's a reason for it, or maybe I just felt like having it. Maybe if it appears that I dont' drink any water it's because I just don't log it. I have enough stuff to log and measure. Water, I keep track of on my own.

    I also like to look at other peoples' logs as well - I look for food and snack ideas - I figure there's probably a lot out there that I don't know about, and looking at someone else's not only gives me ideas, but let's me see the nutrition content without going searching around the market reading every single label.

    "Oh hey look at that, I like that kind of cheese adn this person found one that only has x calories and x fat... I should look for that..."

    It's the people in my life who tick me off with their comments. My mother in law thinks that because I don't pile my plate full of garbage, that I don't eat anything at all, and continues to verbally point that out. "Aren't you going to eat?" "Did you EEEEAT?!" "Did you have enough?" I know she means well, but it's really tiring. Then there's other people that see me with anything that isn't an apple or lettuce and say "Oooh, looks like your cheating!" or "Wow, you're eating chocolate?"

    Or the people who ask me if I "can have" something, or if it's "in my diet." Or the whole "how's the diet going". Shut up. I'm not on a diet. I just choose to eat better and not eat garbage all the tile like I used to. I'm being restrictive now and yes some things I "can't have" because I'm trying to lose. It will be a lot easier when I reach a healthier weight and I can add calories back for maintaining. Maybe then I can eat a damn cookie without an inquisistion.

    The people in real life are far more annoying than any comment or message I might receive on a message board.
  • JGainingHealth
    JGainingHealth Posts: 194 Member
    Mine is open to friends, but I don't have any friends ;) I wouldn't be mortified if someone did see my diary, but I don't really eat like the average person so I don't think many people would benefit from it.
  • squindles
    squindles Posts: 350 Member
    If you hide it, you may as well not even log it.

    Comments like that illustrate perfectly why I don't want some random know-nothing without two brain cells to rub together passing judgement on my nutrition ...

    ^^^^THIS!!!!^^^^ :flowerforyou:
  • ncl1313
    ncl1313 Posts: 237 Member
    mines hidden because its my business what I eat. I think I'm more honest with tracking if I have it hidden.

    ^^This. If I want to go to Taco Bell and eat a day's worth of calories in one meal, I know it's a crappy food choice and I don't need someone else telling me that. I just log it and move on. If my diary were open, I might skip logging that meal, and then what's the point of having the diary at all? I need to be accountable to myself and no one else.

    If I need ideas for different food choices or recipes, there are forums for that.

    I will say, though, that I can see why closed diaries might annoy people, especially if a person with a closed diary is constantly questioning whether or not they're eating enough calories, etc.
  • drefaw
    drefaw Posts: 739
    Mine is not hidden .....

    Because, even if somebody wanted to add their 2 cents about my nutrition choices, if it didn't sound like it was good advice, and fit into my lifestyle, I just wouldn't care at all .......

    No biggie .....
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    My diary is private for several reasons:

    1. I'm a grownup. I am perfectly aware of whether or not my food choices were "good". I don't need anyone else's help in pointing out that without the 4 double-stuffed Oreos I wouldn't have gone over my calorie goal. I'm all set with that.

    2. My idea of a "good" day is very different than others (including the wonderful people on my FL). If I managed to fit 1/2 a large pizza into my goals for the day, that's a "good" day to me. Going to restaurants for a week straight and only hitting maintenance is a "good" week. I don't comment on other people's food because I don't know what exactly a "good" day is for them. It's not motivating for me to think I had a "good" day and have someone say "tomorrow's a new day" or whatever. I love all the people on my FL, but I need to decide for myself what is or isn't a good day and why.

    3. I'm accountable to me. It's my fat @ss that retains a permanent record. If my diary wasn't private, I would simply not log things - I'd still eat them - just not log them. My diary would then be useless. Since I'm accountable to me, I log every bite-good, bad and ugly. Motivation is a very personal thing. I am not motivated to eat less crap because others can see it. That just motivates me to hide my naughty food intake-furthering an already somewhat sketchy relationship with food being "good" and "bad" and reasons to feel guilty.

    Mainly, my diary is private because that's what works for me. Open diaries work for others. Find what works for you and do that.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    My diary is private for several reasons:

    1. I'm a grownup. I am perfectly aware of whether or not my food choices were "good". I don't need anyone else's help in pointing out that without the 4 double-stuffed Oreos I wouldn't have gone over my calorie goal. I'm all set with that.

    2. My idea of a "good" day is very different than others (including the wonderful people on my FL). If I managed to fit 1/2 a large pizza into my goals for the day, that's a "good" day to me. Going to restaurants for a week straight and only hitting maintenance is a "good" week. I don't comment on other people's food because I don't know what exactly a "good" day is for them. It's not motivating for me to think I had a "good" day and have someone say "tomorrow's a new day" or whatever. I love all the people on my FL, but I need to decide for myself what is or isn't a good day and why.

    3. I'm accountable to me. It's my fat @ss that retains a permanent record. If my diary wasn't private, I would simply not log things - I'd still eat them - just not log them. My diary would then be useless. Since I'm accountable to me, I log every bite-good, bad and ugly. Motivation is a very personal thing. I am not motivated to eat less crap because others can see it. That just motivates me to hide my naughty food intake-furthering an already somewhat sketchy relationship with food being "good" and "bad" and reasons to feel guilty.

    Mainly, my diary is private because that's what works for me. Open diaries work for others. Find what works for you and do that.

    Interesting.......


    Those are the same reasons I have mine public.
  • I keep it open ..I have shut it down sometimes because I didn't feel like answering questions, etc
  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,722 Member
    No, why would I? Accountability is a good thing.
  • Jessicalg1981
    Jessicalg1981 Posts: 51 Member
    I completely respect those who wish to keep theirs private although I will say, my reasons for looking at other people's diaries is NOT because I'm nosy or because I want to give them **** about what they eat but rather to look for new things for myself to eat. There are a lot of great things I have started eating simply from checking out friend's diaries. If you're not comfortable with me snooping through your day though I totally respect that. Do whatever you need to do to help yourself out. This journey is hard enough without some stranger making it harder for you!
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    My diary is private for several reasons:

    1. I'm a grownup. I am perfectly aware of whether or not my food choices were "good". I don't need anyone else's help in pointing out that without the 4 double-stuffed Oreos I wouldn't have gone over my calorie goal. I'm all set with that.

    2. My idea of a "good" day is very different than others (including the wonderful people on my FL). If I managed to fit 1/2 a large pizza into my goals for the day, that's a "good" day to me. Going to restaurants for a week straight and only hitting maintenance is a "good" week. I don't comment on other people's food because I don't know what exactly a "good" day is for them. It's not motivating for me to think I had a "good" day and have someone say "tomorrow's a new day" or whatever. I love all the people on my FL, but I need to decide for myself what is or isn't a good day and why.

    3. I'm accountable to me. It's my fat @ss that retains a permanent record. If my diary wasn't private, I would simply not log things - I'd still eat them - just not log them. My diary would then be useless. Since I'm accountable to me, I log every bite-good, bad and ugly. Motivation is a very personal thing. I am not motivated to eat less crap because others can see it. That just motivates me to hide my naughty food intake-furthering an already somewhat sketchy relationship with food being "good" and "bad" and reasons to feel guilty.

    Mainly, my diary is private because that's what works for me. Open diaries work for others. Find what works for you and do that.

    Interesting.......


    Those are the same reasons I have mine public.

    Yep. That's why different strokes for different folks. Open works for you, closed works for me. I don't think there's a right or wrong-just what works for you at whatever point you're at.
  • langsyne
    langsyne Posts: 106 Member
    If you hide it, you may as well not even log it.

    Why?
    I keep a diary to track my calories, and how I feel each day, to help determine which foods I am sensitive to.
    I don't hide it, it's private. If I cheat, I would only be cheating myself.
    I think people would be more inclined to cheat on their logs if they knew everyone could see it.
  • No, I don't hide mine. I have nothing to hide.
    If I have a bad day, I will let all my friends see it, that way they can motivate you to have a good day tomorrow and a better one after that!!
    Never be ashamed to have a bad day because everyone does and will.
  • JLHNU212
    JLHNU212 Posts: 169 Member
    I have mine open to friends only and that is because I have the type of personality where when I am about to eat something, I think about having to log it. If I am embarrassed about having to log it, I am probably not going to be eating it, or at least it cuts down on binging on it! I have spent too many years being a closet eater and hiding what I ate from everyone, which is why I am one of the people on here that needs to makes a lifestyle change, and not just looking for a calorie tracker. That is just how I am! And by having it viewable, it helps hold me accountable for what I eat. But everyone is different and has different reasons for either having their diaries public or private. Not sure if that helps you any! :) Good Luck!
  • jody04111987
    jody04111987 Posts: 59 Member
    No, but I can understand why people do hide there Diary.

    I look it this way, if people can gain a little nugget of information from looking at my diary then I see that as a positive.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    My diary is private for several reasons:

    1. I'm a grownup. I am perfectly aware of whether or not my food choices were "good". I don't need anyone else's help in pointing out that without the 4 double-stuffed Oreos I wouldn't have gone over my calorie goal. I'm all set with that.

    2. My idea of a "good" day is very different than others (including the wonderful people on my FL). If I managed to fit 1/2 a large pizza into my goals for the day, that's a "good" day to me. Going to restaurants for a week straight and only hitting maintenance is a "good" week. I don't comment on other people's food because I don't know what exactly a "good" day is for them. It's not motivating for me to think I had a "good" day and have someone say "tomorrow's a new day" or whatever. I love all the people on my FL, but I need to decide for myself what is or isn't a good day and why.

    3. I'm accountable to me. It's my fat @ss that retains a permanent record. If my diary wasn't private, I would simply not log things - I'd still eat them - just not log them. My diary would then be useless. Since I'm accountable to me, I log every bite-good, bad and ugly. Motivation is a very personal thing. I am not motivated to eat less crap because others can see it. That just motivates me to hide my naughty food intake-furthering an already somewhat sketchy relationship with food being "good" and "bad" and reasons to feel guilty.

    Mainly, my diary is private because that's what works for me. Open diaries work for others. Find what works for you and do that.

    Interesting.......


    Those are the same reasons I have mine public.

    Yep. That's why different strokes for different folks. Open works for you, closed works for me. I don't think there's a right or wrong-just what works for you at whatever point you're at.

    :drinker: :flowerforyou:
  • nayla1984
    nayla1984 Posts: 17
    The only time I go in and read anybody's diary is when they post about it like this one. LOL Other then that I dont go into anybody's diary.
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    Nope, everyone can see what I eat.. Don't care.
  • badtastebetty
    badtastebetty Posts: 326 Member
    I keep mine open. I like when others have theirs open. When we are asking questions about diet, it's good to have access to the diary for reference. I like that people can comment on things they like in my diary, or ways I can improve.

    It's up to the individual, but I think it's key in accountability.
  • MizTerry
    MizTerry Posts: 3,763 Member
    Each to their own. I had mine open for a while until I got some naggers. The really bad ones shoving their opinions down my throat I unfriended, then I set my diary to private because it's not what others think of me that matters. It's what "I" think of me.

    What works for you may not work for me.

    Keeping my diary private helps me keep good relations. :bigsmile: