Why do people hide their diaries?

mine's open, and it'll always be open. I dont think about profile creepers, im on here to be accountable for my eating and exercising- i dont feel the need to "hide" anything. and ive seen people post questions on here that i feel the same about and it's as easy as looking at their diary to get the answers which makes me look at my own-point is this is a public form, and were on here for the same reasons everyone is entitled to it, but i cant say i understand it... (why not just right down on a piece of paper at home what you eat, why have a profile and pictures and post anything if you dont want others involved?)

mine's open, and it'll always be open. I dont think about profile creepers, im on here to be accountable for my eating and exercising- i dont feel the need to "hide" anything. and ive seen people post questions on here that i feel the same about and it's as easy as looking at their diary to get the answers which makes me look at my own-point is this is a public form, and were on here for the same reasons everyone is entitled to it, but i cant say i understand it... (why not just right down on a piece of paper at home what you eat, why have a profile and pictures and post anything if you dont want others involved?)

because carrying around paper and pencil is not very comfortable and not everyone is eating at home. This is why I prefer my iphone and MFP to paper and pencil. I can look up the database and bang I see everything I need to know at a glance, before I even eat it.

I think a lot of people think that because they use a site a certain way, everyone must use it that way. This simply is not so. There is nothing wrong with how you use it, similarly there is nothing wrong with how someone else uses it if they don't need the support aspect in the diary. Truth is I know more about my diet and the foods I can and cannot eat, than the average person who doesn't have my condition.

because they feel guilty and shamed of what they actually eat. LOL

That is bull****.

I keep mine closed because I don't eat enough and I'm tired of hearing "Starvation Mode". I eat healthy and I don't need to explain myself. I do however need motivation to workout out on a regular basis and become more toned.

OK so there are people who hide their diaries. I have seen their stated reasons, but I still don't understand why:


probably 99% of people on this site have user names and personal details that don't give the first clue as to who they actually are anyway. LOL

I keep mine open to friends, purely because if you want to snoop at my diary at least be my friend first?

I keep mine closed even to friends because I am recovered from eating disorders and don't want to share with others how I eat. Also, I don't want advice or criticism no matter how well-meant. I grew up with my mom and grandma as my personal food police (and wasn't an overweight kid either, that didn't come til my late teens), and it drove me crazy.

Also, while I found MFP is about a whole lot more than a food diary, what I wanted was a food diary which is how I found this website in the first place. I wanted a place to maintain some accountability to myself since I'm a grazer and I knew that was the biggest part of my weight problem (eating more than I thought I was).

I keep my diary closed for several reasons. I had an ED in the past, and if I kept my diary open to scrutiny, I fear I would relapse. I know that may sound weird to some people, but having my diary closed works for me. I log everything I eat and drink, and using this site is so much easier than writing it all down and then doing all the math. I don't ask for (nor do I need) any advice on what to eat or not to eat, so having an open diary is not a necessity for me. My husband is on this journey with me, and he knows everything I eat (and vice versa), so we hold each other accountable. I do not keep it closed because I have something to hide, and I really hate it when people imply that those who have closed diaries are hiding something or they are not as serious about losing weight. I can assure you, I am pretty darn serious about shedding these excess pounds in a healthy manner.

If you prefer to have your diary open, more power to you. I just prefer something different. I won't judge you, so please don't judge me.

My diary is open to my friends but not public; the reason is that it is possible for one of my students to possibly find my diary by accident and, living in a small town, they know too much already; I tell them what I want them to know; I am pretty open with friend requests -- as long as you are not under 18, I generally accept you...

Do you live in my town?! I hadn't even thought of that but that is also so true of me. LOL.

OK so there are people who hide their diaries. I have seen their stated reasons, but I still don't understand why:


probably 99% of people on this site have user names and personal details that don't give the first clue as to who they actually are anyway. LOL

That's because you are assuming they have something to hide.

I don't want people to use my diary as weight loss advice, because they would assume wrong things from it, especially as gluten free is a fad. Also I make gluten mistakes and my diary is the way I figure them out. I would hate someone to make the same gluten mistake I did by looking at my diary!

I didn't assume anything, I was using the title of this topic. I was merely pointing out that as we don't know who the member is in reality, it wouldn't matter what information it contained. Everyone has their own personal views and like everyone else on this thread, I was just expressing my thoughts.

It really doesnt matter who I am in reality, if someone thought by looking at my diary, oh, gluten free must be a great weight loss diet. (and I have heard it over and over when out shopping and talking to salespeople and customers in shops) Just because I have lost almost 40 pounds eating one... of course I gained over 100 lbs eating one too, but that's a tidbit of info you could not get from the diary, now could you?