Why do people hide their food diaries on here?

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Replies

  • sheldonz42
    sheldonz42 Posts: 233 Member
    Since a person's entire persona on here, including their diary, could be a complete fabrication, it makes little sense to me to worry about whether or not someone's diary is open. It's open or it's not. Likewise, it's accurate or it's not. Who cares? Oh, and to the fellow who said they hide them so they can be pigs, not only did you break one of MFP's rules, but you insulted a HUGE population on the website in one fell swoop out of complete and total ignorance. Congratulations.
  • djshari
    djshari Posts: 513 Member
    I think the better question is why do you and other people feel you are entitled to everyone's personal information? I understand just being nosy because I peek into friends journals for ideas and new meal/snack ideas or just to see what is working for others. What I don't understand is people getting upset/offended or angry about it. I'm guessing the people that are being nasty and claiming it's done so that no one sees all kinds of junk food probably "forget" to log when they make poor choices or indulge. Get over yourselves.
  • AlexThreeClaw
    AlexThreeClaw Posts: 73 Member
    I'm a delicate flower and even the mildest constructive criticism about my diary will upset me.

    I'm not even being sarcastic.
    I keep the diary so I can hold myself accountable, I log what I eat and I try not to beat myself up when I don't follow the plan. I like to think I'm doing pretty well, 13lbs in two months, but I know any unsolicited advice regarding what I eat is likely to damage my progress. So I'm not taking any chances. If I need advice, I'll unlock it and ask politely but until then I'll be keeping it hidden until I get over some of my food issues.
  • Buddhasmiracle
    Buddhasmiracle Posts: 925 Member
    Because if you aren't on my friends list, why are you checking my diary? Mine is open if you are a friend, otherwise, it's closed.

    Exactly.
  • cw822
    cw822 Posts: 107
    Why do you care?


    What is the frickin animosity about? This is a forum, I posted a question, IF YOU DONT LIKE WHAT I ASKED DO NOT RESPOND...Furthermore, Why do you care? is not an answer. Please start your own forum and ask that question...

    So you're questioning others motives, but can't deal with your's being questioned?
  • BrunetteRunner87
    BrunetteRunner87 Posts: 591 Member
    I think it's the default setting, or just friends... I have opened mine at someone's request, but if nobody had said anything, I wouldn't have even bothered to look what the setting was.
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
    Why do you care?


    What is the frickin animosity about? This is a forum, I posted a question, IF YOU DONT LIKE WHAT I ASKED DO NOT RESPOND...Furthermore, Why do you care? is not an answer. Please start your own forum and ask that question...

    So you're questioning others motives, but can't deal with your's being questioned?

    It's a legit question - I've noticed that it tends to be the norm here to make diaries private, and the OP is wondering why that is the case. There's no need for anyone to get upset over a simple inquiry. So yes, "Why do you care?" isn't a helpful or appropriate response to the original OP.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Why do you care?


    What is the frickin animosity about? This is a forum, I posted a question, IF YOU DONT LIKE WHAT I ASKED DO NOT RESPOND...Furthermore, Why do you care? is not an answer. Please start your own forum and ask that question...

    So you're questioning others motives, but can't deal with your's being questioned?

    It's a legit question - I've noticed that it tends to be the norm here to make diaries private, and the OP is wondering why that is the case. There's no need for anyone to get upset over a simple inquiry. So yes, "Why do you care?" isn't a helpful or appropriate response to the original OP.
    It is a legitimate question. Asked in a slightly challenging way. I suspect that's part of why she got the replies she did.
  • smiley245
    smiley245 Posts: 420 Member
    I actually log everything on an iphone app. and don't really feel like logging food in twice.
    If I left it open there would be a whole lot of nothing to look at, thought I do mention this fact in my profile so people do not think I am halfassing it.
  • selina884
    selina884 Posts: 826 Member
    Its really stupid.

    Why are people like that on this site and accepting friends?

    Diaries are an inspiration lol

    I had a french toast slam at dennys, was around 800 calories. Are you inspired?

    Yumm...

    It was delicious. I was like, 200 calories over my goal but it was tasty and i would do again. But then, you can see my diary and my obsession with food so you already know, i eat what i want.

    Absolutetly inspired!
  • djshari
    djshari Posts: 513 Member
    Why do you care?


    What is the frickin animosity about? This is a forum, I posted a question, IF YOU DONT LIKE WHAT I ASKED DO NOT RESPOND...Furthermore, Why do you care? is not an answer. Please start your own forum and ask that question...

    So you're questioning others motives, but can't deal with your's being questioned?

    It's a legit question - I've noticed that it tends to be the norm here to make diaries private, and the OP is wondering why that is the case. There's no need for anyone to get upset over a simple inquiry. So yes, "Why do you care?" isn't a helpful or appropriate response to the original OP.
    Actually "why do you care?" is also a legit question and the fact that she refused to answer it says it wasn't just innocent curiousity. Not to mention that plenty of people DID answer the question despite the fact that this is the umpteenth thread about the exact same topic.
  • Jewcybabe
    Jewcybabe Posts: 241 Member
    I recently reset my diary to private to allow myself to be COMPLETELY honest about every morsel. Previously when I had my diary open, I was very self-conscious of how my log looked to others and "revising" it for appearance sake or worse yet, not logging at all. Now my diary is open to the person to whom it matters the most.......me!
  • edack72
    edack72 Posts: 173 Member
    I don't get this either especially the people who are asking for help , I thinks its the default setting on here to because I didn't know mine wasn't open.
  • 1denisem
    1denisem Posts: 1
    This is for my own personal tracking. :drinker: Why is it so important other people feel the need to know what I am eating. I am only consentrating on what I need to do at this point. Yes I have bad days & I have good days. Maybe you should respect the privacy of others who wish to keep theirs private. Not all of us feel the need to be so concerned with others. If I have questions I believe this is the best way for me.
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,861 Member
    Everyone who I know with a closed diary says it because they are afraid of being criticized (or have been criticized in the past). I wish everyone would open them. I love to get food ideas from other's diaries.
    I'm not afraid of being criticized but it would annoy me. The real reason I never do it is because there is temptation to tidy them up for others. I am brutally honest with myself but I won't even let my wife see it. I lost 45-50 pounds and I've been on maintenance for over a year and it works for me. I got to my goal without a single MFP friend. They came later.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    Because I don't log anything.
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
    Why do you care?


    What is the frickin animosity about? This is a forum, I posted a question, IF YOU DONT LIKE WHAT I ASKED DO NOT RESPOND...Furthermore, Why do you care? is not an answer. Please start your own forum and ask that question...

    So you're questioning others motives, but can't deal with your's being questioned?

    It's a legit question - I've noticed that it tends to be the norm here to make diaries private, and the OP is wondering why that is the case. There's no need for anyone to get upset over a simple inquiry. So yes, "Why do you care?" isn't a helpful or appropriate response to the original OP.
    Actually "why do you care?" is also a legit question and the fact that she refused to answer it says it wasn't just innocent curiousity. Not to mention that plenty of people DID answer the question despite the fact that this is the umpteenth thread about the exact same topic.

    Asking a question in response to a question is stupid. There are over 200 responses to this question so it stands to reason that the OP might not see or have the time to answer it. But whatever. Additionally, this is the first time I've seen anyone ask about open diaries.
  • Chulada23
    Chulada23 Posts: 32 Member
    i drink too much alcohol, not interested in an intervention :p
  • MightyDomo
    MightyDomo Posts: 1,265 Member
    When I am not logging, why show it?

    And generally my diary is for me to keep track and not others, I know when I am doing something 'wrong' and I see it and it's a great reminder for me what not to do. I do open it every once in a while when I am doing some really good healthy food combination so others can use it for ideas.

    I think some people really use the diary as a well.. diary, just for them.
  • ShivikaChandra
    ShivikaChandra Posts: 35
    Mine is private because I'm lazy. I record everything I eat but not in the correct categories. I sometimes just record my lunch in breakfast because the items were in there for recents
  • JinxRita
    JinxRita Posts: 191 Member
    Mine had been open for a very long time, but as I began to slack off with my goals, I also found myself not logging honestly because I was afraid of being judged. I have it set to closed until I can get myself back on track with logging, and logging honestly.
  • michellechawner
    michellechawner Posts: 892
    I figured out the people who were hiding their diary, once they opened it, were not eating enough to sustain themselves. I deleted 3 people who told me their doctor said they are allowed to workout 3 hours a day, and only eat 200 calories.

    No quack is ever going to OK that, sorry. And if you can't be healthy, then I'm not going to support you, I called them out on it and they got all mad and kept saying well the doctor said I'm allowed to do this! Um, no.

    Mine is open... so if I have issues I was someone to be like hey, see what you ate last week? that's your problem. We're all here to help, so yes mine is open and Even now I sometimes don't add people with private diaries because Every time they've complained but they refuse to open their diary yet they continually ask for help, but I can't help them if I don't know what they are eating.
  • JenAndSome
    JenAndSome Posts: 1,893 Member
    i drink too much alcohol, not interested in an intervention :p

    This. I drink. I used to keep my diary private and I'm really not sure if it's public now. I did keep it private because I don't need people being judgmental about what I choose to consume. If you want ideas for recipes or snacks you could always post in the food and nutrition section and ask for suggestions.
  • laughingdani
    laughingdani Posts: 2,275 Member
    You don't need to know what I eat on a daily basis.

    If you want to know the types of foods that I eat or some recipes that I use, I will gladly share them with you.

    My food diary will not affect your weight loss. Only mine.
    I am honest with myself about what I eat. I think my progress pics and ticker show that what I have been doing has worked thus far.
    I don't feel the need to put everything out there.

    This is not aimed directly at OP. This is for anyone curious as to why someone would keep their food diaries private.
  • KellyKAG
    KellyKAG Posts: 418
    Because I'm more honest with myself if its closed.

    Also had an incident where I had the carlories for it and had a vanilla cone. then had to listen to some judgmental, clean eating know it all, lecture me on it. No thanks.
  • msfaithful
    msfaithful Posts: 88 Member
    di·a·ry
    1. a daily record, usually PRIVATE, especially of the writer's own experiences, observations, feelings, attitudes, etc.

    source: dictionary.com

    some people (myself included) prefer to hold themself accountable because they're doing it for themself only. IF a person ask for suggestions or help then of course they have to let people into their "diary" to provide guidance. I don't understand how reading other people's "diary" will make you more sucessful in your journey though. Maybe that should be the question.... :flowerforyou:
  • KyliAnne26
    KyliAnne26 Posts: 209 Member
    It cracks me up how many angry and unhappy people there are in the world. This is such a silly question to get all huffy about.

    The first time I tried MFP I kept mine hidden because I had MFP 'friends' that I knew in real life and I was embarrassed for them to see when I went over or indulged in treats. Eventually, they all gave up logging and I did too. This second time around, I deleted all my 'friends' that weren't logging and exercising consistently and now I keep it open. I still get embarrassed a little when I go over, but I feel it helps keep me in line when I make food decisions knowing I'll have to log it and others will see it.

    On the other hand though, I can see the opposite. Some people might be more likely to log honestly if they know no one can see it. I've considered lying on my log before just because I didn't want others to see my awful day (I did end up logging it though). It's interesting to see others opinions on this though.
  • breeshabebe
    breeshabebe Posts: 580
    Why do you care?


    What is the frickin animosity about? This is a forum, I posted a question, IF YOU DONT LIKE WHAT I ASKED DO NOT RESPOND...Furthermore, Why do you care? is not an answer. Please start your own forum and ask that question...

    So you're questioning others motives, but can't deal with your's being questioned?

    It's a legit question - I've noticed that it tends to be the norm here to make diaries private, and the OP is wondering why that is the case. There's no need for anyone to get upset over a simple inquiry. So yes, "Why do you care?" isn't a helpful or appropriate response to the original OP.
    Actually "why do you care?" is also a legit question and the fact that she refused to answer it says it wasn't just innocent curiousity. Not to mention that plenty of people DID answer the question despite the fact that this is the umpteenth thread about the exact same topic.

    Asking a question in response to a question is stupid. There are over 200 responses to this question so it stands to reason that the OP might not see or have the time to answer it. But whatever. Additionally, this is the first time I've seen anyone ask about open diaries.

    The OP might have asked the question "innocently" but when this response came up:
    1. They're a pig and don't want people to see how much they're eating

    2. They do something out of the norm such as eat 800 calories a day, or fast sometimes, low carb, or just something that most people don't usually do. They are concerned people will criticize them.

    3. It keeps the more accountable. If I eat a large cake, I can log it and know i ate, but no one else would see it, so I don't have to feel self conscious about it. Easier people to log under this condition.

    I think people jumped on the defense. That comment was just completely rude. I don't care if you've lost 193lbs... it doesn't give you the right to call everyone pigs. To that man, I say... why do you care?

    I joined MFP long before I had an actual friend on here or even realized that there were message boards. My purpose for joining had nothing to do with having friends tell me what I'm eating. I joined to track calories.
  • djshari
    djshari Posts: 513 Member
    Why do you care?


    What is the frickin animosity about? This is a forum, I posted a question, IF YOU DONT LIKE WHAT I ASKED DO NOT RESPOND...Furthermore, Why do you care? is not an answer. Please start your own forum and ask that question...

    So you're questioning others motives, but can't deal with your's being questioned?

    It's a legit question - I've noticed that it tends to be the norm here to make diaries private, and the OP is wondering why that is the case. There's no need for anyone to get upset over a simple inquiry. So yes, "Why do you care?" isn't a helpful or appropriate response to the original OP.
    Actually "why do you care?" is also a legit question and the fact that she refused to answer it says it wasn't just innocent curiousity. Not to mention that plenty of people DID answer the question despite the fact that this is the umpteenth thread about the exact same topic.

    Asking a question in response to a question is stupid. There are over 200 responses to this question so it stands to reason that the OP might not see or have the time to answer it. But whatever. Additionally, this is the first time I've seen anyone ask about open diaries.
    Well, maybe not everyone is as simple minded as you are. There are often many answers to one question so it's not stupid to find more about WHY the person is asking that question. Although I do agree with the fact that many responses to most threads here aren't helpful or appropriate asking the original poster for more information will help people narrow it down and make it more productive. If it's because "I need more food ideas/inspiration" then it goes in the direction of people with open diaries sharing theirs or offering links... if it's because "I want to judge people on what they eat" it's probably going to go in the "none of your business". Take a look at which way this thread went.
  • OGJake12
    OGJake12 Posts: 186 Member
    Because its a diary, and nobody let other people read their diary.

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