To share or not to share your food journal

135

Replies

  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
    Mines always open. I've got nothing to hide :) judge away.
  • tarabole
    tarabole Posts: 166 Member
    I share to stay accountable and have not found that people have judged me. I am trying to get off drinking a lattte every day, so I want to have an open diary so that I know if I have a latte everyone who looks at my diary can see it. Also, I was not losing for a period and cut out sugar and sodium and added more fibre, that really helped so I want to share that.
  • Truegoddess22
    Truegoddess22 Posts: 94 Member
    This. I like looking at other people's diaries just to get a variation in what I eat. It's up to you though. :D
    Meh, mine is open. I haven't gotten one unsolicited message and I eat quite dirty and often over calories. :smokin:
  • cookiealbright
    cookiealbright Posts: 605 Member
    Mine is open to my friends only. I have changed how I eat, but I do eat donuts for breakfast alot. I like my sweets and I'm gonna get them in. I really only base it on a weekly average. I try to stay under goal Mon., Tue. & Wed. so that I can have a couple glasses of wine on the weekend. Most people are going to go over occasionally due to special days like weddings & birthdays, but it's real life and that's why we have holidays - to enjoy ourselves!
  • QuincyChick
    QuincyChick Posts: 269 Member
    Mine is open to everyone. Judge away!
  • _jayciemarie_
    _jayciemarie_ Posts: 574 Member
    I share mine. I'm not afraid of constructive criticism. I need all the help I can get.
  • ellybeann
    ellybeann Posts: 122 Member
    I share, and like to view others. It gives me food ideas and lets me mix thing up instead of the same thing over and over. As far as being judged, whos cares you only have yourself to answer to..this is your journey own it
  • TX_Rhon
    TX_Rhon Posts: 1,549 Member
    I am keeping mine open because six months from now, and I have successfully have lost a steady 1-2 lbs per month, I can show that I eat Pizza and have a realistic approach to life. Not some derp-based orthorexic "bunker" mentality. LOL :drinker:

    I just want to be like Chevy when I grow up so I share mine as well. :bigsmile: Also, since I am trying to kick my Starbucks "addiction", I like my friends to keep me accountable and give me carp when I go over my 3/week allowance!!! But I also like getting meal ideas from my friends as well!!
  • Chevy_Quest
    Chevy_Quest Posts: 2,012 Member
    I just want to be like Chevy when I grow up so I share mine as well. :bigsmile: Also, since I am trying to kick my Starbucks "addiction", I like my friends to keep me accountable and give me carp when I go over my 3/week allowance!!! But I also like getting meal ideas from my friends as well!!

    @Rhon - You are headed down the road to a path of misery and despair and pizza LOL :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :smile: :flowerforyou:
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
    Thoughts on this? I have mixed feelings about it. Part of me doesn't want to share what I eat over fear of being judged. The other part thinks it may be beneficial. I need to be convinced either way.

    It all boils down too how grown up you think you are I rather have friends that tell me if I am doing something wrong, than trod along thinking what I am doing is correct.
  • Llamos4110
    Llamos4110 Posts: 10 Member
    I have mine open to friends. I am much more apt to make a healthy decision that way. I don't mind when my friends don't open theirs, but if they do, I do look every day- mostly because I have been able to borrow some really great and yummy ideas! I only offer my thoughts when they have specifically asked for someone to make suggestions.
  • musicboxes
    musicboxes Posts: 133 Member
    I agree to keep open, as I get inspiration from others, see what is working for them & get healthy food ideas to try. It's your path so don't worry about what others think...be yourself.
  • Koldnomore
    Koldnomore Posts: 1,613 Member
    Mines public and always has been. I eat what I want, I go over calories, I go under calories, I eat 8 cookies at a time or 3 chocolate bars or whatever I manage to binge on IF I do. Some weeks are better than others but all in all I don't really care about anyone's opinion but my own. Judge away LOL!

    I leave it open because when I am asking for feedback - which I have on occasion - it is impossible to get anything accurate if the diary is private (keep this in mind if you are ever wanting help from someone who is not on your friend list).

    I think maybe one person who was not on my friend list ever sent me a message to comment on my food choices and probably I ignored it like I tend to do if someone sends me unsolicited advice (or empty friend requests ;p ). If you're going to take comments personally then it's probably better to keep it private but in the end it's a personal choice.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    Leaving it open was part of me becoming okay with what I eat.

    I don't complete my diary (except for the lulz days) because I don't need any assistance or feedback and don't want to clog up their news feeds, but it's open so I can share those lulz days to my FL or if someone on my FL wants to see it for guidance.
  • bugtaylor
    bugtaylor Posts: 77 Member
    KEEP PRIVATE. NO ONE NEEDS TO KNOW EVERYTHING.
  • TX_Rhon
    TX_Rhon Posts: 1,549 Member
    @Rhon - You are headed down the road to a path of misery and despair and pizza LOL :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :smile: :flowerforyou:

    Can we put bacon on the pizza??? :laugh:
  • Chevy_Quest
    Chevy_Quest Posts: 2,012 Member
    @Rhon - You are headed down the road to a path of misery and despair and pizza LOL :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :smile: :flowerforyou:

    Can we put bacon on the pizza??? :laugh:

    @Oh Yeah - That is a given! - Also Wait until you see one of my famous Spaghetti-O's sandwhiches on White Bread next month too! :drinker:
  • Siansonea
    Siansonea Posts: 917 Member
    Judge me all you want, humans. I'm not such a fragile flower that your censure actually affects me in any way. Cheers! :drinker:
  • cavia
    cavia Posts: 457 Member
    Food shouldn't be shameful.

    My diary is open. I have had unsolicited comments about what I eat - moreso from those MFP friends I have IRL. It doesn't bother me. I love food, I love to eat and I try to maximize my ability to eat as much as I can.

    I don't peruse the diaries of people whose eating habits are very dissimilar to my own unless they've explicitly asked for advice. Those whose eating habits match my own get looked at regularly because I enjoy discovering new meal ideas.
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
    Hi, I keep mine public, this thing is really all about me. People can judge if they want, I don't care. I've been on this site for a long time and been pretty successful so it may help others.
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    Mine is currently only viewable by my friends. This is because right now I am dealing with a lot of medical issues and am struggling to find a balance between what I can eat and what is healthy. I don't want to deal with people who think they know better but really have no clue as to what I am going through medically. My friends know so I don't have to explain it to them every time.
  • elisabeisme
    elisabeisme Posts: 308 Member
    I share my diary with my MFP friends. I am also only interested in being MFP friends with people who share their diary. I have a couple exceptions on my list, but not many.

    I keep my friend list small and try to keep track of what everyone's goals are. If I know they are working to increase protein, I will watch for that and congratulate them on a high protein day. If I know they are trying to eat more fruit, or cut down on snacking, I can encourage them towards those goals.

    I also like looking at other people's diaries for ideas. And knowing that others can see my diary helps prevent me from skipping a day of logging. I put everything in there - even if it's ugly.

    I recognize that not everyone want to share - and that's okay. I wish those folks the best, and may even enjoy interacting with them in forums, but would prefer not to have them on my friend list. I don't judge them for wanting to use MFP differently than me. Everyone should get to use MFP how it will be most helpful for them.
  • angraham2
    angraham2 Posts: 128
    Share cause if you are doing well it can help to motivate someone else.

    I like to look at diaries so that I can see what other combinations of food that might work for me. Mine is open too!
  • Txsteach
    Txsteach Posts: 20 Member
    I was a little reluctant to open my food diary to friends, because I didn't want to be judged, but I think it keeps me more accountable, and honest, plus everyone is supportive and encouraging
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,923 Member
    I have always shared mine - started in March 2012.

    It motivates me to only have one beer, or not eat crap. I'd rather be judged and told about it than not achieve my goals.
  • loserbaby84
    loserbaby84 Posts: 241 Member
    Share it. We've all had horrible habits and we all make mistakes! Anyone that will cut you down because of your calorie intake is childish. The best thing you can do is be honest .. not for others but for yourself :)

    PS: Sometimes helpful critisim or a blatant slap in the face makes you smarten up. Some people need it, lol!
  • leannerae40
    leannerae40 Posts: 200 Member
    I share mine, but only with a password. It's a happy medium for me. Originally I had it all the way open, and really received some nasty comments. Then I locked it down, and a couple of people unfriended me. I told them that I had it password protected and that my nutritionist and trainer had access to it to keep me grounded. They still unfriended me. My thoughts are, if you don't have the password, there's a reason why. I still keep motivated knowing that the people that matter, who have the knowledge and have helped me set my goals and know me personally have the password. If I need to open it up for help from the "forums" I will, but frankly, the people with the knowledge are better equipped to handle my questions.
    To each their own though...
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    Thoughts on this? I have mixed feelings about it. Part of me doesn't want to share what I eat over fear of being judged. The other part thinks it may be beneficial. I need to be convinced either way.

    Well the thing is .. you're always being judged. People will judge your decision to share or not to share. People will judge you for asking. People are always going to judge something about you.

    That said - I have never, not once, had someone actually comment to me on my diary.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    I do better when I share it. I'll make it private if I'm going through a rough patch, but it always feels good to open it back up again. No one has ever said anything judgey to me. If they did, they'd be gone from my friend's list. Little pokes and humor about my love of hotdogs is okay. ;)

    It does inspire others to see that you've finished under goal, though. It inspires me when I see a wall full of it.
  • mrslcoop
    mrslcoop Posts: 317 Member
    Set your privacy setting however it suits you best...

    If you're afraid of being judged you may not be completely honest. If you think this is the case, keep it private.

    If you think it'll make you more accountable, keep it public, or at least viewable by friends only.

    I sort of picked an in-between option. My diary is open to my friends but I don't care for any kind of comments so I don't hit the "complete" button which eliminates that alert from popping up on my friends' news feed(s). No alert, no comments.

    Just know, if you ask for assistance, you will be asked to make your diary public if it isn't already. It's hard for folks to give feedback if they can't see what you've been eating and/or doing for exercise.

    I do/feel the same way. Either avoid the "complete" button or remove that as an alert you have in your settings.

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