other people's diaries

Yeah one of several reasons my diary is private. I don't want others judging me.

I also know how I am, and I'm a competitive person and I have sincere concerns that I would become EXTREME in eating just "perfectly" to avoid criticism and be "better than" others...not healthy or helpful in a long term lifestyle change (for me).

However...with all of that said. I have a huge mix in my daily eating habits of fresh produce, homemade light meals, etc, and the occasional junky chocolate or takeout meal. I don't look at others' diaries very often but I'll admit to being a little shocked sometimes. Especially when it shows a whole day of 100 cal packs of various snack foods. Not only do I find it difficult to imagine subsisting on 100 cal packs of cheezits and Oreos, but I am way too frugal to buy those...can't even imagine what that would cost to eat like 8 of those packs every day in addition to other food. They're not cheap for such a small and relatively "empty" food item IMO. To each their own, though.

I also admit to occasionally seeing someone's diary and wondering if they are truthful to themselves. If you are really eating nothing but lettuce, kale, carrots, boiled chicken, apples, and skim milk for 30 days in a row - to your exact MFP calorie specs - and still only lose 1.5 lb per week, I feel like I'm getting something over on you ;-) Because I fit in a lot more yummy things (healthy AND questionable).

I look at the food diaries of the people and sometimes the worry me.... not saying my diet is perfect in any way!
If I ate what they ate my body would be starving, I need salads or veggies to fuel myself. I plan on eating this way for the rest of my life, im happy with my diet, it works for me, and in sure they say the same thing about theirs.... its just the lack of fresh produce doesn't sound sustainable in the long run... to me anyway!
These people are meeting their calories needs for the day, but rather than filling up with healthy calories they would rather eat a little bit of something that is calorie dense... end rant

:huh:

I personally don't feel like sifting through 50+ items in the database just to add 30 calories of onion or broccoli or mushrooms, so I only add foods that have a calorie count of about 80 or higher. When my progress losing weight starts slowing down, I'll start really documenting everything carefully, but right now it's not worth the hassle. Potatoes and fruits have enough calories to get entered in my diary, but I eat a lot more vegetables than it reflects.

Really? It takes me seconds to find any food listed by grams. Then it stays in my 'recent' foods list. If you can't be bothered now, I don't think that is a good indicator of long term success. Because to maintain you are going to have to be bothered. Also, you are losing out on your very own personal data base by not entering everything you eat as you lose weight. For instance, a personal TDEE calculation could


not be made.

There's lots of us maintaining without keeping strict food diaries, or not tracking at all. What works for you may not be what someone else needs to do.

I tend to look for new or different meals when looking at someone's diary. Not as a way to compare my diet to theirs.

This!

I personally don't feel like sifting through 50+ items in the database just to add 30 calories of onion or broccoli or mushrooms, so I only add foods that have a calorie count of about 80 or higher. When my progress losing weight starts slowing down, I'll start really documenting everything carefully, but right now it's not worth the hassle. Potatoes and fruits have enough calories to get entered in my diary, but I eat a lot more vegetables than it reflects.

If you're sifting through 50 items to find fresh veggies you're doing it wrong. Improve your search terms and it shouldn't take you more than a couple seconds. Onions fresh or onions USDA, mushrooms fresh or mushrooms USDA, broccoli fresh or broccoli USDA - bam right there.

However...with all of that said. I have a huge mix in my daily eating habits of fresh produce, homemade light meals, etc, and the occasional junky chocolate or takeout meal. I don't look at others' diaries very often but I'll admit to being a little shocked sometimes. Especially when it shows a whole day of 100 cal packs of various snack foods. Not only do I find it difficult to imagine subsisting on 100 cal packs of cheezits and Oreos, but I am way too frugal to buy those...can't even imagine what that would cost to eat like 8 of those packs every day in addition to other food. They're not cheap for such a small and relatively "empty" food item IMO. To each their own, though.

I can only speak for myself, but think of it this way: if somebody told you to pay $1,000 extra for food over the course of a year, and you would weigh XX lb less guaranteed by the time the year was over, would you do it? Those items may cost a bit more, but if they help the person eating them be successful, you'd best believe they'll buy them in the grocery store each time!

For me, that would not even be an option honestly. While technically I could "afford" $1,000 extra...for my husband and I that $1k would be the equivalent of about 3 MONTHS of groceries. No way. We live a frugal debt free lifestyle and there is just no way I could justify that.

She's just making an observation. It is true that several people don't eat many, or any, fruits and vegetables. It works for them. It wouldn't work for me. I didn't find her post particularly harsh. I guess I chose to not take it personally and just as an observation.

"Great people talk about ideas. Small people talk about others." Author Unknown

"Great people talk about ideas. Average people talk about current events. Small people gossip"

Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.

Eleanor Roosevelt

I personally don't feel like sifting through 50+ items in the database just to add 30 calories of onion or broccoli or mushrooms, so I only add foods that have a calorie count of about 80 or higher. When my progress losing weight starts slowing down, I'll start really documenting everything carefully, but right now it's not worth the hassle. Potatoes and fruits have enough calories to get entered in my diary, but I eat a lot more vegetables than it reflects.

Really? It takes me seconds to find any food listed by grams. Then it stays in my 'recent' foods list. If you can't be bothered now, I don't think that is a good indicator of long term success. Because to maintain you are going to have to be bothered. Also, you are losing out on your very own personal data base by not entering everything you eat as you lose weight. For instance, a personal TDEE calculation could


not be made.

There's lots of us maintaining without keeping strict food diaries, or not tracking at all. What works for you may not be what someone else needs to do.

Then why be on a calorie counting site?

I personally don't feel like sifting through 50+ items in the database just to add 30 calories of onion or broccoli or mushrooms, so I only add foods that have a calorie count of about 80 or higher. When my progress losing weight starts slowing down, I'll start really documenting everything carefully, but right now it's not worth the hassle. Potatoes and fruits have enough calories to get entered in my diary, but I eat a lot more vegetables than it reflects.

Really? It takes me seconds to find any food listed by grams. Then it stays in my 'recent' foods list. If you can't be bothered now, I don't think that is a good indicator of long term success. Because to maintain you are going to have to be bothered. Also, you are losing out on your very own personal data base by not entering everything you eat as you lose weight. For instance, a personal TDEE calculation could


not be made.

There's lots of us maintaining without keeping strict food diaries, or not tracking at all. What works for you may not be what someone else needs to do.

Then why be on a calorie counting site?

For the remarkably insightful forums?

I will probably never open my diary. Too scary here. O_o

"Great people talk about ideas. Small people talk about others." Author Unknown

"Great people talk about ideas. Average people talk about current events. Small people gossip"

Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.

Eleanor Roosevelt

"The Internet is a great way to get on the net." - Bob Dole

!
LOL

"Great people talk about ideas. Small people talk about others." Author Unknown

"Great people talk about ideas. Average people talk about current events. Small people gossip"

Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.

Eleanor Roosevelt

"The Internet is a great way to get on the net." - Bob Dole

"The internet is riddled with misquotations."

-Abraham Lincoln

My diary is wide open. People can comment all they want...............

Whether or not someone comments on my diary doesn't change what I did or didn't eat.

I honestly don't see what the big problem is.

That said, if you're going to trash what I eat, your own had better be better.

^^ This. My food diary is a record of what I've eaten, that's all.
If I spend two days using all my calories on panettone and chocolates then that's my decision, might not be sustainable long term but isn't going to harm me. If someone makes a "naughty, naughty!" comment I'd just take it as gentle teasing!

'Once our nutrient needs are met, we don’t get extra credit for eating more nutritious food!' - Eric Helms

IKR! LOL