To open diary or not to open???

I keep mine closed. It's not so I can 'cheat', I log EVERYTHING.
I'm just a private person, and I don't really want people commenting if I make a bad choice here and there. Because I do still make some bad choices here and there, I just try to keep them under my calorie limit.

I opened mine to friends pretty soon after coming on here. I don't really get negative comments. I'm happy to have it open and I track everything. I'm very much treating this as a lifestyle change, so I have great days and days with a lot of food and drink, but that's fine with me, I've found a balance and taking away restrictions in my diet is working very well for me, and if someone tried to tell me I was making bad choices I'd probably not pay too much attention as I'm currently losing consistently and feeling great. I think a lot of people (me included) have real issues seeing red numbers, I'm trying to overcome it, and I think if seeing in my diary that you can go over some days and still lose if you're sensible other times helps someone else, that's great!

I keep mine closed. My body, my journey, my results. I don't think everything in the world needs to be open to others comments and insensitivities.

Why do you assume that others are going to give bad comments? Mine's been open to friends ever since I've been on MFP. Not one 'bad comment' in over a year and I have days that are really not ideal. And if I had a bad comment I would look at it and the reasons behind it. if I felt it was out of order I would likely drop them off my friends list. I have people on my feed as a support structure to me being able to see their diaries is part of that. I do have people who don't show there diaries I just then refuse to comment on their food or finished diaries (how can I comment on something I cannot see?)

The main thing I like about seeing peoples diaries is that it gives me food and meal ideas especially from those people who live in different countries that eat different combinations of food than is normal here in Scotland.

It's a personal choice for people but to me to make the best use of the MFP support system you need to be open. A lot of people get Over weight and obese because they do hide what they eat so hiding your diary on MFP is a continuation of this.

Mine's been open to all MFP members since I began 205 days ago. I can understand reasons for both open or closed, it's a personal choice. I've been lucky I guess, the rare comments I've gotten on my food choices have been positive. I welcome all comments though, as long as they're constructive. It doesn't mean I have to take the advice, it's still my life, my choices. But, I would certainly appreciate it if someone was just trying to be genuinely helpful.

Open keeps you more accountable and conscientious of what you eat.

I gained all my weight because I was not accountable...to myself. That is what my journey of weight loss and fitness is about...being accountable for myself. I don't need nor want to be accountable to others...

If I want this bad enough...I will do it for myself and not to impress or please others.

No matter what I eat...too much or too little - if I hit a macro or a micro - if I exercise or not - I am solely accountable for that. I should hold my own self accountable and not depend nor need others to do so.

What happens when these others are not around to help keep you accountable?

I keep my diary open to my friends. It helps me stay accountable for my food. We're here to help/cheer each other on and that's hard to do if you have no clue what they are eating.

I keep mine open to public. I don't care if someone sees that I eat cookies. Heck, I don't even care that someone comments. If anything... it has helped me develop a thicker skin towards criticism. Plus, I am way better about logging consistently now that I have adopted a "don't care what you think" attitude.

If you want support from your MFP friends and your diary isn't open, you're not leaving them much to help you with. I find it hard to say anything encouraging when a friend has finished his/her diary for the day but it's closed. I don't give nutritional advice to anyone--I'm not qualified, for sure. I haven't had anyone be snippy with my food choices...I would hope that most MFP friends are more about being positive than tearing you down. You can always open your food diary to just friends and if you feel it's not helpful for you, make it private. But I'd suggest that everyone tries it even if just for a week with their MFP friends. You may not realize how much support and positive vibes you're missing,