Does making your food diary public keep you "honest?"

wanderinglight
wanderinglight Posts: 1,519 Member
edited September 24 in Motivation and Support
:happy:

I'm curious about if people who have public food diaries have trouble being completely honest! Only saying because I wonder if sometimes I'd be too embarrassed to log my slip-ups...OR, does knowing that everyone can see it make you less likely to eat unhealthy stuff?

Kudos to everyone who goes public! I love reading what other people are eating and getting ideas for meals and snacks. But I'm not quite brave enough to put mine out there yet!
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Replies

  • twooliver
    twooliver Posts: 450 Member
    doesn't matter to me...it's more important that I am honest with myself...

    I like reading ppl's food diary more for food ideas than to judge whether or not they are in compliance....
  • little_ali
    little_ali Posts: 15
    For me it helps me keep control. Knowing that everybody can see how much I eat. If I am craving something it makes me think twice before binging etc cause I know that everybody will be able to see it. However, I do still make sure that I log everything, despite the fact that everyone can see it.
  • Akronite0883
    Akronite0883 Posts: 67
    doesn't matter to me...it's more important that I am honest with myself...

    I like reading ppl's food diary more for food ideas than to judge whether or not they are in compliance....



    I agree
  • wanderinglight
    wanderinglight Posts: 1,519 Member
    doesn't matter to me...it's more important that I am honest with myself...

    I like reading ppl's food diary more for food ideas than to judge whether or not they are in compliance....

    I hope I didn't sound like I was reading to judge! I actually get quite inspired by other people's diaries. Maybe I'll make mine public for a week to see if it keeps me on track.
  • ProjectSara
    ProjectSara Posts: 83 Member
    I just joined a week or so ago. I did great for a few days, which were super fun to log and show off. But the last few days, I went way over my calorie goal. I was tempted not to log this (my diary is public), but realized if I didn't, I would be defeating the purpose of holding myself accountable. So it's out there for all to see...embarrassing or not, if I don't log it, I'm not being honest and opening myself up to secret slipping up, which I think would lead to more weight gain. So... In my opinion, you should put it all out there, but if you do, you HAVE to do it honestly!
  • jentacy
    jentacy Posts: 13
    It definetly keeps me honest and accountable. Especially on facebook and on here.
  • chickadee2010
    chickadee2010 Posts: 1,389 Member
    Mine's public. I log everything I eat, unless I don't have enoug time, or those occasions when I eat a little bit of something - almonds - and I forget that I ate them until the next day. I have to say that my habits aren't always the best, but I've been decent at keeping under my calories lately.
  • Vicky14174
    Vicky14174 Posts: 715 Member
    If someone lies on their diary they are only hurting themselves. No one else. Opening the diary is another tool. If someone looks at your diary and you are having problems not losing weight, there may be something in there that someone sees that could stir you in the right direction to reach your goals.
  • ArchyJill
    ArchyJill Posts: 548 Member
    Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Like if I lose it I typically just stop logging (naughty!), but I have a few friends that open it to keep my in line and I cruise other people's diaries to get ideas when I feel like I am in a rut.
  • rdy2begin
    rdy2begin Posts: 170
    doesn't matter to me...it's more important that I am honest with myself...

    I like reading ppl's food diary more for food ideas than to judge whether or not they are in compliance....
    Totally agree I jumped in feet first and hold myself accountable for EVERYTHING !! I do not want to cheat myself my goals
  • loriefolk
    loriefolk Posts: 352
    I love logging all my foods and being able to keep up with them! It does help me to control my cravings. I've developed a passion for healthy eating, so if I start craving something I KNOW isn't good for me, I think to myself "I'm going to have to log this and I don't want to do that."
    So I don't eat it :) I'm making better food choices because I'm committed to logging my foods.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    I'm honest. That's why I do it.
  • BakingGranny
    BakingGranny Posts: 112 Member
    It most assuredly keeps me honest. But I too like to see what others are doing different. Also,I was in trouble and couldn't lose and my good friends sent me messages and told me what they tho't I was doing wrong. I took their advise and I got out of trouble.
  • schninie82
    schninie82 Posts: 502 Member
    yeah same here... I put on my diary for me not really anyone else...although last night I had a vodka and cranberry drink and didnt put it on my diary, but i was about 200 under anyway so it would have evened itself out... I put mine on public but no-one could see it...so its available to friends now... Ive nothing to hide...if Ive had something 'naughty' I'll still put it on... If you dont put all the food/exercise stuff on, doesnt it make all the predictions inaccurate etc...?
  • JulieBoBoo
    JulieBoBoo Posts: 642
    I like posting my slip ups and my gains when they happen because I like to remind the people with whom I'm sharing this journey that it's not a straight line downwards. If all we share with each other is the successes then we will start to feel even worse for the little failures. I think it's important to keep in mind that a lifetime change will have to include things like cake and beer and chocolate and chips but the trick is now to learn to eat them in moderation.

    Of course I swore to be brutally honest with others and more importantly with MYSELF when I started this journey. No more hiding, no more denial and no more beating myself up for being human. So far it's working :)
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
    I don't really pay attention a whole lot. But everyone who is on my friends (and most likely to lurk through my food diary) have been super supportive. So I don't feel ashamed if I slip up (even if it means I ate 2000 calories in reeses cups!). If anything I'm usually taking it out on myself because I'm disappointed in my actions, but no one has every said anything discouraging to me. Only helped me through. :)
  • Randee75
    Randee75 Posts: 234
    doesn't matter to me...it's more important that I am honest with myself...

    I like reading ppl's food diary more for food ideas than to judge whether or not they are in compliance....

    I also agree....I log everything that goes in my mouth......Some things are great and some things aren't. I have cravings and sometimes I just have to give into them.
  • twooliver
    twooliver Posts: 450 Member
    It' a great question....sometimes I think we don't make it public out of fear of judgment...Hey, we're all in this together!!
  • dlaplume2
    dlaplume2 Posts: 1,658 Member
    :happy:

    I'm curious about if people who have public food diaries have trouble being completely honest! Only saying because I wonder if sometimes I'd be too embarrassed to log my slip-ups...OR, does knowing that everyone can see it make you less likely to eat unhealthy stuff?

    Kudos to everyone who goes public! I love reading what other people are eating and getting ideas for meals and snacks. But I'm not quite brave enough to put mine out there yet!
    I keep mine honest because the only one it matters too is me. I don't expect people to criticize me, so why lie. I do like to look at peoples food journals to get meal ideas and snack ideas.
  • neyes67
    neyes67 Posts: 161 Member
    My food diary isn't public yet either but I'm doing a 30 Day Challenge starting Tuesday with a few good friends and will probably make it public to give and receive support. I actually enter personal entries in my diary as to what I'm eating differently, how I'm feeling, where I feel I need to improve and when I have challenges so I guess those entries have been the reason I haven't gone public with my diaries. Personally everyone has a slip up so I really don't worry about the criticism but then again this site has so much encouragement I know I will be able to recover and meet my goal regardless... One Day At A Time ... One Meal At A Time ...One Workout At A Time ...As long as you're honest with yourself nothing and no one else really matter when it comes to your body and your health. Thanks for posting your thoughts on this:smile:
  • jaxcpotter
    jaxcpotter Posts: 23 Member
    It does for me. I feel more accountable.
  • Cristy_AZ
    Cristy_AZ Posts: 986
    I keep mine open because I appreciate seeing what others are eating, what works and how to come back from falters. I figure its only fair to let others see mine too. I am honest on here 100%, yea sometimes it embarassing, but we're all human and here for a reason, just having to log everything I eat helped me control portions, for me its about being acountable to myself
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    Mine is public and I'm completely honest when I log my foods. There are some days, especially when I go out to eat, that I don't log, but that's because I take two days off each week from counting calories, and if I go over I don't really care. And we also go to local restaurants that don't have nutrition info on their websites.

    Having my food diary public doesn't make me more or less honest, I'm the same whether it's public or not. I know people look at my diary, but I don't care either way.
  • kelsully
    kelsully Posts: 1,008 Member
    it makes no never mind to me..that is because I am a math geek at heart and thus have already done most of the math in my head and know the truth whether it is on the screen or not...it is just easier and faster to log it than to check my mental math 400 times and obsess over my intake. I obsess less by logging. I don't care if others see it or not....do they check my exercise log too and see my miles run etc...
  • taletreader
    taletreader Posts: 377 Member
    No. I'm honest either way.
  • alba_merula
    alba_merula Posts: 15 Member
    Sort of...

    I basically eat things I have eaten before MFP; one change is that I eat more vegetables ( for "low calorie, big volume" foods). The other one is that I drink more coffee - same reason as vegetables, and it's half decaffeinated, with lots of milk and sweetener - this change is not something I'm proud of. But that's what happened, so I log it, and feel slightly embarrassed seeing it.

    I also love pizza (and anything from Italy, for that matter), and dark chocolate; I'd love to log salads and stuff every day, but right now that's what I am. If it shall bother me one day enough to change my ways, I will - till then I just log it and see what it is.

    My favourite healthy cold menu is:
    - toasted whole wheat bread;
    - chicken breast deli slices;
    - raw carrots (a lot)
    - a cup of low fat yoghurt
    - some dried spices (basil, oregano, etc) mixed into the yoghurt.

    One bite of toast with chicken, with a bite of carrot dipped into the spiced yoghurt... yummie!

    And depending on the brands I pick it's usually between 180 -250 kcals.
  • ProTFitness
    ProTFitness Posts: 1,379 Member
    I leave mine open for a few reasons. The main one is to show people how I eat. Also accountability is what we all need. But remember whether you show us or not like I tell my clients you may be lieing to me but your really lieing to yourself. If you cant be honest with yourself then success will be harder to achieve.
  • moonshine_bek
    moonshine_bek Posts: 19
    I have my diary hidden, but if someone asked to see it, I have the passcode function on so they can do if I like them :laugh: I keep it hidden because I like to have some mystery, but I log every single thing I eat, even if it is a bite of a burger. I am not dishonest with myself, there is no point. :drinker:
  • IamRoJ
    IamRoJ Posts: 530 Member
    I'd be honest either way...to me it makes no sense to lie 'cuz it all comes out in the weigh-in...unless you're going to lie there too! It does, however, help me make good decisions, as it would embarrass me to slip up too many times. Not that I'm so secure that I don't add a "DON'T JUDGE ME PLEASE" immediately after closing out my day! hahaha
  • goron59
    goron59 Posts: 890 Member
    It's about honesty to yourself first and foremost. Occasionally, when I'm having a complete disaster (eg > 1000 cals over) I'll just stop, but usually will say so in the notes and on my profile.

    My diary is open to friends only though, as I don't see any reason to publish any more personal information on the interweb than is necessary.

    If people judge me and any criticism is constructive, then that's great!
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