Open diary -vs- closed diary

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Orphia
Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've had my food diary set to "Public" ever since I started at MFP. I've lost 32 kg (70 lbs) since April.

I think having your diary viewable, even if just to friends, makes you less likely to do things you're ashamed of.

(I've never had anyone criticise my diary. But I've had one person ask me if they could have a printed version, since they liked it so much! )

Anyone else think having an open diary makes them more accountable?

Or are there weight loss benefits in a closed diary, and I just can't see them?

Weigh in! :smile:
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Replies

  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    Christine_72 wrote: »
    I think some people are more honest if their diary is closed. They may be to embarrassed to log certain things or overages if they know it's there for all to see, so they might not log those things at all, so end up cheating themselves..

    Wow, that did not occur to me.

    I guess I don't see some foods as "good" or "bad".
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    I figure that as the default is closed, by opening it I'm implying that i welcome discussion on what i eat, and i don't. I'd be honest either way, but when i had it open for a time and people would comment, id either ignore them, which i felt was rude, or have to discuss what i was eating, which i couldn't be bothered doing.

  • chimaerandi
    chimaerandi Posts: 153 Member
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    My diary is closed because I doubt I would be as on the level as I am if it were open to comment. If I ever asked the community why I wasn't losing or something, I would open it.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    I figure that as the default is closed, by opening it I'm implying that i welcome discussion on what i eat, and i don't. I'd be honest either way, but when i had it open for a time and people would comment, id either ignore them, which i felt was rude, or have to discuss what i was eating, which i couldn't be bothered doing.

    LOL, I see your point. :smile: I probably do ignore people sometimes, but nobody really comments much.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    Orphia wrote: »
    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    I figure that as the default is closed, by opening it I'm implying that i welcome discussion on what i eat, and i don't. I'd be honest either way, but when i had it open for a time and people would comment, id either ignore them, which i felt was rude, or have to discuss what i was eating, which i couldn't be bothered doing.

    LOL, I see your point. :smile: I probably do ignore people sometimes, but nobody really comments much.

    I've actually thought about this a bit, because I've seen it asked a bit and I don't think I'd be any less or more honest if it were open. I just don't like explaining myself haaaha. "Why was your lunch half a cup of jello, three dill pickles, 2 sips of an ice tea, a tin of tuna and half a hot cross bun?" "....... *blank look...."
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    chimaerandi wrote: »
    My diary is closed because I doubt I would be as on the level as I am if it were open to comment. If I ever asked the community why I wasn't losing or something, I would open it.

    I guess it didn't occur to me not to be honest.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    I figure that as the default is closed, by opening it I'm implying that i welcome discussion on what i eat, and i don't. I'd be honest either way, but when i had it open for a time and people would comment, id either ignore them, which i felt was rude, or have to discuss what i was eating, which i couldn't be bothered doing.

    LOL, I see your point. :smile: I probably do ignore people sometimes, but nobody really comments much.

    I've actually thought about this a bit, because I've seen it asked a bit and I don't think I'd be any less or more honest if it were open. I just don't like explaining myself haaaha. "Why was your lunch half a cup of jello, three dill pickles, 2 sips of an ice tea, a tin of tuna and half a hot cross bun?" "....... *blank look...."

    :smiley: Well, that's a pretty dumb question to be asking! I just assume people aren't so nosy.

    Me, I might look at a new friend's diary once or twice to get an idea what they like.

    I only comment when something seems delicious and I want to know more.
  • melonaulait
    melonaulait Posts: 769 Member
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    My diary isn't perfect but it's been open since I joined, too. (Except sometimes I'll close it for a week or two..) I wouldn't want people criticizing my choices or my indulgences, though. Sometimes I already feel guilty enough if I went over my calories... But I feel like honesty is what keeps pushing us all, it's not like you can lose serious weight on MFP by sugar coating whatever you ate and how much.

    Anyway, sometimes I feel kinda ashamed to log the beers I drank in one night. :D

    PS. I wish I could add a bold red disclaimer to my diary that says I am aware of my protein % and it fits perfectly to my needs according to cronometer.com
  • melonaulait
    melonaulait Posts: 769 Member
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    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    I've actually thought about this a bit, because I've seen it asked a bit and I don't think I'd be any less or more honest if it were open. I just don't like explaining myself haaaha. "Why was your lunch half a cup of jello, three dill pickles, 2 sips of an ice tea, a tin of tuna and half a hot cross bun?" "....... *blank look...."

    Funny! :) But I agree, I do not want to explain my choices, either. (Why does there even need to be an MFP diary police on duty?)
  • runningforthetrain
    runningforthetrain Posts: 1,037 Member
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    I like having my diary open to my friends. I find it hugely beneficial to get feedback and hold myself accountable. I try to log as honestly as possible.
  • candidcamster
    candidcamster Posts: 44 Member
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    I've been dishonest by omission lately, in my defense I have binge eating disorder but either way some things don't get logged. This is true whether my diary is open or closed, but when I'm super ashamed I tend to privatize it.
  • njaalla
    njaalla Posts: 39 Member
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    My diary is open for my friends only and so far, I never got any questions on what I eat. I wouldn't want to explain why I eat something the way I eat it, but if someone were curious about something I ate, I'd gladly share the recipe.

    However, I always wonder how much sense people can make out of my diary anyway. I try to log most things in English, but it's not my native language and I don't live in an English-speaking country either. So when I add food by scanning the bar code, it ends up being in the local or some random other language... Sometimes even I have problems to understand what I actually ate. :D
  • runningforthetrain
    runningforthetrain Posts: 1,037 Member
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    Candidcamster --I have not suffered from this disorder but, I would think (or hope at least) people would be compassionate about it. I am curious if being open about it would help?
  • CoffeeNCardio
    CoffeeNCardio Posts: 1,847 Member
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    I keep mine public to dispel the idiotic myth that you can't eat "bad" food and lose weight. I hope someone who isn't sure and is getting slowly sucked into the vortex of woo can see that mcdonald's is not the devil, sugar doesn't make your belly "stuck" on you, and coffee is the elixir of life. Maybe scratch that last one, but in any case, I don't actually care if my mfp friends see my diary and don't like it. I like them all, and I value their friendship and motivation, but I'm down just shy of 30 lbs, mcdonald's, easy mac, and all.

    Disclaimer: There is no such thing as bad food, unless you mean rotten, when it comes to weight loss. Nutrition is another matter, and has nothing to do with my point here.
  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
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    My diary is open. Im pretty sure nobody ever looks at it. I have very few friends on here (i only accept ppl i know irl unless I have interacted with them online for a while), and I never complete my diary or post on my feed or update my weight, so Its not like im over here being like 'Hey, check out how many calories I ate today!' lol
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
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    I'm a private person. That my diary is open to my friends is nothing short of a miracle.
  • webtoad
    webtoad Posts: 3 Member
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    I didn't realise it was set to private by default. I have now changed min to public (which I assumed it always was).
  • LucasEVille
    LucasEVille Posts: 567 Member
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    My diary my business, I've password locked it to only people I cook for as they can copy the meal.
    I've been criticized before by non CICO believers and I really don't care about what people think of my food choices.
  • Qskim
    Qskim Posts: 1,145 Member
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    I'm glad MFP recognises that people's needs and motives are very individual and offer a variety of ways to cater to that.

    I make no assumptions that either choice guarantees long term success.

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