Open Diaries

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curvymegan89
curvymegan89 Posts: 98 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Do you find having an open diary keeps you more accountable? I'm thinking about opening mine up, but I don't want to be judged when I make poor choices.
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Replies

  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
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    Ask yourself: Will I be tempted to lie in my diary if it is open?

    If so, keep it closed. That's your data to use so that you can go back through and evaluate what's working for you and what isn't. It's usefulness depends on being as accurate as possible.

    If your diary is open, it's likely that someone will eventually comment negatively on it. Some may be honestly trying to help, some may be trying to convert you to their way of eating, some may just be doing it to try to stir you up for their personal entertainment. For some, being judgemental is their favorite hobby.
  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,411 Member
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    There is a 3rd option. You can set a "key" to enter your diary and give that to anyone you want. Especially helpful if your doctor is interested in your food intake.
  • st476
    st476 Posts: 357 Member
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    I don't think it keeps me more accountable because it's not like my MFP friends are going to get disappointed if I go over my calories or anything like that. I've never felt any type of way when I see that any of my friends overate a lot. It happens. Plus, usually I forget that I even have it open and that other people might be looking at it haha. I have it open just so people can see because I like seeing other peoples diaries. At the end of the day, it's my body so if I want to overeat or undereat some days, I can :smile: If someone judges you for making poor choices sometimes, maybe they shouldn't be your friend on MFP. Nobody makes perfect choices all the time. I haven't seen one person with an open diary with no bad days. Don't worry about it!
  • busyPK
    busyPK Posts: 3,788 Member
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    Mine is open, and no one has ever given me a hard time (and I'm no "clean" eater)
  • tracykreczmer
    tracykreczmer Posts: 88 Member
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    People defriend you over YOUR choices of food good or bad..wow..that is awful..its your choice mine wasn't open at first because I didn't know how..it was hard to hear wow maybe you shouldnt eat that..but yeah I shouldn't but food is my coping mechanism. ..but NO one should feel bad because they eat nor be shamed..didnt we get enough of that from others? If u do great if you do not that's ok too..this is FOR you..no one else..do what's good for you.
  • bele2009
    bele2009 Posts: 137 Member
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    I leave mine open, in case it may be relevant to a question or support in the forum. I log everything, good or bad. I like looking at others for food/meal ideas.
  • ItsyBitsy246
    ItsyBitsy246 Posts: 307 Member
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    jennifer_417 wrote: »
    I never have felt that keeping it open keeps me accountable, and have had people defriend me over the contents of my diary. Having said that, I still keep it open, because I have no bothers to give, and I think it might help people to look at a real diary.

    Wait, what? How weird is that??
  • sharondjs
    sharondjs Posts: 676 Member
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    I don't log to be accountable to anyone else only myself , my dairy is open & i eat ok to good a lot but still have chocolate whenever i want etc i just plan better now & don't totally pig out , I never stop & think about what others will think of my food day when i'm eating or later ..
    What keeps me accountable is myself & getting to where i want to be :smiley:
  • d4_54
    d4_54 Posts: 62 Member
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    Open diary in uk. Feel free to add me everyone.
  • jennjune2014
    jennjune2014 Posts: 23 Member
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    Mine has been open for 2.5 years. I dont think many people have looked at mine. Most people are focused on their own goals.
  • JullzGood
    JullzGood Posts: 62 Member
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    jennjune2014 wrote: »
    Mine has been open for 2.5 years. I dont think many people have looked at mine. Most people are focused on their own goals.

    Completely agree. Only time I look at other people's diary are when I I want to add something new to my meal plan. But I don't think people really check other than that. I eat the same exact thing every day so mine is boring af lol
  • KosmosKitten
    KosmosKitten Posts: 10,476 Member
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    I'm new here, but I'm keeping mine open so I can get input from others from time to time. I know I don't make the best food choices, but I like that the log lets me make little notes about my day, new recipes I've tried, etc. I don't feel that anyone needs to keep theirs open, but I do it because I feel that most days (not all), I tend to make better food choices for myself because others can see what I do eat. So far though, no one has commented negatively about the things I eat or drink (oh soda, why can't I quit you?) and I've definitely never seen someone defriend another over it.. even when I was a member of CC (different logging site). Yikes.
  • red99ryder
    red99ryder Posts: 399 Member
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    Mines open , i eat what i eat , if it helps anyone great ,, if not ?????????

    good luck
  • kkress92
    kkress92 Posts: 118 Member
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    It is my impression that having an open diary for accountability purposes is less about food choices and more about accurate logging, i.e. Choosing the right database entries and weighing all your food. Many posters successfully incorporate foods often (mis)labeled as "bad" so I'm thinking there shouldn't be too much shaming.
  • success313
    success313 Posts: 100 Member
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    Shana67 wrote: »
    Mine is closed because I don't really get the purpose of leaving it open. My weight loss journey is mine alone, those notes and records are for me to view, and to remind me of where I've come from. Why does anyone else need to see that?

    So, for me this is exactly how I feel. I use the food notes section to journal my thoughts throughout the day. Like how I am feeling and how I can improve. I have even given myself pep talks in my journal. Ha! I am not sure that I would like sharing my inner thoughts with others. Having said that, I am not opposed to the keyed diary option. I have done this and I share it with those who ask.

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