Food dairy, why don't more people make them visible?

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  • mermx
    mermx Posts: 976
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    ooops forgot to add to that ....but I feel exactly the same x
  • bakanekonei
    bakanekonei Posts: 13
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    I can really see both sides of things, but for me I have it set to friends only. I dont want to be harassed by somebody who has a bad day because I had one too, and I know my friends wont ever think of doing that.
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
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    See the most popular blog post today for another perspective http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/RaeN81/view/my-diary-is-private-142232
  • gettinghealthy777
    gettinghealthy777 Posts: 223
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    Sometimes people have personal notes they keep on their notepad at the bottom, Everyone can see them if they open their their food diary. They may want to keep those notes private.
  • Kelly4877
    Kelly4877 Posts: 35 Member
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    I'll tell you why I don't share mine with everyone:

    Because people are judgmental and often rude about it. I am an extremely picky eater who eats the same things everyday. I also consume far more calories than a lot of people on this site do. I used to let people have access to it, but when they get it in their head that it is okay to offer me advice or whatever -- I shut it down. I've lost 60lbs and I am currently maintaining my weight. If I don't ASK for your opinion or advice - I'd appreciate you not commenting on what *I* choose to eat.

    Easiest way to eliminate that? Not letting people see what I am eating. Am I embarrassed about what I eat? Nope. Am I trying to hide behind a private diary? Nope. Do I do it try and keep my crappy eating private? Nope. Because for ME, I do not eat crappy. I keep a food diary for me and me alone. What someone else thinks of it is of no concern to me. :)

    Agreed!! I ran into the same problem and decided to keep it private.
  • sevencallmemom
    sevencallmemom Posts: 505 Member
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    I think alot of my issues with food started with my dad who would comment on my weight and what I ate (not to mention that he was abusing me). My diary was open till I started noticing people's "helpful" comments on eachother's and sometimes it reminded me of my dad. I'm just not up for that right now.
  • IMYarnCraz33
    IMYarnCraz33 Posts: 1,016 Member
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    mine is private for a few reasons.

    1) people are too judgemental and critical.
    2) the calorie intake MOST people have here on MFP is about HALF of what mine is
    so it makes me feel like a freakin pig even though what I eat is fairly healthy.
    3) it's more comfortable for me right now.
  • StellaBby10
    StellaBby10 Posts: 108
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    someone on my friends list recently told me (without me asking for advice) that they had gone through my diary and suggested i dont eat as much "junk" food and eat a little more healthy... like wtf? did i ASK you for advice? no... im loosing weight and im excersing. I have a diet plan givin to me by my SGT IN THE ARMY. so im pretty sure that if i wanted eating advice other than his, then i would ask for it (and i have before) but if not then its not your place to give advice to others when u are unaware of how they are dieting or needing to eat. mine is still public but after that, im considering making it private.
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
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    Some people are sick of getting unsoliceted advice from *kitten*,when i was still logging food i got many messages from people who were not even my friends picking apart everything I had eaten and telling me how im doing everything wrong.im sorry but if i want someones opinon i will ask for it.that is the reason that alot of people i know of keep their food diarys private not because they are ashamed of what they are eating
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    Mine is private.. IDK why I just dont like the idea of people seeing what I ate.. If I have a bad day I feel like everyone can see it and that just bothers me.. other than that no reason really. =]

    I'm with you, mine is private for a couple of reasons -
    **** In the beginning I downloaded this app because it was a calorie counter, I had no idea it was a social network. now that I've been on awhile I do like the social aspect of chatting with people who have similar goals. But that's as far as it goes. I don't need people monitoring what I eat and making judgments or unsolicited suggestions (and there are a lot on this site that do that). This is my journey and I need to be accountable for myself and exercise self discipline and control. I think there is enough motivation and inspiration alone to stay on the right track with just pushing that little button at the end of the day that posts to your wall that you were either 'under your calorie goal'......'completed diary for the day' (we pretty much know if it doesn't follow that statement with 'under your calorie goal' it means you busted your calorie bank for the day. I don't need someone then going into my diary to see I've eaten an entire bag of potato chips LOL. I'm an adult, I know I didn't stay on my diet.

    As far as a diary being open so you can get ideas. I find a lot of info just by following the message boards.

    Anyway that's just my opinion. I applaud all you brave souls that have your diary public!!!!

    3)
  • happydeer
    happydeer Posts: 10
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    Mine is private because I'm really sensitive to whether people in my particular workplace (part of my university) find out that I'm dieting. I eat a super specific diet (gluten-free) and I have to eat out a lot in our small college town for business reasons, and I'm not the only person in my department who uses this site. It wouldn't be hard for anyone who knows me at work to guess who I am from my diary, which is filled with details about dishes at popular local restaurants! So, it's really unfortunate that my workplace is so political, but people who otherwise perceive me as being healthy and a good candidate for advancement would *start* looking for problems if they find out details about my daily intake. Because I don't want my weight to become a topic of conversation at work, and I really love being able to participate in the support and conversations on these forums, I keep my diary hidden. It's just a trade-off (and a ridiculous one at that).
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    And quite frankly, I tried reading a few open diarys.....boring!!!!! I have better things to do with my time.
  • MissMaryMac33
    MissMaryMac33 Posts: 1,433 Member
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    The default is private and most people probably have no clue how to change it...

    Mine is NOT private but only open to friends. This is for some specific reasons:
    1. It keeps me accountable.... if I eat cake and know I have ot post it for people to see, i might thing twice (not like today! LOL)
    2. People get great food ideas from other people's diaries
    3. I don't tell friends "great job" if I can't see their diary... I'm not going to pat your back for eating a whole cake and a 6 pack and staying under your calorie goal -- sorry :)
  • nas24
    nas24 Posts: 880 Member
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    I dont think i would ever say "hey your eating junk! thats why your not loosing weight" I did today say something to one of my friends, who complained of a headache, that it maybe because she was eating WAY too little. I was actually concerned health wise and hope that didn't offend her, i was just really concerned. I have an LPN degree so as a nurse i know if you eat very little it can really effect someones health. I get where people are coming from and i'm sure somewhere down the line i will have someone say "Hey, that diary entry sux". I guess for me, i want people to see what i'm eating (friends only) and allow them to help me to suggest what they wish. I just know that what i eat is out there in the open for everyone to see in hopes that it keeps me in line.
  • cownancy
    cownancy Posts: 291
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    Mine is private because I am focused on following a very specific program designed for me by my doctor and nutritionists. I have to account to each of them once a month.
    MFP members do NOT agree on what is considered a "healthy diet" and I do not want people questioning my choices and distracting me. ALSO, I am not perfect. I do make poor choices some days and know it already. It is already hard for me to not beat myself up when I don't do well, I don't need more distractions.
    I have nutritional/eating goals and have prioritized changes. For instance, I still drink diet soda and I eat certain things from fast food restaurants and have fully discussed and disclosed this to my medical pros. I'm already changing so many eating habits...this is a process for me. I have already seen how malicious and judgmental a small percentage of members here can be, so I will support you and share the things I have learned, but do not want my eating to be an example for others. LOL.
  • _GlaDOS_
    _GlaDOS_ Posts: 1,520 Member
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    I had mine public for a long time, and just last week, I decided to make it private for while.

    I eat really healthy already, and I know that now after using MFP for a while. I had my diary public originally because I thought it might help others, but I don’t think anyone really looked at it. Then I started realizing I was becoming super obsessive and picky about it—like not eating certain things because I was afraid people might judge me after I always talk about how healthy I eat (even though I tried to convince myself no one cared or looked anyway). A couple of weeks ago I got pretty sick and was not eating well, and wouldn’t log the things I was eating on purpose because I was afraid people would see. I also started calorie cycling, which means I go over or under my calorie goal, so it doesn’t make sense when someone looks at my diary and ignores what I’m eating and instead just looks at my calories.

    Bottom line is that I need to work on me right now, allow myself to be comfortable with not-so-perfect food days, not freaking out when I go over (even when I’m supposed to because I’m calorie cycling), etc.

    So, if someone really wanted to know what I eat, or advice on what they could eat, they could just ask.
  • brittanyjeanxo
    brittanyjeanxo Posts: 1,831 Member
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    Not everyone wants criticism.
  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
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    This is a topic that makes the forums pretty often. My diary is not private, but I think for some people what they eat IS private. And that is ok. No one else in my daily life knows every thing I eat in a day, nor do they really need to.

    Plus some people are critical as others have mentioned.
  • CaptainMFP
    CaptainMFP Posts: 440 Member
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    I think both sides of this are really valid. I keep mine totally public (a-holes be damned :wink: ) because I like to be able to help those who are interested (friends or not) to use anything I'm doing to benefit them if they think it will. At the same time, people's concerns about avoiding scrutiny, following a healthy diet that others may not agree with, or what have you are very valid concerns, and I think the private diary is the best solution for them.

    Where friends are concerned, I just respect their choices. If I see that "so-and-so has completed their food diary for the day" and they have a private diary, I don't comment. Maybe they hit their targets, maybe they ate too little...if I can't see, I won't comment. If I can see and I see a day that I disagree with philosophically (for example, I eat exercise calories back; they don't and are really low) I don't comment. If their diary is open, I'll check out what they did (to frankly come up with new ideas for my own menu) and comment if appropriate. It really needs to be live-and-let-live where diary privacy is concerned I think. :smile:
  • vanessaclarkgbr
    vanessaclarkgbr Posts: 765 Member
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    I have to say mine was private for a while, not because I felt I had anything to hide, but a couple of friends in a row had been 'got at' for drinking wine, eating 'bad' food - when they had actually saved up cals for a special night! They did remove these 'friends' but it warned me off for a while. However, now I think it's only fair, and if anyone dares pull me up for a treat night ...oooh it won't be pretty *evil laugh* :-D

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