Commenting on people's food diaries

I know I dont mind the feedback, if I want to make changes I will, if I dont i'll just disregard the comment.

I'll ask before passing judgement on someones diary though, unless they have either asked for feedback, or I see something that is really unhealthy (eg 500 cals a day or significantly over their calories consistantly for a long time.

I'm not sensitive though, and if I give feedback to people who dont want it they are free to tell me to back off!

That's the question of the day! If I don't think they ate healthy but were under, I say something like, 'good logging' I don't like to lie about it. Most people eat empty calories. I don't want to hurt feelings so I am careful. I think if they want to know why they are always tired or not losing, I will be honest as long as they are asking. :glasses:

I like it when people comment on my good days but not on my bad days. I'm well educated in what to eat for a balanced diet and know what I'm doing wrong.

Great question!

The reason I'm on here is to lose weight and I'm obvioiusly no expert (or I wouldn't have 50 pounds to lose!) so I welcome people's opinions about my food diary. That is why I post it. I appreciate seeing other people's diaries too as it sometimes gives me good ideas. I have had a few constructive criticisms about my diary and I take it for what it is...someone trying to help me reach my goal. I don't always have to agree with them though....but I won't take anything personally. Bring on the comments....

I only critique if they complain about not losing or gaining, but if things are going well for them, who am I to criticize? :flowerforyou:

Sometimes when I am pressed for time I have given a "wtg" or something like that, but I like to look at people's diaries and do what I am here for, hold them accountable. I want to hear where I could be doing better!

For the most part, do people want you to be honest and critical on their food diaries? i know that I do. If people see that I'm lacking in a certain area I want to hear about it so I can work towards making more healthy changes in my day to day life. Does everyone want that though? Does someone I only know casually on here want me telling them that I think they need to eat more veggies and less processed foods? Or that they better up their water intake because their sodium is off the charts? I never know if I should just say..."great day" since they were under calories or actually say what I think?

Blast away! I want feedback because that is why I am here. I don't care if I don't know you, you might have some great ideas for me! :happy:

I don't mind if people comment on mine, but I don't make comments on other people's diaries -- other than an occasional 'good job.' A common thing I see is people either eating an unhealthily low number of calories or eating large amounts of junk and then exercising a lot so they can technically be "under their calorie goal." Of course their sodium is through the roof and protein is way under -- and then they complain that they're not losing weight. I've found that most people get defensive even when you try to tactfully give advice. I've been successful with weight loss (which you'd think would give me some credibility) and I like to try to spare people from making all of the same mistakes I made before finally getting it right, but I guess people have to learn the hard way.

I want people to critique my diary... if I didn't I would keep it private.

Soooo... lay it on me!

I like to see what other people are eating. I decided to share mine to give myself more accountability, too. I eat very simply so I may help people that don't cook. I could probably use more veggies and I also know that. I want to find balance, and hopefully will log even when I do eat fast food or something not so healthy and I wouldn't want someone to tsk me about it unless I did it all the time and wondered why I was having a problem. Overall, I think if people let you look, they shouldn't be offended if you comment but obviously tact is key and nobody wants a know it all telling them their choices are bad because it could discourage them. It's one step at a time, and there is a learning curve. Just having a food diary is a step in the right direction.

I do have a problem with cheering for people only because they were under their calorie goal. A lot of people are too far below. Our calories already allow for a deficit so logging and meeting your goal is great as well. I don't always eat my exercise calories, mostly because I think MFP overestimates a lot of them and I don't have a HRM to get the accurate burn so I don't want to overeat.

I save myself the drama. With my eating out at fast food 2 times a week (and NO HEALTH ISSUES) I don't need the "health police" chastising me on my choice of foods. As long as I get in my essentials in macros and micros, drink enough water, get enough rest and workout hard, if I have calories available to eat "crap" that I like, I'm going to eat it.


A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

This I totally agree...I dont need a diary police...I know Im not perfect...Im not gone deprive myself either.Ive been down this road before..I know what it takes I have my days...but overall really I know what it takes.If I didnt ask for your advice dont give it to me ummm kay thanks

Those kind of comments are ones I don't appreciate, particularly.

I'm not a salad person. I eat sandwiches, a lot of potatoes and sugary cereal because they work for me and are the best way for me to be healthy.

I've opened my diary for people to see if they want to spark discussion, and I wouldn't mind questions along the lines of 'Why are you eating Coco Pops and not Bran Flakes?' or 'You do know that meal would be better without the potatoes?', but I don't want anyone TELLING me how to eat.

I was just thinking this yesterday - one of my very new MFP friends is consistently recording lower than their calorie goal but they're hardly eating any vegetables, fruit or whole grains; they're mainly eating white rice, lamb, chocolate and bread.
I feel like if people have constructive feedback on my diary then I'd love to hear it, but I don't know if people will think that I'm being rude by pointing out where they could have improved.

I suppose like everything else to do with weight loss, it becomes such an emotional thing - my aim this past week has been trying to make it more about maths and less about emotion (see my blog for more explanation), but there's no guarantee that what I think is helpful advice will be received in a constructive way - if my MFP friend is having a bad day and sees my advice as as a personal attack then this doesn't help anyone!

Such a fine line, and I find myself just chickening out of giving advice to people because I don't know whether it will be taken constructively (which seems like a waste of all that I have learnt over the past 18 months)

I'll just have to wait and comment when the time seems right (like when friends are specifically asking for advice or commenting on why they're not getting the results expected)

Good luck everyone!!

I save myself the drama. With my eating out at fast food 2 times a week (and NO HEALTH ISSUES) I don't need the "health police" chastising me on my choice of foods. As long as I get in my essentials in macros and micros, drink enough water, get enough rest and workout hard, if I have calories available to eat "crap" that I like, I'm going to eat it.


A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

This ^^ I haven't had any neg. feedback YET! I eat some "processed" food, I don't worry about Sodium and I have cheat days, and drink! So long as my friends don't get all food-nazi on me, it's fine (and to be honest, none of them have)