public diary?

clairedance
clairedance Posts: 35
edited November 12 in Food and Nutrition
My food & exercise diary is private. I'm considering making it public.

I want to make it public for accountability. However, I'm afraid that if I make it public, I'll avoid tracking and will lose the good habit I worked so hard to cultivate.

Is your food & exercise diary public or private, and why?
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Replies

  • elcieloesazul
    elcieloesazul Posts: 448 Member
    I made mine public to give me accountability and support when I do bad or when I do well.
  • kak2m4
    kak2m4 Posts: 167 Member
    Mine is private. I've had it public (so my friends could see), but when I have bad days I'm so embarrassed. I put bad days in my diary so I can see it and be accountable to myself...but I'm so worried others will judge me!
  • Teeladog
    Teeladog Posts: 157 Member
    Mine was public for a long time mostly because I was told by people (and have read on the boards) that a lot of people won't friend you if your diary isn't public.

    I recently made mine private (after 8 months or so) because I was slipping out of my good habits (who am I kidding - I was completely off track) and I realized that part of the reason was because I didn't want to be honest about what I was eating because I didn't want to be judged. I am back on track now and recording EVERYTHING so that it is easy for me to see where I am messing up.

    For me, it is just better to keep it private so I have not excuse not to log my food. However, I will say that two people de-friended me almost immediately after I changed the setting. I didn't even announce that I was doing that and I am not sure that the two are related but they happened in the same 24 hour period.
  • Rayjewls
    Rayjewls Posts: 96 Member
    My food diary is open because I don't really care about what anyone says...and you shouldn't either. This journey is about you and only you. Don't be ashame of your food diary, everyone slips up every now and then. Just get right back on the band wagon...and keep progressing. Check out my food diary if you need some suggestions for meals and snacks. Good luck!!! As me if you'd like.
  • CineMachine
    CineMachine Posts: 8 Member
    Public! = accountability AND when i have bad days, I want to show them off and fish for some support and encouragement!
  • sunshineandblueskies
    sunshineandblueskies Posts: 9
    I did mine public for accountability of tracking what I eat. The other night I eat way too much but I still put it on there. If you check out mine I'm all over the board like today with vegan for lunch and a hot dog for dinner. I have kids so my dinners are kid friendly alot of the time. No one has ever said anything to me about what I eat. I hope this helps.
  • Anomalia
    Anomalia Posts: 506 Member
    Just do whatever will help you track more accurately. If someone wont friend you because your diary is private then really, I think thats kind of weird.
  • Flyer615
    Flyer615 Posts: 173 Member
    Mine was private when I started. Then, I decided that I wanted a little more accountability. I worried that someone would beat me up (verbally) over my choices sometime. But, I decided that I'm the only person who walks in my shoes and I don't really care what others think unless I ask. If I do ask, I don't have to go open it up for answers. No one critiques me overly tough anyway.

    Endeavor to persevere.

    Ken
  • dport7
    dport7 Posts: 123 Member
    I keep mine open for others to see, to give ideas. I like looking at other diaries to get ideas for different foods.
  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
    That's the problem with making it public. You feel like you are being judged, so when you eat a slice of cake you won't log it, which defeats the whole point of logging.

    Personally, I don't care what others think. If they don't want to be my friend or judge me because I eat cake that's their problem. I lose weight just fine eating whatever I want, sometimes I have days where I go way over, and eat bad stuff but for the most part I stick to a regular exercise routine and try and eat as healthy as possible.
  • rjt1000
    rjt1000 Posts: 700 Member
    mine's public. Never had any issue with anonymous internet people that I don't know and don't even know if they're real see that some days I eat junk. My mind doesn't work that way. Tuesday I had 300 calories left when I got done with my evenign shift so I hit McD's drivethru and got a chicken sandwich and fries. Then when I got home, I had 2 ice cream sandwichs. Ahhh, no big deal, not like all you internet people are going to all de-friend me and shun me, right? RIGHT???
  • BrienJD
    BrienJD Posts: 541 Member
    Mine is public, it keeps me honest. It is so easy to justify cheating to yourself. I have a high level of integrity when it to comes to other people though. I know that no one I am friends with would ridicule me if I went over, but even just knowing I was being dishonest to someone else is an anathema to me. Many people have excellent self control and do nicely on their own. I however do best when I am accountable to others, even if it's just the thought of dissappointing them by fibbing.

    Make it public, share in the encouragement and maybe suggestions of your friends. If you feel you are being judged, pressured or coerced by anyone make it private again.
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    Mine is public. I like that I know other people can see what I am eating.
    I have no problem with the fact that you can see that I ate some cookies today.

    Just dont tell me I drink to much :)
  • sjschewlakow
    sjschewlakow Posts: 120 Member
    Mine is public. just because. why not.
  • SheIsElusive
    SheIsElusive Posts: 26
    Mine is public, at first I was a little embarrassed when I have my bad days but then I got over it, I'm still waiting for someone to comment on my bad days joking about how I fell off the wagon or something that day hahaha
  • kp1439
    kp1439 Posts: 343 Member
    I made mine public to give me accountability and support when I do bad or when I do well.


    Totally agree ... but mine is available to my friends
  • c8linmarie
    c8linmarie Posts: 358 Member
    I thought about making mine private because I thought I'd be embarrassed to show the world what I was putting into my body. We are all here on MFP to better ourselves and our lives, so I'm pretty sure we've all "been there, ate that". So far, I've decided to share only with "friends" and hope that I will be comfortable enough to share with the world eventually.
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
    Mine is public and I don't really care what folks think, my friends are public too. Unless you post a lot on the forums your friends should support you and gently remind you if you get off track to get back on the road, if they are rude then defriend them. You can let folks know you are concerned without being rude. The rule in our group is negative feedback is always private, never on a status update.
  • Tiffa0909
    Tiffa0909 Posts: 191 Member
    Mine is private , I'm accountable to myself. I know what I eat , the consequences and what happens when I don't do what I need to do. Nobody is going to lose the weight for me.

    Plus nobody is going to get any ideas from my diary since I pretty much eat the same things over and over. I always comment on my diary , saying how I was, if I learned something or I ate something that I should not. Like today I shared that I had a Big Mac but that I was still under 1,200 calories and I talked about my concerns about my goals.
  • Sabresgal63
    Sabresgal63 Posts: 641 Member
    Mine is open to my friends and I log good or bad................we shouldn't be here to judge each other..................I love to see what other people eat.....it gives me fresh ideas:bigsmile:
  • issyfit
    issyfit Posts: 1,077 Member
    Mine is public because it helps keep me on track.
  • gwmedicgod
    gwmedicgod Posts: 180 Member
    you can always set it so only your friends can see it... they should be more supportive and less judgemental and you have the accountability..
  • wickedcricket
    wickedcricket Posts: 1,246 Member
    mine is public. if it's worth eating, it's worth tracking- your friends over-indulge too & should not judge or criticize. Lots of us just call a really off day a 'splurge' day or free day- whatever- don't log it. But that can't be every day LOL

    Commit or don't, whatever YOU are comfortable with- this is totally customize-able. Don't worry though that ppl here will throw rocks at you for what you eat.
    Having a public journal is helpful when you have plateaus - and you will - someone else might be able to see something & tell you why you're stalled.
    Mine is open, anyone can read it. You'll find great support & encouragement here

    Good Luck!
  • michelleinpa
    michelleinpa Posts: 68 Member
    Mine is and will remain public..I'd welcome any feedback and am always open to advice. I actually just gave my trainer/nutritionist the link to them so they can also see what I am doing
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    I made mine public to give me accountability and support when I do bad or when I do well.
    This!
  • tinamina78
    tinamina78 Posts: 241 Member
    Mine is public. I like that I know other people can see what I am eating.
    I have no problem with the fact that you can see that I ate some cookies today.

    Just dont tell me I drink to much :)

    This!! Except mine is view-able to friends only because I think going all the way public is a little too far for me. The friends I choose on MFP are people in line with my goals and habits for the most part so I feel I have a really good, supportive group of people to view and 'judge' my diary :)
  • nk17
    nk17 Posts: 141 Member
    Mine is opened with a key. I only give the key to those I trust or want to help.
    There are too many people that will pick apart what you eat when you haven't asked their opinion, so I don't invite them.
    If someone has constructive criticism, then I am happy to share.
  • zombilishious
    zombilishious Posts: 1,250 Member
    Mine is open to all my friends. I love their support, feedback and accountability. I check out theirs too for food ideas, and help give suggestions where I can.
  • ThePersnicketyOtter
    ThePersnicketyOtter Posts: 147 Member
    Mine is public, because knowing that other people who are doing so well on their diets will see if I fail, or see if I do good. That helps me stick to my eating habits some, more than if I were to have it private, at least. And I haven't found anyone who's said anything negative about it.

    Also, I like seeing people's public diary's because it helps me find low-calorie foods I didn't think about that I can eat for meals.
  • HLeAnn
    HLeAnn Posts: 261 Member
    Choose whichever option that will ensure you are being honest. I've heard of people leaving things out of their diary because it's public, but on the flip-side, some people tend to make better choices knowing that their diary is public. Just be honest with yourself and you'll make the right choice. me personally, I just started a 30 day challenge I made for myself for this month, and to go along with it, I decided to make my diary open to my MFP friends starting today. If you want to see the challenge it's in my blog.

    Good luck!!
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