Whether you weigh in once a day, week or month, knowing how close you are to reaching a weight loss goal and reflecting on how far you have come is important for motivation. Creating a weight loss graph gives you a visual picture of weight fluctuations, allowing you to identify if there are patterns or plateaus in your weight loss over time. A graph is simple to make using the Microsoft Excel program on a computer. A colorful weight loss graph can show off your accomplishments, and motivate you to reach your goal weight and maintain it once you get there.
Step 1
Open a new Excel spreadsheet on your computer. Go to "Programs," "Microsoft Office" and then "Microsoft Office Excel." Save the document to your hard drive under a name and in a folder where you can easily locate it.
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Step 2
Type "Date" in Row 1, Column A. Then type "Weight in lbs" in Row 1, Column B.
Step 3
Record the date each time you weigh in Column A. Whether you track every day, every Friday or the first of every month, type in the date continuing down the column. Use a formula such as "12-Jan" and the program will read this as January 12 of the current year.
Step 4
Type in your weight for each corresponding date in Column B. For example, if on January 12 you weighed in at 150 lbs., you should type this number in the same row, but in the column next to this date.
Step 5
Place the cursor over the box with "Date" typed in it. Click to highlight and drag the mouse to highlight all of your data, including dates and corresponding weights.
Step 6
Locate the "Insert" tab at the top of the page. Look under the section for "Charts" and single-click to select a column graph.
Step 7
Allow the program to successfully create a graph of your tracked weight loss over time.
Step 8
Click on the title at the top of the graph to customize the name if you prefer to change it and save your work.
Things You'll Need
Microsoft Excel
Weight loss record
Tip
Excel has the potential to make many different kinds of graphs. Column and line graphs work well when tracking weight.
You can change information and details on the graph by clicking directly on different components. If you would like to change the type of graph, right-click on the graph.
Warning
Remember that weight is not the only indicator of health and wellness. Pay attention to how your clothes fit and your energy levels. If you are eating healthfully and exercising, it is likely that your body is becoming more toned and you have more energy even if your weight doesn’t change by a significant amount.
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