Using Microsoft Excel As a Weight Loss Tracker

What's your ideal weight? Is your current weight a bit higher than it should be? When you spend all day sitting at your desk, it's very easy to put on a few extra pounds. If you're battling your weight, Microsoft Excel can help. I created an Excel Weight Loss Tracker, to find my ideal weight range and keep track of my weight loss. I'll tell you how I did it, so you can create your own weight loss tracker in Excel.

Body Mass Index

A commonly used measurement in weight management is the Body Mass Index (BMI). Based on your height in inches, and weight in pounds, a formula calculates your BMI. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has published a BMI table that shows the ranges for Underweight, Normal, Overweight and Obese. A Normal BMI is in the 18.5 to 24.99 range, according to the CDC information.

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To calculate BMI, this formula is used: Weight / (Height x Height) x 703

Calculating BMI in Excel

To calculate your BMI in Excel: In cell B2, enter your height in inches In cell B3, enter your weight in pounds In cell B4, type this formula: =B3/(B2*B2)*703

If the result in cell B4 is between 18.5 and 24.99, then your BMI is in the Normal range, according to the CDC information.

To see what the approximate highest weight in your Normal range is, type this formula in cell B5: =24.99*(B2*B2)/703

Tracking Your Weight Loss

Microsoft Excel is a great tool for recording data, such as weekly weights. To get started, just type a list of dates in column D. Then, every week, weigh yourself, and enter your weight in column E, beside the current date.

You can add a simple formula in column F, to calculate your weight loss each week. If your first weight record is in cell E2, and the second weight record is in cell E2, type this formula in cell F3: =E3-E2

Charting Your Weight Loss

For a better picture of how your weight loss is progressing, you can create an Excel chart from your weekly weight loss records.

To create a quick chart, select all the cells that contain dates and weights. Include all the dates, even if the weights for those weeks haven't been entered yet. Then, on your keyboard, press the F11 key. That will create a new sheet in the Excel workbook, with a simple column chart.

If you would prefer a line chart, right-click on the chart, and click Change Chart Type. Then, click on one of the Line chart types.

Check With Your Doctor

I'm not a medical professional, so please use the Excel Weight Loss Tracker for entertainment purposes only. It will give you an approximate calculation of your BMI, but there are other factors to consider. Please consult your doctor for diet advice and information on your ideal weight range.