How To Track Your Progress
Remember, the number on the scale in no way reflects your self-worth. It is simply the number of pounds your body weighs at a given moment in time. Weight fluctuates from day to day. Divorcing your emotions from the scale is possible and will help you hold yourself accountable to your plan and help you get the weight off for good.
If you want to lose weight, then it’s time to figure out exactly where you’re at. Here are the steps:
- Weigh yourself and write down that number.
- Calculate your BMI by using the calculator below.
- Start a habit of daily weighing and tracking your weight.
In order to know if your plan is working, you need to track your weight. Hop on the scale today and find out where you’re at, and then weigh every day. Hold yourself accountable. Why daily? Why not weekly? Here are some reasons:
- You get in the habit much faster
- Fear of the scale diminishes much more quickly
- You have 7 times more data to work with, which makes seeing patterns easier
- You will have a more accurate view of what your weight is actually doing
BMI Calculator
How To Track Your Weight
Weigh yourself every day (first thing in the morning, so you don’t forget), and put that number either in an app that averages your weight for you (like Happy Scale or Libra Weight) or track it in a spreadsheet, like the one you can download below for free. Averaging your weight into a 7 day average and keeping an eye on how that number is trending over several weeks of time will show you whether your plan is working. Click the button below to download my 7 Day Average Weight Tracking Spreadsheet. Download “7 Day Average Weight Tracker” 7-Day-Average-Weight-Template-From-Six-Miles-To-Supper-1-1.ods – Downloaded 51370 times – 68.57 KB
A Word On Waist Measurement
According to the CDC, the risk of disease is greater for men when their waist is greater than 40 inches, though it’s 35 inches for women. One study found that keeping your weight to height ratio below .5 was a better predictor of heart attack stroke or death than BMI. In other words, convert your height to inches, cut it in half and try to keep your waist smaller than the result. For example:
- If you’re 5’6″ like me, that means you’re 66 inches tall.
- Half of that is 33 inches.
- You should try to keep your waist smaller than 33 inches. (That’s about a size 14 jeans.)
The big downside to measuring your waist is that it’s really really easy to measure inaccurately and inconsistently and to fudge the numbers to make yourself feel better (like I did for a year before I finally got on the scale.) I do not recommend it as a primary way to track your progress on your weight loss journey. Waist circumference will naturally decrease as body weight decreases.
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