If you can't figure out why you are losing or gaining weight, consider creating a bar graph to track calorie intake and expenditure. There is a simple equation that defines your weight loss or gain -- calories taken in minus your expenditure in activity. If you are taking in more calories than you are burning, you will gain weight. Conversely, if you are burning more calories than you consume, you will lose weight.
Step 1
Calculate your body mass index and daily caloric needs. Free calculators for both can be found online, such as the Baylor College of Medicine calculator. The calculations provide a rough starting point for both daily calorie intake and the amount of weight you need to lose or gain.
Step 2
Record your daily calorie intake and expenditure on a piece of paper for at least one week. Write down the calories contained in everything you consume, including beverages, in one column. Record the calories expended in another column. Calculators that compute calories burned also can be found online, including the one at the University of Maryland Medical Center website.
Step 3
Create a two-dimensional bar graph with data recorded over one week. Use the software you have on your computer to input the data, or you can use a free graphing tool online such as the one provided by the National Council on Exercise.
Step 4
Create the vertical graph by placing calories on the vertical axis and the passage of time on the horizontal one. You will have two entries, or bars, for each day, which represent calories taken in and calories used in activity. The calories used in activity will be a much shorter column than those consumed, as 60 to 75 percent of your daily calories are automatically burned to support the body's basic functions such as breathing.
Step 5
Add a third column to your chart if you want to track complete caloric usage. Multiply the number of total calories consumed in one day by 0.60 to get the lowest possible number of metabolic calories burned that day. For instance, if you eat 2,000 calories in one day, 1,200 of them are automatically used to support your bodily functions.
Step 6
Compare the daily representation of your eating to your exercise and calorie expenditure. Make changes to your diet and activity level to achieve the results you desire, such as weight loss, gain or maintenance.
Tips and Warnings
- You can bring your chart to your doctor's office to discuss your diet and exercise if you are having problems losing or maintaining weight.
Things You'll Need
- Paper
- Pencil or pen
- Web access
References
- Mayo Clinic: Metabolism and Weight Loss: How You Burn Calories
- American Dietetic Association: Back to Basics for Healthy Weight Loss
- Baylor College of Medicine: Adult Energy Needs and BMI Calculator
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Health Calculators
- National Council on Exercise: Create a Graph
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