One of the best parts of losing weight is seeing the number on the scale go down. Keeping track of your weight loss allows you to play out those small victories over a longer span of time. It also allows you to see trends in weight loss or weight gain so you can evaluate and tweak your lifestyle to keep track of your goals. There are a variety of ways to track your weight loss depending on why you're tracking it and what you'd like to do with that information.
Step 1
Select a daily, weekly or monthly schedule system for tracking your weight loss. Determine if you'll also include measurements and when you'll take them.
Step 2
Use a printable worksheet to track your weight, like the one offered by Penn State University (see reference 2). This is a free paper and pen method of writing down your measurements. You can also print out the Medical University of South Carolina's weight tracking graph (see reference 1).
Step 3
Use an online diet and weight loss tracking tool like Sparkpeople.com or The Daily Plate.com. These programs allow you to to track your weight loss but also the foods you eat and the exercise you do. You can use them strictly for the tracking features or join the online communities to find people with similar goals.
Step 4
Use diet software. Programs like Diet Power and Diet Pro electronically track your weight. You can also enter in the calories you eat and burn and the software will track your metabolism and adjust the calories you need to take in to help you reach your weight loss goals faster. The downside to software compared to free online tools is that they cost money.
Step 5
Buy a programmable digital scale that records your progress. Certain scales will calculate your weight and body fat and store your values. You can scroll through them or just access that last value for comparison.
Step 6
See your doctor regularly. Nurses and medical assistants record your weight at each visit. If you're visiting your doctor regularly as part of your weight management program, you can use that as your method for tracking weight. Ask for a copy of your records if you like. You will have to sign a release form but you will be able to have a copy of your weight records.
Step 7
Use the calender method. Purchase a monthly calender and circle the day you're going to weight in. Write your weight on the calender. Keep each month's pages and refer to them to see your progress.
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