How to Use Google Docs to Track and Display Your Weight Loss

Here’s a great way to create a spreadsheet tool using Google Docs, that tracks your weight loss progress that also allows you to share your progress with your blog readers in a nifty little chart that looks like the image to the right ->

Things You’ll Need:

• A computer connected to the internet
• A free Google account

Instructions:

1. Go to the Google home page
   Before creating your weight loss tracking spreadsheet using Google Docs, you must Sign In to your Googe account. To do that go to Google.com using your internet browser. On the Google home page click on the “Sign In” in the upper right corner of the web page.
2. Sign into your free Google account
   On the Google Accounts sign in web page, log into your free Google account by entering your account email address and password.
3. Navigate to the Google Docs web page
   After signing into your Google account, click on the “more” link at the top of the page, and then click on “Documents”.
4. Create a blank spreadsheet
   To create a blank spreadsheet, on the navigation bar click on “New” and select “Spreadsheet”.
5. Enter the headings into your weight loss tracking spreadsheet
   Enter the headings of your weight loss tracking spreadsheet into row 1. Type in these cells:-A1: Date
   -B1: Weight
6. Enter dates into your weight loss tracking spreadsheet in column A.
   I choose to only weigh myself once a week, on Monday mornings.  My column A has the following dates:2/1/2010
   2/8/2010
   2/15/2010
   2/22/2010
   3/1/2010
7. Enter your weight in column B.
8. Click “Insert”, then select “Chart” to begin creating your chart.
   
9. A new chart window will pop up. Select chart type of your choice:
   
10. In the “What data” field enter: Sheet1!A1:B11
11. Group data by columns, and tick off the two selection boxes:
    
12. Add a title to your chart and axis names – I have given my axis the names “Date” and “Weight”:
    
13. Save your chart!
14. Click on your newly created chart and scroll to “Publish chart”
    
15. Copy and paste the resulting HTML code where ever you would like to publish your new weight loss chart.
    
    Some examples are:
    • Your blog sidebar
    • Blog post
    • Page on your blog (I have a progress page where you can follow my weightloss and half marathon training progress).
16. Be sure to save your spreadsheet by clicking on the “Save” button at top of the web page.
    
17. Visit your spreadsheet each week and enter your weight – your chart will automatically update.
    

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