Running and Weight Loss Chart

I like to keep track of my progress by making it visual, and one of my favorite ways to do that is to create a colorful chart of my running and weight loss. It is the beginning of a new year, so the chart isn't very colorful yet, but I will keep updating it as I go along.

Each week of the year is another column on the chart.

When I run, I color in a square for every mile. My goal is always to run 20 miles in a week, in at least 3 separate runs (exception: if there is a marathon, that would usually be the only run that week, and I would run about 9 miles total the following week.)

This helps me see my total mileage, and how many times I got out there to run!

At the same time, I want to see if all that running is having any effect on my weight.

When I track my weight, I know it goes up and down as much as 5 lbs in a single day, and there are normal monthly fluctuations as well. For that reason, I weigh myself whenever I feel like it (more than once a day) and write down ALL the weights. That way, I don't freak out if it is up a few pounds, but if it bounces too high, I will notice! I did this last year, and watched the entire range go gradually downward over time.

There is a horizontal line on the chart which indicates 20 miles for the running -- my goal is to get up to or over that line every week. Except post-marathon weeks. The same horizontal line indicates the upper range of what I want my weight to be. So I want to get the running OVER the line, and the weight UNDER the line. I think that will happen in a month or two!

The yellow highlighted area at the far left is my ideal weight range, for my height (5'7", medium frame).