Complete Numbers Noob: Making a "Fitness Tracker"

Question

Level 1

8 points

Complete Numbers Noob: Making a "Fitness Tracker"

Downloaded Numbers for my iPad 2 yesterday hoping to make a tool to help my wife and I with our diet and exercise routines.

I'm not just a Numbers noob, I'm new to spreadsheets in general really. I've used Excel quite a bit, but I've never actually designed a complex spreadsheet.

I've been toying around with Numbers quite a bit and I really enjoy it so far, I'm trying to just get some of the basics down right now.

What I'm looking for out of Numbers:
-Track weekly weight loss
-Log exercise
-A food log to help track what we're eating, how many calories per meal and per day.

I've looked online for templates and I haven't come upon anything yet. I'd love to find a template to edit but I'd also enjoy the opportunity to design one myself.

Any Numbers tips and tricks would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

iPad, iOS 4, Also using several Windows PCs

Posted on Mar 23, 2011 5:59 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Ayres101 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 23, 2011 7:58 AM in response to Ayres101

Here's a specific question to go along with my open ended question above:

In creating a Weight Tracking Chart I'd like to have a "Difference" column that would show "-10" or "+5". Is this possible? Another column that would display the percentage lost would be helpful as well.

I'm sure these are available in the formulas, just not sure where.

Reply

Answer 2

jaxjason

Level 5

5,073 points

Mar 23, 2011 8:10 AM in response to Ayres101

We will need a bit more information than

I'd like to have a "Difference" column

Are you trying to find the difference of two columns on the same row? Difference from one row to the next?

Since your s complete newbie, I would suggest reading through the Numbers user manual that can be found at http://support.apple.com/manuals/ It should cover most of what your looking to do. And will introduce formula creation, formatting etc... just remember that there are differences between the ipad version of numbers and the desktop version.

You can find the ipad specific help files while in a spreadsheet, under the wrench icon "go to help...".

Basic math in formulas (ipad numbers):
double tap in the cell you want to put the equation in
tap the equal sign to get to equation entry.
tap the first cell in your equation (see example below)
then tap the proper mathematical symbol
tap the second cell in your equation.

example:
Cell A1 has 12 and B1 has 13 and you want to subtract the 13 from the 12 and show the answer in C1
double tap C1, then tap =, then tap in order, cell A1, the button - on the bottom, then cell B1, tap done you should see -1 show up.

Jason

Reply

Answer 3

Ayres101 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 23, 2011 11:14 AM in response to jaxjason

Thanks for the links and the help Jason, very much appreciated.

The "Difference" column I was referring to is working splendidly, not showing "+" or "-" but that's really no big deal, it will still display in any future charts I set up perfectly.

Reply