Ideal Weight Calculator for Men and Women
Our ideal weight calculator gives you a target range from four medical formulas and the healthy BMI range for your height. Enter your height in feet and inches or centimeters, then add your current weight to see how far you are from the range. Results show in pounds and kilograms side by side.
What Ideal Weight Really Means
There is no single perfect weight for any height. Two people of the same height can be equally healthy at weights 20 or 30 pounds apart, because muscle, bone and body shape differ. A good ideal weight calculator gives you a sensible range to aim for rather than one magic number.
The formulas in an ideal weight calculator were not designed for fitness at all. Doctors built them to work out drug doses and machine settings for patients. They still give a useful reference point.
How to Use the Ideal Weight Calculator
- Choose US units for feet, inches and pounds, or metric for centimeters and kilograms.
- Select male or female, since the formulas use different base weights.
- Enter your height.
- Add your current weight if you want to see your BMI and the gap to the healthy range.
The ideal body weight calculator results show the lowest and highest values from the four formulas and their average. Each formula then appears on its own card in both pounds and kilograms. Below that you see the range from a healthy BMI and, if you entered it, your current BMI.
The Four Ideal Body Weight Formulas
Each formula starts with a base weight for a person who is exactly 5 feet tall. It then adds a fixed amount for every inch above 5 feet. The table lists the numbers our ideal body weight calculator uses.
| Formula | Men | Women |
| Robinson (1983) | 52 kg + 1.9 kg per inch | 49 kg + 1.7 kg per inch |
| Miller (1983) | 56.2 kg + 1.41 kg per inch | 53.1 kg + 1.36 kg per inch |
| Devine (1974) | 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch | 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch |
| Hamwi (1964) | 48 kg + 2.7 kg per inch | 45.5 kg + 2.2 kg per inch |
Robinson and Miller reworked the older formulas in 1983. Hamwi gives the highest numbers for tall men, while Miller changes the least with height. That spread is why the ideal body weight calculator shows a range instead of picking one winner.
The Devine Formula
It is the best known of the four. A pharmacist named Devine published it in 1974 to estimate doses of the antibiotic gentamicin, and hospitals still use it today. For a man it is 50 kg plus 2.3 kg for each inch over 5 feet, and for a woman it starts at 45.5 kg.
Hospitals use it to set ventilator volumes and dose some drugs. It was never meant as a goal for weight loss. Treat it as one opinion among four when you use an ideal body weight calculator.
Ideal Weight Calculator Examples
A Man at 5 Feet 10 Inches
A man who is 5 ft 10 in stands 10 inches over 5 feet. The ideal weight calculator gives 156.5 lb with Robinson, 155.0 lb with Miller, 160.9 lb with Devine and 165.3 lb with Hamwi. His formula range is 155.0 to 165.3 lb with an average of 159.4 lb.
His healthy BMI range is wider, from 128.9 to 173.5 lb. If he weighs 200 lb today, his BMI is 28.7 and he sits 26.5 lb above the top of that range. A first target of about 173 lb would bring him into the healthy band.
A Woman at 5 Feet 5 Inches
In the ideal weight calculator, a woman who is 5 ft 5 in gets 126.8 lb from Robinson, 132.1 lb from Miller, 125.7 lb from Devine and 124.6 lb from Hamwi. Her formula range is 124.6 to 132.1 lb. Her healthy BMI range runs from 111.2 to 149.6 lb.
Metric Units
A woman who is 170 cm tall, in metric mode, gets a formula range of 60.7 to 62.5 kg with an average of 61.4 kg. The BMI range for her height is 53.5 to 72.0 kg. The ideal body weight calculator converts each value to pounds as well.
Healthy Weight Range From BMI
Body mass index divides your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. A BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 is the normal range used by the World Health Organization and most health agencies. The tool turns that band into a weight range for your exact height.
The BMI range is wider than the formula range, which is a strength. It accepts that people of the same height carry different amounts of muscle and bone. For many adults it is a fairer target than any single number from an ideal body weight calculator.
BMI has known blind spots. It can label muscular people as overweight, and it can miss extra fat in older adults who have lost muscle. Some health bodies also use lower cutoffs for people of Asian descent, because health risks can start at a lower BMI.
Ideal Weight Chart by Height
The chart shows the formula range from our ideal weight calculator and the healthy BMI range for common heights. Values are rounded to the nearest pound. For heights in between, enter your exact height in the ideal body weight calculator.
| Height | Men (4 formulas) | Women (4 formulas) | Healthy BMI range |
| 5 ft 0 in | 106 to 124 lb | 100 to 117 lb | 95 to 127 lb |
| 5 ft 2 in | 118 to 130 lb | 110 to 123 lb | 101 to 136 lb |
| 5 ft 4 in | 130 to 136 lb | 120 to 129 lb | 108 to 145 lb |
| 5 ft 6 in | 140 to 143 lb | 129 to 135 lb | 115 to 154 lb |
| 5 ft 8 in | 148 to 153 lb | 138 to 141 lb | 122 to 164 lb |
| 5 ft 10 in | 155 to 165 lb | 146 to 151 lb | 129 to 174 lb |
| 6 ft 0 in | 161 to 177 lb | 153 to 161 lb | 136 to 184 lb |
| 6 ft 2 in | 167 to 189 lb | 159 to 171 lb | 144 to 194 lb |
| 6 ft 4 in | 174 to 201 lb | 165 to 181 lb | 152 to 205 lb |
Find your height in the first column and compare both ranges. At every height in the chart, the formula range sits inside the healthy BMI range. That overlap is a reasonable place to aim if you want one clear target.
What Is My Ideal Weight If I Am Muscular?
Lifters and athletes often ask this question. The formulas ignore muscle, so a strong person may look overweight on paper while being lean. In that case a body fat measure tells you far more than the scale.
Check your body fat with our Body Fat Calculator and compare it with healthy ranges. A man around 10 to 20% body fat or a woman around 20 to 30% is usually in good shape at almost any weight. Your waist is another quick check, since a waist under half your height is a good sign.
Why the Numbers Are Only a Guide
None of these formulas were tested on children, teens or pregnant women, so the ideal body weight calculator should not be used for them. Older adults may be healthier a little above the formula range, because extra weight can protect against frailty. Very short people below 5 feet also get less reliable results.
Your doctor can give you a target that fits your health history. Use the ideal weight calculator to start that conversation, not to end it. Bring your ideal body weight calculator results to your next checkup.
Reaching a Healthier Weight
If you are above the range from the ideal weight calculator, aim to lose about 1 to 2 pounds a week. Our Calorie Calculator shows how much to eat for that pace. Strength training while you diet helps you keep muscle, so more of the loss comes from fat.
If you are below the range, add calories slowly with protein and healthy fats. Sudden or unplanned weight loss can signal a health problem and is worth a visit to your doctor. Weigh yourself weekly, since daily weight swings with water.
Why Use Our Ideal Body Weight Calculator
It compares four formulas with the healthy BMI range, works in US or metric units and shows how far your current weight is from the healthy band. Every card shows both pounds and kilograms, so you never need to convert. Enter your height and check your range now.
Frequently asked questions
Is this ideal weight calculator free?
Yes, it is free with no sign up and works in your browser.
What is my ideal weight at 5 feet 6 inches?
The formulas give 140 to 143 lb for men and 129 to 135 lb for women.
What is the Devine formula?
It is 50 kg for men or 45.5 kg for women plus 2.3 kg for each inch over 5 feet.
Which ideal body weight calculator formula is best?
No formula is best for everyone, so compare the range with your BMI and body fat.
What is a healthy weight range?
It is the weight that gives you a BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 at your height.
Does the ideal body weight calculator work for children?
No, use a BMI for age chart from your doctor for anyone under 18.
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