Ideal Weight Calculator | Find Your Healthy Body Weight

Ideal Weight Calculator

Use our Ideal Weight Calculator to find your healthy body weight range. Simply enter your gender, height, and current weight to compare against two popular formulas—Devine and Robinson. Adjust units between kilograms and pounds for convenience. Understanding your ideal weight can help guide your health and fitness journey.

Find Your Ideal Weight

What Is Ideal Body Weight (IBW)?

IBW calculations estimate weight based on height and gender. They were originally developed for medical use, such as determining safe drug dosages. Today, IBW is also used in some sports and fitness classifications.

However, IBW has significant limitations:

  • It doesn’t consider body composition (muscle vs. fat).
  • Athletes and fit individuals may exceed their IBW due to muscle mass but remain healthy.
  • It doesn’t account for factors like age, ethnicity, or health conditions.

How Is IBW Calculated?

Several formulas estimate IBW by starting with a base weight for 5 feet of height and adding increments for each additional inch:

  • Hamwi Formula:
    • Men: 48 kg + 2.7 kg per inch over 5 ft
    • Women: 45.5 kg + 2.2 kg per inch
  • Devine Formula (most widely used):
    • Men: 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch
    • Women: 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch
  • Robinson and Miller Formulas provide slight variations for refinement.

These formulas give a general weight range but should not be viewed as absolute targets.

What About BMI?

BMI (Body Mass Index) is another popular tool, calculated using height and weight. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a healthy BMI range as 18.5–25 for adults.

While BMI is a quick and easy screening tool, it has its drawbacks:

  • It doesn’t account for muscle mass, body composition, or fat distribution.
  • Athletes and muscular individuals may fall into the “overweight” category despite being healthy.

For children and teens, BMI percentiles (5th–85th) are used, as their bodies are still growing.

What Influences Weight?

  1. Age
    Weight may stabilize after adolescence, but aging leads to muscle loss and increased fat. Staying active and eating well can counter these effects.
  2. Gender
    Men usually weigh more due to higher muscle mass and bone density, while women naturally carry a higher percentage of body fat.
  3. Height
    Taller individuals have more muscle and fat mass, resulting in higher weight.
  4. Body Frame Size
    Frame size (small, medium, or large) affects weight. For example, large-boned individuals weigh more at the same height than small-boned ones. Frame size is often estimated using wrist circumference relative to height.

Healthy Living Beyond Numbers

Rather than focusing solely on IBW or BMI, it’s more important to prioritize overall health through consistent habits.

1. Nutrition

  • Eat a variety of foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
  • Avoid processed foods and limit added sugars.
  • Portion control is key.

2. Physical Activity

  • Adults should aim for 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity weekly.
  • Strength training twice a week helps maintain muscle and supports weight management.

3. Sleep and Stress Management

  • Sleep for 7–9 hours nightly. Lack of sleep can disrupt metabolism and increase stress.
  • Manage stress through mindfulness, meditation, or relaxing hobbies to prevent emotional eating or unhealthy habits.

4. Hydration

  • Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily, or more if active or in hot climates.

Key Takeaways

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how much you should weigh. IBW and BMI are useful tools but don’t define your health. Instead, focus on making sustainable lifestyle changes: eating balanced meals, staying active, and managing stress.

True health is about feeling strong, energized, and capable—not just hitting a number on a scale.