Ideal Weight
Calculator

There's no single "ideal" weight

The honest starting point is that no formula can name the one perfect weight for you. People of the same height can be perfectly healthy across a span of weights, depending on their build, muscle and composition. That's why this calculator leads with a healthy weight range rather than a single figure — it's a more realistic and less discouraging target. Within that range, the "best" weight for you is the one where you feel strong, energetic and sustainable.

How ideal weight is estimated

The calculator shows two complementary numbers. The healthy weight range is the band of weights that produce a normal BMI (18.5–24.9) for your height — a widely accepted, evidence-based target. The Devine formula adds a classic single-figure estimate: 50 kg for men (45.5 kg for women) plus 2.3 kg for every inch over 5 feet. Devine was originally designed for medical drug dosing, but it's become a common reference for a "goal" weight. Use the range as your guide and the single figure as a rough midpoint.

Ideal weight by height

Height	Healthy range	Devine (M)	Devine (W)
155 cm	44–60 kg	52 kg	48 kg
160 cm	47–64 kg	57 kg	52 kg
165 cm	50–68 kg	61 kg	57 kg
170 cm	53–72 kg	66 kg	61 kg
175 cm	57–76 kg	70 kg	66 kg
180 cm	60–81 kg	75 kg	70 kg
185 cm	63–85 kg	80 kg	75 kg
190 cm	67–90 kg	84 kg	80 kg

Why the formulas disagree

You'll find several "ideal weight" formulas — Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi — and they all give slightly different answers for the same height. That's because they were derived from different data sets and purposes, mostly in mid-20th-century medicine. None is definitively "correct." The spread between them is itself the lesson: ideal weight is a range, not a precise target, and small differences of a few kilograms rarely matter for health.

What height alone leaves out

Height-based formulas can't see the things that genuinely change a healthy weight. Frame size means a broad-shouldered person naturally carries more. Muscle mass adds weight that's entirely healthy — athletes routinely exceed their "ideal" weight while carrying little fat. Age and sex shift body composition too. This is why weight should never be judged in isolation: pair it with your body fat percentage and waist measurement for a true picture.

Setting a sensible goal weight

If you're aiming to change your weight, pick a target inside your healthy range and approach it gradually. A moderate calorie deficit — see the TDEE calculator — combined with strength training preserves muscle so the weight you lose is mostly fat. Check your BMI to see where you currently sit relative to the range. And remember that habits, fitness and how you feel are better long-term markers than hitting an exact number on the scale.

The other ideal weight formulas

Devine is the best known, but it has siblings worth a mention. The Robinson (1983) and Miller (1983) formulas tweak the base weight and per-inch increment, generally producing slightly lower figures than Devine. The older Hamwi (1964) formula, common in dietetics, works in a similar way. All four were built largely for clinical purposes such as medication dosing, not as lifestyle goals, and they cluster within a few kilograms of each other. Rather than agonise over which to use, treat the healthy BMI range as your primary guide and any single formula as a rough midpoint within it.

Ideal weight for muscular people and athletes

Height-based formulas systematically underestimate the healthy weight of muscular people. Muscle is dense and heavy, so a lean, well-trained athlete can weigh well above their "ideal" figure — and above the normal BMI range — while carrying very little fat. If that's you, don't take the number at face value: lean on body fat percentage and waist measurements instead, which reflect composition rather than just mass. Ideal weight charts assume average muscularity, which is precisely where they break down for the strong.

How to reach a healthy weight

If your weight sits outside the healthy range and you'd like to change it, the approach is the same as for any sustainable goal. To lose, set a moderate calorie deficit with the TDEE calculator and keep protein high and strength training in to preserve muscle. To gain, eat a modest surplus alongside resistance work. Aim for gradual change — roughly 0.25–0.5 kg a week — which is easier to maintain and gentler on the body than rapid swings. Track the trend over months, not days.

Frame size and how to estimate it

"Ideal weight" charts quietly assume a medium build, but frame size genuinely shifts where you sit within a healthy range. A quick way to estimate yours is the wrist method: wrap your thumb and middle finger around the narrowest part of your wrist. If they overlap, you likely have a small frame; if they just touch, medium; if they don't meet, large. A simpler check is wrist circumference relative to height. Someone with a large frame will naturally sit toward the upper end of the healthy weight range — and that's completely normal. Frame size is a reminder that the range exists for a reason: bodies aren't one shape.

Use it as a guide, not a rule

Treat your ideal weight range as a helpful reference rather than a strict rule. Healthy bodies come in a variety of sizes, and the goal is well-being, not a specific digit. If your weight sits a little outside the range but you're active, eating well and feeling good, that context matters. If it's well outside, the range is a useful prompt to consider your habits or talk to a professional.