Ideal Weight Calculator
If you are really concerned about your health or your looks and want to know how much you should weigh, this ideal weight calculator is the tool for you. It will help you determine your ideal body weight based on your height and sex. Read on to learn the different formulas for calculating your IBW (ideal body weight) and how to interpret the results. We will also explain how to use the healthy weight chart, which is based on BMI.
How much should I weight?
There many many ways to estimate somebodies ideal weight. Truth be told, none of them is perfectly accurate, as there are a lot of factors influencing it. For example, for people with a lot of muscle mass (and high lean body mass), their ideal weight will tend to be more than indicated by the results they obtain.
Our ideal body weight calculator uses six different formulae to find your ideal weight, as well as giving you your BMI . While the four formulas listed below give you only one number that you should be aiming for, BMI gives you a certain weight range you should be in.
For men, the ideal weight calculator uses the following equations:
- Robinson formula:
52 kg + 1.9 kg per every inch over 5 feet; - Miller formula:
56.2 kg + 1.41 kg per every inch over 5 feet; - Hamwi formula:
48.0 kg + 2.7 kg per every inch over 5 feet; - Devine formula:
50.0 kg + 2.3 kg per every inch over 5 feet; - Broca formula:
height [cm] - 100; and - Lorentz formula:
(height [cm] - 100) - (height [cm] - 150)/4.
For women, the ideal weight calculator uses the following equations:
- Robinson formula:
49 kg + 1.7 kg per every inch over 5 feet; - Miller formula:
53.1 kg + 1.36 kg per every inch over 5 feet; - Hamwi formula:
45.5 kg + 2.2 kg per every inch over 5 feet; - Devine formula:
45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per every inch over 5 feet; - Broca formula:
height [cm] - 100; and - Lorentz formula:
(height [cm] - 100) - (height [cm] - 150)/2.
🔎 Of these six formulae, the Devine formula is the most medically validated. Robinson's formula and Miller's formula are sometimes referred to as modifications of the Devine formula.
Apart from these six, our calculator also shows your ideal weight according to the Peterson formula, using your target BMI:
Peterson formula: (2.2 × target BMI) + (3.5 × target BMI × (height [m] - 1.5)).
Note that this formula is independent of the gender. Our calculator uses 22 as the target BMI by default. You can change this value by clicking on the advanced mode.
💡 Ideal weight is used to compute the dosing of different medicines, e.g., immunoglobulin dose.
Height weight chart and BMI
The last indicator of an individuals ideal weight is BMI, short for Body Mass Index. It is calculated according to BMI = weight/height². The optimal, healthy range for BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. Our ideal weight calculator converts this back into weight, presenting to you the range of appropriate weights for your height.
You can also take a look at a height-weight chart that shows the ranges of underweight, normal and overweight for various heights:
🙋 If your current weight falls into the ideal weight category, you may want to calculate your maintenance calories requirements.
Limitations of our IBW calculator
Remember that the values found with our ideal body weight calculator are not one hundred percent valid for all. As long as you are in the BMI normal weight range, you are fine - don't go on a strict diet just to reach that specific number!
Also, our IBW calculator is valid for adults only. Don't use it to find the proper weight range of kids - consult a specialist instead. Also, don't use it if you are pregnant. Use pregnancy weight gain calculator instead!
FAQ
How to calculate ideal body weight in pounds?
To calculate your ideal body weight in pounds, you can use the modified Devine formula.
For men: 110.23 lb + 5.1 lb per every inch over 5 feet.
For women: 100.3 lb + 5.1 lb per every inch over 5 feet.
Which ideal body weight formula is the best?
The most medically validated ideal body weight formula is the Devine formula. Physicians use this formula to calculate the doses of certain drugs, such as levothyroxine or immunoglobulins.
Other formulas don’t differ that much from the Devine formula, and they were mainly designed trying to improve the original formula.
What is the ideal weight for a female?
To determine the ideal body weight for a female, you can use the Devine formula.
In kilograms:
45.5 kg + 2.3 kg for every inch over 5 feet
In pounds:
100.3 lb + 5.1 lb for every inch over 5 feet
For example, for a 5 ft 4 in female, the ideal weight is 54.7 kg (120.7 lb).
Remember, this is only an estimation. There is no one universal weight for every woman your height, and this formula doesn't tell you if you should lose or gain weight. If you have concerns about your current body weight, talk to your physician.
What is the ideal weight loss for a month?
If you want to lose weight, you would probably love to do it as quickly as possible. But think a minute - you didn’t gain those extra pounds overnight, and the same way, they won’t go away overnight.
Doctors say the safe weight loss pace is around 0.25-0.5 kg (0.55-1.1 lb) per week. That means ideally, you should lose no more than 1-2 kg (2.2-4.4 lb) per month.
It might sound discouraging. But a slow, steady weight loss pace is the best way to lose weight without stress - and lose it permanently. Because you wouldn’t like the pound to get back to you, would you?
How do you calculate your ideal body weight?
To calculate your ideal body weight, you can use the Devine formula.
Devine formula for man:
50.0 kg + 2.3 kg for every inch over 5 feet
Devine formula for women:
45.5 kg + 2.3 kg for every inch over 5 feet
The Devine formula only requires your height. There are more ideal body weight formulas, but the Devine one is the most popular and the most validated.