Ideal Weight Calculator
A single "ideal" number is a rough guide — a healthy weight is really a range, and muscle doesn't show up in it.
Estimate your ideal body weight from your height and sex using several well-known formulas — Devine (the most cited), plus Robinson, Miller and Hamwi. It also shows the broader, more realistic healthy weight range from BMI 18.5–24.9, with a body-frame adjustment — all in metric.
An estimate from height and sex — not medical advice. A healthy weight is a range, not a single number; muscle and body composition aren't captured here.
How the ideal weight is worked out
Height-and-sex formulas
The calculator runs four established ideal-body-weight formulas. Each sets a base weight at 152 cm (5 feet) of height and adds a fixed amount for every centimetre above that, with a slightly higher base for men than women:
- Devine — the most cited, still used for some drug dosing: 50 kg (men) or 45.5 kg (women), plus about 0.9 kg per cm over 152 cm.
- Robinson — a 1983 revision that trims the figure slightly for many heights.
- Miller — another 1983 variation, typically the lowest of the four.
- Hamwi — a 1964 clinical rule of thumb, usually the highest.
Body frame
Bone structure varies, so the calculator lets you nudge the estimate by about ±10% for a small or large frame. A rough self-check is your wrist circumference relative to your height.
Worked example
A 175 cm man: the Devine formula gives about 70 kg, and the four formulas cluster nearby. The healthy weight range from BMI 18.5–24.9 for that height is roughly 57–76 kg — which shows how much broader "healthy" is than any single "ideal" number.
This is general guidance, not medical advice. The formulas use only height, so they ignore muscle and body composition — a very muscular person can weigh more than their "ideal" and be perfectly healthy. Treat the healthy BMI range as the more realistic target, and use waist-to-height ratio as a better everyday health signal.
A healthy weight is a range, not a single number
A single "ideal" figure is easy to remember but misleading — plenty of healthy people sit well above or below it. A more realistic target is the healthy weight range, which comes from BMI. A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered healthy for most adults, and multiplying that range by your height in metres squared gives a weight range.
- 160 cm — healthy weight roughly 47–64 kg.
- 175 cm — healthy weight roughly 57–76 kg.
- 185 cm — healthy weight roughly 63–85 kg.
Notice how wide each band is — often 15 kg or more. That spread is the point: a healthy weight is a comfortable zone to aim for, not a bullseye to hit. Where you sit within it is shaped by build, muscle and personal history.
When ideal-weight numbers mislead
Muscle doesn't show up
Both ideal-weight formulas and BMI use only your height — they cannot tell muscle from fat. Muscle is denser than fat, so athletes, gym-goers and manual workers often weigh more than their "ideal" while carrying very little body fat. If that is you, put less weight on the ideal number.
Frame and build vary
People of the same height carry very different amounts of bone and muscle. The ±10% frame adjustment is only a rough correction for this; two healthy people at the same height can genuinely sit several kilograms apart.
A better everyday signal
For day-to-day health, waist-to-height ratio is more useful than a target weight: keeping your waist under half your height is a simple, well-supported guide. Combine it with a body-fat estimate and how you feel, rather than chasing a single ideal figure.
❓ Frequently asked Frequently asked questions
What is my ideal weight?
Your ideal weight is an estimate based on your height and sex. Using the most-cited Devine formula, a 175 cm man comes out at about 70 kg and a 160 cm woman at about 52 kg. The other formulas (Robinson, Miller and Hamwi) give slightly different figures, so it is better to think of a range than a single number. A healthy weight for a 175 cm adult spans roughly 57–76 kg once you use the BMI 18.5–24.9 range. This is general guidance, not medical advice.
How is ideal body weight calculated?
Ideal body weight formulas set a base weight at 152 cm (5 feet) of height and add a fixed amount per centimetre above that. The Devine formula — the most cited, and still used for some drug dosing — uses 50 kg for men and 45.5 kg for women plus about 0.9 kg per cm over 152 cm. Robinson, Miller and Hamwi are variations that add slightly different amounts. This calculator shows all four and lets you nudge the result by about ±10% for a small or large body frame.
What is a healthy weight for my height?
A healthy weight range comes from BMI: a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered healthy for most adults. Multiply that range by your height in metres squared to get a weight range. For a 175 cm adult that is about 57 kg to 76 kg. The range is broader and more realistic than a single ideal-weight figure, because plenty of healthy people sit anywhere within it. It is general guidance only, not a diagnosis.
Is BMI or ideal weight better?
For most people a healthy weight range from BMI is more useful than a single ideal-weight number, because it allows for the natural spread of healthy body weights. Ideal-weight formulas give one figure and were designed largely for clinical uses like drug dosing. Both share the same blind spot: they only use height, so they ignore muscle and body composition. A better everyday health signal is your waist-to-height ratio — keeping your waist under half your height.
Why does the calculator say I'm over my ideal weight if I'm muscular?
Because these formulas and BMI only use your height — they cannot tell muscle from fat. Muscle is denser than fat, so athletes and regular gym-goers often weigh more than their "ideal" figure while carrying very little body fat and being perfectly healthy. If that describes you, put less weight on the ideal number and more on measures that reflect body composition, such as waist-to-height ratio, a body-fat estimate, or how your clothes fit and how you feel.
Where these figures come from
The method here reflects long-established ideal-body-weight formulas and the standard healthy-BMI range, not a country-specific rule. Ideal-weight figures were designed largely for clinical use, so treat every number as general guidance.
- Devine (1974) — 50 kg (men) / 45.5 kg (women) + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet; the most cited, still used for some drug dosing.
- Robinson (1983) and Miller (1983) — revised formulas that adjust the per-inch increment.
- Hamwi (1964) — an earlier clinical rule of thumb, typically the highest of the four.
- Healthy weight range — from BMI 18.5–24.9, the standard healthy band for most adults; waist under half your height is a better everyday signal.
Last checked: July 2026. This is a general estimate, not medical advice. Ideal-weight formulas and BMI use only height, so they ignore muscle and body composition. Needs vary with build, muscle and health. For personal advice, speak with your GP or a dietitian.
Select the question that matches where you are right now.
The headline number is your estimated ideal weight — the Devine figure, in kilograms. The breakdown shows all four formulas and the healthy weight range from BMI 18.5–24.9 for your height, so you can see the spread rather than fixate on one number.
Use it as a rough anchor, then look at the healthy range. If you sit anywhere inside the BMI 18.5–24.9 band for your height, you are in healthy territory — where exactly is shaped by build and muscle.
It is not medical advice or a target you must hit. It does not account for muscle, body composition, age or health conditions. For personal guidance, see your GP or a dietitian.
Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi were each derived differently, so they give slightly different figures — Miller tends lowest, Hamwi highest. The spread between them is a reminder that "ideal" is approximate.
Three things drive the estimate: your height, your sex, and your body frame. Muscle and composition — which the number can't see — matter just as much in real life.
The formulas scale straight off height above 152 cm, with a slightly higher base for men. Taller people get a higher ideal weight; the male/female gap is a few kilograms.
Small and large frames shift the figure by about ±10%. It is a rough correction for bone structure — a small-framed person genuinely carries less than a large-framed one of the same height.
Neither the formulas nor BMI can see muscle. A lean, muscular person can weigh well above their "ideal" and be very healthy — which is why waist-to-height ratio and body fat are better health signals.
A few habits keep the number in perspective and your health on track.
Target the healthy BMI band for your height rather than a single ideal figure. Anywhere inside it is healthy territory for most adults.
Keep your waist under half your height. It is a simple, well-supported signal that reflects health better than weight alone.
If you train, use a body-fat estimate alongside weight. Gaining muscle can raise the scale while improving your health.
Ideal weight is one lens on your health. Explore the rest of your numbers with these related calculators.