What's a healthy weight for your height?
Compare four classical ideal-weight formulas and your healthy BMI range, side by side, for women and men.
Your details
Your ideal weight
Average of 4 classical formulas
Formula comparison
All four formulas use height above 5 ft (152.4 cm) as a scaling anchor. For a modern, BMI-based check, use the healthy range above.
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Four formulas, one answer
Every ideal-weight formula uses the same idea: a base weight at five feet of height, plus extra per inch above that. They differ only in the coefficients derived from each author's study population.
- Devine (1974): originally built for drug dosing; widely used in hospitals.
- Robinson (1983): modernised Devine for typical adult populations.
- Miller (1983): slightly higher targets — useful for larger-framed people.
- Hamwi (1964): the original dietitian shorthand still taught in nutrition school.
Pairing with BMI
A single ideal-weight number can feel restrictive. The healthy BMI range (18.5–24.9) gives you a wider, modern band that most adults sit within comfortably.
Aim for anywhere inside the healthy BMI range, then use body composition, energy, performance and bloodwork to fine-tune where in that range you feel best.
Frequently asked questions
What is my ideal body weight?+
Your ideal weight is a target range, not a single number. Classical formulas like Devine or Robinson estimate a healthy weight from your height and sex. For most adults, any weight inside the healthy BMI range (18.5–24.9) is medically reasonable.
Which ideal weight formula is most accurate?+
No single formula is most accurate for every body — they each start from the same 1960s–80s clinical populations. That's why we show four and also compute your healthy BMI range: use them as a sanity check rather than a hard target.
Is the ideal weight different for men and women?+
Yes — for a given height, women's ideal weight is typically a few kilograms lower because of differences in average muscle mass and skeletal structure. Our calculator applies the standard male/female coefficients.
Can I be healthy and above my ideal weight?+
Absolutely. Muscular people often weigh more than their 'ideal' number because muscle is denser than fat. Consider body composition, waist measurement and cardiorespiratory fitness alongside the scale.
What's the ideal weight for a 5'5" woman?+
For 5'5" (165 cm), the Robinson formula gives about 57.5 kg (127 lb), Miller 60 kg (132 lb), Devine 57 kg (126 lb) and Hamwi 56 kg (123 lb). A healthy BMI range for that height is about 50–68 kg (110–150 lb).