Free Tool
Ideal Weight Calculator
Enter your height and sex to see what every major ideal body weight formula predicts. The numbers will spread by several kilograms, which is the honest answer: there is no single ideal weight, only a reasonable range.
Your inputs
Spread across the four classical formulas
155 lb to 165 lb
The classical formulas were built for drug-dosing tables, not fitness goals. The BMI healthy range below is generally a better reference for setting a target weight.
All methods
Five methods compared. BMI healthy range is highlighted as the recommended reference.
| Method | Ideal weight |
|---|---|
Robinson (1983) Robinson JD et al. (1983), Am J Hosp Pharm 40(6) | 157 lb |
Miller (1983) Miller DR et al. (1983), Am J Hosp Pharm 40(10) | 155 lb |
Devine (1974) Devine BJ (1974), Drug Intell Clin Pharm 8 | 161 lb |
Hamwi (1964) Hamwi GJ (1964), in Diabetes Mellitus, ADA | 165 lb |
BMI healthy rangeBest fit WHO (2000), Technical Report Series 894 | 129 lb to 174 lb |
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Methodology + Sources
- Robinson JD, Lupkiewicz SM, Palenik L et al. (1983). Determination of ideal body weight for drug dosage calculations. Am J Hosp Pharm 40(6).
- Miller DR, Carlson JD, Lloyd BJ et al. (1983). Determining ideal body weight. Am J Hosp Pharm 40(10).
- Devine BJ (1974). Gentamicin therapy. Drug Intell Clin Pharm 8.
- Hamwi GJ (1964). Therapy: changing dietary concepts. In: Diabetes Mellitus. American Diabetes Association.
- WHO (2000). Obesity: Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic. WHO Technical Report Series 894.
Last updated: 2026-05-14
Built by Sai, founder of Zealova. Not a neutral third party. Calculator results are estimates. For medical decisions, consult a qualified professional.
Frequently asked questions
Why do the formulas disagree so much?+
Each formula was derived from a different study population, mostly mid-20th-century clinical patients, and was originally built to estimate drug dosing rather than fitness goals. Robinson and Miller are modern updates of Devine. Hamwi is a quick mental-math shortcut from 1964. They all take only height and sex, so any difference between formulas reflects the source data, not your actual body.
Which formula should I use?+
For a goal weight, the BMI healthy range is the most physiologically grounded because it returns a range and accounts for the fact that two people of the same height can carry different amounts of muscle and bone. The four point formulas are most useful in clinical contexts like medication dosing.
I lift weights. These numbers look too low.+
Correct. None of these formulas account for trained muscle mass. A lifter or athlete at a healthy body fat will often be 5 to 15 kg above the calculated ideal weight. Use body fat percent instead, and treat the BMI range as a soft ceiling not a target.
Does ideal weight change with age?+
Yes. Older adults (65 and up) have lower mortality at slightly higher BMI, roughly BMI 23 to 28. Use the Healthy Weight Range calculator for an age-adjusted range.
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