Healthy Weight Range Calculator
Your healthy weight is not a single number — it is a range, and a wide one. For a person of average height it spans nearly 20 kg, from the bottom of the healthy BMI band to the top. That range is the most honest answer to “what should I weigh?”, because it leaves room for build, muscle, age and frame. The healthy weight range calculator above shows your range from your height, alongside the four classic ideal-weight formulas.
This page explains how the range is calculated, gives the full chart by height, and shows what to do if you sit above, inside or below your range.
How Your Healthy Weight Range Is Calculated
The healthy weight range comes from the body mass index (BMI). A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is the band linked with the lowest health risks in large population studies. Your range is the set of weights that put your BMI inside that band at your height: the low end is 18.5 × height in metres squared, and the high end is 24.9 × height in metres squared. For a person who is 1.75 m tall, that is 18.5 × 3.0625 = 56.7 kg at the bottom and 24.9 × 3.0625 = 76.3 kg at the top.
Healthy Weight Range Chart
The table below shows the healthy range for heights from 150 to 190 cm, with the middle of the range and the four-formula ideal weight alongside so you can compare the two methods.
| Height | Healthy range | Middle | Ideal average (men / women) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 cm | 41.6 – 56.0 kg | 48.8 kg | 49.6 / 46.5 kg |
| 155 cm | 44.4 – 59.8 kg | 52.1 kg | 53.7 / 50.2 kg |
| 160 cm | 47.4 – 63.7 kg | 55.6 kg | 57.8 / 53.9 kg |
| 165 cm | 50.4 – 67.8 kg | 59.1 kg | 61.9 / 57.7 kg |
| 170 cm | 53.5 – 72.0 kg | 62.8 kg | 65.9 / 61.4 kg |
| 175 cm | 56.7 – 76.3 kg | 66.5 kg | 70.0 / 65.1 kg |
| 180 cm | 59.9 – 80.7 kg | 70.3 kg | 74.1 / 68.8 kg |
| 185 cm | 63.3 – 85.2 kg | 74.3 kg | 78.2 / 72.5 kg |
| 190 cm | 66.8 – 89.9 kg | 78.4 kg | 82.3 / 76.3 kg |
Notice that the ideal average sits a little above the middle of the range for men and a little below it for women at most heights. That is expected: the formulas were built on different populations from the BMI bands, and they agree to within a few kilograms, which is close enough for a target zone. The range is the same for men and women at a given height — BMI does not adjust for sex — while the ideal average differs by about 4 kg.
Worked Example: A Man at 175 cm
A man who is 175 cm tall has a healthy range of 56.7 to 76.3 kg and an ideal average of 70.0 kg. If he weighs 70 kg, he is inside the range and near the ideal — a good place to be. If he weighs 85 kg, he is 8.7 kg above the top of the range, with a BMI of 85 ÷ 3.0625 = 27.8, in the overweight band. At a 500-calorie daily deficit he would lose about 0.5 kg a week and reach the top of the range in about 17 weeks. The calorie calculator works out his daily target for that plan.
Worked Example: A Woman at 165 cm
A woman who is 165 cm tall has a healthy range of 50.4 to 67.8 kg and an ideal average of 57.7 kg. If she weighs 60 kg, she is inside the range and close to the ideal. If she weighs 75 kg, she is 7.2 kg above the top, with a BMI of 75 ÷ 2.7225 = 27.5, also overweight. A 500-calorie deficit would bring her into range in about 14 weeks. Check your own numbers with the BMI calculator to see your category.
What If You Are Above Your Range?
Being above the range raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and joint problems, and the risk climbs steadily the further above you go. But the fix does not need to be dramatic: losing just 5% of your body weight improves blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol measurably, even if you stay above the range. For a 90 kg person that is 4.5 kg — about nine weeks at a 500-calorie deficit.
- Start with 5%, not the whole gap. A 90 kg person aims for 85.5 kg first, then reassesses.
- Use a 500-calorie deficit. It loses about 0.5 kg a week and is sustainable for months.
- Keep protein high. 1.6 to 2.0 g per kg a day protects muscle while you lose fat.
- Walk daily. A 30-minute walk burns about 150 calories and needs no gym.
- Weigh weekly. The same day, the same time, the same conditions — and compare four-week trends.
What If You Are Below Your Range?
Being below the range carries its own risks: weak bones, low immunity, fatigue, and for women, disrupted periods and fertility problems. If you are below the range without trying, talk to your doctor first — unintentional weight loss can be a sign of an underlying condition. If you are deliberately light, the healthy move is to gain toward the range with calorie-dense foods and strength training, not with junk food alone. Add nuts, oils, dairy and protein, and train with weights twice a week so the gain is muscle as well as fat.
What If You Are Inside Your Range but Unhappy?
Being inside the range does not always mean being happy with your body, and that is normal — the range is wide, and where you sit inside it matters. A person at the top of the range with high body fat and a person at the bottom with low muscle can both be inside the range and both want to change. The fix is usually composition, not weight: strength training and enough protein shift fat to muscle without moving the scale much. Check your body fat percentage to see what your weight is made of, and let that guide you rather than the scale alone.
When the Range Misleads
The BMI range has known blind spots. It overstates weight for muscular people — a rugby player at 100 kg and 1.80 m has a BMI of 30.9, above the range, but may carry only 14% body fat. It understates risk for older people, who can sit inside the range while carrying too much fat and too little muscle. And it does not apply during pregnancy. In all three cases, body fat percentage is the better guide. Use the range as a starting point, then check your composition before acting on it.
Related tools: your weight category from the BMI calculator, your composition from the body fat calculator, and your daily target from the calorie calculator. The World Health Organization fact sheet on obesity and overweight explains the BMI bands and their limits.
Key Takeaways
Use the ideal weight calculator above with your own numbers, and keep the reference figures below handy while you plan.
| Person | Ideal weight (average) | Healthy BMI range |
|---|---|---|
| Man, 175 cm | 70.0 kg | 56.7 – 76.3 kg |
| Woman, 165 cm | 57.7 kg | 50.4 – 67.8 kg |
| Man, 180 cm | 74.1 kg | 59.9 – 80.7 kg |
| Woman, 170 cm | 61.4 kg | 53.5 – 72.0 kg |
| Formula | Man, 180 cm | Woman, 170 cm |
|---|---|---|
| Devine | 75.0 kg | 61.4 kg |
| Robinson | 72.6 kg | 60.8 kg |
| Miller | 71.5 kg | 62.5 kg |
| Hamwi | 77.3 kg | 60.7 kg |
| Average | 74.1 kg | 61.4 kg |
What to remember
- Ideal weight is a range, not a single number — the healthy BMI range spans nearly 20 kg for most adults.
- The four formulas disagree by 3 to 5 kg, so averaging them gives a better target than any one alone.
- Muscular people belong near the top of their range; lightly built people near the bottom.
- The formulas are less reliable for very short or very tall people.
- Check your body fat percentage as well — it tells you what your weight is made of.
Your checklist
- Enter your height and sex in the calculator above.
- Read the four formula results and their average.
- Note your healthy BMI range alongside the average.
- Add your current weight to see the gap to the average.
- Decide where in the range you belong, using your build and body fat.
Mistakes to avoid
- Treating one formula as the truth — they disagree by design.
- Using feet as a decimal: 5 feet 9 inches is 69 inches, not 5.9 feet.
- Forgetting to subtract 60 — the per-inch amount applies only above five feet.
- Ignoring the BMI range, which is the more honest target.
- Applying the formulas to children, who need growth charts instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a healthy weight range?
The weights that give a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 at your height. For a person at 175 cm that is 56.7 to 76.3 kg; at 165 cm it is 50.4 to 67.8 kg. Anywhere inside the range is linked with the lowest health risks.
How is the healthy weight range calculated?
Multiply your height in metres squared by 18.5 for the low end and by 24.9 for the high end. At 1.75 m: 18.5 × 3.0625 = 56.7 kg, and 24.9 × 3.0625 = 76.3 kg. The calculator above does it for any height.
What is the healthy weight range for 5 ft 9 in?
56.7 to 76.3 kg, the same for men and women, because BMI does not adjust for sex. The four-formula ideal weight at that height is about 70.0 kg for men and 65.1 kg for women.
Is it OK to be at the top of my healthy range?
Yes. Anywhere inside the range is healthy. Muscular people often sit near the top, lightly built people near the bottom. What matters more is your body fat percentage and your health markers — blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.
How do I get into my healthy weight range?
If you are above it, eat 500 calories a day below your maintenance level for about 0.5 kg of loss a week. A 90 kg person reaches the top of the range in about 17 weeks. If you are below it, add calorie-dense foods and strength training.
Does the healthy range change with age?
The BMI bands do not change, but the ideal place inside the range does. Older adults tend to do better in the upper half of the range, because a little extra weight protects against frailty and bone loss. Younger adults do better toward the middle.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for general information only and is not medical advice. BMI ranges are population averages and do not account for build, muscle mass, age or health conditions. Consult a doctor about your weight, especially if you are underweight or have a medical condition.