Weight & Metabolism
BMI and Body Composition: Why the Scale Lies
Where BMI came from, when it works and when it fails, why waist-to-height ratio beats it, and how to read your body composition without expensive equipment.
14 min read
🎯 Weight & Metabolism
Ideal Weight by Height: Calculator for Men and Women
Find your healthy weight by height and sex. Not a single 'ideal' number, but the BMI range plus the classic Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi formulas.
Updated: August 31, 2026 · 🔒 Your data never leaves your browser
There is no single 'ideal weight' — a range is healthy, not one number. Enter your height and sex: the calculator shows your healthy weight range from BMI (18.5–24.9) and, for comparison, four classic clinical formulas.
Sex
Healthy weight range
56.7–76.3 kg
This is the BMI-based range (18.5–24.9). There is no single 'ideal' number: a range is healthy, not one figure. People with high muscle mass can sit above the upper bound without harm.
Classic 'ideal weight' formulas
Devine 197470.5 kg
Robinson 198368.9 kg
Miller 198368.7 kg
Hamwi 196472.0 kg
Average of the formulas70.0 kg
The Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi formulas were created in the 1960s–80s, mainly for drug dosing. They give a single point, depend only on height and sex, and ignore build and muscle. We show them transparently — as a historical reference, not a target.
Weight is only one, fairly crude, health marker. Waist circumference, muscle mass, blood pressure and lab results say more than the number on the scale. Below 152 cm the classic formulas are imprecise. This is not medical advice.
What "ideal weight" is and why it's a range
The query "ideal weight by height" assumes there is one correct number. There isn't. At the same height, a body can weigh differently depending on the share of muscle, bone density and build — and all of it can be healthy. That is why evidence-based medicine talks not about an "ideal" but about a healthy weight range.
The simplest and most widely accepted reference is body mass index (BMI). A BMI range of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered healthy for most adults. Multiply these bounds by the square of your height in metres and you get the healthy weight range for your specific height. The calculator above does this automatically.
The classic formulas: where "one number" came from
The Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi formulas that still surface in online calculators were created in the 1960s–80s and not to tell a person how much they should weigh. Their main purpose was clinical — to calculate a drug dose from lean body weight so that medication was dosed by lean mass rather than fat.
That gives them built-in limits:
We show them not because they deserve blind trust, but because you will meet them online anyway — and it's better to see them next to the healthy range with an honest caveat.
Sex
Healthy weight range
56.7–76.3 kg
This is the BMI-based range (18.5–24.9). There is no single 'ideal' number: a range is healthy, not one figure. People with high muscle mass can sit above the upper bound without harm.
Classic 'ideal weight' formulas
Devine 197470.5 kg
Robinson 198368.9 kg
Miller 198368.7 kg
Hamwi 196472.0 kg
Average of the formulas70.0 kg
The Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi formulas were created in the 1960s–80s, mainly for drug dosing. They give a single point, depend only on height and sex, and ignore build and muscle. We show them transparently — as a historical reference, not a target.
Weight is only one, fairly crude, health marker. Waist circumference, muscle mass, blood pressure and lab results say more than the number on the scale. Below 152 cm the classic formulas are imprecise. This is not medical advice.
What matters more than the number on the scale
Weight is a crude marker. Two people of the same height and weight can be in completely different shape. More informative health markers:
| Marker | What it reflects | Healthy reference |
|---|---|---|
| Waist circumference | Visceral fat around organs | < 94 cm (men), < 80 cm (women) |
| Muscle mass share | Metabolism, strength, glucose handling | Rises with strength training |
| Blood pressure | Load on vessels and heart | around 120/80 mmHg |
| Blood tests | Glucose, cholesterol, inflammation | Within reference range |
If the goal is to change your weight, the calculator's range sets a sensible target — after that it's not the number itself that matters, but body composition and habits.
Читайте также: BMI and body composition: what it shows and what it misses
Читайте также: Calorie deficit: how to calculate it without harm
Читайте также: Visceral fat: why it's dangerous and how to measure it
FAQ
How do I calculate my ideal weight by height?+
The most evidence-based approach is not to look for one number, but to take the healthy range from body mass index: weight from 18.5 to 24.9 × (height in metres)². For example, at 175 cm that is roughly 57–76 kg. The classic formulas (Devine, Robinson and others) give a single point inside this range and were created mainly for drug dosing.
Is ideal weight different for men and women?+
Yes. At the same height, the reference is usually higher for men because of greater muscle mass and a different body structure. The classic formulas use different coefficients for men and women. The BMI range is formally the same, but for men the healthy point tends to sit in its upper part.
Why does the calculator show a range instead of one number?+
Because there is no single correct figure. Weight depends on the share of muscle, bone and build. An athlete and an untrained person of the same height can differ by 10–15 kg and both be healthy. A range is more honest than one point and does not push you toward an unrealistic target.
How accurate are the Devine and Hamwi formulas?+
They are a reference, not a precise norm. The formulas were created in the 1960s–80s, mainly to dose drugs by lean body mass. They use only height and sex and ignore muscle, so they underestimate the 'ideal' for athletes and can overestimate it for people with low muscle mass. For assessing health, the BMI range together with waist circumference is more reliable.
References
Related reading
Weight & Metabolism
Calorie Deficit: How to Calculate It and Stick to It
How to work out your maintenance calories, what size of deficit is safe, why tracked deficits often fail to move the scale, and the habits that hold.
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Visceral Fat: Why It Is Dangerous and What Actually Removes It
How visceral fat differs from subcutaneous fat, why it carries more risk, how to assess it without an MRI, and which changes to diet and training genuinely shrink your waist.
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