Ideal Weight Calculator
Estimate your ideal body weight from height and sex using four classic formulas (Devine, Robinson, Miller, Hamwi) plus the healthy BMI range.
Enter a height between 130 and 250 cm.
How it works
There is no single "ideal weight" — different formulas, developed in different decades for clinical purposes, give slightly different answers. This calculator shows four of the most cited ones side by side (Devine 1974, Robinson 1983, Miller 1983 and Hamwi 1964), all based on height and sex, plus the weight interval that corresponds to a healthy BMI (18.5–24.9) for your height.
Seeing them together is the point: the spread between the formulas is a honest reminder that these are population estimates, not personal targets. The BMI range is usually the most useful single reference because it gives an interval rather than one number.
When to use
As a general orientation when setting weight goals, planning a diet with a professional, or simply out of curiosity about where standard references place your height. The Devine formula in particular is still used clinically for medication dosing, which is where most of these equations came from.
It is not a diagnostic tool: body composition (muscle vs. fat), age, and frame size change what a healthy weight looks like for an individual. Athletes routinely exceed these numbers while being in excellent health.
Practical examples
Male, 180 cm
Devine gives 75.0 kg; the four formulas cluster between 71 and 77 kg, and the healthy BMI range is 59.9–80.7 kg. Any weight in that interval corresponds to a "normal" BMI.
Female, 165 cm
Devine gives 56.9 kg, with the healthy BMI range at 50.4–67.8 kg — a 17 kg wide interval, which shows how much room "healthy" actually covers.
Common mistakes
The biggest mistake is treating one formula's output as a hard target. A difference of a few kilograms from the Devine number means nothing by itself — the formulas disagree with each other by that much. Focus on the BMI interval and, better yet, on how you feel, perform, and what a health professional says.
Another one: these formulas were built around adult heights over ~152 cm (5 feet) and don't apply to children, adolescents, or very short adults. The calculator deliberately refuses heights outside 130–250 cm.
Frequently asked questions
Which formula should I trust?
None individually — they are estimates that disagree by a few kilograms by design. The healthy BMI interval is the most defensible single reference, and a professional assessment beats all of them.
Why do the formulas need my sex?
They were derived from population data where average body composition differs by sex; each formula uses a different base weight and per-inch increment for men and women.
Does the calculator work for athletes?
Poorly. Muscle is denser than fat, so muscular people often exceed both the formulas and the BMI range while being metabolically healthy. Body-composition measurements are more meaningful in that case.
Is this medical advice?
No. These are standard population formulas provided for reference. Decisions about weight should involve a doctor or registered dietitian who can assess your individual situation.