Ideal Weight Calculator
A healthy target weight for your height (Devine formula).
Input sheet
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An ideal-weight estimate gives you a reasonable target for your height, useful as a reference when setting goals or dosing certain medications. This tool uses the Devine formula, a clinical standard since the 1970s.
How it works
Devine formula: a base weight at 5 ft plus 2.3 kg per inch above 60 inches.
The Devine formula sets a base weight at 5 feet tall — 50 kg for men, 45.5 kg for women — and adds 2.3 kg for every inch above that. The result is converted to pounds for the headline.
It's a single-point reference, not a range, and it ignores body composition entirely. A muscular person may sit healthily above their 'ideal' weight, so treat the number as an anchor rather than a finish line.
Men: ideal weight (kg) = 50 + 2.3 × (height in inches − 60). Women: 45.5 + 2.3 × (height in inches − 60). Then convert to pounds.
Worked examples
A man 5'10" (70 in) tall. → About 161 lb (73 kg).
50 + 2.3 × (70 − 60) = 50 + 23 = 73 kg → 73 × 2.205 ≈ 161 lb.
A woman 5'6" (66 in) tall. → About 131 lb (59.3 kg).
45.5 + 2.3 × (66 − 60) = 45.5 + 13.8 = 59.3 kg → about 131 lb.
Tips & gotchas
- Use ideal weight as a ballpark, then refine with a body-fat estimate, which tells you whether you actually need to lose fat or build muscle.
- Don't chase the exact number if you lift — muscle weighs more than fat for the same size, so a healthy lifter often sits above it.
- For shorter people the formula can read low; cross-check against a healthy BMI range for your height.
- If a clinician uses this for drug dosing, that's its real strength — for personal goals, a target range beats a single figure.
FAQ
Is there one true 'ideal' weight?
No. Different formulas (Devine, Robinson, Hamwi) give slightly different numbers, and none accounts for muscle. A healthy weight is a range, and body composition matters more than the exact figure.
Why does the formula only use height?
Devine was designed as a quick clinical reference and drug-dosing tool, so it deliberately keeps to height for simplicity. That's also its limitation — it can't see your build.
Should I aim for this exact weight?
Treat it as the center of a sensible range, not a hard target. If you're muscular or lean, your healthy weight may sit somewhat above or below it.
Related calculators
Calorie Deficit Calculator · Lean Body Mass Calculator · BMI Calculator · BMR / Calorie Calculator · Body Fat Calculator