"What should I weigh for my height?" is one of the most-asked health questions — and the honest answer is a range, not a single number. This ideal weight calculator shows estimates from four classic formulas (Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi), their average, and the healthy-BMI weight range for your height.
Where these formulas come from
Ideal body weight formulas were originally created for clinical use — the Devine formula (1974) was devised to dose medication by lean weight — and were later adopted as general-purpose references. Robinson (1983) and Miller (1983) revised the coefficients using newer data, and Hamwi (1964) predates them all. Each takes your height and sex and returns a reference weight.
Why the four formulas disagree
Each formula was fitted to different populations and assumptions, so they typically spread across a few kilograms. That spread is useful information: it shows "ideal" is a zone, not a target. We show all four plus their average, alongside the range corresponding to a healthy BMI of 18.5–24.9 — arguably the most evidence-based definition of a healthy weight band.
Worked example
For a 5'10" (178 cm) man: Devine gives 50 + 2.3×10 = 73 kg (161 lb); Robinson 72.6 kg; Miller 71.5 kg; Hamwi 75.5 kg. The healthy-BMI band for that height runs from about 59 to 79 kg — a much wider, more forgiving range.
What actually matters
Frame size, muscle mass and body composition shift what is healthy for you — a muscular athlete can healthily exceed every formula. Use these numbers as a reference point, then look at body composition with the body fat calculator, check your BMI, and plan calories with the TDEE calculator.
For general information only — not medical advice.