Ideal weight calculator.
See a reference weight for your height across all four classic formulas - Devine, Robinson, Miller, and Hamwi - plus the healthy BMI range, in both kilograms and pounds. Enter your sex and height, and this ideal weight calculator returns a band to read against, not one rigid target.
Typical ideal-weight range
158-171 lb
about 71.7-77.7 kg · across the four formulas
Devine
1974, drug-dosing reference
166 lb
Robinson
1983 revision of Devine
161 lb
Miller
1983, usually the lowest
158 lb
Hamwi
1964, usually the highest
171 lb
Healthy BMI range
BMI 18.5-24.9, modern reference
133-179 lb
Height-and-sex estimates only. Read these as a rough band, not a target - pair them with a body-composition goal and the healthy BMI range.
the short answer
Ideal weight is estimated from sex and height using inches over 5 feet (x). Devine: men 50 + 2.3x kg, women 45.5 + 2.3x. Robinson: men 52 + 1.9x, women 49 + 1.7x. Miller: men 56.2 + 1.41x, women 53.1 + 1.36x. Hamwi: men 48 + 2.7x, women 45.5 + 2.2x. The healthy BMI range (18.5-24.9) gives a wider, more modern band. These come from drug-dosing research, so treat them as a rough range, not a goal.
What ideal weight is and how it is calculated.
"Ideal body weight" is a reference figure for your height and sex, originally built so clinicians could estimate drug doses - not to describe how you should look. Each classic formula starts from a base weight at 5 feet tall, then adds a fixed amount for every inch above that. Because the formulas were fitted to different data in different decades, they disagree, which is exactly why this calculator shows all four side by side as a band.
Every formula uses x = inches over 5 feet (so a 5 ft 11 in person has x = 11). The math runs in kilograms, and this tool converts to pounds when you choose imperial:
Robinson: men 52 + 1.9x · women 49 + 1.7x
Miller: men 56.2 + 1.41x · women 53.1 + 1.36x
Hamwi: men 48 + 2.7x · women 45.5 + 2.2x
The modern alternative is the healthy BMI weight range. Instead of one number, it gives the span of weights that fall in a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 at your height, which is wider and more forgiving than any single formula:
None of these account for muscle, frame size, or body fat - a lean, muscular client can read "above ideal" while being very healthy. Use the spread across the four formulas and the BMI range as a sanity check, then set the real goal with a body fat reading and a BMI check.
How coaches use ideal weight.
Because these formulas use only height and sex - and date back to drug-dosing research - a good coach treats ideal weight as a rough band, not a target. The number is most useful as a sanity check on a client's goal: if someone wants to drop well below the whole range, that is a cue to talk it through. From there the real goal is a body-composition target and a healthy BMI range, since what a client looks and performs like matters more than one height-based figure.
The friction is doing this per client and keeping the conversation honest about muscle and frame. A coaching platform stores each client's height and check-ins, so you can frame a realistic range together and track actual change - weight, body fat, and measurements - instead of re-running a height formula one client at a time.
Set realistic goals with every client - in one place.
Coachway lets you log each client's height, weight, body fat, and measurements, then track real change over time - alongside their meal plan and training, all in a branded client app. It is the operating system for online fitness and nutrition coaches, so you stop stitching together calculators, spreadsheets, and chat for your whole client list.
See how Coachway worksIdeal weight calculator FAQ.
What is an ideal weight calculator?
An ideal weight calculator estimates a reference body weight from your sex and height using classic clinical formulas - Devine, Robinson, Miller, and Hamwi. Each one starts from a base weight at 5 feet tall and adds a set amount per inch above that. This page shows all four, plus the healthy BMI weight range, so you get a band rather than one rigid number.
How is ideal body weight calculated?
Each formula uses inches over 5 feet (x). Devine: men 50 + 2.3x kg, women 45.5 + 2.3x. Robinson: men 52 + 1.9x, women 49 + 1.7x. Miller: men 56.2 + 1.41x, women 53.1 + 1.36x. Hamwi: men 48 + 2.7x, women 45.5 + 2.2x. The BMI method instead gives the weight range for a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 at your height.
Which ideal weight formula is most accurate?
None is "most accurate" - they were built for estimating drug doses, not body composition, and they only use height and sex. They land in a similar band, with Hamwi usually highest and Miller usually lowest. Rather than pick one, read the spread across all four as a rough range, and lean on the healthy BMI range as the modern, more flexible reference.
Is ideal weight a good target for clients?
Not on its own. These formulas ignore muscle, frame size, and body fat, so a lean, muscular client can sit "over" their ideal weight while being very healthy. Coaches use the band as a sanity check, then set the real goal with a body-composition target and a healthy BMI range - what someone looks and performs like matters more than one height-based number.
Why do the ideal weight formulas disagree?
Each formula was fitted to different reference data and decades apart - Devine is from 1974, Hamwi from 1964, Robinson from 1983, Miller from 1983. They use different base weights and different per-inch increments, so they naturally spread out, especially at the tall and short ends. That spread is exactly why this tool shows a range instead of one figure.
What is the difference between ideal weight and a healthy BMI range?
Ideal weight formulas give a single number per height from older clinical equations. A healthy BMI range gives a span of weights for a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9, which is wider and more forgiving. The BMI range is the more modern, widely used reference. Both still ignore muscle and body fat, so pair either one with a body-composition goal.
This calculator is general information, not medical advice. Ideal-weight formulas estimate a height-based reference and cannot judge your health, muscle, or body fat - if you have a medical condition or are making decisions about medication dosing, consult a qualified professional.
Keep going: check your BMI and category, get a body fat reading for a more personal picture, then set energy targets with the TDEE calculator.
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Open calculator ->See what Coachway can do for your coaching business
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