Healthy Weight Calculator — Free Online Weight Range Tool

How to Use the Healthy Weight Calculator

1. Select your unit system: Choose Metric (kilograms and centimeters) or Imperial (pounds, feet, and inches) using the toggle. Both produce identical results after conversion.
2. Enter your current weight: Input your body weight for comparison. The calculator uses this to determine whether you are currently within the healthy range and how far you are from the midpoint.
3. Enter your height: Input your height measurement. This is the primary variable that determines your healthy weight range, as the calculation derives the weight boundaries from BMI thresholds applied to your height.
4. Review your results: The results show the healthy weight range for your height (based on BMI 18.5-24.9), a visual indicator showing where your weight falls relative to the range, your current BMI, whether you are within the healthy range, the range midpoint, and how your weight compares to that midpoint.

The visual bar makes it easy to see at a glance where your current weight sits relative to the healthy range. The green zone represents the healthy range, and the marker shows your position.

Healthy Weight Formula and Calculation

Variables Explained

• 18.5: The lower boundary of the WHO normal BMI range. Below this value, a person is classified as underweight.
• 24.9: The upper boundary of the WHO normal BMI range. Above this value, a person is classified as overweight.
• Height(m)²: Your height in meters, squared. This factor ensures the weight range scales appropriately with height.
• Midpoint: The average of minimum and maximum, representing the center of the healthy range. Often used as a general target weight.

Step-by-Step Calculation Example

For a person who is 165 cm (5'5") tall, currently weighing 72 kg:

1. Convert height to meters: 165 / 100 = 1.65 m
2. Square the height: 1.65 x 1.65 = 2.7225 m²
3. Minimum healthy weight: 18.5 x 2.7225 = 50.4 kg (111 lbs)
4. Maximum healthy weight: 24.9 x 2.7225 = 67.8 kg (149 lbs)
5. Midpoint: (50.4 + 67.8) / 2 = 59.1 kg (130 lbs)
6. Current BMI: 72 / 2.7225 = 26.4 (Overweight)
7. Weight above range: 72 - 67.8 = 4.2 kg above maximum

Practical Examples

Example 1: Rachel Setting Weight Goals

Rachel is 172 cm tall and weighs 76 kg. She wants to know her healthy weight range to set a realistic goal:

• Healthy range: 54.7 kg - 73.7 kg
• Midpoint: 64.2 kg
• Current BMI: 25.7 (Overweight)
• Weight above range: 2.3 kg

Rachel is only 2.3 kg above the upper end of the healthy range. Her doctor suggests a modest goal of losing 3-5 kg over the next 3 months through small dietary adjustments and increasing daily walking, which would bring her BMI comfortably into the normal range.

Example 2: David Monitoring After Illness

David is 185 cm tall and currently weighs 60 kg after a prolonged illness:

• Healthy range: 63.3 kg - 85.2 kg
• Midpoint: 74.3 kg
• Current BMI: 17.5 (Underweight)
• Weight below range: 3.3 kg

David needs to gain at least 3.3 kg to reach the lower end of the healthy range. His nutritionist creates a gradual plan targeting 0.5 kg per week through calorie-dense meals and recovery nutrition, aiming for 65-70 kg as a comfortable initial target rather than the midpoint.

Example 3: Mei Checking Her Range

Mei is 158 cm tall and weighs 55 kg, wondering if she is within a healthy range:

• Healthy range: 46.2 kg - 62.1 kg
• Midpoint: 54.2 kg
• Current BMI: 22.0 (Normal)
• Position: 0.8 kg above midpoint, comfortably in range

Mei's weight of 55 kg is right near the midpoint of her healthy range, with a BMI of 22.0 that is solidly in the normal category. Her doctor confirms she should continue her current habits for maintaining her healthy weight.

Healthy Weight Range by Height Reference Table

Tips and Complete Guide to Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Sustainable Weight Management Strategies

Research consistently shows that sustainable weight management relies on gradual, consistent changes rather than drastic measures. Effective strategies include eating mindfully with attention to hunger and fullness cues, choosing whole foods over processed alternatives, maintaining regular physical activity that you enjoy, getting adequate sleep (7-9 hours for adults), managing stress through healthy outlets, and building a supportive environment that makes healthy choices easier. Crash diets and extreme exercise programs produce temporary results but almost always lead to weight regain. The most successful approach is one you can maintain for the rest of your life.

Understanding Weight Beyond the Scale

Scale weight tells only part of the story. Two people at the same weight and height can have very different body compositions and health profiles. Someone with more muscle mass and less fat may weigh the same as someone with less muscle and more fat, but their health risks are quite different. Consider supplementing weight monitoring with other measures: waist circumference (abdominal fat is a stronger predictor of health risk than total weight), how your clothing fits, your energy levels and sleep quality, and clinical markers like blood pressure, blood glucose, and cholesterol. These provide a more comprehensive picture of health than any single number.

The 80/20 Approach to Nutrition

Many nutritionists recommend the 80/20 approach: making nutritious food choices 80% of the time while allowing flexibility for less nutritious foods 20% of the time. This approach is psychologically sustainable because it eliminates the all-or-nothing mentality that leads to cycles of restriction and overeating. Practically, this might mean eating balanced, nutrient-dense meals during the week while enjoying occasional treats or restaurant meals on weekends. Our calorie calculator can help you determine appropriate daily caloric intake to support your healthy weight goals.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Setting unrealistic weight goals: Aiming for the absolute lower end of the healthy range when your natural build and lifestyle support a higher weight leads to frustration. Any weight within the healthy range is appropriate.
• Weighing yourself too frequently: Daily fluctuations of 1-3 kg are normal and do not reflect actual changes in body fat. Weekly or biweekly weigh-ins under consistent conditions provide more meaningful data.
• Ignoring the quality of weight changes: Losing 5 kg of muscle is very different from losing 5 kg of fat, even though the scale shows the same result. Combine weight monitoring with measures of body composition when possible.
• Comparing your weight to others: Genetic factors, bone density, muscle mass, and body frame all influence what constitutes a healthy weight for you specifically. Focus on your own healthy range, not someone else's weight.
• Using weight as the sole measure of progress: If you have started exercising, you may gain muscle while losing fat, resulting in minimal scale change despite significant health improvements. Track fitness improvements, energy levels, and how you feel alongside weight.

Frequently Asked Questions