Your Ideal Weight |
The most accurate assessment of your ideal weight takes into account the composition of your body - how much of your weight is lean body mass (muscle and bone) and how much is body fat. For optimum health, body fat should be no more than 20% of total body weight for men and 30% for women.
The following table is a guide to a healthy weight range for each height and sex group. The table does not not take into consideration your age or your frame size. A person with a petite physique ought to aim for an ideal weight at the lower end of the range, where as a person of the same height but with a larger frame could quite satisfactorily weigh in at the top of the range.
| Height | Men | Women | |||
| Feet & Inches |
Metres | Kg | lbs | Kg | lbs |
| 4'7" | 1.40 | ... | ... | 40 - 53 | 88 - 116 |
| 4'9" | 1.45 | ... | ... | 42 - 54 | 92 - 119 |
| 4'10" | 1.50 | ... | ... | 43 - 55 | 94 - 121 |
| 4'11" | 1.52 | ... | ... | 44 - 56 | 97 - 123 |
| 5'0" | 1.54 | ... | ... | 44 - 57 | 97 - 125 |
| 5'1" | 1.56 | ... | ... | 45 - 58 | 99 - 127 |
| 5'2" | 1.58 | 51 - 64 | 112 - 141 | 46 - 59 | 101 - 130 |
| 5'3" | 1.60 | 52 - 65 | 114 - 143 | 48 - 61 | 105 - 134 |
| 5'3½" | 1.62 | 53 - 66 | 116 - 145 | 49 - 62 | 108 - 136 |
| 5'4" | 1.64 | 54 - 67 | 119 - 147 | 50 - 64 | 110 - 141 |
| 5'5" | 1.66 | 55 - 69 | 121 - 152 | 51 - 65 | 112 - 143 |
| 5'6" | 1.68 | 56 - 71 | 123 - 156 | 52 - 66 | 114 - 145 |
| 5'7" | 1.70 | 58 - 73 | 127 - 160 | 53 - 67 | 116 - 147 |
| 5'7½" | 1.72 | 59 - 74 | 130 - 163 | 55 - 69 | 121 - 152 |
| 5'8" | 1.74 | 60 - 75 | 132 - 165 | 56 - 70 | 123 - 154 |
| 5'9" | 1.76 | 62 - 77 | 136 - 169 | 58 - 72 | 127 - 158 |
| 5'10" | 1.78 | 64 - 79 | 141 - 174 | 59 - 74 | 130 - 163 |
| 5'10½" | 1.80 | 65 - 80 | 143 - 176 | ... | ... |
| 5'11" | 1.82 | 66 - 82 | 145 - 180 | ... | ... |
| 6'0" | 1.84 | 67 - 84 | 147 - 185 | ... | ... |
| 6'1" | 1.86 | 69 - 86 | 152 - 189 | ... | ... |
| 6'2" | 1.88 | 71 - 88 | 156 - 194 | ... | ... |
| 6'2½" | 1.90 | 73 - 90 | 160 - 198 | ... | ... |
| 6'3" | 1.92 | 75 - 93 | 165 - 205 | ... | ... |
An alternative way of gauging your weight is to calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI). To determine your BMI divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. The normal acceptable range of this measurement is 20.1 to 25.0 for men and 18.7 to 23.8 for women. The only exceptions are athletes and body builders, whose extra muscle may tip their BMI over the normal range.