What is a healthy weight for my height?
Original EKCal illustration.
"What should I weigh?" is one of the most commonly searched health questions — and one of the most misunderstood. The answer isn't a single number; it's a range, and it depends on your height, age, sex, and body composition.
Calculate a healthy-weight range
See the full BMI-based range instead of one rigid ideal number.
Open the free calculator →The most common method: BMI
A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is widely used as the "healthy" range. This translates to a weight range for your specific height.
| Height | Healthy weight range |
|---|---|
| 155 cm / 5'1" | 44–60 kg |
| 160 cm / 5'3" | 47–64 kg |
| 165 cm / 5'5" | 50–68 kg |
| 170 cm / 5'7" | 54–72 kg |
| 175 cm / 5'9" | 57–76 kg |
| 180 cm / 5'11" | 60–81 kg |
| 185 cm / 6'1" | 63–85 kg |
Get your exact BMI and healthy weight range for your specific height and weight.
Use the free BMI Calculator →Where BMI gets it wrong
Muscle vs fat: Muscle is denser than fat. A muscular person can have a "overweight" BMI while being very lean and healthy.
Fat distribution: Where you carry fat matters as much as how much. Visceral fat around your organs is far more harmful than subcutaneous fat. Waist circumference is a useful add-on: target under 80 cm for women and 94 cm for men.
Ethnicity: South Asian, East Asian, and Middle Eastern populations face higher health risks at lower BMI values. If you're South Asian, consider the lower thresholds — overweight at BMI 23, obese at BMI 27.5.
A more complete picture of healthy weight
- BMI — useful screen, treat as a guide not a verdict
- Waist circumference — flags abdominal fat risk independently of BMI
- Energy and fitness — how you feel, your stamina, functional strength
- Blood markers — blood pressure, fasting glucose, and cholesterol are more direct health indicators than weight alone
Key takeaways
- A healthy weight for your height is generally one that produces a BMI of 18.5–24.9.
- BMI can't account for muscle mass — athletes often appear overweight.
- Waist circumference: aim for under 80 cm (women) or 94 cm (men).
- For South Asian populations, lower BMI thresholds are more appropriate.
- Even losing 5–10% of body weight produces measurable health improvements.
Use a range, not one magic number
Two people of the same height can be healthy at different weights because of frame, muscle, age and fat distribution. A target range gives room for normal fluctuation and avoids turning a formula into a diagnosis.
Health markers, strength, energy, menstrual function, mobility and waist measurement may be more useful than chasing the lowest weight in a chart.
Special situations
Adult height–weight tools are not appropriate for children, pregnancy or some older adults. Unintentional weight loss also needs medical assessment rather than a calculator target.
A simple way to put this into practice
- Choose one measurable behavior for the next seven days.
- Keep the rest of your routine reasonably stable.
- Review weekly averages rather than one-day results.
- Adjust only after you have enough information.
Sources and evidence base
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases — Weight Management
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Healthy Weight and Growth
- Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
- USDA FoodData Central
References support general principles; they do not make EKCal a substitute for clinical care. See our Editorial Policy and Sources & Methodology.