What's Your Ideal Weight? Why the Answer Is More Complicated Than You Think

Why there is no single magic number

If you have ever typed “what is my ideal weight” into a search engine, you are not alone. It is one of the most common health-related questions people ask, and the answer they usually get is a single number pulled from a generic chart. But here is the truth that took me years of coaching — and my own complicated relationship with food growing up in the Philippines — to fully understand: there is no single magic number that defines your health.

As a diet and lifestyle coach, I work with people every day who feel defeated by a number on the scale. They compare themselves to charts, to friends, to the version of themselves from ten years ago. What I try to help them see is that “ideal weight” is not a destination. It is a range, influenced by your height, your frame, your muscle mass, your genetics, and so much more.

Starting with the basics: ideal weight formulas

Several well-known medical formulas attempt to estimate an ideal body weight based on your height and sex. The Devine formula, the Robinson formula, the Miller formula — each was developed in a specific clinical context, often for calculating drug dosages rather than setting personal health goals. They give you a ballpark, and that ballpark can be genuinely useful as a reference point. But it is just that: a reference.

Try entering your details into the Ideal Weight Calculator to see what these formulas suggest:

You will notice the calculator shows a range rather than one absolute number. That is intentional. Bodies are wonderfully diverse. Two people of the same height can have very different builds, carry muscle differently, and be equally healthy at different weights. If the number surprises you — whether it feels too high or too low — take a breath. This is just one lens.

Understanding BMI: useful but limited

Body Mass Index is probably the most widely referenced weight metric in healthcare. It divides your weight by the square of your height to produce a single number, and that number is slotted into categories like “underweight,” “normal,” “overweight,” and “obese.” Doctors use it because it is fast and easy to calculate across large populations.

But BMI has real limitations. It does not distinguish between muscle and fat. It does not account for bone density, age, sex differences in body composition, or ethnic variation. Research has shown, for instance, that BMI thresholds developed primarily from European populations may not apply equally well to people of Asian, Pacific Islander, or African descent. Growing up in a Filipino household, I saw firsthand how body shapes varied enormously among relatives who were all perfectly healthy.

That said, BMI still offers a useful starting point. If your BMI is significantly outside the typical range, it can be a prompt to have a deeper conversation with your doctor — not a reason to panic, but a reason to be curious.

Use the BMI Calculator to check where you fall:

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Your body type matters more than you might think

One thing I wish more people talked about is body type — or somatotype, if you want the technical term. The concept groups body builds into three broad categories: ectomorph (naturally lean, longer limbs), mesomorph (muscular, medium frame), and endomorph (wider frame, stores fat more easily). Most of us are actually a blend of two types.

Understanding your body type is not about labelling yourself or deciding what you “should” look like. It is about context. If you have a naturally broader frame and denser bones, your ideal weight is going to be higher than someone with a narrow, willowy build — and that is completely fine. Trying to force your body into a frame it was never built for is not health. It is something I would never wish on any of my clients.

The Body Type Calculator can help you get a sense of your natural build based on your measurements:

Putting it all together: a gentler framework

So if no single number can define your ideal weight, how should you think about it? Here is the framework I use with my clients:

• Look at the range, not the point. All three calculators above give you ranges or categories. Your healthy weight exists somewhere within that range, and it can shift over time with age, activity level, and life changes like pregnancy or menopause.
• Pay attention to how you feel. Do you have energy throughout the day? Can you move comfortably? Are you sleeping well? These functional markers often tell you more about your health than any scale ever could.
• Consider your full picture. Blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, mental health, stress levels, sleep quality — these are the things that actually predict long-term health outcomes. Weight is one data point among many.
• Be sceptical of transformation culture. Social media is full of before-and-after photos and rigid meal plans. But sustainable health is not built on restriction and shame. It is built on consistent, gentle habits — eating enough vegetables, moving your body in ways you enjoy, drinking water, getting rest, and being kind to yourself on the days you eat an extra serving of your lola’s pancit.

A note on cultural context

In many cultures, including the one I grew up in, food is love. It is community. It is celebration. I never want anyone to feel like pursuing health means rejecting the foods and traditions that connect them to their family and heritage. The goal is balance, not perfection. You can honour your culture and nourish your body at the same time.

Health disclaimer

The calculators and information in this article are for educational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, exercise routine, or health plan. Individual health needs vary, and what is appropriate for one person may not be appropriate for another.

Your ideal weight is not a single number on a chart. It is the weight at which you feel strong, energised, and able to live the life you want. Use these tools as a starting point — and then keep going, with curiosity and compassion, from there.

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