Ideal Weight

Knowing your ideal weight is critical to any weight management program. This knowledge allows you to set a goal. By knowing the goal of your efforts you are able to arrive at the solution. Find your weight loss solution?

Ideal weight chart information is approved and/or reviewed by U-M Health System providers but it is not a tool for self-diagnosis or a substitute for medical treatment. You should speak to your physician if you have questions or concerns about this information or your medical condition.

Ideal Weight Chart for Women

Height in Shoes	Small Frame	Medium Frame	Large Frame
6'	138 to 151 lb	148 to 162 lb	158 to 179 lb
5'11"	135 to 148 lb	145 to 159 lb	155 to 176 lb
5'10"	132 to 145 lb	142 to 156 lb	152 to 173 lb
5'9"	129 to 142 lb	139 to 153 lb	149 to 170 lb
5'8"	126 to 139 lb	136 to 150 lb	146 to 167 lb
5'7"	123 to 136 lb	133 to 147 lb	143 to 163 lb
5'6"	120 to 133 lb	130 to 144 lb	140 to 159 lb
5'5"	117 to 130 lb	127 to 141 lb	137 to 155 lb
5'4"	114 to 127 lb	124 to 138 lb	134 to 151 lb
5'3"	111 to 124 lb	121 to 135 lb	131 to 147 lb
5'2"	108 to 121 lb	118 to 132 lb	128 to 143 lb
5'1"	106 to 118 lb	115 to 129 lb	125 to 140 lb
5'	104 to 115 lb	113 to 126 lb	122 to 137 lb
4'11"	103 to 113 lb	111 to 123 lb	120 to 134 lb
4'10"	102 to 111 lb	109 to 121 lb	118 to 131 lb

From height and weight tables of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 1983. The ideal weight given in these tables are for ages 25 to 59. The ideal weight assumes you are wearing shoes with 1-inch heels and indoor clothing weighing 3 pounds.

Ideal Weight Chart for Men

Height in Shoes	Small Frame	Medium Frame	Large Frame
6'4"	162 to 176 lb	171 to 187 lb	181 to 207 lb
6'3"	158 to 172 lb	167 to 182 lb	176 to 202 lb
6'2"	155 to 168 lb	164 to 178 lb	172 to 197 lb
6'1"	152 to 164 lb	160 to 174 lb	168 to 192 lb
6'	149 to 160 lb	157 to 170 lb	164 to 188 lb
5'11"	146 to 157 lb	154 to 166 lb	161 to 184 lb
5'10"	144 to 154 lb	151 to 163 lb	158 to 180 lb
5'9"	142 to 151 lb	148 to 160 lb	155 to 176 lb
5'8"	140 to 148 lb	145 to 157 lb	152 to 172 lb
5'7"	138 to 145 lb	142 to 154 lb	149 to 168 lb
5'6"	136 to 142 lb	139 to 151 lb	146 to 164 lb
5'5"	134 to 140 lb	137 to 148 lb	144 to 160 lb
5'4"	132 to 138 lb	135 to 145 lb	142 to 156 lb
5'3"	130 to 136 lb	133 to 143 lb	140 to 153 lb
5'2"	128 to 134 lb	131 to 141 lb	138 to 150 lb

Your frame size or body build is determined by the thickness of the bones in your elbows, knees, ankles, and wrists. The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company offers this method of determining your body frame size:

Extend your arm and bend your forearm upward at a 90 degree angle. With your fingers straight, turn the inside of your wrist toward your body.
Place your thumb and index finger of the other hand on the two prominent bones of the elbow.
Measure the space between the fingers against a ruler or a tape measure. Compare your measurement with the figures in the table below.
Elbow measurements less than those given indicate a small frame; greater measurements indicate a large frame.

Elbow Size for Women

Height in 1" Heels	Elbow Breadth for Medium Frame
4'10" to 5'3"	2 1/4" to 2 1/2"
5'4" to 6'0"	2 3/8" to 2 5/8"

Elbow Size for Men

Height in 1" Heels	Elbow Breadth for Medium Frame
5'2" to 5'7"	2 1/2" to 2 7/8"
5'8" to 6'3"	2 3/4" to 3 1/8"
6'4"	2 7/8" to 3 1/4"

It is important to consider body composition. If you are muscular and athletic, you may weigh more than a sedentary person of the same height and frame size, yet you may be trim, while your sedentary counterpart may be overweight. If your weight comes from muscle, you may fall technically into the overweight category yet not be fat.

However, in general, as you approach 20% or more above your desirable weight, your excess weight usually comes from fat. Body fat percentage can be determined by several methods, such as skinfold thickness, underwater weighing, total body water (hydrometry), and whole body potassium.

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