Find your healthy weight range based on CDC BMI guidelines (18.5–24.9) — see the floor and ceiling in pounds for your height and check where your current weight falls.
This healthy weight calculator is designed for adults 20 and older who want to know, in simple pounds or kilograms, the weight range that corresponds to a healthy BMI at their height. Enter your height (in feet/inches or centimeters) and optionally your current weight, and the calculator returns the lower bound (BMI 18.5) and upper bound (BMI 24.9) of the healthy weight range for your height, along with how far your current weight sits above or below that range. The CDC and NIH/NHLBI both use BMI 18.5–24.9 as the healthy range for adults. This tool is deliberately different from the Ideal Weight Calculator — that tool gives a single clinical point estimate from pharmaceutical formulas; this one gives you the full 18.5–24.9 pound window, which is a more realistic and inclusive target for most people. Both tools are useful; they answer different questions.
Enter your height and current weight (if you want to see where you stand relative to the range), choose your units, and calculate. The result shows the healthy weight floor (the weight corresponding to BMI 18.5 at your height) and the healthy weight ceiling (BMI 24.9). If your current weight falls between those two numbers, you're in the healthy range. If it's below the floor, you're in the underweight zone; if it's above the ceiling, you're in the overweight or obese range. The gap between your current weight and the ceiling (if you're above it) gives you a specific pound target for the minimum required to enter the healthy range — often a more motivating number than an abstract BMI.
The healthy weight range is derived by solving the BMI formula for weight at both the lower and upper BMI boundaries:
Healthy Weight Floor
18.5 × height (in)² ÷ 703
Healthy Weight Ceiling
24.9 × height (in)² ÷ 703
Example — 5'5" (65 inches) person:
Floor: 18.5 × 65² ÷ 703 = 18.5 × 4,225 ÷ 703 = 111 lb
Ceiling: 24.9 × 4,225 ÷ 703 = 150 lb
The CDC healthy BMI range of 18.5–24.9 applies to all adults 20 and older, regardless of age or sex (with important exceptions detailed below).
Being in the 18.5–24.9 BMI band doesn't guarantee health, and being outside it doesn't guarantee disease — but the epidemiological associations are real and consistent. The NIH has documented that BMIs within the healthy range correspond to lower population-level risks for type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, and several cancers compared to the overweight and obese ranges. At the other extreme, weights below the healthy floor (underweight) are associated with bone density loss, immune impairment, and nutritional deficiencies. The range itself — roughly 35–40 lb wide for most adults — reflects genuine biological tolerance: a 5'6" person at 133 lb and the same person at 165 lb are both in the healthy range, even though their bodies look and perform differently. The range is a risk band, not a prescriptive target.
Three outcomes are possible when you compare your current weight to the healthy range:
Your weight is epidemiologically healthy for your height — focus on maintaining it through consistent activity and nutrition rather than pursuing further loss.
You're in the overweight or obese category; the gap between your current weight and the ceiling is the minimum weight loss to enter the healthy range. For most people 10–20 lb above their ceiling, a 1 lb/week deficit means getting there in 3–5 months.
You're in the underweight range, which carries its own set of health risks; weight gain may be warranted and discussing it with a provider is appropriate.
The BMI formula and the 18.5–24.9 cutoffs are identical for both men and women — sex isn't an input. That means a 5'6" man and a 5'6" woman have the same 118–154 lb healthy range. However, body composition within that range differs substantially: women typically carry 8–12 percentage points more body fat than men at the same BMI. A woman at BMI 22 might carry 28% body fat; a man at BMI 22 might carry 18% body fat — both healthy by BMI standards, but with different compositions. This is why BMI (and by extension, healthy weight ranges) are population screening tools rather than individual diagnostic instruments. If you want to know your body fat alongside your weight range, the Body Fat Calculator provides that dimension.
The standard 18.5–24.9 range was derived from studies predominantly of middle-aged adults and may not translate perfectly across the lifespan. For children and teenagers (under 20), BMI percentiles rather than fixed cutoffs apply — the CDC's BMI-for-age percentile charts are the appropriate tool. For adults over 65, emerging evidence and some clinical guidelines suggest that a BMI of 23–27 may be more protective than the standard lower bound of 18.5: slightly higher weight in older adults helps buffer against rapid weight loss during illness, supports muscle mass preservation, and reduces fracture risk from falls. The standard healthy weight range shown by this calculator remains the CDC/NIH reference for adults generally, but seniors should discuss their specific weight goals with a healthcare provider.
Reaching the healthy weight range is a calorie math problem; staying there long-term is a behavior and lifestyle problem. The research on weight maintenance after loss is sobering — the majority of people who lose significant weight regain it within 5 years — which is why successful maintainers typically share a few consistent habits: they weigh themselves regularly (weekly or more) as an early warning system, they maintain consistent eating patterns without dramatic swings, and they keep physical activity elevated. The CDC's clinical weight-loss guidance recommends 1–2 lb per week as a safe rate, achieved through a 500–1,000 calorie daily deficit. Getting to the healthy range is step one; having a specific maintenance strategy before you get there is step two.
Height is the only variable in the healthy weight range formula — it determines both the floor and ceiling of your target window. Because height is squared in the BMI formula, taller people have much wider absolute healthy ranges: a 5'0" person has a range of 97–128 lb (31 lb wide), while a 6'2" person has a range of 145–195 lb (50 lb wide). Current weight is the comparison input that shows where you stand relative to the range. Age and sex don't change the standard range but do affect how you should interpret it — seniors and muscular individuals need additional context. Body composition (the ratio of fat to lean mass) sits behind the range but isn't captured by it, which is why people at the same weight within the healthy range can have meaningfully different metabolic risk profiles.
Destiny is a 44-year-old in Dallas, 5'4" (64 inches), 172 lb. Healthy range floor: 18.5 × 64² ÷ 703 = 108 lb; ceiling: 24.9 × 4,096 ÷ 703 = 145 lb. She's 27 lb above the healthy ceiling. At 1 lb/week loss, she's roughly 6–7 months from the healthy range — a meaningful but achievable target, especially starting from a nutrition review and consistent walking.
Calvin is a 29-year-old in Nashville, 5'11" (71 inches), 192 lb. Healthy range: floor = 18.5 × 71² ÷ 703 = 133 lb; ceiling = 24.9 × 5,041 ÷ 703 = 179 lb. He's 13 lb above the ceiling, putting him at the low end of overweight (BMI 26.8). At this margin, the more useful action is checking waist circumference (over 40 inches for men signals elevated risk even in the borderline range) and confirming that the extra weight is fat rather than muscle, which his training history should clarify.
Focus on the ceiling of the healthy range as your initial weight-loss target if you're above it — you don't need to reach the midpoint or the floor unless a provider specifically advises it.
Monitor progress weekly rather than daily — weight fluctuates 2–5 lb from day to day based on water, food, and hormones; weekly weigh-ins smooth out the noise.
If you're within the healthy range but want to improve body composition, focus on building lean mass rather than losing more weight — muscle gain at stable weight shifts body fat percentage without moving the scale.
Talk to your provider before aggressively pursuing a weight near the lower bound (BMI 18.5) if you're over 60; slightly higher may actually be protective.
For children, don't use this calculator — use the CDC's BMI-for-age percentile tool, which applies age- and sex-specific thresholds.
After reaching the healthy range, weigh yourself weekly to catch gradual regain early — studies show that frequent monitoring is one of the strongest predictors of long-term maintenance.
The healthy weight range for any height is the pound span corresponding to a BMI of 18.5–24.9, per CDC guidelines. For a 5'5" adult, that range is approximately 111–150 lb; for a 5'10" adult, approximately 132–178 lb. Use the calculator above for your specific height.
Enter your height and current weight in the calculator — it will tell you instantly whether your weight falls within, below, or above the CDC healthy BMI range of 18.5–24.9. If you're within the range, you're at a healthy weight for your height. If not, the output shows the gap in pounds.
The healthy weight range for a 5'4" person (any sex — the formula is the same) is approximately 108–145 lb. This corresponds to BMI 18.5–24.9 at 64 inches of height.
Healthy weight is a range (the pound span for BMI 18.5–24.9 at your height). Ideal weight from clinical formulas (Devine, Robinson, etc.) is a single point estimate used in pharmaceutical dosing. The range-based healthy weight is more useful for personal weight management goals; the point estimate has clinical applications. See the Ideal Weight Calculator for the formula-based approach.
The standard 18.5–24.9 BMI range doesn't change by age for adults 20–64. However, some research and clinical guidelines suggest adults over 65 may benefit from maintaining a slightly higher BMI (23–27) to preserve muscle mass and buffer against illness-related weight loss.
Subtract the healthy weight ceiling from your current weight — that's the minimum amount to lose to enter the healthy range. For example, if you weigh 195 lb and the healthy ceiling for your height is 165 lb, you need to lose at least 30 lb.
The CDC recommends 1–2 lb per week as a safe and sustainable rate. This requires a 500–1,000 calorie daily deficit. More rapid loss increases the risk of muscle loss and nutritional deficiencies.
The formula and the 18.5–24.9 cutoffs are the same for both sexes — height is the only input. Men and women of the same height have the same pound range. However, body composition at any given weight within that range typically differs by sex, with women carrying proportionally more body fat.
Brief disclaimer: This calculator provides educational healthy weight range estimates based on CDC and NIH BMI guidelines (18.5–24.9). The healthy weight range is a population-level screening tool, not an individual diagnostic instrument. Body composition, age, muscle mass, and medical history all affect what constitutes a healthy weight for a specific person. This calculator is intended for adults 20 and older. Consult a healthcare provider for personalized weight guidance.