Your ideal weight is a range, not a single number: the weights that give a normal BMI at your height. For Indian adults that means a BMI of 18.5–22.9. At 5 ft 6 in (167.6 cm) the healthy range is 52.0–64.3 kg by Asian Indian cut-offs, or 52.0–69.9 kg by the WHO global cut-offs.
For adults aged 18 and over. An estimate for general guidance, not medical advice. Free to use, no sign-up, and nothing you enter leaves your device.
Lowest healthy weight (kg) = 18.5 × height (m)²
Highest healthy weight (kg) = 22.9 × height (m)² (Asian Indian) or 24.9 × height (m)² (WHO)
The range is the BMI formula run in reverse. The Asian Indian upper limit is lower than the WHO one because health risks such as type 2 diabetes begin at a lower BMI in Indians. Where you should sit inside the range depends on your frame and how much muscle you carry.
At 170 cm, the lowest healthy weight is 18.5 × 1.70 × 1.70 = 53.5 kg. The highest is 22.9 × 1.70 × 1.70 = 66.2 kg by Asian Indian cut-offs, or 72.0 kg by WHO cut-offs.
| Height | Height (cm) | Asian Indian range | WHO range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 ft 10 in | 147.3 cm | 40.1–49.7 kg | 40.1–54.0 kg |
| 5 ft 0 in | 152.4 cm | 43.0–53.2 kg | 43.0–57.8 kg |
| 5 ft 2 in | 157.5 cm | 45.9–56.8 kg | 45.9–61.8 kg |
| 5 ft 4 in | 162.6 cm | 48.9–60.5 kg | 48.9–65.8 kg |
| 5 ft 6 in | 167.6 cm | 52.0–64.3 kg | 52.0–69.9 kg |
| 5 ft 8 in | 172.7 cm | 55.2–68.3 kg | 55.2–74.3 kg |
| 5 ft 10 in | 177.8 cm | 58.5–72.4 kg | 58.5–78.7 kg |
| 6 ft 0 in | 182.9 cm | 61.9–76.6 kg | 61.9–83.3 kg |
| 6 ft 2 in | 188.0 cm | 65.4–80.9 kg | 65.4–88.0 kg |
The same range applies to adult men and women. Not for children, teenagers or pregnancy.
Treat the range as a guide for where the scale should roughly be, then judge by what the weight is made of. Two people of the same height and weight can look and feel completely different depending on muscle. If you lift and sit a little above the range with a lean waist, you do not need to diet down to hit a chart number.
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It is the range of weights that give a normal BMI at your height. For example, at 5 ft 6 in (167.6 cm) the healthy range is 52.0–64.3 kg using Asian Indian cut-offs and 52.0–69.9 kg using WHO cut-offs. Enter your own height in the calculator for your range.
The BMI-based healthy range is the same for adult men and women of the same height. Where you sit within it differs from person to person, depending on frame size and muscle mass rather than sex alone.
Because Indians tend to carry more body fat, especially around the abdomen, at the same BMI as people of European descent, and risks like type 2 diabetes and heart disease begin at a lower BMI. Indian and Asia-Pacific guidelines therefore set the top of the normal range at a BMI of 22.9 instead of 24.9.
Not necessarily. The range comes from BMI, which cannot tell muscle from fat. If you train with weights, check your waist and body-fat percentage instead. A waist under 90 cm for men or 80 cm for women with a healthy body-fat percentage means the extra weight is likely muscle.
A loss of about 0.5–1% of your body weight a week is a safe, sustainable pace for most people. For someone who weighs 80 kg that is 0.4–0.8 kg a week. Faster loss tends to cost muscle and usually rebounds.
A calculator gives you a target. Coach Himanshu builds the workout and Indian diet plan that gets you there, and adjusts it as your body changes.