How Much Should I Weigh?

Are you wondering how much should I weigh? To determine how much you should weigh, the following factors have to be considered:

• Gender
• Height
• Age
• Muscle to fat ratio
• Body frame

But before we go into that much detail, let’s do a quick check to see where you are based on your Body Mass Index.
Keep on reading below to find out the ins and outs of BMI and other measurements.

Quick Check

Enter your weight and height see where you are, based on your BMI.

Powered by BMI Calculator

4 Measures To Determine Your Ideal Weight

There are 4 measures (BMI, Waist to Height Ratio, Waist to Hip Ratio, Body Fat Percentage) to determine what your ideal weight should be. If you are looking for an answer that would tell you what your exact weight should be (for example that YOU should be weighing 115.2 pounds or 180.3 pounds), no measure will be able to tell you that.

What the 4 measures will be able to tell you is, given your circumstances, what is a healthy weight range for you where you have no increased health risk of developing illnesses like cancer, diabetes or heart problems.

1. Body Mass Index (BMI) This measure just focuses on weight and height. This is a good method for people with an average body frame and average muscle-fat ratio. If you are very muscular, this measure will not work for you. Since this measure focuses just on weight and height, it does not differentiate between a 200 pound muscular athlete and a 200 pound couch potato. Read more about Body Mass Index.

2. Waist to Height Ratio (WHtR) This measure focuses on your waist measure and height and has shown to be a better predictor of health risks than the BMI. Source: Wikipedia Read more about Waist to Height Ratio.

3. Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR) This measure focuses on your waist measure and hip measure and has shown to be a better predictor of health risks than BMI or WHtR. Source: Wikipedia. Read more about Waist to Hip Ratio.

4. Body Fat Percentage This measure focuses on how much fat you have in your body (total fat in pounds divided by your total weight in pounds). While the body fat percentage can be used by everyone, it is especially useful for athletic people with significantly more muscle mass than average. Read more about Body Fat Percentage.

Which Method Should You Use?

If you are not a muscular athlete or body builder, BMI, while not perfect as explained above, is a very good tool for figuring out how much you should weigh.

In addition, you should also measure your Waist to Height Ratio (WHtR) and your Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR) periodically to determine if you are at risk of developing health issues like cancer, diabetes or heart problems in the future. Just remember to use the adjusted BMI ranges (10% up or down) if you have a large or small body frame.

If you are a muscular athlete or body builder, BMI will not work for you. It will show you as overweight, when you are really fit. The best solution for you is to check your body fat percentage, and also measure your Waist to Height Ratio (WHtR) and your Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR).

As explained above, there is no tool out there that can tell you exactly (in pounds and ounces) how much you should weigh. However, the tools explained above can tell you if your weight is in the normal range, and if you have an increased risk of developing health issues like cancer, heart problems or diabetes. If you are not an above average muscular person, if you have a good BMI score, a good WHtR score and a good WHR score, you are most likely in really good shape from a body weight perspective.

How the “Ideal” Figure Changed Over the Last 500 Years

Just for fun, it’s interesting to see how the “ideal” figure for women changed over time. As we grow up in a certain time and place we tend to accept whatever we see around us as normal, and may evenmake the assumption that things have always been that way. But that is not true. Take a look at how much the “ideal” or “desirable” figure changed just in the last 500 years.

In the 1600s….
This is how the famous painter Peter Paul Rubens depicted the ideal female body around 1600. Looking voluptuous was a sign of good health and wealth. Obese by today’s standards, but seen as the perfect body back then.

In the 1880s…..
The full figured body is still seen as the ideal female body, as depicted by the famous painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Looking voluptuous was still considered a sign of good health and wealth. Also looking pale meant that you did not have be outside in the sun, which at the time was a sign of wealth.

Around 1920s….
The 1920s brought a big change. Out was the typical female figure, in was a more boyish figure (no chest, no waist) and shorter hair. Some women would even bind their chests with strips of cloth to achieve a more boyish look.

Around 1950s...
Starting in the 1940s and certainly in the 1950s, the fully figured woman was back to being the ideal figure. Marilyn Monroe (shown left) was the sex symbol of the 1950s. By today’s Hollywood standards she may be seen as a little chubby.

In the 1980s & 1990s…
Starting in the 1980s women started working out and exercising, keeping their bodies fit and toned, and curves started to be back in fashion.
The 1990s was the age of Madonna, Cindy Crawford and Pamela Anderson continuing the trend of skinny yet fully figured and toned women.

In the 2010s…
It has become slightly complicated. Thin is still in, but curvier women are making their way back into the scene.
On the left is Christina Hendricks from the TV Show “Mad Men.”

In summary, the ideal figure today is ideal by today’s standards, and every generation thinks they have the truth cornered. As you are trying to determine and reach your ideal weight and figure, it’s helpful to keep that mind