As a guide to achieving weight loss, it is important to have a realistic goal. To get an idea of what weight you should aim to maintain, check the table below for your ideal height and weight ratio.
IDEAL WEIGHT TABLE FOR MEN AND WOMEN
Ideal Weight 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 weights given in these tables are for ages 25 to 59. The weights assume you are wearing shoes with 1-inch heels and indoor clothing weighing 3 pounds.
Ideal Weight 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 |
From height and weight tables of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 1983. The ideal weights given in these tables are for ages 25 to 59. The weights assume you are wearing shoes with 1-inch heels and indoor clothing weighing 5 pounds.
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.
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" |
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.