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How to Measure Your Ideal Weight

The measure of whether a person is underweight, of normal weight, overweight or obese is based on body fat composition. The standard for calculating body fat percentage is the body mass index (BMI), which indirectly measures the amount of fat based on height and weight. Incorporating frame size helps make the estimates more accurate.

Things You'll Need

  • Internet access
  • Cloth measuring tape
  • Pencil
  • Paper
  • Calculator
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Instructions

  1. Calculating Ideal Body Weight Based on Frame Size

    • 1

      Use a cloth tape measure for your wrist girth or elbow span. If you measure elbow span, hold your non-dominant arm straight in front of you so it's on an even level with your shoulder. Bend your arm at the elbow to form a 90-degree angle. With your free hand, grip the two bones on either side of the elbow with your thumb and forefinger. Measure the width of the distance between your fingers.

    • 2

      Using the Body Frame Calculator resource at the end of this article: Select the appropriate gender. Enter the measurements for your wrist size or elbow breadth. Specify whether your figures reflect a size in centimeter or inches. Enter your height in meters, inches or feet and inches. Click "Calculate Body Frame."

    • 3

      Note your calculated frame size. It will be small, medium or large.

    • 4

      Use the BMI Calculator resource at the end of this article. Enter your weight in kilograms, pounds, or stone and pounds. Click "Calculate Ideal Weight."

    • 5

      For medium frame: The resulting figure will reflect the average ideal weight range for your height.

      For small frame: Multiply the resulting lower range figure by 0.1, then subtract this product from the lower range figure. This new figure is equal to the new low range of your ideal weight. Multiply the resulting high range figure by 0.1, then subtract this product from the high range figure. This new figure is equal to the new high range of your ideal weight.

      For large frame: Multiply the resulting lower range figure by 0.1, then add this product to the lower range figure. This new figure is equal to the new low range of your ideal weight. Multiply the resulting high range figure by 0.1, then add this product to the high range figure. This new figure is equal to the new high range of your ideal weight.

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