When I look in the mirror, it is easy to see that I am fat. More than half of American adults probably see the same kind of thing. But what is a person’s “ideal weight”? What do doctors think a person should weigh if he/she wants to be healthy? What do other people think?

This page can help you find an answer, by showing you several different interpretations for your ideal weight:

Better ideal weight body calculations

The conventional tool that medical professionals use today has to do with your Body Mass Index (BMI). That is the second calculation on the above page. BMI is a very simple formula that looks at your height and weight and calculates a ratio (The actual formula: You take your weight in kilograms and divide by your height in meters squared). Then you figure out where you stand based on the following table:

- Underweight: <18.5
- Normal: 18.5-24.9
- Overweight: 25-29.9
- Obese: BMI of 30 or greater

Before starting the Dukan Diet I was officially Obese. I moved from Obese to Overweight yesterday after losing 20 pounds. Now I need to lose about 30 more pounds to get into the very upper fringe of “Normal”. For me, a BMI of 24.9 translates into a weight of 174 pounds.

I have vague memories of once weighing 174. That was maybe 15 years ago. I am very curious to see if I can get anywhere near that weight again.

The first calculation on the calculator page is more generous. It is actually pretty interesting because it takes age and people’s perceptions into account, as explained here. For me, it is 184. I would be very happy to reach 184, ecstatic to reach 174. Those 2 weights are 20 and 30 pounds away, so it will be awhile.

See also this explanation of BMI:

More info:

- Yesterday I finished a five-day “Attack Phase” on the Dukan Diet – here’s a report on how it went

- I have finished the first five days of the “Cruise Phase” on the Dukan Diet – here is a report on how it went, plus a menu for a typical protein day

- I have finished my second week on the Dukan Diet “Cruise Phase” and lost 5.4 pounds during the past seven days. Here is a report on how it went, and a “secret ingredient” that may have helped.

- A report on week 3 of the Dukan Diet Cruise Phase. The whole thing has become a straightforward habit, and the weight loss seems very consistent

- I finished my fourth week in the Dukan Diet Cruise Phase and lost another 2.4 pounds – plus I saw an amazingly good blood pressure reading

- How Carbohydrates Don’t Work – in fact, carbs are probably causing the obesity epidemic. If you are overweight, it is probably the carbs.

- How Treadmills and Exercise Bikes Don’t Work – if weight loss is your goal, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a better option

- When a person is fat, how is the fat distributed in the body (amazing x-rays)?

- How Seitan (also know as Wheat Meat) Works – a vegetarian form of protein made from wheat gluten

- How to make tofu

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