2026-09-15 7 min

Target Weight Calculator

Derive target weight from any BMI at your height, with the journey from current weight, timeline, and healthy-band context.

Calculator

Units

Height

Height cm

Weight & Target

Current Weight kg

Target BMI kg/m²

Results update automatically

Results update live as you type

Status:Target 67.4 kgBMI 22.0−14.6 kg

Target Summary

Target Weight67.4 kg (148.5 lbs)

At BMI22.0

JourneyLose 14.6 kg (32.2 lbs)

Timeline~30 weeks

Results

Optimal

Weight at BMI 22.0

67.4 kg (148.5 lbs)

Cut 14.6 kg to reach BMI 22.0 — about 30 weeks at 0.5 kg/week.

To Lose

14.6 kg (32.2 lbs)

From 82.0 kg (BMI 26.8)

Est. Timeline

~30 weeks

At ~0.5 kg/week

Healthy Band

56.7 kg – 76.3 kg

BMI 18.5–24.9 at your height

The arithmetic is exact — all judgment lives in the BMI you choose. Validate muscular, older, or edge-case targets with body-fat data before committing to the journey.

Visualizations

Weights (kg)

82 kgYou

67.4 kgTarget

56.7 kgMin

76.3 kgMax

Target Inside Healthy Band

Target67.4 kg

You vs Target

You82 kg

Formula

BMI inverts cleanly: multiply any chosen index by squared height and the scale number appears.

Target = BMI × h²

Alternative Form

Journey = Target − Now · Weeks = |journey| ÷ 0.5

Variables

Symbol	Name	Unit	Description
BMI	Target index	kg/m²	Chosen BMI (default 22)
h	Height	m	Standing height in meters
Target	Target weight	kg	Kilograms at the chosen BMI
Journey	Change needed	kg	Target − current

Explanation

Because BMI is defined as W/h², solving for W is exact — no regression, no error bars. All uncertainty lives in whether the chosen BMI suits you.

Derivation

BMI 22 at 1.75 m: 22 × 3.0625 = 67.4 kg. From 82 kg: −14.6 kg ≈ 30 weeks best-case.

Step-by-Step Calculation

Follow each step to understand how the result is calculated from your inputs.

Step 1

Square height in meters.

h² = (cm ÷ 100)²

Height:175.0 cm

Intermediate: 1.750²

Result: h² = 3.0625 m²

Step 2

Multiply by the chosen BMI.

Target = BMI × h²

BMI:22.0

h²:3.0625 m²

Intermediate: 22.0 × 3.0625

Result: Target = 67.4 kg (148.5 lbs)

Step 3

Frame with the healthy band.

Min = 18.5h² · Max = 24.9h²

h²:3.0625 m²

Intermediate: Band computed

Result: Healthy 56.7 kg (124.9 lbs) – 76.3 kg (168.1 lbs)

Step 4

Subtract current weight for the journey.

Change = Target − Now

Target:67.4 kg

Now:82.0 kg

Intermediate: 67.4 − 82.0

Result: Lose 14.6 kg (32.2 lbs) (BMI 26.8 → 22.0)

Step 5

Convert to weeks and judge.

Weeks = |change| ÷ 0.5

Change:14.6 kg

Intermediate: 14.6 ÷ 0.5

Result: Cut 14.6 kg to reach BMI 22.0 — about 30 weeks at 0.5 kg/week.

Final Answer

67.4 kg (148.5 lbs)

Worked Examples

See how the calculator works with different scenarios.

Scenario

An adult, 175 cm, 82 kg, targeting BMI 22.

Inputs

Height:175 cm

Weight:82 kg

Target BMI:22

Calculation

Target = 22 × 3.0625 = 67.4 kg Journey = −14.6 kg ≈ 30 weeks

Result

Target 67.4 kg · lose 14.6 kg

Interpretation

A seven-month cut with one diet break built in. Verify leanness goal separately — 67 kg must still carry muscle to look right.

Understanding Your Result

Your Result: Weight at BMI 22.0: 67.4 kg (148.5 lbs)

Typical range: BMI 22 default; 18.5–24.9 healthy; lifters often 23–26 lean; under-18.5 and over-30 need clinical context.

What This Means

Your target weight is the kilogram shadow of a chosen BMI at your exact height — precise, personal, and instantly actionable.

Why It Matters

Vague goals ("get healthy") fail; derived numbers ("67.4 kg") plan. The journey size then sets pace, calories, and calendar.

Professional Interpretation

Validate the BMI choice before the journey: body fat, frame, age, and muscle decide whether 22 (or any number) deserves to be your target.

Recommendations

•Default to BMI 22 unless reasoned otherwise
•Sanity-check with body-fat data
•Lifters: bias targets upward
•Revisit yearly or after ±5 kg
•Pair journeys with lean tracking

Educational Content

Introduction

BMI runs forward (weight → index) and backward (index → weight) with equal ease. This page runs it backward into your plan.

Concept Explanation

Target = BMI × height². Journey = target − now. Weeks = journey ÷ 0.5. The healthy band (18.5–24.9) frames every choice.

Applications

▸Converting BMI advice into kilograms

▸Sizing cuts and gains to index goals

▸Counseling with concrete numbers

▸Checking "should weigh" claims instantly

▸Planning around milestone BMIs

Benefits

•Exact inversion, zero estimation
•Journey and timeline included
•Healthy-band guardrails
•Lifter caveats built in

Limitations

•BMI choice carries all the judgment
•Ignores composition by construction
•Static snapshot arithmetic

Best Practices

•Choose BMI deliberately (default 22)
•Confirm with body-fat context
•Recalculate as height/weight change
•Hold targets lightly, habits tightly

Common Misconceptions

Myth: The computed target is medically ideal.

Truth: It is BMI-ideal. Muscle, frame, and history adjust it — sometimes substantially.

Myth: Hitting the number finishes the job.

Truth: Composition at the number decides success. Two 67 kg bodies can differ profoundly.

Myth: BMI targets suit everyone.

Truth: Athletes, elderly, pregnant, and ill populations need adapted references.

Practical Tips

•Start at BMI 22
•Fat-check the target
•Lifters aim higher
•Revisit yearly
•Track lean en route
•Maintain beats arrive

Common Mistakes

Cutting muscle to hit 22

Lifters: validate with body fat first. Losing 10 kg of muscle for an index is backwards.

Targeting sub-18.5 casually

Underweight targets need clinical supervision — energy, bone, and hormonal risks are real.

Freezing the target for years

Bodies and goals evolve. Annual target reviews keep plans honest.

Ignoring the band

Point targets crack under life; the band absorbs reality. Know both.

Journey without lean tracking

Scale journeys hide muscle costs. Pair with the lean-goal page.

Assumptions

This calculator makes the following assumptions to provide estimates:

Exact BMI inversion: W = BMI × h² is definitional — no model error.

0.5 kg/week pace: Muscle-safe timeline convention.

Adult general population: Default bands assume typical adults.

Limitations

Be aware of these limitations when using this calculator:

BMI-choice burden: All judgment concentrates in picking the index.

Composition-blind: Muscle and fat invisible to the arithmetic.

Static: One snapshot; trends need repeats.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about this calculator.

How is target weight from BMI calculated?

Weight = BMI × height². A BMI 22 target at 1.75 m: 22 × 3.0625 = 67.4 kg. One multiplication anchors the entire plan.

What BMI should I target?

22 is the classic midpoint (healthy, sustainable, evidence-rich). Athletes: 23–24. Older adults: discuss 23–25 with a clinician. Never target below 18.5 without supervision.

How is this different from the goal-weight page?

That page starts from a chosen scale number; this one derives the number from a BMI you pick — ideal when the goal itself is the question, not the plan.

Why default to BMI 22?

It sits mid-healthy-range with the strongest mortality evidence and maximum headroom both ways — the consensus "aim here" for general adults.

Should muscular people use this?

Cautiously — muscle inflates BMI, so 24–26 can be lean for lifters. Pair the target with a body-fat sanity check before cutting muscle to hit 22.

What if my target BMI is outside 18.5–24.9?

The page computes it but flags context: below 18.5 risks underweight complications; above 25 keeps elevated risk. Clinical guidance beats calculator outputs at extremes.

How long will the journey take?

Change ÷ 0.5 kg/week, the muscle-safe pace. A 10 kg cut ≈ 20 weeks best-case; add ~20% for adaptation and life.

Does the target move if I gain muscle?

It should — 3 kg of new muscle justifies roughly +3 kg of target at fixed leanness. Revisit the target yearly as composition evolves.

Can I target a BMI range instead of a point?

Yes conceptually: the healthy band (min/max) is shown precisely for that. Point targets motivate; ranges forgive — use both.

Why show the healthy band if I picked a target?

Context: it reveals whether your chosen BMI sits central or edgy, and gives fallback edges when life makes the point temporarily unreachable.

Is BMI 22 right for all ethnicities?

Largely, with nuance: some Asian guidelines flag risk from BMI 23+, while Pacific populations trend higher safely. Regional guidance refines the default.

What about pregnancy or illness?

BMI targets pause — obstetric guidelines (pregnancy) or clinical nutrition goals (illness/recovery) take over. This page serves stable general adults.

How often should the target be revisited?

Yearly, or after ±5 kg sustained changes, new training phases, or milestone birthdays. Targets expire; refresh them.

What if I am already at target?

Then the work is maintenance and performance: strength, conditioning, and habits. Defend the number by forgetting it — routines hold what targets cannot.

Related Calculators

Explore more calculators related to this topic.

Related Guides

Deepen your understanding with these educational resources.

Choosing Your BMI

22 default and when to deviate.

From Index to Action

Turning kilograms into weeks and calories.

Lifters and BMI

When the index lies about muscle.

Glossary

Technical terms used in mortgage calculations explained in plain language.

BMI inversion: Solving W = BMI × h² for target weight.
Default 22: Consensus midpoint BMI target.
Journey: Target minus current weight.
Healthy band: BMI 18.5–24.9 in kilograms at your height.
Lifter caveat: Muscle invalidating standard BMI targets.
Point vs range: Single target (motivates) vs band (forgives).
Milestone BMI: Index thresholds (25, 30) marking categories.
Revisit cycle: Annual target review habit.

Authoritative References

Trusted sources and standards referenced by this calculator.

CDC — Healthy Weight Assessment WHO — Obesity and Overweight Fact Sheet NIH NHLBI — Overweight and Obesity Harvard — Healthy Weight NIH — Body Weight Planner (Hall et al.) NIH — Body Composition & Weight Management

Applicable Standards

WHO adult BMI cutoffs (18.5 / 25 / 30)Quetelet BMI definition (W/h²)

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Page Information

Last Updated:

2026-09-15

Version:

2.0.0

References:

License:

Free to use for educational and professional purposes.