Normal Body Weight for Women

Many women wonder what their ideal body weight is. Find out if you are underweight, overweight or within normal range.

Body Types
Determine whether you have a small, medium or large frame. Measure around either wrist with a tape measure. A medium frame wrist measurement for a woman 5-foot-2 or shorter is 5.5 to 5.75 inches, for someone 5-3 to 5-5 it is 6 to 6.25 inches, and for women taller than 5-5, it is 6.25 to 6.5 inches. If your measurement is less than the medium frame wrist measurement, you have a small frame. If your measurement is larger, you have a large one.

Height and Weight
What constitutes a normal weight varies according to height and frame size. Your best friend's ideal weight probably will be very different from yours.

Body Mass Index
You can further understand your normal weight by calculating your body mass index, or BMI. Calculate you BMI by taking your weight in pounds, dividing it by your height in inches squared and multiplying by 703. Any number greater than 30 is considered obese.

Waist Measurement
In addition to determining your normal body weight, it also a good idea to know your waist measurement. Measure just above the hip bone making sure the tape measure is snug and parallel to the floor. A waist measurement above 35 inches may put you at a higher risk of many diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease.

Avoid Obsession
No matter what the scales or charts say, don't let anxiety over your weight rule your life.