Every woman's ideal body weight will reflect her age, height, activity level and body composition. Your "ideal" weight isn't the weight that gets you in a size 6 dress or a string bikini. It's the weight you settle at when you adopt a healthy diet and regular exercise, roughly equating the number of calories you take in versus those you expend.
Set a Baseline with BMI
To predict your ideal weight, start by finding your BMI, or body mass index. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, your BMI is a statistical representation of how much body fat you're likely to have. It uses your height and weight to predict whether you're likely to be underweight, normal, overweight or obese. If your current height and weight put you into the "normal" category, chances are you're not far from your ideal body weight.
Evaluate Your Caloric Intake
If you're regularly taking in too many calories for your activity level, you're probably a few pounds over your ideal weight. MyPyramid.gov's calorie charts spell out the number of calories you need based on how active you are. Women aged 19 to 25 need between 2,000 and 2,400 calories a day depending on whether they're sedentary, moderately active or active. Women aged 26 to 50 need between 1,800 and 2,400, depending on their activity level. Women 51 and over should aim for 1,600 to 2,200 calories.
Evaluate Your Body Composition
The amount of muscle you have on your body, as well as its basic shape, will affect your weight. According to UCLA's Student Nutrition & Body Image Awareness Campaign, there are three basic body types whose genetic makeup determines, in part, their ideal weight. Endomorphs, those with apple or pear shapes, have difficulty losing weight because their metabolism slows down any time they restrict their diet. Ectomorphs are usually tall and thin, and may experience difficulty gaining weight. In the middle are the mesomorphs, shorter and more muscular than the other types. That muscle often results in higher weight but greater strength.
Estimate Your Ideal Weight
When estimating your ideal weight, take your BMI classification into account. If you scored in the "overweight" or "obese" categories, you are over your ideal weight. Evaluate your activity level; if you're sedentary, add weekly exercise sessions involving cardio and strength training. Match your caloric intake to your activity level. If you incorporate both of these elements, your body is likely to settle into your ideal weight. If you're unsure what your goal should be, consult your physician for a more accurate body fat assessment.
Considerations
Don't let the media's portrayal of thin movie stars and supermodels influence your view of a woman's ideal weight. UCLA's SNAC reports that only 5 percent of women have the long, lean body type associated with models. The average American woman, they note, weighs 23 percent more than the average model -- but 25 years ago, the discrepancy was only 8 percent.
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