Ideal Weight Levels

Your ideal weight depends on several factors, such as your age, height, gender, bone density and muscle-to-fat ratio. The number that registers on the scale only gives you a fraction of the information you need to determine if your weight is in a healthy range. The Harvard School of Public Health suggests using other tools, such as assessing your body mass index, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio to see if you're at an ideal weight--or if you have a few pounds to lose.

Body Mass Index

Your body mass index is the ratio of your weight to your height. This number factors in the assumption that people who are taller have more meat on their bones than do shorter people. Hence, they weigh more. To calculate your BMI, divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches. Divide the sum by your height in inches and multiply this number by 703. A BMI of less than 18.5 suggests that you're underweight, while a BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9 falls within the range of normal, suggesting that you're at a healthy weight. A BMI of 25.0 to 29.9 suggests that you're overweight, while a BMI of 30.0 or more indicates that you're obese.

BMI Problems

The problem with using your BMI to determine if you're at your ideal weight is that it cannot measure the ratio of body fat to muscle. Lean muscle and bone are more dense than body fat. The BMI of a trained athlete or body builder may be considerably higher than that of a less active peer of the same height, age and gender, but this doesn't mean that that the athlete's weight is less than ideal--nor does it suggest that he's at risk for weight-related illnesses. Therefore, your BMI should be used only as a screening tool and not as a way to assess your health.

Measuring Your Waist

Another way to determine if you're at a healthy weight is to measure your waist size. Excess fat around your middle--belly fat--puts you at at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and heart disease. Your risk of experiencing these health complications is increased if the circumference of your waist is more than 40 inches and you're a man or if you're a woman with a waist circumference of more than 35 inches. Even if your BMI falls within the range of normal and you're not overweight, excessive fat around your middle is a more important factor when it comes to predicting the above weight-related illnesses. To get an accurate measurement, wrap the tape measure around the slimmest point around your waist, which is at the level of your belly button. Keep the tape parallel to the ground.

Waist-to-Hip Ratio

Another simple way to see if you carry too much fat around the middle is to use the waist-to-hip ratio method. You can derive this figure by dividing the circumference of your waist by the circumference of your hips. If you're a man with a WHR of more than 1.00 or a woman with a WHR of more than 0.08, you have what ACE calls an "apple" shaped body. Being an "apple" puts you more at risk for health complications. Using your WHR may seem like a better way to assess your pattern of body fat than measuring your waist, especially if you have a large frame. But according to the Harvard School of Public Health, using your WHR and measuring your waist are equally as effective in terms of telling you if you're at risk for weight-related illness.

Weight Loss Tips

Most adults don't get more muscle or bone mass after they exit their early 20s, so unless you're into serious body sculpting or another physical activity that builds lean muscle, most of the weight you gain past this age is fat. If your weight is less than ideal, the simple rule is that you must burn more calories a day than you consume. If you burn all of the calories you eat, weight remains steady; burn fewer than you consume, and the pounds begin to add up. Putting body aesthetics aside, excessive weight, especially when stored around your belly, may be an indicator of poor health to come. If you have excessive abdominal weight, the CDC recommends that you talk with your treating physician to devise a weight-loss plan.