What's your BMI?

The BMI formula is the same for men and women, but how you should interpret your number depends on cycle phase, post-pregnancy timeline, and (for Indian women) the lower South-Asian thresholds. Calculate and we explain below.

Your weight

Your height

BMI is a quick screen, not a verdict. It can't tell muscle from fat — for athletes use the body-fat calculator instead.

Enter your weight and height, then tap Calculate BMI to see your BMI and which WHO category it falls in. We also surface the South Asian threshold in case it applies to you.

BMI for women — what changes vs the standard chart?

The formula and the cut-offs are identical for men and women. WHO uses 18.5 / 25 / 30 for everyone. What differs is how to read your number — three women-specific factors are worth knowing about.

1. Cycle weight is real, and it's not fat

Most women fluctuate 1–2 kg across a cycle from water retention alone, peaking in the late luteal phase (the week before your period) and dropping back in the early follicular. If you track BMI weekly, expect a small wobble — what matters is the month-over-month trend, not the day.

2. Post-pregnancy: give it 6–12 months

BMI in the first six months postpartum is unreliable — your body is still re-distributing fat, water, and (if breastfeeding) building milk supply. Most healthy women return to within 1–2 BMI points of pre-pregnancy by month nine. Don't chase aggressive deficits in this window, especially while breastfeeding.

3. Indian / South-Asian women — the threshold drops to 23

Indian and other South Asian women carry more visceral fat at any given BMI compared to European women. ICMR guidelines flag BMI ≥ 23 as overweight (vs WHO's 25) and ≥ 25 as obese (vs WHO's 30). If your BMI is 23–24.9 and your scale chart says "normal", check waist circumference too: over 80 cm warrants a conversation with a GP even at a "normal" BMI.

Looking past BMI? For body-composition over total weight, see our body fat calculator for women. For calorie targets, our TDEE calculator for women factors in the slightly lower BMR women have at the same weight as men.

See the full BMI calculator overview for category tables and population thresholds.

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