Target Weight Calculator

I’ve created a Target Weight Calculator , and below is some information on how you can work out your:

• Ideal weight
• Racing weight
• Training weight

Note: If you enter your details into the Target Weight Calculator and it brings back odd numbers, please let me know. Get in touch with me with your: Age, Current Weight, Height and body fat % and I’ll get back to you on what your Ideal, Racing and Training weight should be.

Important: If you are above your Ideal weight you must first get down to your Ideal weight before calculating what your Racing and Training weight should be.

Which weight target should you aim for?

When aiming for a target weight, it’s important to take it one step at a time.

Aim to get to your Ideal weight target before you try to find out what your Racing weight target should be.

Racing weight is based on your body fat % and it is important to use your body fat % reading as at your ideal weight to get an accurate Racing weight to aim for.

Your Ideal Weight

Your Ideal weight is based on the BMI scale and is when your weight is right in the middle of the healthy range (18.5 – 25: midpoint = 21.75).

You can also aim to get within the body fat percentages below. According to this source,  ideal body fat % ranges depend on your age and sex – see the table below:

As a 31 year old woman, the range I should aim for to be healthy is betwen 21-33%.  (These ranges are based on the general population and are not aimed at athletes – athletes or very fit people should aim look at the Racing weight body fat ranges).

To find out what your Ideal weight should be:

1. Measure your height in metres.

2. Take your height in metres squared: hm2
   (Example: I’m 168 cm, or 1.68m, my hm2 = 1.68 x 1.68 = 2.8224)

3. And mulitply it by 21.75: (Mid point on the BMI scale 18.5-25)
   (This will give you your ideal weight in kgs.)
   My Ideal weight is 61.4kg (2.8224 x 21.75)

4. To get the weight converted to lbs, multiply your weight in kg by 2.2.
   My Ideal weight is 135lbs or 9 stone 9.

Your Racing Weight

Once you’ve reached your ideal weight through exercising, you may be interested in getting to your Ideal Training Weight and in the long term, your Ideal Racing Weight.

Racing weight is the weight that athletes aim to get to so that they can perform at their best.

Being lighter makes it easier to run…and it can allow you to go faster than you did when you were heavier.  The lighter your are, the less weight you are carrying so you don’t have to work as hard.  But it’s a fine balance. You should have the strength in your body to enable you to keep going, and you want to be light to make it easier, but not too light or you might lose power/endurance.

To work out your Racing weight target, it is important that you must first get down to your Ideal weight first.

To find out what your Racing weight should be:

1. Measure your body fat %.
   (Remember you need to be at your Ideal weight before you get your Racing weight target).

2. Look up the Body Fat Target Ranges table for your age range.

3. Get your target body fat % by checking the column ‘How to aim for your racing weight body fat%.
   Example 1: If I’m 30, and my body fat % is 25%, I should ‘aim to get to the 80th percentile’: which would be 18% body fat %.
   Example 2: If I’m 30, and my body fat % is 19%, I should ‘aim for body fat % 1-2 steps above my current body fat %’: which would be 16.9%.
 
4. Get your current lean body weight %: 100% – your body fat %.
   (Example: body fat %: 25%, lean body weight % = 100% – 25% = 75% or 0.75)

5. Get your current lean body weight: weight in lbs x your lean body weight %.
   (Example: 135lbs x 75% (or 0.75) = 101lbs.)

6. Get your ideal lean body weight %: 100% – your ideal body fat%.
   (Example: body fat % target: 18%, ideal lean body weight %: 100% – 18% = 82% or 0.82)

7. To get your Racing weight divide your lean body weight, by your lean body weight % target.
   (Example: 101 / 0.82 = 123lbs or 8st 11)

Your Training weight

Your training weight is the maximum weight you should allow yourself to be when you are on your off season, just training or not racing.

Your training weight is 8% above your Racing weight:

1. Multiply your Racing weight x 1.08
   (Example: 123 x 1.08 = 133lbs or 9st 7)

In this example, the Racing and Training weight range is:
123 – 133lbs (8st 11lbs – 9st 7lbs)
And the Ideal weight is 135lbs (9st 9lbs)

Ideal weight, Racing Weight, Training weight calculator

Now, all that seems like a hell of a lot of calculations right?  Well, all of the calculations are in my easy to use Target Weight Calculator.

All you need to do is enter your: sex, age and current weight and body fat %.  It will work out your Ideal Weight on the ‘Ideal Weight Calculator’ page.

And (if you are already at or below your Ideal weight) take a look at the ‘Racing Weight Body Fat %‘ table, generally we should aim in the long term to get to the 80th percentile, you can then set your body fat % goal on the ‘Training Weight Calculator’ page (in the yellow cell).  And it will workout your Racing Weight and your Target Weight.