Being five-foot-ten is a bit of a trip. You're taller than the average American man, you can reach the top shelf without a stool, and people probably asked if you played volleyball for three years straight in high school. But when it comes to the scale? It's confusing. Most of the "standard" advice feels like it was written for someone five inches shorter. If you’ve ever looked at a generic weight chart and felt like a giant, you’re not alone. Honestly, determining what is a healthy weight for a 5 10 female isn't as simple as hitting a specific number on a bathroom floor model.
The medical community loves the Body Mass Index (BMI). It’s easy. It’s fast. But it's also kinda flawed. For a woman who stands 70 inches tall, the "normal" BMI range falls roughly between 129 and 174 pounds. That is a massive 45-pound gap. It’s the difference between looking lean and athletic versus having a much softer frame.
Let’s be real: your "healthy" might be 165 pounds if you have dense bones and hit the squat rack three times a week. Meanwhile, someone else with the same height and a "bird-like" frame might feel their best at 135. It's subjective, but science gives us some guardrails.
Why 5'10" changes the math
Height doesn't just add vertical inches; it adds volume. Every inch of height requires more bone mass, more muscle to move those limbs, and a larger circulatory system. This is why a 5'10" woman often feels "heavy" compared to her shorter friends, even if she looks quite thin.
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the BMI calculation is $weight / height^2$. Because the height is squared, the taller you are, the more "room" you have for weight. But here's the kicker—BMI doesn't know if that weight is a six-pack or a spare tire. It just sees mass.
If you're an athlete, you've probably had a doctor tell you that you're "overweight" based on BMI. It's frustrating. Dr. Nick Tiller, a researcher at Harbor-UCLA, has often pointed out that BMI is a population-level tool, not a diagnostic one. If you have a large frame—meaning your wrists and ankles are thicker and your shoulders are wide—you will naturally sit at the higher end of that 129–174 range.
The "Ideal" weight vs. reality
There's this old-school formula called the Hamwi Method. It suggests a base of 100 pounds for the first 5 feet, plus 5 pounds for every inch after that. For a 5'10" woman, that math looks like this: $100 + (10 \times 5) = 150$ pounds.
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Most dietitians today think that's a bit too rigid. 150 pounds is a great middle ground, sure. But it doesn't account for life. It doesn't account for the fact that as we age, we naturally carry a bit more body fat to protect our bones and hormones. If you're 50 years old and 5'10", being 170 pounds might actually be "healthier" for your bone density than trying to maintain the 140 pounds you weighed at twenty-two.
Waist circumference: The metric that actually matters
If you want to know if your weight is healthy, put down the scale and grab a tape measure. Seriously.
The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes waist-to-hip ratio and waist circumference over raw weight. Why? Because visceral fat—the kind that hangs out around your organs—is the real villain here. For a 5'10" woman, a waist measurement over 35 inches is generally where the red flags for metabolic syndrome and heart disease start waving.
You could weigh 180 pounds (technically "overweight" for your height) but have a 29-inch waist because you carry your weight in your hips and legs. In that case, you're likely metabolically healthier than a 140-pound "skinny fat" person with a 36-inch waist. This is the nuance Google won't always tell you, but your doctor should.
Frame size matters more than you think
You've heard people say they are "big-boned." It sounds like an excuse, but it's a real anatomical thing. You can check yours by wrapping your thumb and middle finger around your opposite wrist.
- If they overlap: Small frame.
- If they just touch: Medium frame.
- If they don't meet: Large frame.
A large-framed woman who is 5'10" will likely never feel "right" at 135 pounds. She’ll look gaunt. Her energy will tank. Her periods might even stop. On the flip side, a small-framed woman at 170 might feel sluggish and experience joint pain in her knees because her skeleton isn't built to carry that load.
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The role of muscle mass and bone density
We need to talk about the "tall girl" struggle with muscle. Because your limbs are longer, it takes a lot more muscle mass to look "toned" than it does for someone who is 5'2". This is a double-edged sword.
On one hand, you have a higher Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). You literally burn more calories just sitting on the couch than a shorter person does. On the other hand, if you do start lifting weights and building muscle, your weight will go up. And that is a good thing.
Muscle is dense. It’s heavy. If you’re 5'10" and 175 pounds but you lift weights regularly, your body composition is likely much healthier than a sedentary person at 155 pounds. Don't let the 175 number freak you out. Look at how your jeans fit. Look at your energy levels.
Hormones and the 5'10" frame
Weight is also a hormonal regulator. For women, especially tall women, dropping too low can wreak havoc on estrogen production. The Female Athlete Triad—a mix of low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction, and low bone mineral density—is a real risk for tall, thin women who push their weight too low.
Keeping a bit of "cushion" can actually be a longevity strategy. Study after study shows that as we age, being on the slightly higher end of the "normal" BMI or even the "overweight" category can reduce the risk of osteoporosis and provide a reserve if you ever get seriously ill.
Common misconceptions about being a tall woman
People assume being tall means you can eat whatever you want. While you do have a higher caloric ceiling, that doesn't mean the quality of the weight doesn't matter.
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Another big one? That you "should" weigh what a model weighs. Many fashion models are 5'10" and weigh 120–125 pounds. This is underweight by almost every medical standard. It is not a sustainable or healthy target for 99% of the population. Maintaining that weight often requires extreme restriction that damages the metabolism long-term.
Actionable steps to find your "Happy Weight"
Instead of chasing a magic number, focus on these data points that actually correlate with health:
- Check your resting heart rate: A healthy heart usually beats between 60 and 100 times per minute. If yours is in the 60s or 70s, you're likely in a good spot cardiovascularly, regardless of the scale.
- Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar: These are the "silent" markers. If your BP is 120/80 and your fasted glucose is under 100, your body is handling your current weight well.
- The "Energy Test": Can you climb three flights of stairs without gasping for air? Can you carry your groceries? Functionality is a better metric for a 5'10" frame than a BMI chart.
- Track your waist-to-height ratio: Divide your waist circumference by your height. Aim for a ratio of 0.5 or less. For a 70-inch woman, that means a waist under 35 inches.
Ultimately, your healthy weight is the one you can maintain without being miserable. It’s the weight where your blood work is clean, your sleep is solid, and you have the strength to move through the world. If that’s 145 or 165, the number matters less than the person standing on the scale.
Prioritize Strength Over Thinness
If you are at the higher end of the weight range for your height, focus on body composition. Engaging in resistance training twice a week can shift your fat-to-muscle ratio, improving your metabolic health without necessarily changing the number on the scale.
Consult a Professional for Body Composition
If you are unsure where you stand, ask your doctor for a DEXA scan or a BodPod assessment. These tools provide a precise breakdown of fat vs. lean mass, which is far more useful for a 5'10" woman than a standard BMI calculation.
Monitor Menstrual and Bone Health
If you find that your weight is dropping and your cycle becomes irregular, your body is telling you that you are below your biological "set point." For tall women, protecting bone density is a lifelong priority; ensure your weight is high enough to support natural hormone production.