Weight is a weirdly personal number that we somehow decided should be a universal measurement of worth. If you’re standing at 5'9", you're already taller than about 95% of the female population in the United States. You've got more bone mass, more blood volume, and a larger frame than the average woman. So, when you ask how much should a 5'9 female weight, the answer isn't a single digit on a scale. It's a range. And honestly? That range is broader than most people think.
Standard medical charts usually point toward the Body Mass Index (BMI). For a woman who is 5'9", the "normal" BMI range—which is a metric developed way back in the 1830s by a Belgian mathematician named Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet—falls between 128 and 169 pounds. That’s a 41-pound gap. You could lose the weight of a medium-sized dog and still be within the same clinical category. It’s wild when you think about it.
But BMI is a blunt instrument. It doesn’t know if you’re a marathon runner with lean legs or a powerlifter with a 300-pound squat. It doesn’t care about your bone density or where you carry your fat. It’s just math. Total mass divided by height squared. Simple, but kinda flawed.
The math behind the 5'9" frame
Most doctors still use the Hamwi method for a quick estimate. Here’s the "rule of thumb" they often start with: 100 pounds for the first 5 feet of height, and then 5 pounds for every inch after that. For a 5'9" woman, that would be 100 + (9 x 5), which equals 145 pounds.
Is 145 the "perfect" weight? Not necessarily. It’s just a median. The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company used to put out these famous "Height and Weight Tables" based on mortality data. They broke it down by frame size. If you have a small frame, they suggested 133 to 147 pounds. A large frame? They pushed that up to 150 to 170 pounds. You can actually check your frame size by wrapping your thumb and middle finger around your wrist. If they overlap, you're likely small-boned. If they don't touch, you're probably large-boned. It's a low-tech trick, but it explains why two women who are both 5'9" can look completely different at the exact same weight.
Why muscle mass changes everything
Let’s talk about Sarah and Elena. Both are 5'9". Both weigh 165 pounds.
Sarah doesn't exercise much. Her body composition is higher in adipose tissue (fat). She might feel a bit sluggish, and her waist circumference is 36 inches. Elena, on the other hand, is a competitive swimmer. She’s mostly muscle. She wears a smaller dress size than Sarah despite the scale showing the same 165 pounds.
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Muscle is dense. It takes up way less space than fat. This is why "weight" is a bit of a liar. If you’re active, you might find that you feel and look your best at 175 pounds, even though a generic online calculator might flag that as "overweight." The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) acknowledges this limitation. They note that BMI is a screening tool, not a diagnostic one. It can’t tell the difference between excess fat and high bone density or muscle.
The role of age and hormones
Your "ideal" weight at 22 is probably not your ideal weight at 52. As women age, especially as they hit perimenopause and menopause, body composition shifts. Estrogen levels drop. The body naturally wants to hold onto a bit more fat, particularly around the midsection.
Research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society has actually suggested that for older adults, being on the slightly higher end of the "normal" BMI or even in the "overweight" category (BMI 25-29) might actually be protective against osteoporosis and frailty. If you’re 5'9" and 60 years old, weighing 170 pounds might be significantly healthier for your bones than weighing 130 pounds.
Bone density and the tall woman's advantage
Tall women have longer levers. Your femurs are longer. Your spine has more surface area. This means you have more "skeletal weight" than someone who is 5'2".
A study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition highlights that taller individuals often have higher bone mineral content. This is a good thing! It makes you less prone to fractures later in life. But it also means that trying to hit a weight that "feels" right for a shorter friend is literally physically impossible—and dangerous—for you.
What about "ideal" for aesthetics?
We can’t pretend society doesn’t have an opinion. The fashion industry has long favored the 5'9" to 5'11" height for runway models. Historically, these models were expected to weigh between 115 and 125 pounds.
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That is clinically underweight.
For the vast majority of women, maintaining a weight that low at 5'9" requires extreme caloric restriction. It can lead to amenorrhea (loss of period), hair loss, and decreased heart health. It's not a standard for health; it's a standard for a specific, often unhealthy, look.
Better metrics than the scale
If you want to know if your weight is healthy for your 5'9" frame, stop looking at the floor. Look at these instead:
- Waist-to-Hip Ratio: Take a measuring tape. Measure the smallest part of your waist and the widest part of your hips. Divide the waist by the hips. For women, a ratio of 0.85 or lower is generally linked to lower risks of chronic diseases like diabetes.
- Energy Levels: Can you walk up three flights of stairs without feeling like your lungs are on fire? Can you carry your groceries?
- Blood Markers: Your A1C, your cholesterol, and your blood pressure tell a much more accurate story of your internal health than your gravitational pull on the earth does.
- Sleep Quality: Believe it or not, being at a weight that is "wrong" for your frame—either too high or too low—often messes with your circadian rhythms and respiratory health during sleep.
Navigating the "overweight" label
It’s easy to freak out if you step on a scale at the doctor's office and see 170 or 175. You’re 5'9". That puts your BMI right around 25 or 26. Technically, that’s the "overweight" category.
But wait.
Look at your lifestyle. If you’re eating whole foods, moving your body, and your blood work is clean, that number is just a data point. It’s not a verdict. Many athletes at this height sit comfortably in the 170s and 180s. Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, a renowned weight management expert, often says that the "best weight" is whatever weight you reach when you’re living the healthiest life you can actually enjoy. If you have to starve yourself to stay at 140, then 140 is not your healthy weight.
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Practical steps for finding your range
Don't aim for a number. Aim for a feeling. If you’re 5'9" and trying to figure out where your body wants to be, start with these shifts.
First, track your protein. Because you have a larger frame, you need more protein to maintain your muscle mass. Aim for roughly 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass. This helps keep your metabolism steady and your bones strong.
Second, lift something heavy. Since you’re tall, you have a natural advantage in many strength movements, but you’re also at a higher risk for postural issues. Strength training helps fill out your frame and ensures that the weight you do carry is functional muscle.
Third, ignore the "standard" 2,000 calorie diet. Most nutritional labels are based on an average woman who is 5'4". You are not 5'4". Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)—the calories you burn just staying alive—is naturally higher because of your height. You likely need more fuel than the "standard" advice suggests.
Finally, check your measurements every few months. If your weight stays the same but your waist size goes down, you’re gaining muscle and losing visceral fat. That is a massive win for your longevity, regardless of what the scale says.
The reality of how much should a 5'9 female weight is that there isn't a "should." There is only what works for your unique biology. If you’re 135 pounds and feel vibrant, great. If you’re 175 pounds and your doctor says your vitals are perfect, also great. Your height is a gift of physics; don't let a 19th-century math equation tell you it's a problem.
Focus on the strength of your legs and the health of your heart. The number on the scale is the least interesting thing about you.
Next steps to take today
- Measure your waist-to-hip ratio to get a baseline of your metabolic health that goes beyond BMI.
- Calculate your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) using an online calculator that accounts for your 5'9" height specifically, rather than relying on generic calorie counts.
- Schedule a basic blood panel to check your glucose and lipid levels; use these "internal" numbers to define your health goals rather than the external weight.