Let's be real for a second. If you’ve spent any time Googling how much should I weigh at 5 8 female, you’ve probably been slapped in the face by a rigid BMI chart that tells you exactly one number—or a tiny range—and expects your body to just "fit." It’s frustrating. It’s also kinda scientifically lazy.
Being 5'8" means you're taller than the average American woman by about four inches. You’ve got more bone mass. You likely have more muscle potential. You definitely have more "room" for weight to distribute differently than someone who is 5'2".
So, why does every website give you the same generic answer?
Standard charts usually scream 125 to 158 pounds. That’s the "normal" Body Mass Index (BMI) range. But ask any athlete, any woman with a wide frame, or anyone who has ever carried a child, and they’ll tell you that those numbers are just the tip of the iceberg. Weight isn't just gravity pulling on your skin; it's a mix of water, bone, organ weight, and the ratio of fat to muscle.
The BMI Myth vs. Reality for Tall Women
The BMI was invented in the 1830s by a Belgian mathematician named Adolphe Quetelet. He wasn't even a doctor. He was a statistician trying to find the "average man." Notice I said man. The formula—your weight in kilograms divided by your height in meters squared ($BMI = kg/m^2$)—doesn't account for gender, and it certainly doesn't account for the fact that you might be hitting the gym three times a week.
If you are a 5'8" woman who lifts weights, you could easily weigh 170 pounds and look leaner than someone who weighs 145 pounds but has very little muscle mass.
Muscle is dense. It’s heavy.
Doctors like those at the Mayo Clinic still use BMI as a screening tool because it's fast and cheap, but they’ll be the first to tell you it’s not a diagnostic tool for your health. If your BMI is 26 (technically "overweight" for a 5'8" woman), but your waist circumference is under 32 inches and your blood pressure is perfect, that number on the scale is basically irrelevant. Honestly, it's just data, not destiny.
Frame Size: The Variable Nobody Mentions
Have you ever tried on a bracelet that fits your friend perfectly but won't even close on your wrist? That’s frame size.
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The National Institutes of Health (NIH) used to talk about this more, and it matters immensely when figuring out how much should I weigh at 5 8 female. Your skeletal structure dictates a lot of your "baseline" weight.
There’s a simple "pencil test" or "wrist measurement" to find your frame size. For a woman who is 5'8":
- If your wrist is less than 6.25 inches, you have a small frame.
- Between 6.25 and 6.5 inches is a medium frame.
- Over 6.5 inches is a large frame.
A large-framed woman at 5'8" might feel like she’s starving herself to reach 140 pounds, whereas a small-framed woman might feel sluggish if she carries more than 135. It’s all about the "scaffolding" you’re working with.
Why Muscle Mass Changes the Math
Let's talk about body composition. This is the real gold standard.
Imagine two women. Both are 5'8". Both weigh 160 pounds.
Woman A has a body fat percentage of 22%. She’s an amateur crossfit athlete. She has visible muscle tone and a high metabolic rate.
Woman B has a body fat percentage of 35%. She rarely exercises and has a higher ratio of visceral fat (the kind that sits around your organs).
On paper? They are identical. In reality? Their health risks are completely different. Woman A is likely in peak health, while Woman B might be at higher risk for metabolic issues. This is why looking at the scale alone is a trap. You're more than just a number on a spring-loaded platform.
What Do the "Official" Ranges Actually Say?
Despite the flaws, it’s helpful to know what the medical establishment uses as a baseline just so you can navigate your doctor's visits. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the healthy weight range for a 5'8" female is:
- 125 to 158 lbs (BMI 19–24.9)
But wait. There’s a "New BMI" formula that some researchers prefer for taller people. Because the traditional BMI squares the height, it often makes tall people seem "fatter" than they are and short people seem "thinner." The adjusted formula suggests that for a 5'8" woman, the upper limit of "healthy" might actually be closer to 164 lbs.
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It’s a small difference, but for someone struggling to lose those last five pounds to hit a "goal," it's a huge mental relief.
Beyond the Scale: Better Ways to Measure Progress
If the scale is a liar, what should you actually look at?
Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) is a massive one.
The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that a WHR of 0.85 or less is ideal for women. This measures where you carry your weight. Carrying weight in your hips and thighs (pear-shaped) is actually metabolically safer than carrying it in your belly (apple-shaped).
Then there’s the Waist-to-Height Ratio.
This one is dead simple: Your waist circumference should be less than half your height. At 5'8" (68 inches), your waist should ideally be 34 inches or less. This is often a way better predictor of heart disease and diabetes risk than BMI will ever be.
Age and the "Menopause Shift"
We have to talk about age. It’s unavoidable.
As women hit their 40s and 50s, estrogen drops. This shift often moves fat from the hips to the midsection. You might find that the weight that felt "right" at 25 feels impossible to maintain at 45.
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 BMI scale (the "overweight" category) might actually be protective against bone loss and certain chronic illnesses.
Basically, don't punish your 50-year-old body for not weighing what your 20-year-old body did. It’s doing a different job now.
Realistic Expectations and Lifestyle Factors
If you’re 5'8" and you weigh 175 pounds, but you sleep 8 hours a night, eat plenty of fiber, can hike five miles without gasping, and your blood sugar is stable—congratulations. You’re likely doing great.
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We live in a culture obsessed with "the lowest possible number." But the "lowest possible" isn't always the healthiest. It’s often the most fragile.
Think about your energy levels. Are you constantly cold? Is your hair thinning? Are you obsessed with every calorie? Those are signs that your weight might be too low, even if the BMI chart says you're "perfect." Conversely, if you feel heavy in your joints or get winded walking up stairs, your body might be asking you to lighten the load, regardless of what the "average" is.
The Role of Genetics
You can't outrun your DNA. Some women are genetically predisposed to have more bone density or a naturally curvier silhouette. If your mother and grandmothers were all sturdy, 5'8" women who lived to be 95 while weighing 170 pounds, why are you trying to force yourself into a 130-pound mold?
Listen to your "set point." This is the weight your body naturally gravitates toward when you are eating intuitively and moving your body regularly. For many 5'8" women, that set point is often higher than the fashion industry would like us to believe.
Actionable Steps for Finding Your Best Weight
Forget the "perfect" number. Instead, focus on these metrics to find where your body functions best:
- Check your waist-to-height ratio. Grab a tape measure. If it's under 34 inches, you're likely in a very good spot metabolically, regardless of the scale.
- Get a DEXA scan if you’re curious. If you really want the truth, a Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) scan will tell you exactly how much of your weight is bone, muscle, and fat. It’s the ultimate "no-BS" check.
- Track your strength, not just your size. Instead of aiming for 140 lbs, aim to deadlift your body weight or do ten perfect pushups. Functional fitness is a much better indicator of longevity.
- Monitor your labs. Yearly blood work (A1C, lipid panel, inflammatory markers) tells a story that the mirror can't. If your labs are clean, stop stressing the extra five pounds.
- Assess your "lifestyle cost." If maintaining a certain weight requires you to never eat out, feel miserable, and obsess over food, that weight is too low for your mental health. Find the weight that allows you to live a full, happy life.
The question of how much should I weigh at 5 8 female doesn't have a single answer because you aren't a single data point. You are a complex system of biology, history, and daily habits. Use the charts as a loose guide, but use your energy, your strength, and your metabolic health as your true north.
Stop fighting your height. At 5'8", you've got a presence. Own the weight that makes that presence feel powerful, not just small.
Start by ditching the daily weigh-in. Switch to measuring your waist once a month and tracking how your clothes fit. Focus on adding 30 grams of protein to your breakfast and hitting 8,000 steps. These shifts move the needle on health far more effectively than chasing a specific digit on a scale ever will. Your body knows where it wants to be; you just have to provide the right environment for it to settle there.