You’ve probably stood there, staring at the cold metal scale in your bathroom, wondering if the numbers looking back at you are "normal" or if you're somehow failing a test you didn't know you were taking. For a woman who stands 5 feet 7 inches tall, that scale can be a real jerk. You’re taller than the average American woman—who usually hits around 5'4"—which means you have more bone, more muscle potential, and more "space" for weight to distribute itself.
So, what is the ideal weight for 5 7 female bodies anyway?
If you ask the CDC or a standard insurance chart, they’ll point you toward the Body Mass Index (BMI). For your height, that "healthy" window is wide. We’re talking anywhere from 118 to 159 pounds. That’s a 40-pound gap! It’s basically the difference between a distance runner’s frame and someone who hits the squat rack three times a week.
Numbers are weird.
The BMI Problem and Why Your Height Changes the Game
The BMI was actually invented by a mathematician, not a doctor, back in the 1830s. His name was Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet. He wasn't trying to diagnose your health; he was trying to find the "average man." Because he was a statistician, he didn't account for things like bone density or where you carry your fat.
If you're a 5'7" woman with a "large frame," you might feel like you're starving yourself to hit 130 pounds. On the flip side, someone with a "small frame" might feel sluggish at 155. It’s all about the architecture of your body.
Understanding Frame Size
Ever noticed how some people have tiny wrists while others have "sturdy" joints? That’s frame size. To figure yours out, wrap your thumb and middle finger around your wrist. If they overlap, you’ve likely got a small frame. If they just touch, you’re medium. If there’s a gap? You’re large-framed.
A large-framed 5'7" woman can easily weigh 165 pounds and look incredibly fit because her skeleton alone weighs more.
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Honestly, the ideal weight for 5 7 female individuals depends mostly on body composition. Muscle is dense. It’s heavy. If you start lifting weights, the scale might go up while your jeans get looser. It’s the ultimate mind game.
What Do the Different "Standard" Formulas Say?
Medical professionals use a few different "rules of thumb" to estimate ideal body weight (IBW). None of them are perfect. They are starting points, not finish lines.
- The Hamwi Formula: This is a classic. It starts at 100 lbs for the first 5 feet and adds 5 lbs for every inch after. For you, that's $100 + (7 \times 5) = 135$ lbs.
- The Miller Formula: A bit more conservative. It suggests about 131 lbs for a 5'7" woman.
- The Robinson Formula: This one lands around 129 lbs.
Do you see the issue? These formulas are often quite low. They don't account for the modern woman who has a career, kids, or a gym membership. They’re based on old-school data that doesn't always reflect reality.
I’ve talked to plenty of women who are 5'7" and 170 pounds who have perfect blood pressure, low cholesterol, and can run a 10k without breaking a sweat. Are they "overweight" by the book? Yeah. Are they unhealthy? Not by a long shot.
The Role of Age and Hormones
We have to talk about the 40s. And the 50s.
As women age, our hormones—especially estrogen—start to shift. This often leads to a change in where we store fat. It moves from the hips to the belly. This is why "ideal weight" is a moving target. What felt great at 22 might feel impossible at 45.
Dr. Stacy Sims, a renowned exercise physiologist, often argues that we should focus on "functional lean mass" rather than a number on the scale. As we get older, having a bit of extra weight can actually be protective against things like osteoporosis or wasting diseases.
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Body Fat Percentage vs. The Scale
If you really want to know if you're at your ideal weight for 5 7 female metrics, look at your body fat percentage. This tells you how much of you is "stuff you need" (muscle, organs, bone) versus "energy storage" (fat).
For women, a healthy range is usually:
- Athletes: 14% to 20%
- Fitness: 21% to 24%
- Acceptable: 25% to 31%
You can be 145 pounds at 35% body fat (skinny fat) or 160 pounds at 22% body fat (athletic). The 160-pound version of you will likely have more energy, a faster metabolism, and better long-term health outcomes.
Beyond the Numbers: The Health Markers That Actually Matter
Stop obsessing over the 135-pound ghost. Instead, look at these markers:
- Waist-to-Hip Ratio: Take a tape measure. Measure your waist at the narrowest point and your hips at the widest. Divide the waist by the hip. If it’s under 0.80, you’re in a great spot regardless of what the scale says.
- Energy Levels: Can you get through the day without three cups of coffee and a nap at 3:00 PM?
- Blood Markers: Ask your doctor for a full panel. If your A1C, lipids, and inflammatory markers like CRP are good, your weight is likely fine.
- Sleep Quality: Overweight and underweight can both wreck your sleep.
Finding Your Personal "Happy Weight"
There is a concept called "Set Point Theory." It’s the weight your body naturally wants to maintain when you’re eating intuitively and staying active. For a 5'7" woman, your set point might be 150 pounds. You could starve yourself to get to 135, but your body will fight you every step of the way—cranking up hunger hormones and slowing your heart rate.
That’s not living.
Think about the "Middle Way." It’s that place where you feel strong, your clothes fit well, and you aren't terrified of a piece of birthday cake. For most 5'7" women, this usually lands somewhere between 140 and 160 pounds.
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Real-Life Examples
Let's look at two hypothetical but realistic women:
- Sarah: 5'7", 130 lbs. She does a lot of yoga and eats a plant-based diet. She has a small frame. She feels light and energetic. This is her ideal.
- Maya: 5'7", 168 lbs. She lifts heavy weights four days a week and has broad shoulders. She wears a size 8. Her doctor says she's technically "overweight," but her body fat is 23%. This is her ideal.
Both are healthy. Both are 5'7". Both are "ideal."
Actionable Steps for the 5'7" Woman
If you're still feeling stuck on the ideal weight for 5 7 female question, stop looking at the scale for a week. Seriously. Put it in the closet.
Instead, do this:
- Focus on Protein: Aim for about 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of your target weight. This helps maintain the muscle that makes you look "toned" and keeps your metabolism humming.
- Measure Your Progress Differently: Use a piece of string to measure your waist once a month. Or use a favorite pair of non-stretch denim.
- Strength Train: You don't have to become a bodybuilder, but adding muscle is the best way to change your body shape without necessarily dropping the weight.
- Check Your Vitamin D and Iron: Tall women often have higher demands on their systems. If these are low, you’ll feel "heavy" even if you're "thin."
The "ideal" is whatever weight allows you to live your most vibrant life. If you're 155 pounds and you can hike a mountain, dance all night, and enjoy a meal with friends without doing mental math on the calories, you’ve already won.
Don't let a math formula from the 1800s tell you who you are. Focus on how you feel in your skin, how your heart pumps, and how your muscles move. That's the only metric that doesn't lie.