If I'm 5'9 how much should I weigh? What the charts won't tell you

You're standing on the scale. Maybe you’re at the doctor’s office, staring at that sliding metal bar, or maybe you're just at home in your bathroom. If you're 5'9", you've probably seen that number flicker and wondered if it’s "right." But "right" is a tricky word. It’s loaded. Honestly, if you ask a room of ten doctors, "if I'm 5'9 how much should I weigh," you might get three different answers based on their specific philosophy of medicine.

The standard answer is usually rooted in the Body Mass Index (BMI). For a person who is 5'9" (which is 69 inches or about 175 centimeters), the "normal" weight range is typically cited as 125 to 169 pounds. That is a huge gap. Forty-four pounds! That’s basically the weight of a medium-sized dog or a very heavy suitcase. It’s no wonder people feel confused. Within that range, you could be a marathon runner with barely any body fat or someone with a much softer build, and the math says you're both "fine."

But the math is often a liar.

The BMI problem and why your 5'9" frame is unique

Let's get real for a second. The BMI was created in the 1830s by a Belgian mathematician named Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet. He wasn't even a doctor. He was looking for a way to measure the "average man" in a population, not a way to tell an individual person if they were healthy. If you have a decent amount of muscle—maybe you hit the gym or you've got those "good" leg genetics—BMI will tell you that you're overweight.

Take a look at professional athletes. Many NFL wide receivers or CrossFit competitors stand exactly 5'9". Because muscle is denser than fat, these individuals often weigh 190 or 200 pounds. According to the standard chart, they are "obese." Does that make sense? Of course not. They have low body fat percentages and high cardiovascular health. This is why looking at the scale alone is sorta dangerous for your mental health.

Frame size matters more than you think

You've probably heard someone say they are "big-boned." People usually roll their eyes at that, but it's actually a physiological reality. Clinicians often use wrist circumference to determine frame size. If you're 5'9" and have a small frame (a wrist under 6.5 inches), you might feel and look your best at 135 pounds. However, if you have a large frame (a wrist over 7.5 inches), 165 pounds might look lean on you.

📖 Related: Does Ginger Ale Help With Upset Stomach? Why Your Soda Habit Might Be Making Things Worse

It’s about the "hanger" the clothes are sitting on.

What the CDC and NIH actually say

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) use a specific formula to calculate the healthy range for a 5'9" adult. They want your BMI to fall between $18.5$ and $24.9$. Here is how that breaks down in actual pounds:

• Underweight: Anything under 125 pounds.
• Healthy Weight: 125 to 168 pounds.
• Overweight: 169 to 202 pounds.
• Obese: 203 pounds or higher.

Now, keep in mind that these numbers don't account for age. As we get older, our bone density changes and we tend to lose muscle mass—a process called sarcopenia. Some research, like studies published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, suggests that for older adults, being on the slightly "overweight" side of the BMI scale (around 25 to 27) might actually be protective against certain health issues and mortality. Basically, having a little extra "reserve" can be a good thing if you get sick.

Why 155 pounds is the "magic" number for some (but not all)

If you look at the middle of the healthy range for a 5'9" person, you land right around 145 to 155 pounds. This is often where people feel the most "balanced." But "feeling" balanced is subjective.

Think about your lifestyle. Are you a hiker? A powerlifter? A sedentary office worker? A 5'9" person who sits at a desk for 10 hours a day might carry 160 pounds very differently than a 5'9" person who works in construction. The office worker might have a higher percentage of visceral fat—that’s the stuff that hangs out around your organs—which is the truly scary kind of weight. The construction worker might have a higher weight but lower health risks.

👉 See also: Horizon Treadmill 7.0 AT: What Most People Get Wrong

The Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR)

Instead of obsessing over "if I'm 5'9 how much should I weigh," many modern experts, like those at the Mayo Clinic, suggest grabbing a measuring tape. Your waist circumference is a much better predictor of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes than the scale.

For a man, a waist over 40 inches is a red flag. For a woman, it’s 35 inches. If you are 5'9" and weigh 180 pounds, but your waist is 32 inches, you are likely in great shape. If you weigh 150 pounds but your waist is 38 inches (what people call "skinny fat"), you actually might have more health risks than the heavier person.

The role of body composition

Muscle takes up less space than fat. This is a cliché for a reason—it’s true.

Imagine two people. Both are 5'9". Both weigh 165 pounds. Person A has a body fat percentage of 15%. They look athletic, their clothes fit sharply, and their metabolic rate is high. Person B has a body fat percentage of 30%. They might feel sluggish, have trouble finding clothes that fit well, and struggle with blood sugar spikes. The scale sees them as identical. Biology does not.

To get a real answer, you should look into:

✨ Don't miss: How to Treat Uneven Skin Tone Without Wasting a Fortune on TikTok Trends

1. DEXA Scans: These are the gold standard. They use low-level X-rays to tell you exactly how much of your weight is bone, fat, and muscle.
2. Hydrostatic Weighing: Being weighed underwater. It's accurate but a bit of a hassle.
3. Bioelectrical Impedance: Those smart scales you can buy for $40. They aren't perfect, but they give you a trend line to follow.

Practical steps for finding your "personal" best weight

Don't just chase a number because a chart in a doctor's waiting room told you to. It's a recipe for burnout. If you're trying to figure out where you should land, stop looking at the 125–169 range as a goal and start looking at functional markers.

First, check your blood pressure and your A1C levels. If these are in the healthy range, your current weight is likely not an emergency. Second, pay attention to your energy levels. If you drop to 130 pounds but you're too tired to climb a flight of stairs, you've gone too far.

Next Steps for Your Health Journey:

1. Measure your waist-to-height ratio. Aim for your waist circumference to be less than half of your height. For a 5'9" person (69 inches), your waist should ideally be under 34.5 inches.
2. Focus on protein intake. Regardless of where you are in that 125–169 range, eating roughly 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of your target weight will help you maintain muscle mass while you're figuring out your body composition.
3. Get a baseline blood panel. Ask your doctor specifically for a lipid panel and a fasting glucose test. This tells you what's happening inside the 5'9" frame, which matters infinitely more than the gravity pulling on it.
4. Audit your movement. Instead of cutting calories to hit a "ideal" weight, try to add 20 minutes of resistance training twice a week. It changes how the weight sits on your body.

The scale is just one data point in a sea of information. Use it as a tool, not a judge. 160 pounds can look like a hundred different things depending on who is wearing it. Focus on how you move, how you feel, and what your blood work says. That’s the real "ideal" weight.