You’re standing in the doctor's office. You’re five feet tall. The nurse slides that heavy silver weight across the balance beam, or maybe it’s a sleek digital scale that blinks a number back at you. If you’re a 5 feet woman ideal weight is a phrase that has probably haunted your Google search history for years. But here’s the thing: that number is often a total trap.
Most charts will tell you that if you're 60 inches tall, you should weigh somewhere between 97 and 128 pounds. That’s the "standard" BMI range. But have you ever noticed how different two women can look at 120 pounds? One might be a powerhouse of lean muscle who hits the gym five days a week, while another might have a much higher body fat percentage and struggle with energy levels. The scale doesn't know the difference between a bicep and a bagel. It just knows gravity.
The Problem with the "Ideal" Number
We’ve been using the Hamwi formula since the 1960s. It’s the old-school rule of thumb that says a woman should weigh 100 pounds for her first five feet of height, and then add 5 pounds for every inch after that. Since you’re exactly five feet, the formula says you should be 100 pounds.
Honestly? That’s incredibly reductive.
Dr. J. Devlin, a specialist in body composition, has often pointed out that these formulas were never meant to be clinical prescriptions. They were "best guesses" for population averages. If you have a larger frame—meaning wider shoulders or broader hips—100 pounds might actually be underweight for you. Your bones literally weigh more. Your organs need space.
Let's talk about the Body Mass Index (BMI). It was invented by a mathematician, not a doctor. Adolphe Quetelet came up with it in the 1830s to study populations, not individual health. For a 5 feet woman ideal weight according to BMI is a narrow window. If you hit 130 pounds, you’re technically "overweight." But if you’re a 5-foot-tall powerlifter, that 130 pounds is mostly dense, metabolic tissue that keeps your heart healthy and your bones strong.
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Why frame size changes everything
You can check your frame size pretty easily. Wrap your thumb and middle finger around your opposite wrist. If they overlap, you’ve got a small frame. If they just touch, you’re medium. If there’s a gap? Large frame. A large-framed woman who is five feet tall might feel—and be—perfectly healthy at 135 pounds, even though the charts are screaming at her to lose weight.
Beyond the Scale: What Actually Matters
What if we stopped obsessing over the 100-pound mark?
Instead, look at waist-to-hip ratio. This is a much better predictor of cardiovascular health than just total weight. For a woman, a ratio of 0.80 or lower is generally considered healthy. It tells you where you’re carrying your fat. "Apple-shaped" distributions—carrying weight around the midsection—are linked to higher risks of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. If you’re five feet tall and your waist is significantly smaller than your hips, your "ideal" weight might be higher than the chart says, and you’d still be in a lower risk category for chronic illness.
Muscle mass is another huge factor. Muscle is more "dense" than fat. This means it takes up less physical space but weighs the same. You could lose two inches off your waist but stay the exact same weight on the scale because you’ve gained muscle. This is why "toning up" often leads to frustration if you're only looking at the number between your feet.
The "Skinny Fat" Risk for Shorter Women
Shorter women have a lower Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). It’s just physics. You don't need as much energy to move a 5-foot frame as someone who is 5'10". This makes it very easy to fall into the "skinny fat" category—where your weight is technically "ideal" on a chart, but your body fat percentage is high, and your muscle mass is dangerously low. This is medically known as normal-weight obesity. It’s sneaky. It’s dangerous. It’s why focusing solely on the 5 feet woman ideal weight can actually be bad for your health.
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Real-World Examples and Nuance
Consider two different women, both 5'0".
Sarah is a marathon runner. She weighs 105 pounds. She has low body fat, but she also struggles with bone density issues because she doesn't do much resistance training. Her weight is "perfect" by the Hamwi formula, but her health isn't.
Then there’s Maria. She’s also 5'0". She weighs 132 pounds. She lifts weights, eats a high-protein diet, and has a resting heart rate of 55 beats per minute. The BMI chart says she’s overweight. Her doctor, looking at her blood pressure and cholesterol levels, says she’s the picture of health.
Which one is at her "ideal" weight?
The answer is Maria. Weight is just a data point. It’s not the whole story.
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Dietary Realities for the 5-Foot Frame
Being short means your margin for error with calories is smaller. It’s annoying, but it’s true. A 5'10" woman can eat 2,000 calories and likely maintain her weight. For a 5-foot woman, that might be a surplus that leads to weight gain.
But don't starve yourself.
When you go too low on calories to chase an arbitrary "ideal weight," your body downregulates your thyroid and saps your energy. You end up burning fewer calories at rest. Instead of eating less, focus on nutrient density. High-protein, high-fiber diets are the way to go. Protein has a higher thermic effect of food (TEF), meaning you burn more calories just digesting it compared to fats or carbs.
How to Actually Find Your Personal Best Weight
Forget the internet charts for a second. Ask yourself these questions:
- Can I climb two flights of stairs without being winded?
- Is my blood pressure in a healthy range (typically 120/80)?
- Do I have enough energy to get through my day without three cups of coffee?
- Does my weight fluctuate wildly, or is it stable?
If your weight is stable, your labs are good, and you feel strong, you’ve likely found your 5 feet woman ideal weight, whether that’s 105 pounds or 135 pounds.
Practical Steps to Take Right Now
Stop weighing yourself every day. It’s obsessive and it doesn't account for water retention or hormonal shifts. For women, your weight can swing 3-5 pounds just based on your menstrual cycle.
- Get a DEXA scan or a Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). These tell you your body fat percentage and muscle mass. This is 100x more valuable than a bathroom scale. Aim for a body fat percentage between 21% and 32% for optimal health.
- Prioritize resistance training. Because you have a smaller frame, building even 3-5 pounds of muscle will significantly boost your metabolism and make you look "leaner" even if the scale goes up.
- Measure your waist-to-hip ratio. Use a simple tape measure. Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. Keep that number under 0.8.
- Eat 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of your goal weight. This protects your muscle while you navigate fat loss.
- Focus on "Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis" (NEAT). Since your BMR is lower, staying active through the day—walking, standing, moving—is more effective for weight management than a single 30-minute workout.
The "ideal" weight is the one where you are the most functional, the most energetic, and the least likely to develop chronic disease. It’s a range, not a fixed point. Don't let a 1960s formula tell you how to feel about your body.