You've probably spent some time staring at a doctor’s office wall or scrolling through a fitness app, looking for that magic number. If you’re a woman standing 5'7", you’re in an interesting spot. You’re taller than the average American woman by about three inches. That height gives you a lot of leeway with how weight sits on your frame, but it also makes generic advice kinda useless. Honestly, the quest for the 5'7 woman ideal weight is usually more about finding a range than hitting a specific bullseye.
Body weight is a messy metric. It’s a snapshot of gravity, not a map of your health.
If we look at the standard medical baseline, we’re talking about the Body Mass Index (BMI). For a 5'7" woman, the "normal" range is typically cited between 118 and 159 pounds. That is a massive 41-pound gap. It’s the difference between a distance runner’s build and a powerlifter’s physique. Most women find that they feel their best somewhere in the middle—usually between 135 and 145—but even that is totally subjective.
The BMI problem and why your bones matter
BMI was never meant to be a diagnostic tool for individuals. It was created by Adolphe Quetelet, a Belgian mathematician, back in the 1830s to study populations. It doesn't know the difference between five pounds of marble-hard muscle and five pounds of fluff. Because you're 5'7", your "frame size" plays a huge role in where you should land on the scale.
Have you ever done the wrist test? Wrap your thumb and middle finger around your opposite 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 woman at 5'7" might look gaunt at 130 pounds, while a small-framed woman might feel sluggish at 155.
Metabolism isn't a fixed setting either. Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, often points out that our bodies have a "set point." This is the weight range your brain wants to maintain. If you’re naturally 150 pounds and you force yourself down to 125 because a chart told you to, your hormones like leptin and ghrelin will basically go to war against you. You'll be hungry, tired, and probably pretty irritable.
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Muscle vs. Fat: The 5'7" advantage
At 5'7", you have longer limbs and a longer torso than the average person. This means you have more "real estate" for muscle attachment. Muscle is significantly denser than fat. You could weigh 165 pounds—technically "overweight" by BMI standards—and wear a size 6 because your body composition is high in lean mass.
- The Athletic Build: Many female athletes who stand 5'7", like some professional tennis players or CrossFit competitors, frequently weigh in the 155–170 pound range. They don't look heavy. They look solid.
- The Lean Build: Conversely, many fashion models are 5'7" to 5'11". At 5'7", a model might weigh 120 pounds. While this is within the "healthy" BMI, it’s at the very bottom edge and often requires a specific genetic predisposition to maintain without sacrificing bone density or hormonal health.
It's about the mirror, not the scale. Seriously.
The "ideal" weight is actually the weight at which your blood pressure is normal, your periods are regular (if you’re pre-menopausal), your energy is stable, and you can move your body without pain. If you're 158 pounds but your blood sugar is perfect and you can hike five miles, you're exactly where you need to be.
Why age changes the "ideal" number
As we get older, the 5'7 woman ideal weight often needs to shift upward. It's called the "obesity paradox" in some geriatric circles. Carrying a little bit of extra weight (being in the "overweight" rather than "normal" BMI category) as you enter your 60s and 70s can actually be protective. It provides a reserve if you get sick and offers a cushion for your bones if you take a tumble.
Sarcopenia—the age-related loss of muscle—is the real enemy here. If you’re 5'7" and 130 pounds at age 65, but you have no muscle tone, you’re at a much higher risk for fractures than a woman who is 160 pounds with strong legs.
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Beyond the scale: Better metrics to track
Since the scale is such a liar, what should you actually look at?
- Waist-to-Hip Ratio: This is a much better predictor of cardiovascular health than total weight. Take a tape measure. Measure the smallest part of your waist and the widest part of your hips. Divide the waist by the hip. For women, a ratio of 0.85 or lower is generally considered healthy.
- Waist-to-Height Ratio: Your waist circumference should be less than half your height. At 5'7" (67 inches), your waist should ideally be under 33.5 inches. This specifically targets visceral fat, the dangerous kind that wraps around your organs.
- Body Fat Percentage: If you have access to a DEXA scan or even a decent set of smart scales (though they can be finicky), this gives you the real story. A healthy range for women is typically 21% to 32%.
Let’s be real for a second. We live in a culture that obsesses over the lowest possible number. But being "underweight" carries its own set of massive risks, especially for women. Low body fat can lead to amenorrhea (loss of periods), which tanks your estrogen. When your estrogen drops, your bone density follows suit. You don't want to be 5'7" with the bones of an 80-year-old because you were chasing a "goal weight" from high school.
Actionable steps for the 5'7" woman
Stop chasing a phantom number. It's exhausting. Instead, focus on these shifts:
Prioritize Protein and Resistance Training
Because you have a longer frame, maintaining muscle is key to keeping your metabolism humming. Aim for 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of your goal weight. If you want to be a fit 150, eat 120-150 grams of protein. Lift heavy things. It won't make you "bulky"; it'll make you "functional."
Audit Your Energy Levels
If you hit your "ideal weight" but you need four coffees to get through the afternoon and your hair is thinning, that weight isn't ideal for you. Your body is screaming that it’s under-fueled.
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Ignore the "Standard" 1,200 Calorie Diet
Most 1,200-calorie plans are designed for the "average" woman, who is much shorter than you. At 5'7", your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)—the calories you burn just by existing—is likely higher than 1,400 calories. Eating 1,200 is putting your body in a state of semi-starvation. It’s not sustainable, and it’ll eventually lead to a metabolic slowdown.
Focus on Functional Capability
Can you carry your own groceries? Can you do a push-up? Can you get up off the floor without using your hands? These are the metrics that actually determine the quality of your life as you age. The scale might say 155, but if you can do those things, you’re winning.
Finding the 5'7 woman ideal weight is a personal experiment. It's the intersection of your genetics, your activity level, and your mental health. If you're obsessing over three pounds, you're missing the forest for the trees. Your "ideal" is where you feel the most alive, not the most restricted.
Next Steps for Long-Term Health
- Get a Baseline: Instead of a standard scale, get a Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) or a DEXA scan to see your actual body fat-to-muscle ratio.
- Check Your Labs: Ask your doctor for a full metabolic panel, including Vitamin D, Ferritin (iron stores), and a full Thyroid panel. Often, "weight" issues are actually underlying nutrient deficiencies or hormonal imbalances.
- Measure by Feel: Use a favorite pair of non-stretch jeans as your benchmark. If they fit comfortably, you’re likely in your body’s preferred "set point" range, regardless of what the digital display says in the morning.
Lifestyle changes should be about adding to your life, not just subtracting from your waistline. When you focus on strength and vitality, the weight usually settles exactly where it belongs.