You’ve stepped on the scale and saw a number that made you tilt your head. Maybe you felt a little spike of anxiety, or maybe you just wondered if that digit actually means anything for a woman who stands exactly five feet, seven inches tall. Honestly, height changes everything. It changes how your clothes hang, how your joints carry your mass, and how your metabolism ticks along.
If you are looking for the standard medical answer, the healthy weight range for 5 7 female individuals is usually cited between 118 and 159 pounds. That is the "Normal" bracket according to the Body Mass Index (BMI). But let's be real for a second. A 120-pound woman and a 155-pound woman can both be 5'7" and look—and feel—entirely different. One might be a long-distance runner with a lean frame, while the other might be a powerlifter with significant muscle density.
Numbers are just data points. They aren't a moral judgment or a perfect diagnostic tool.
The Math Behind the BMI Standard
We have to talk about the BMI because it’s the language your doctor speaks. To find the BMI, you take your weight in kilograms and divide it by your height in meters squared. For a woman who is 5'7" (which is roughly 1.70 meters), the math looks like this: $BMI = weight(kg) / 1.70^2$.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) use these specific brackets:
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- Underweight: Below 18.5 BMI (under 118 lbs)
- Healthy weight: 18.5 to 24.9 BMI (118 to 159 lbs)
- Overweight: 25.0 to 29.9 BMI (160 to 191 lbs)
- Obese: 30.0 or higher BMI (192 lbs and up)
It’s a wide net. A forty-pound gap is huge! That’s because the "healthy" zone has to account for different bone structures. Some women have what doctors call a "small frame," meaning their wrists and ankles are narrow and their skeletons literally weigh less. Others are "large-framed," with broader shoulders and hips. If you're 5'7" with a large frame, being 125 pounds might actually make you look haggard or feel weak, even though you're technically in the "healthy" range.
Why 5'7" is a Unique Height for Weight Distribution
At five-seven, you're taller than the average American woman, who usually clocks in around 5'4". This extra vertical space is a blessing for weight distribution. You have more room for your organs, a longer torso, and usually longer limbs. This means that gaining or losing five pounds is often less noticeable on you than it would be on someone who is 5'2".
But there is a catch.
Because you're taller, your center of gravity is higher. Carrying "unhealthy" weight—specifically visceral fat around the midsection—can put more strain on your lower back and knees than it would on a shorter person. According to Dr. Margaret Ashwell’s research on waist-to-height ratios, your waist circumference should ideally be less than half your height. For a 5'7" woman (67 inches), that means a waist under 33.5 inches is a better predictor of longevity than the number on the scale.
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The Muscle Factor and Body Composition
Muscle is dense. It’s like lead versus feathers. A 5'7" woman who hits the gym four times a week and squats her body weight might weigh 165 pounds. According to the BMI, she’s "overweight." But if you look at her, she’s toned, her blood pressure is 110/70, and her resting heart rate is 55. Is she unhealthy? Of course not.
Then you have "skinny fat." This is a term people use—kinda mean, I know—to describe someone who falls perfectly into the healthy weight range for 5 7 female but has very low muscle mass and high body fat. This person might be at higher risk for Type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome than our "overweight" lifter.
Body composition matters more than total mass. If you’re curious about where you stand, skip the bathroom scale for a minute and look at:
- DEXA Scans: These are the gold standard. They show exactly how much of you is bone, fat, and muscle.
- Hydrostatic Weighing: Being dunked in a tank to see how much water you displace. Very accurate, very annoying.
- The "Jeans Test": Seriously. How do your clothes fit? Are you energetic? Can you walk up three flights of stairs without gasping?
Age Changes the Goalposts
If you’re 22, your ideal weight is likely different than if you’re 65. As women age, especially after menopause, bone density tends to drop. Carrying a little bit of extra weight (being on the higher end of that 118-159 range) can actually be protective against osteoporosis and hip fractures.
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Recent studies published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggest that for older adults, being slightly "overweight" by BMI standards is associated with lower mortality rates. Basically, your body needs a little more reserve as it gets older. If you're 5'7" and 162 pounds at age 70, you might actually be in a better spot than if you were 120 pounds.
The Emotional Side of the Scale
We can't ignore the mental health aspect. Society puts a ridiculous amount of pressure on women to be "thin," which often gets confused with being "healthy."
If chasing a specific number on the scale leads to disordered eating, chronic stress, or social isolation, then that number isn't healthy for you. Stress hormones like cortisol can cause you to hold onto belly fat regardless of your caloric intake. It’s a vicious cycle. Sometimes, the healthiest thing a 5'7" woman can do is stop weighing herself every morning and focus on how her body functions.
Actionable Steps to Finding Your Personal "Best" Weight
Forget the "perfect" number. It doesn't exist. Instead, try these shifts in perspective:
- Prioritize Protein: Especially if you're 5'7", you have a lot of muscle to maintain. Aim for roughly 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of your goal weight. This keeps your metabolism humming and helps you stay in the lean-tissue zone.
- Measure Your Waist: Take a soft tape measure. Find the top of your hip bone and the bottom of your ribs. Breathe out naturally. If you're under 33 inches, you're likely in a great spot metabolically, regardless of the scale.
- Check Your Labs: Go to the doctor. Get your A1C, your lipid panel, and your vitamin D levels checked. If those are green, and you're 165 pounds at 5'7", you are probably doing just fine.
- Focus on Strength: Tall women can sometimes struggle with posture. Building a strong core and back helps you carry your height with confidence and protects your spine.
- Eat for Energy, Not Just Deficit: If you are dragging through your day, you might be under-fueling for your height. 5'7" bodies require a baseline of energy just to keep the lights on.
The healthy weight range for 5 7 female is a guide, not a rulebook. If you feel strong, your vitals are good, and you can move through the world without pain, you’ve likely found your sweet spot. Don't let a 19th-century formula (which is what BMI is) dictate how you feel about your 21st-century body. Balance is a feeling, not just a digit on a screen.