If you’re a woman standing 5'9", you’ve probably spent a good chunk of your life feeling like the "tall one" in the room. It's a specific height. You aren't quite "model tall" in the way the industry demands 5'11", but you’re significantly above the national average for women in the United States, which hovers around 5'4". This height carries a unique set of physiological realities. People look at you and see a long frame, but when you step on a scale, the number staring back at you might feel "high" compared to your shorter friends. It can be a head trip.
Honestly, the weight 5 9 female conversation is usually dominated by outdated BMI charts that don't account for bone density or where you carry your muscle. It's frustrating. You might look lean and athletic at 165 pounds, while someone at 5'4" would be in a completely different health category at that same weight. Height changes everything about how mass is distributed and how your metabolism functions on a daily basis.
The Reality of the "Healthy Range" for Tall Women
Let’s get the standard medical stuff out of the way first, even if it’s a bit dry. According to the standard Body Mass Index (BMI) scale—which, let's be real, is a pretty blunt instrument—a healthy weight for a 5'9" woman typically falls between 125 and 168 pounds.
That is a massive 43-pound window.
Think about that for a second. Within that range, you could be a distance runner with a very slight frame or a woman with a more curvaceous, athletic build. Both are "normal" according to the CDC. But there’s a catch. If you have a larger frame—meaning wider shoulders and hips—dropping down to 128 pounds might actually be unhealthy for you. You’d likely feel exhausted, cold all the time, and lose your period. Conversely, a woman with a very "petite" or narrow bone structure might feel sluggish at 165.
We have to talk about frame size. It's not a myth your mom told you to make you feel better. Doctors like Dr. Elizabeth G. Nabel have noted in various clinical contexts that skeletal structure significantly impacts what a "goal weight" should look like. To check yours, wrap your thumb and middle finger around your wrist. If they overlap, you're small-framed. If they just touch, you're medium. If they don't meet? You've got a large frame. A large-framed weight 5 9 female can easily carry 170+ pounds and look incredibly fit because her "chassis" is built to support that mass.
Why 150 Pounds Looks Different on You
Muscularity is the great equalizer. If you work out, your weight will likely be higher. Muscle is more dense than fat. A gallon of lead and a gallon of feathers weigh different amounts, right? Well, muscle is your lead.
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A 5'9" woman who lifts weights might weigh 160 pounds and wear a size 6. Another woman of the same height who doesn't exercise might weigh 145 pounds and also wear a size 6, but have a higher body fat percentage. This is why the scale is a liar. For tall women, a few pounds of weight gain or loss is often barely visible. You have more "vertical real estate" to spread that weight out. It's both a blessing and a curse. It means you can fluctuate five pounds and your jeans still fit perfectly, but it also means you might not notice health-related weight creep until it's 20 pounds later.
Metabolism and the Tall Advantage
There is a silver lining to being 5'9". You simply burn more calories than shorter women. Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)—the energy you burn just by existing and breathing—is naturally higher because your body has more surface area and more tissue to maintain.
If you use the Harris-Benedict Equation, a 30-year-old weight 5 9 female at 150 pounds has a BMR of roughly 1,500 calories. That’s before she even gets out of bed. A woman who is 5'2" at the same age and relative fitness level might only have a BMR of 1,300. Those 200 calories are the difference between having a snack or not, or losing weight vs. maintaining it on the same diet.
The Myth of the "120-Pound" Tall Girl
We need to kill the 1990s "heroin chic" aesthetic that told tall women they should weigh what a petite woman weighs. It’s biologically unsustainable for most. When you look at professional athletes who are 5'9"—take someone like professional tennis players or WNBA guards—they are rarely under 150 pounds. Most are 160 to 180 pounds of pure functional power.
If you are a 5'9" woman and you are obsessing over hitting 130 pounds, you are likely fighting your biology. At that weight, your BMI is about 19.2, which is right on the edge of "underweight." For many, this leads to:
- Hair thinning or loss.
- Constant fatigue and "brain fog."
- Higher risk of osteoporosis later in life because you aren't putting enough pressure on your bones to keep them dense.
- Hormonal imbalances, specifically with estrogen and progesterone.
It's better to be 165 and strong than 125 and fragile. Seriously.
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Hormones, Age, and the 5'9" Frame
As you age, the "ideal" weight for a 5'9" woman shifts. Once you hit your 40s and 50s, perimenopause and menopause start changing where your body stores fat. You might notice more "visceral fat" around the midsection. This is the stuff that actually matters for health.
Subcutaneous fat (the stuff you can pinch on your arms or legs) is mostly cosmetic. Visceral fat (the stuff deep in your belly) affects your organs. For a woman of your height, a waist circumference under 35 inches is a much better indicator of health than whatever the scale says. If you're 175 pounds but your waist is 30 inches, you're likely in great metabolic shape.
Research from the Women's Health Initiative has shown that as women age, having a little extra "cushion" can actually be protective against certain diseases, provided it isn't excessive. Being slightly on the higher end of the BMI scale in your 60s is often linked to better survival rates than being at the very bottom.
What Most People Get Wrong About Clothing and Weight
Being 5'9" means you deal with the "tall tax" and the "weight illusion." Because you're tall, people often assume you weigh less than you do. You might tell someone you weigh 170 and they'll act shocked because you "don't look it."
This can lead to a weird form of body dysmorphia where you feel "big" even if you are lean. You take up space. That’s okay. Society teaches women to shrink, but at 5'9", your body is designed to be substantial.
When shopping, remember that "standard" sizing is usually designed for a 5'5" woman. This is why "tall" ranges exist. If you find that clothes are tight in the shoulders or the rise of your pants is too short, it’s not because you’re "fat"—it’s because your skeleton is longer. A weight 5 9 female at 155 pounds will often need a size 8 or 10 just to accommodate her bone structure, even if she has very little body fat.
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Nutrition Needs for the Tall Woman
You can't eat like a bird. You just can't.
If you try to follow a "1,200 calorie diet" that you see in a magazine, you are going to crash. Hard. That caloric intake is generally considered the absolute minimum for a toddler or a very small sedentary woman. For a 5'9" woman, 1,200 calories is a starvation level that will tank your thyroid function over time.
Instead, focus on:
- Protein Intake: Aim for roughly 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass. This keeps your muscles fueled and your metabolism humming.
- Fiber: Since you likely eat more total volume than a shorter person, you need the fiber to keep your digestion moving. Think 25-30 grams a day.
- Hydration: More body mass means you need more water. If a 5'2" woman needs 2 liters, you probably need 2.5 to 3 liters to stay truly hydrated, especially if you're active.
Actionable Steps for Navigating Your Weight
Stop looking at the total number. It’s a vanity metric that doesn't tell the whole story. If you want to actually know where you stand, there are better ways to track progress.
- Get a DEXA scan: If you're curious about your "real" health, this is the gold standard. It measures bone density, fat mass, and muscle mass separately. It'll show you if that 170 pounds is mostly muscle or not.
- Track your energy, not just your weight: For two weeks, don't weigh yourself. Instead, rate your energy on a scale of 1-10 every afternoon. If you’re a "healthy" weight but your energy is a 3, your weight isn't healthy for your body.
- Measure your waist-to-hip ratio: Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. For women, a ratio of 0.85 or lower is generally considered a sign of good metabolic health, regardless of height.
- Prioritize strength training: At 5'9", you have long levers (arms and legs). This can make some exercises like squats harder, but it also gives you the potential to build incredible functional strength. Focus on "heavy" lifts to keep your bones strong.
- Check your footwear: Tall women often have larger feet to balance their height. Don't squeeze into shoes that are too small just because you're embarrassed by the size. Proper alignment starts at the feet and affects how you carry your weight and your posture.
Being a 5'9" woman means accepting that you don't fit into the average mold. Your "ideal" weight is likely higher than you’ve been led to believe by pop culture. Listen to your joints, your energy levels, and your blood work, rather than a chart created in the 1830s. Focus on being a strong, capable version of yourself rather than trying to hit a number that wasn't designed for your frame.
Key Data Points for Reference
- BMI Range (Standard): 125 lbs – 168 lbs.
- Basal Metabolic Rate (Approximate): 1,500 - 1,650 calories.
- Average Clothing Size: Often 8–12 depending on athletic build.
- Bone Density Peak: Usually occurs in the late 20s; maintaining weight is crucial for skeletal health.
Focus on how you feel in your skin. When you're 5'9", you're built for presence, not for disappearing. Eat to support that frame, move to keep it limber, and ignore the "averages" that don't actually apply to you.
The most important metric for any woman of this height isn't the gravity-based pull on a plastic square in the bathroom; it's the metabolic health markers like blood pressure, resting heart rate, and fasted glucose levels. If those are in check and you have the energy to live your life, you are likely exactly where you need to be.