You’ve probably stood in front of the mirror, or perhaps on that cold glass square in your bathroom, wondering if the number staring back at you actually means anything. It’s a common obsession. If you’re a woman standing 5 feet 7 inches tall, you’re taller than the average American female by about three inches. That extra height changes the math. It changes how weight sits on your frame, how your clothes fit, and honestly, how your doctor looks at your charts. But finding the "right" number isn't as simple as checking a dusty 1950s height-weight chart in a basement clinic.
The truth is, weight is a messy metric.
If you search for what is the right weight for a 5 7 female, most "official" sources point you straight toward the Body Mass Index (BMI). According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a healthy BMI falls between 18.5 and 24.9. For someone who is 5'7", that translates to a weight range of roughly 118 to 159 pounds. That’s a 41-pound spread. It’s huge. Within that range, you could be a lean marathon runner or someone with a much softer composition, and the "math" would say you’re exactly the same.
But we know it’s not that simple. Life happens. Muscle happens. Bone density varies. A woman with a "large frame" (yes, that’s a real clinical term) will naturally carry more weight than someone with a "small frame," even at the exact same height.
Understanding the BMI Logic for a 5'7" Woman
BMI was never meant to be a diagnostic tool for individuals. It was created by a mathematician—Adolphe Quetelet—back in the 1830s to study populations. Yet, here we are, nearly 200 years later, using it to decide if we’re "healthy."
For a 5'7" woman, the breakdown usually looks like this:
- Underweight: Anything under 118 lbs.
- Healthy Weight: 118 lbs to 159 lbs.
- Overweight: 160 lbs to 191 lbs.
- Obese: 192 lbs or higher.
Let’s be real for a second. If you’re 162 pounds and you lift weights three times a week, you might have a lower body fat percentage than someone who is 130 pounds but never leaves their desk. Muscle is dense. It’s compact. It’s heavy. This is the primary reason why athletes often "fail" the BMI test. When we talk about what is the right weight for a 5 7 female, we have to talk about composition.
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Why Frame Size Actually Matters
Have you ever tried on a bracelet that was too tight, even when you were at your lowest weight? That’s frame size. The elbow breadth test is a classic way researchers like those at Metropolitan Life used to categorize body types.
If you have a large frame, your "ideal" might naturally sit at the higher end of the BMI range, perhaps 145 to 155 pounds. If you’re fine-boned and petite-framed, you might feel your best at 125 pounds. Neither is "wrong." They’re just different architectures.
The Problems with the "Standard" Number
Health isn't just a number on a scale. It’s a collection of data points. Think about blood pressure. Think about fasting glucose. Think about how much energy you have when you wake up at 7:00 AM.
Medical professionals like those at the Mayo Clinic are increasingly looking at waist-to-hip ratio as a better predictor of health than just raw weight. Why? Because where you carry your weight matters more than how much you carry. Subcutaneous fat (the stuff you can pinch) isn't nearly as dangerous as visceral fat (the stuff packed around your organs). If you're 5'7" and 165 pounds but most of that weight is in your legs and hips, your metabolic risk might be lower than someone who is 145 pounds but carries it all in their midsection.
Age plays a massive role too.
As we get older, we lose muscle mass—a process called sarcopenia. If you're 55 and 5'7", being 155 pounds might actually be "healthier" than being 120 pounds because that extra weight can include essential muscle and bone density that protects you from falls and fractures. The "right" weight is a moving target. It shifts through your 20s, your 40s, and into menopause.
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What Real Women Experience at 5'7"
Let's look at some real-world examples.
Take a professional swimmer. At 5'7", she might weigh 155 pounds. She’s lean, powerful, and has a resting heart rate in the 50s. Then take a woman of the same height who works a sedentary job and weighs 135 pounds but has very little muscle tone. The scale says the second woman is "healthier" because she weighs less. Science says the swimmer is likely in better metabolic shape.
Then there's the "set point" theory. Some researchers believe our bodies have a weight range they naturally want to defend. If you find yourself constantly fighting to stay below 140 pounds, but your body naturally hovers at 148 without much effort, 148 might be your biological "right" weight.
The Mental Health Factor
We can't talk about weight without talking about the brain.
If hitting a specific number requires you to obsess over every calorie, skip dinners with friends, and feel dizzy when you stand up, then that number is not the "right" weight for you. It’s a prison. A healthy weight is one you can maintain while still living a life that includes birthday cake and rest days.
Beyond the Scale: Better Ways to Measure
Since we’ve established that the scale is kind of a liar, what should you actually look at?
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- Waist Circumference: For women, a waist measurement over 35 inches is often linked to higher risks of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, regardless of what the total weight is.
- The "Stairs" Test: Can you walk up two flights of stairs without feeling like your lungs are on fire? Functional fitness is a huge indicator of health.
- Body Fat Percentage: Tools like DEXA scans or even mid-range smart scales (though they aren't perfect) can give you a rough idea of your fat-to-muscle ratio. For women, a healthy range is typically 21% to 32%.
- Blood Work: Your cholesterol, A1C, and inflammatory markers tell a story that your bathroom scale never could.
Finding Your Personal "Right" Weight
So, what is the right weight for a 5 7 female?
It's the weight where your labs are clean, your joints don't ache, and your relationship with food is peaceful. For many 5'7" women, this sweet spot lands somewhere between 135 and 150 pounds, but your mileage will absolutely vary.
If you are currently outside the "normal" BMI range, don't panic. A study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine found that people in the "overweight" category often had lower mortality rates than those in the "normal" or "underweight" categories, particularly as they aged. This is known as the "obesity paradox," and it suggests that having a little bit of reserve isn't always a bad thing.
Actionable Steps to Determine Your Health
Stop looking for a single number and start looking at the big picture.
- Measure your waist. Take a soft tape measure and wrap it around your natural waistline (usually just above the belly button). If it's under 35 inches, you're likely in a good spot metabolically.
- Check your energy levels. Keep a journal for three days. Note when you feel sluggish and when you feel sharp. Often, being "under" your ideal weight leads to brain fog and chronic fatigue.
- Focus on strength. Instead of trying to lose 10 pounds, try to add 5 pounds to your goblet squat or your chest press. Muscle mass is the currency of longevity.
- Consult a professional who looks beyond the scale. If your doctor only talks about BMI, find one who also looks at your body composition and lifestyle.
The "right" weight is ultimately the one that allows you to be the most active, vibrant version of yourself. It’s not a destination; it’s a byproduct of a life well-lived. Focus on the habits—the hydration, the movement, the sleep—and let the number on the scale settle where it may. You'll likely find that when you feel your best, you're exactly where you're supposed to be.
Next Steps for Your Health Journey
To get a clearer picture of your specific health status, schedule a comprehensive metabolic panel with your primary care physician. This blood work will tell you more about your internal health than a scale ever could. Additionally, consider tracking your "Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis" (NEAT)—the movement you do outside of the gym—as this is often a more sustainable way to manage weight than intense, short-term dieting. Focus on hitting a consistent daily step goal and prioritizing protein intake to support your existing muscle mass.