Is 150 lbs overweight for a woman at 5'7"?
No — 150 lbs is within the healthy range for 5'7" (for a woman).
At 150 lbs (68 kg) and 5'7" (170.2 cm) for a woman, the BMI is 23.5 — normal weight.
Public-health guidelines place the ideal weight for 170.2 cm tall adults at 118–159 kg, equivalent to a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9.
What the numbers mean for you
You have 10 lbs (4.4 kg) of headroom before crossing into overweight (BMI 25 = 160 lbs (72.4 kg)).
Your BMI band midpoint is BMI 21.7 (139 lbs (62.9 kg)), often used as the "most protective" reference in cohort studies.
Timelines assume ~7,700 kcal per kg of body fat. Real progress varies with muscle mass, adherence, and medications.
What this means
Within this range, body composition matters more than the exact number — muscle mass and waist circumference become the better health signals.
Waist matters more than the scale
Two people can share the same BMI and have very different metabolic risk. For that reason, waist circumference is now considered a stronger predictor of cardiometabolic disease than BMI alone.
- Waist-to-height rule: keep your waist under half your height — that means below 85 cm (34") at 170.2 cm.
- Absolute cutoff for women: waist under 80 cm (31.5") is associated with meaningfully lower risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
- Higher-risk zone: waist above 88 cm (35") — this is where risk climbs sharply regardless of BMI.
For women at 5'7"
BMI uses the same formula for both sexes, but health interpretation differs. Women typically carry a higher percentage of body fat at the same BMI than men. A waist circumference under 35 inches (88 cm) lowers cardiometabolic risk independent of BMI.
Precise ±5 lb neighbours at this height
| Weight | Conversion | BMI | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 145 lbs | 65.8 kg | 22.7 | Normal weight |
| 146 lbs | 66.2 kg | 22.9 | Normal weight |
| 147 lbs | 66.7 kg | 23.0 | Normal weight |
| 148 lbs | 67.1 kg | 23.2 | Normal weight |
| 149 lbs | 67.6 kg | 23.3 | Normal weight |
| 150 lbs ← this page | 68 kg | 23.5 | Normal weight |
| 151 lbs | 68.5 kg | 23.6 | Normal weight |
| 152 lbs | 68.9 kg | 23.8 | Normal weight |
| 153 lbs | 69.4 kg | 24.0 | Normal weight |
| 154 lbs | 69.9 kg | 24.1 | Normal weight |
| 155 lbs | 70.3 kg | 24.3 | Normal weight |
Practical next steps
- Keep a stable routine of movement, sleep (7–9 h), and balanced meals.
- Add resistance training to slow age-related muscle loss.
- Watch the trend, not the daily fluctuation — month-over-month is what matters.
- Check blood pressure and cholesterol annually.
Frequently asked questions
Is 150 lbs overweight for a woman at 5'7"?
150 lbs at 5'7" gives a BMI of 23.5, which is normal weight. The healthy range for 5'7" is 118–159 lbs.
What is the healthy weight for 5'7"?
118–159 lbs.
What waist size is healthy for a woman at 5'7"?
Under 35 inches (88 cm) is associated with lower cardiometabolic risk.