Is 180 lbs overweight for a woman at 5'7"?
Yes — 180 lbs is 21 lbs above the healthy upper limit for 5'7" (for a woman).
At 180 lbs (81.6 kg) and 5'7" (170.2 cm) for a woman, the BMI is 28.2 — overweight.
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 are 20 lbs (9.2 kg) above the healthy upper limit (BMI 25 = 160 lbs (72.4 kg)). At a modest 500 kcal daily deficit (~0.45 kg/week), reaching the healthy range takes about 20 weeks.
You have 12 lbs (5.3 kg) of buffer before crossing into the obese range (BMI 30 = 192 lbs (86.9 kg)). A 5–10% weight reduction (9 lbs (4.1 kg) to 18 lbs (8.2 kg)) is clinically meaningful even without reaching a "normal" BMI.
Timelines assume ~7,700 kcal per kg of body fat. Real progress varies with muscle mass, adherence, and medications.
What this means
Population data show that physically active people in this BMI band often have better cardiovascular outcomes than sedentary people inside the 'normal' range.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 175 lbs | 79.4 kg | 27.4 | Overweight |
| 176 lbs | 79.8 kg | 27.5 | Overweight |
| 177 lbs | 80.3 kg | 27.7 | Overweight |
| 178 lbs | 80.7 kg | 27.9 | Overweight |
| 179 lbs | 81.2 kg | 28.0 | Overweight |
| 180 lbs ← this page | 81.6 kg | 28.2 | Overweight |
| 181 lbs | 82.1 kg | 28.3 | Overweight |
| 182 lbs | 82.6 kg | 28.5 | Overweight |
| 183 lbs | 83 kg | 28.7 | Overweight |
| 184 lbs | 83.5 kg | 28.8 | Overweight |
| 185 lbs | 83.9 kg | 29.0 | Overweight |
Practical next steps
- Focus on consistency over intensity — small daily wins beat aggressive short-term plans.
- Track food intake for 1–2 weeks to identify high-calorie patterns.
- Add strength training to protect lean mass during weight loss.
- Re-measure waist every month; expect change there before scale weight.
Frequently asked questions
Is 180 lbs overweight for a woman at 5'7"?
180 lbs at 5'7" gives a BMI of 28.2, which is overweight. 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.