Is 138 lbs too heavy for a 5' 7 female?

Question

I am thinking of losing 15 lbs. My body mass index is 21.5, which is normal. But most of my friend who are also 5'7 weighs only 120-125 lbs. My mom said itz because I am of bigger frame than them. Well, can losing weight help ur frame to be smaller? Do u think I should lose weight?

Answer 1

Your BMI - or body mass index is 21.6 - dead center of "NORMAL" if you really want to see exactly where you fall go to this link - it's a BMI for kids/teens that factors in age and such.
http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnpabmi/Calculator.aspx

now you don't need to lose weight to "look like everyone else".

Also you need to factor in that weight is a poor indicator between 2 people -two friends both are 5'7" 1 is 138 and 1 is 125, both wear the same size clothes. But because the "heavier" friend has more muscle she would weigh more... even though they are the same size.

And if it's not a case of more muscle... are you looking to lose weight to be healthy? if the answer is yes, then eat healthy, and stay active. Other than that I’d not try fitting into the mold of what is “thin” it’s usually too thin…
Heck I'm 5'2" - and was a size 7 and weighed 135. (I’m pregnant now and won’t tell you how big I am LOL) No one believed I was more than 115. We all carry weight differently. Just try to be happy with who you are and stay healthy...

Answer 2

You definitely don't need to lose weight. If your body frame is really quite a bit bigger than the frame of an average woman for your height, you may actually need to gain a few pounds.

The last two girls I dated before I met my current girlfriend were about your height (5'7" - 5'8") and had big body frames. Both of them weighed about 20-25 pounds more than you do. Even though ideally the two of them should be about 10-15 pounds lighter, most people (including me) would consider those two to be "voluptuous" or "curvy," rather than fat.

Losing weight will never change the size of your body frame. A person with a larger body frame must weigh more in order to keep their body healthy. There is no way that the two girls I mentioned earlier could ever be 120 or 125 without getting really sick.

Answer 3

Having a big frame is your skeleton, and too light, will not be good looking. Can't change your bones. I could carry another 30-40 lbs and look great, since I have a large frame, but light weight. You don't want that.

My wife is 5'5". When I met her she was a HOT 135 lbs. She's now at 150 lbs, and is still a head turner. 6 couples stared at her as we walked out of a restaurant last night.

My daughter is 5'7", 122. VERY slim. Body Fat at about 14% (she runs). Maybe you are a bit too "fluffy". If your body fat is high, you need some strength exercise to add muscle and hopefully burn off some fat. Fat is five times more bulky than muscle.

Sounds like you should trust your mother, but get some exercise, but not to lose weight, to re-shape.

Answer 4

No thats perfect! i dont think you should lose weight. if you naturally have an athletic frame or bigger frame, you cant change it-its basically your bone sturucture. I heard once the avg person should be 5 more pounds per inch after they hit 5 feet but that as you go up to the taller heights, the weight gain can be more like 6 or 7. still thats not a good way to measure because everyone has a diff. body type. So i think your good!

Answer 5

Losing weight is not going to change the size of your frame. I would say you are about right for your height. A lot depends on your physical shape. If you are muscular, muscle weighs more than fat. It sounds like your body mass index is perfect. I wouldn't diet. Eat right and exercise. Lay off the junk food and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Your friends weight shouldn't concern you. They may be anorexic or something.

Answer 6

The old rule of thumb was if you are 5'0" you should weigh 100 lbs, then add 5 lbs for every inch, so at 5'7" you should weigh around 135, so you are just right. Losing weight doesn't change your bone structure.

Answer 7

A BMI of 21.5 is ideal. However, it is also important to know your body fat percentage and your waist measurement to ensure that you are at a healthy weight. Losing weight will not help your frame to be smaller. Do you exercise and eat a healthy diet?

Answer 8

Based on your height and weight, you can calculate your body mass index (BMI) to be about 21. This allows you to compare your relative weight to others. The normal for women is a BMI of 19 to 24. Therefore you are considered to be of normal weight based on your weight and height.

Answer 9

Your height to weight ratio is perfect. No, losing weight doesn't give you a smaller frame. Your frame is your bone size and structure, you can't do anything about that. I don't think you should lose weight, I think your weight is perfect.

Answer 10

Yes, you may have a bigger frame so 120lb-125lb could be very underfat for you. Losing weight won't change your frame size and I think you are at a perfectly health weight already.