A Healthy Weight Range for a 5'9" Female

Desirable Body Weight

According to the University of Washington, the desirable body weight for women who are 5 feet 9 inches is 145 pounds, plus or minus 10 percent for frame size. For example, if you are small-framed, subtract 10 percent, and if you have a large frame, add 10 percent. Based on these general guidelines, a 5-foot-9-inch woman would ideally weigh 130 to 160 pounds, depending on her frame size.

Determining Frame Size

For women, frame size is determined using height and wrist circumference. MedlinePlus reports that medium-framed women have a wrist circumference of 5.5 to 5.75 inches if they are under 5 feet 2 inches tall; 6.0 to 6.25 inches if they are 5 feet 2 inches to 5 feet 5 inches tall; and 6.25 to 6.5 inches if they’re over 5 feet 5 inches tall. Women with wrist circumferences smaller than these ranges – based on their height – are classified as small-framed, and women with larger wrist circumferences have large frames.

Body Mass Index

If you’re 5 feet 9 inches and weigh more or less than the desirable weight range, you may still be within a range that’s classified as "healthy" using body mass index, or BMI. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, a BMI between 18.5 to 24.9 is classified as normal and will keep your disease risk low. BMI is determined by multiplying your current body weight in pounds by 703, dividing that number by your height in inches and dividing by your height in inches again. Using these BMI guidelines, a healthy weight range for a woman who is 5 feet 9 inches is 126 to 168 pounds.

Exceptions

If you're very muscular and weigh more than 168 pounds, you may still be considered healthy. Since muscle is more dense than fat, muscular athletes -- like female bodybuilders -- may weigh more than non-athletes but still have a low body-fat percentage. However, if your body weight is outside of the healthy weight guidelines, it’s a good idea to have regular check-ups with a doctor who can monitor blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Tips for Weight Loss

While most women require about 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day for successful weight loss, active women and women weighing 165 pounds or more generally need 1,200 to 1,600 calories each day to lose weight at a healthy pace. You can lower your energy intake by reducing sugary drinks, sweets and refined grains like white bread. Exercising regularly can help you shed unwanted body fat and keep lost weight off for good.