A healthy weight for a 5’7 male falls between roughly 121 and 153 pounds, based on a normal BMI range. That range comes from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s BMI table, spanning a BMI of 19 to 24. But a single number on a scale doesn’t capture the full picture, and where you fall within that range (or slightly outside it) depends on your muscle mass, age, and how you carry your weight.
The Standard BMI Range at 5’7
BMI, or body mass index, divides your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. For a 5’7 male, the weights that correspond to a healthy BMI of 19 through 24 break down like this:
- BMI 19: 121 lbs
- BMI 20: 127 lbs
- BMI 21: 134 lbs
- BMI 22: 140 lbs
- BMI 23: 146 lbs
- BMI 24: 153 lbs
The World Health Organization classifies a BMI of 25 or higher as overweight and 30 or higher as obese. At 5’7, that means roughly 159 pounds crosses into the overweight category and 191 pounds into the obese category. These thresholds are population-level guidelines, not personal diagnoses. They work well as a starting point but have real blind spots.
Why BMI Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story
BMI treats all weight the same. It can’t distinguish between a pound of muscle and a pound of fat, which is why a muscular 5’7 man at 170 pounds might be healthier than a sedentary one at 150. Researchers use a metric called the Fat-Free Mass Index to account for this. Studies of male collegiate athletes found average scores ranging from about 20.7 (water polo players) to 24.3 (football players), with a natural upper limit around 25 for steroid-free men. If you strength train regularly, your healthy weight could sit well above the standard BMI range without posing any health risk.
Body fat percentage offers another lens. The American Council on Exercise categorizes men’s body fat into several tiers: 6 to 13 percent for athletes, 14 to 17 percent for people with above-average fitness, 18 to 24 percent as acceptable, and 25 percent or higher as obese. Two men who are both 5’7 and 155 pounds can have dramatically different health profiles depending on whether they’re at 15 percent body fat or 28 percent.
Your Waist Matters More Than You Think
Where your body stores fat is often more important than how much you weigh. Fat that accumulates around the midsection, known as visceral fat, wraps around internal organs and drives up the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic problems. Harvard Health Publishing flags a waist circumference of 40 inches or more as high risk for men, along with a waist-to-hip ratio of 1.0 or higher.
An even simpler check: the NHS recommends keeping your waist measurement below half your height. For a 5’7 male (67 inches), that means a waist under 33.5 inches. You can measure this at home with a tape measure around your midsection at belly button level. If your weight is technically in the healthy BMI range but your waist exceeds that threshold, the number on the scale may be giving you false reassurance.
How Age Shifts the Target
The standard BMI brackets were designed for adults in general, but the sweet spot for weight changes as you get older. Research published in the Annals of Geriatric Medicine and Research found that men over 65 had better functional capacity, balance, gait, and muscle strength at a BMI of 27 to 28, which is technically in the “overweight” range. Men in that age group with a BMI below 25 actually showed higher rates of functional decline, fall risk, and malnutrition.
This doesn’t mean gaining weight as you age is a good strategy. It means that carrying a modest amount of extra weight in older adulthood appears protective, likely because it buffers against muscle loss and provides energy reserves during illness. For a 5’7 male over 65, a weight closer to 170 pounds may be healthier than the 140 that looks ideal on a standard BMI chart.
Calories to Maintain Your Weight
Once you know where you want to land, calorie needs help you get or stay there. Estimated maintenance calories for adult men range from about 2,200 to 2,600 per day if you’re mostly sedentary, and 2,600 to 3,000 if you’re regularly active. After age 60, those numbers drop to roughly 2,000 for sedentary men and 2,400 to 2,600 for active ones. These are broad estimates that don’t account for height specifically, so a 5’7 male will generally fall toward the lower end of each range compared to someone who’s 6’1.
If your goal is to lose weight, a modest daily deficit of 300 to 500 calories below your maintenance level typically produces steady, sustainable fat loss of about half a pound to one pound per week. If you’re trying to gain muscle, a small surplus of 200 to 300 calories paired with resistance training is a reasonable starting point.
A Practical Way to Assess Your Weight
Rather than fixating on one number, use multiple data points together. Check your BMI to see where you fall in the 121 to 153 pound range. Measure your waist and compare it to the 33.5-inch threshold. If you have access to a body fat measurement (many gyms offer this), see whether you land in the acceptable or fitness range. And consider your age, since the ideal target shifts upward after 65.
A 5’7 male who weighs 160 pounds, has a 32-inch waist, and strength trains three times a week is likely in excellent health despite a BMI of 25. A 5’7 male at 145 pounds with a 36-inch waist and no exercise routine may have more to worry about. The scale gives you one piece of the puzzle, not the whole picture.