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What’s Your True Frame Size?
Did you know that your ideal body weight depends on what type of body frame you have?
Two people who are 5 feet (1.52 meters) tall do not need to weigh the same weight to be considered healthy. There is a wide range.
Ideal healthy weight all depends on your body composition, body shape, and frame size.
So, let’s take a look at how to figure out what type of body frame you have!
3 Methods to Determine Frame Size
Elbow Measurement
Bend your elbow 90 degrees. You want to take the measurement of the width of the widest part of the bone at your elbow. Simply use your middle finger and thumb to get an estimate, and then check this estimate with a ruler/measuring tape. Check the chart below.
Wrist Measurement
Use a measuring tape to measure the circumference of your wrist (the smallest part just above the bone). Then, check the chart below.
Wrist Measurement with Fingers
This is less accurate. Wrap your thumb and middle finger around the smallest part of your wrist. If they overlap, you are small framed. If they touch, you are medium framed. If you can barely get them to touch or they are not touching, you have a large frame.
I recommend doing a combination of these measurements get a better idea of your frame size.
Ideal Body Weight
In general, you can use this calculation to determine an ideal body range:
Women
Start with 100 pounds for 5 feet tall. Add 5 pounds for every inch over 5 feet that you are. With this number you can subtract 10% for small frames, and add 10% for large frames.
Men
Start with 106 pounds for 5 feet tall. Add 6 pounds for every inch over 5 feet that you are. With this number you can subtract 10% for small frames, and add 10% for large frames.
Or, check out this easy to read chart from ygraph once you know your frame size.
Overall, use your judgment when it comes to your weight. At the end of the day, the number doesn’t matter. What matters is where you feel healthy at.
Do you know your frame size?
I am 5’4″ female who has lost 124 lbs so far, from 285 to 161, and was unsure what my goal weight should be because I have a large frame. Apparently, I only have about 10-20 more to go to be well into the ideal range, which is a relief compared to the charts that don’t take frame size into account. Woohoo!
Alright, anyone else like me I’m a young male (16)
6’1 height. Wrist is 8 in and my elbow is 3.2in
Am I a freak of nature or something lmao
Hello I’m a female 5 feet tall my elbow is 2 3/4 inches my wrist is 7 inches What is my ideal weight?i have a small waistline much bigger hips and a big rib cage. I really don’t think I can get to 100 pounds. I’ve been anorexic eating less then 900 calories a day exercising 4 hours a day and I’m not getting any smaller
Hi,
I think this is because you are exercising too much and eating too little. Your body is going into panic mode so at every calorie it eats, it will soak it up. Please eat more and exercise less, you are destroying your metabolism so even if you achieve your goal eventually, once you return to your lifestyle, you will blow up.
Once your metabolism stabilises where you eat well and exercise regularly but not excessively, you will naturally lose weight.
Please take care.
Hi my name Sarah and I am 5’5 and can’t not reach my weight I just want to be a 100 pounds . I wish I could be 120 that be a dream I work out and eat food too any suggestions?
5’9″, and hearing so much crap about my weight being “alarmingly low”. According to this chart, 130 is ideal weight for my small frame. Take that, KAREN. 🙂
I’m 4’11 and around 100 lbs (small frame), but I’m looking to loose some weight
Height 5’2
Weight 115 lbs Medium Frame
6”4” man 207 lbs large frame has a size 15 shoe Ring finger size 16 sounds really low and to me
You are doing great I’m only 5 foot eleven and way 270
I’m 5’3 and 123lb. I’m a girl.Personally, I think I’m overweight. My wrists are 5” and my elbow breadth is 2” so idk my ideal weight should probably be much less.
mine is off the chart too
I have a small frame
5’11
2 inch elbow breadth
6 inch wrist
i am 5’11 1/2″ tall and weigh 165. i muscle some in arms more in legs due to jobs i have worked but i do exercise. i am being told by two different men i lost to much weight.
Hi Sheri,
You’re right within your weight range, for your height. Depending on your “Frame Size” (small, medium, or large) you should weigh between 144lbs to 176lbs, so, at 165, you’re just right. If you like your weight, and how you look, don’t listen to those men! It’s more important about how you feel, not what other people think! ?
RainingStars ☔️ ✨
I’m 5′ 2.5″ tall and have extremely tiny wrist. My wrists only measure 5.25″ around, at the smallest part. I can overlap all 4 fingers, and my thumb, around my wrists, too. Not many people can overlap all 4 fingers and their thumb, around their wrists. I, definitely, have a small frame. My wrist are so small, that I have a really hard time finding bracelets that actually fit. ?
I have the same problem although i am 1.79 and i weigh 12 stone 10 but i workout almost every day with a rest day in between to help my muscles, don’t listen to these charts as i have really tiny wrists and i am a medium to large build, i always have been even though i look tall and slim i am very athletic though and people don’t believe that i actually weigh that much as i am only a UK size 10 to 12 sometimes i need a 14 but i can even fit into a size 8 all depends on the store tbh, but please don’t go by charts as it can be wrong just like BMI charts. Join the bracelet struggle club lol. ?
Yeah I can overlap with all my fingers and I’m 5 ft too, I have broad shoulders and really wide hips though, my bf and I agreed I’m a medium to large frame even though my wrists match small
I have broad shoulders too, but that doesn’t mean that I am not small boned
Clavicle length doesn’t have anything to do with being big-boned.
My mom assumed that out about me and thought I was big-boned when I was really small-boned with small wrists and small elbows
I is a smol boi
My bf is a smol boi too:) he’s like 5’6 and weighs about 115-120, he just has a small frame
I think I’m disproportionate XD According to my elbow I’m large frame I’m 5’7 and I measured my bone width at 3in but my wrist is only 6 around which the charge indicates is small frame.
So how’s this work as a woman of 6’1” my elbow measures 3” my wrist measures 7 1/2”. I’m not even 9n the chart.
It means you have a large frame.
People complain that this chart is “out of date” because nowadays it is considered “healthy” just to be 30-40 pounds overweight due to most people considered obese carry around 100 to 200 extra pounds. This chart is spot on.
That’s crazy if people think that, my mom does?
1. what on earth are the “out of date” comments about? Health weight ranges don’t change with time or fashion.
2. 5’4.5″ with wrist circumference of only 5.25″ puts me off the charts on the tiny frame end. My healthy range has always been between 100 and 106, an “underweight” BMi. Extra weight puts a strain on my joints and yes, also looks bad. Yup, I’m fit.
Totally out of date. Wrists are my smallest part but when I was at the weight suggested for this size in high school I looked sickly even though I still was wearing the same sized shirt just to bridge my shoulders… I put 30 lbs back on… Felt better too in the same sized shirt!
This is all well and good….. but somewhat misleading/out of date…. There is nothing here that talks about muscle…. I’m 5’1″ (small frame) have weighed as little as 98lbs. However, when I was in the best shape of my life, I weighed about 115lbs…. The difference is muscle… I was strong, lean and looked a lot better.
So my elbow measurement is off the chart for both male and female. Now what?
I reckon it’s time to loose some weight I guess or you’re the exception to the rule.
That chart appears to be just for a medium frame. Mine is off the chart as well, but I have a large frame.
Im trying to
figure out my waist size
I got a tape measure if you need it. Just measure the smallest part of your waist and that’ll show your measurement. Better cut back on them vanilla milkshakes!
D.Hill- get over yourself and leave everyone alone. If you can’t say something nice…
its called a joke, he was being sarcastic
This totally ignores muscular men. At 5’9”, I weigh between 184-190 year round. With water immersion and caliper body fat testing, I am 12-14 % bf. I have a large frame size and not overweight by any stretch of the imagination. So much for these “one size fits all” charts. Useless, like BMI charts. Who creates this misleading information without consideration of all the variables?
It totally ignores muscular women too.
I am 59 years old 5’5 142 lbs with 21 % body fat and people tell me I need to gain weight. I have a 7.5 ” wrist circumference, wear women’s 10 or men’s 9 shoe. Unlike the current occupant of the white house I have large hands bigger than most men.