What's my BMI? Is a 196 pound female overweight?
Is 196 lbs overweight for the average woman?
According to the CDC, BMI is a good indicator of weight, for most people. For the average female, at 5 feet 3, 196 pounds is a BMI of 34.7, which is considered obese. Of course, this will be different at different heights, so make sure you calculate the BMI for your specific weight, by using our calculator below. Another important thing to keep in mind is that even though at a certain height 196 lbs might be considered overweight or healthy, body composition and body fat percentage also factor in to whether or not this weight is a healthy weight for you.
196 lbs comes in all shapes and sizes.
Unfortunately it's quite not as simple as 196 lbs being overweight, underweight or obese, it's actually more important to compare the weight with your height. In order to reach the healthy BMI range of 18.5 to 24.9 BMI you would need to be in the height range of 6'4 to 7'2.
As BMI does not take gender into account, the range is the same for both males and females. Again, BMI is only useful as a guide, is not perfect and does not have any way to take into account the amount of muscle you have, or your body fat percentage.
So in summary, it seems that 196 lbs is considered obese for the average woman.
It's important to understand that BMI is not perfect.
BMI is not a perfect way of measuring body fatness, but it does a pretty good job for most people. Athletes, or particularly muscular people will find that BMI is not specific enough to meet their needs, and it's probably worth looking into something like body fat percentage. BMI just gives us an easy way to quickly understand the ratio between someones height and someones weight, it does not take into account how much fat you are carrying versus muscle.
Try our BMI Calculator to learn everything about your BMI
Know your BMI? Go straight there.
Height and Weight BMI Health Chart for 196 Pounds (lbs)
Check out this table below to visually understand what heights are considered underweight, healthy, overweight and obese at 196 lbs.
Height | Weight Level |
---|---|
4'9" | Obese |
4'10" | Obese |
4'11" | Obese |
5'0" | Obese |
5'1" | Obese |
5'2" | Obese |
5'3" | Obese |
5'4" | Obese |
5'5" | Obese |
5'6" | Obese |
5'7" | Obese |
5'8" | Overweight |
5'9" | Overweight |
5'10" | Overweight |
5'11" | Overweight |
6'0" | Overweight |
6'1" | Overweight |
6'2" | Overweight |
6'3" | Healthy weight |
6'4" | Healthy weight |
6'5" | Healthy weight |
6'6" | Healthy weight |
6'7" | Healthy weight |
6'8" | Healthy weight |
6'9" | Healthy weight |
6'10" | Healthy weight |
6'11" | Healthy weight |
7'0" | Healthy weight |
Here are some examples of what a 196 lbs female looks like
![A before and after photo of a 5'5" female showing a weight gain from 198 pounds to 225 pounds. A net gain of 27 pounds. A before and after photo of a 5'5" female showing a weight gain from 198 pounds to 225 pounds. A net gain of 27 pounds.](https://myprogresspics.com/storage/images/8u2814ygwt781_optimized_1x.jpg)
Postpartum Weight Loss: One Woman's Inspiring Journey of Shedding Baby Weight
![A picture of a 5'7" female showing a snapshot of 194 pounds at a height of 5'7 A picture of a 5'7" female showing a snapshot of 194 pounds at a height of 5'7](https://myprogresspics.com/storage/images/3wmMdUZ_optimized_1x.jpg)
Female Reddit User's Successful Weight Loss Journey at 29 Years Old
![A before and after photo of a 5'11" female showing a weight reduction from 302 pounds to 194 pounds. A net loss of 108 pounds. A before and after photo of a 5'11" female showing a weight reduction from 302 pounds to 194 pounds. A net loss of 108 pounds.](https://myprogresspics.com/storage/images/vzqdmsuwmb481_optimized_1x.jpg)
F/29's 108Lb Weight Loss Journey with Intermittent Fasting, Veganism, Jogging and a Less Sedentary Job
![A picture of a 5'5" female showing a weight loss from 196 pounds to 175 pounds. A respectable loss of 21 pounds. A picture of a 5'5" female showing a weight loss from 196 pounds to 175 pounds. A respectable loss of 21 pounds.](https://myprogresspics.com/storage/images/eoukyr2ox2w81_optimized_1x.jpg)
Woman Loses 21 Pounds in 4 Months with If, Cico, Cardio/Weights