You're standing on the scale. 175 pounds. For a guy who is 5'10", that number feels... okay? Maybe? It’s that weird middle ground where you aren't exactly "big," but you aren't lean either. You start Googling 5 10 man weight to see where you land, and suddenly you're buried in BMI charts from 1995 that tell you you're borderline overweight.
It's frustrating.
Most of these charts are basically relics. They don't account for whether you spent all morning deadlifting or if your "weight" is mostly just beer and pizza from the weekend. Being 5'10" is actually a fascinating height because it’s the literal average for men in the United States, according to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. But "average" doesn't mean "ideal." Honestly, the gap between a 160-pound marathon runner and a 210-pound bodybuilder—both 5'10"—is a massive canyon of physiological differences.
The Problem With the "Ideal" 5 10 Man Weight
If you look at the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company tables—which, for some reason, people still reference—they’ll tell you a 5'10" man should weigh between 151 and 163 pounds if he has a "small frame."
Seriously? 151 pounds?
For a lot of guys, that’s gaunt. If you have any significant muscle mass at all, 151 pounds makes you look like you’re vibrating on a different frequency. The Body Mass Index (BMI) isn't much better. For a 5'10" individual, the "normal" range is technically 129 to 174 pounds. Once you hit 175, the calculator turns yellow and screams "Overweight."
But here is the kicker. BMI was never meant to be a diagnostic tool for individuals. It was created by Adolphe Quetelet, a Belgian mathematician, in the mid-1800s to study populations. He wasn't a doctor. He was a stats guy.
Think about a professional athlete. Let's take a look at someone like Saquon Barkley. He’s about 6'0", but if he were 5'10" and kept his proportions, he’d easily weigh 215+ pounds of pure explosiveness. According to the standard 5 10 man weight charts, he’d be "obese." That’s why we have to stop looking at the scale in a vacuum.
Frame Size Matters More Than You Think
Ever heard someone say they’re "big-boned"? People usually roll their eyes, but it’s actually a real medical thing. Anthropologists and sports scientists measure bi-acromial breadth (shoulder width) and bone density to determine frame size.
A guy with a 7-inch wrist and broad shoulders is going to naturally carry 15-20 pounds more than a guy with 6-inch wrists, even at the same body fat percentage. If you’re the guy with the 7-inch wrists trying to cut down to 155 pounds because a chart told you to, you’re going to feel like garbage. Your testosterone will likely dip. Your energy will vanish. You’ll be "skinny fat."
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Why 185 Pounds Might Be Better Than 165
Let’s talk about the "Sweet Spot."
For most 5'10" men who lift weights three times a week and go for a walk occasionally, the 175 to 185-pound range is often where they look and feel their best. Why? Because of lean body mass.
If you weigh 185 pounds but have a 32-inch waist, you are in a much better health position than a 165-pound guy with a 36-inch waist. The latter has what researchers call "Normal Weight Obesity." This is where your BMI is fine, but your visceral fat—the stuff that wraps around your organs—is dangerously high.
A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that people with "normal" BMIs but high waist-to-hip ratios actually had a higher mortality risk than people who were technically overweight by BMI standards but had better fat distribution.
So, if you’re obsessing over 5 10 man weight numbers, stop. Grab a tape measure instead.
- The Waist Rule: Your waist circumference should be less than half your height. For a 5'10" man (70 inches), your waist should be under 35 inches.
- The Mirror Test: How do your clothes fit?
- The Performance Metric: Can you climb three flights of stairs without huffing?
These matter way more than the 174-pound ceiling the BMI chart gives you.
Age and the Moving Target
As you get older, your "ideal" weight shifts. It’s just reality. Sarcopenia—the natural loss of muscle mass as we age—starts hitting in your 30s. If you aren't actively fighting it with protein and resistance training, that 170 pounds you weighed at age 25 is going to look very different at age 45.
At 45, you might still weigh 170, but you’ve traded five pounds of muscle for five pounds of fat.
There is also something called the "Obesity Paradox" in geriatric medicine. Some studies suggest that in older populations (65+), being slightly "overweight" by BMI standards can actually be protective against frailty and bone breaks. If you're a 5'10" man in his 60s, weighing 190 might actually be safer for your long-term longevity than trying to stay at 160.
What Does the Science Say About Body Fat?
If you really want to know if your 5 10 man weight is healthy, you need to find your body fat percentage.
- 8-12%: Very lean. Abs are clearly visible. Hard to maintain for most regular guys.
- 15-18%: The "Athletic" look. You look like you work out. Your face is chiseled. This is generally the healthiest range for most men.
- 20-25%: You’re carrying a "dad bod." It’s not a health crisis yet, but you’ve got some fluff.
- Over 30%: This is where the risk for Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease spikes.
If you’re 5'10" and 200 pounds at 15% body fat, you’re a tank. If you’re 200 pounds at 35% body fat, you need to make some changes.
Real World Examples of 5'10" Men
Look at Hollywood or sports.
Tom Cruise is roughly 5'7", so he doesn't count here, but look at someone like Conor McGregor. When he fights at 155 pounds (lightweight), he looks shredded but almost skeletal in the face. When he walks around at a "natural" weight, he’s likely closer to 175 or 180.
Then you have guys like Mark Wahlberg. He’s about 5'8" or 5'9", but he often carries 185+ pounds of muscle. On a standard chart, he’s borderline obese. Does he look obese to you? Obviously not.
The point is that "weight" is a crude measurement. It’s like trying to judge a house solely by how many pounds the wood and bricks weigh without looking at the floor plan.
How to Actually Hit Your Goal
If you’ve decided your current 5 10 man weight isn't working for you, don't just "lose weight."
Lose fat.
There is a huge difference. If you just starve yourself, you’ll lose muscle, your metabolism will tank, and you’ll end up looking soft even at a lower weight.
- Prioritize Protein: Aim for about 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of target body weight. If you want to be a solid 180, eat 160-180g of protein.
- Lift Heavy Things: You don't need to be a powerlifter. But you need to give your body a reason to keep its muscle.
- Walk: It sounds too simple. It’s not. 10,000 steps a day does more for fat loss than most people realize, and it doesn't spike your cortisol like a 5-mile sprint might.
- Sleep: If you sleep five hours a night, your body clings to fat. It’s a survival mechanism.
The Myth of the "Perfect" Number
We love round numbers. We want to weigh 170. Or 180. Or 165.
But your body doesn't care about round numbers. Your body cares about hormonal balance, joint health, and energy levels. If you feel incredible at 188 pounds, but you’re stressed out and miserable trying to force yourself down to 175, the higher weight is actually the healthier one for you. Stress (cortisol) is a silent killer that does more damage than an extra ten pounds of body mass ever will.
Actionable Steps for the 5'10" Male
Forget the scale for a second. If you want to optimize your weight and health, do this instead:
- Get a DEXA Scan or use a Bioelectrical Impedance scale: It won't be 100% perfect, but it'll give you a baseline of your body fat versus muscle mass.
- Measure your neck and waist: Use the "Navy Seal" body fat formula. It's surprisingly accurate for a free DIY method.
- Check your blood pressure and fasted glucose: These are the real "health" numbers. A 195-pound guy with perfect blood pressure is "healthier" than a 160-pound guy with pre-diabetes.
- Focus on Body Recomposition: If you're "overweight" but new to lifting, you can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. Don't just slash calories. Eat at a slight deficit, keep protein high, and train hard.
Stop chasing a ghost on the scale. Being 5'10" gives you a great "frame" to build a powerful, lean physique. Whether that happens at 165 or 190 depends entirely on what you're made of—not what the gravitational pull of the Earth says about your feet.
Instead of asking "What should a 5 10 man weigh?", start asking "What should a 5 10 man be able to do?" If the answer is "run a 5k, bench press my body weight, and keep my blood markers in check," the specific number on the scale becomes a secondary detail. It's just data. It isn't a grade.