---
title: 'What Every Body Fat % Actually Looks Like (50% to 5%)'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=5K9QhkPww44'
video_id: '5K9QhkPww44'
date: 2026-06-29
duration_sec: 2048
---

# What Every Body Fat % Actually Looks Like (50% to 5%)

> Source: [What Every Body Fat % Actually Looks Like (50% to 5%)](https://youtube.com/watch?v=5K9QhkPww44)

## Summary

This video visually maps the entire body fat percentage spectrum—from 50% down to 5%—using real people (both men and women) measured with DEXA and BIA scans, all under the same controlled lighting. Each subject shares their day-to-day experience, from energy levels and health markers to the psychological toll of extreme leanness. The key message is that the ideal body fat percentage is a sustainable, health-promoting range, not an arbitrary low number, and that individual genetics and lifestyle play a huge role in where you feel and perform your best.

### Key Points

- **Why body fat matters** [0:05] — Body fat percentage affects health, sleep, performance, and self-image. Charts online are often inaccurate due to poor measurement methods (calipers, handheld devices) and inconsistent lighting.
- **50% body fat – Joe and Alexis** [1:23] — Joe (45.3% DEXA) had low testosterone and motivation; Alexis (48.2% DEXA) felt fine day-to-day but wanted to return to a more comfortable, confident physique. Daniel's motivation was skydiving (weight limit 100–110 kg). Daily struggles included fatigue and difficulty with simple tasks like putting on shoes.
- **40% body fat – Hmonish and Katie** [5:40] — Hmonish: 37.2% DEXA. Katie: 37.6% DEXA. At 40%, men typically have higher cardiovascular risk, but women's risk is not as elevated. Exercise improves health even without weight loss. Average US woman ~39% body fat (NHANES 2017–2018 data).
- **30% body fat – Septari and Greg** [8:37] — Septari (33.3% DEXA, 97 lb lean mass) vs. Greg (32.5% DEXA, 150 lb lean mass) – same percentage but very different looks. 30% = 'dad bod' with some muscle outline if you lift. Average US man ~27% body fat. At 30%, women are leaner than ~90% of US women.
- **20% body fat – Jay and Christina** [11:48] — Jay (20.8% DEXA) – arms/shoulders defined, abs outline visible when flexed. Christina (21.4% DEXA, 10+ yrs training) – visible muscle shape. For women, 20% is extremely lean (≤1% of US women leaner). For men, only ~12% are leaner. Genetic set-range matters: the creator feels best at 10–15%.
- **15% body fat – Shamar and Vanessa** [15:04] — Shamar (15.3% DEXA) – clear muscle separation, some vascularity, visible abs. Only ~2% of US men below this. Vanessa (15.7% DEXA, training for High Rocks) – typical for serious athletes. For women, this level can cause hormonal disruption, energy drop, and menstrual cycle loss.
- **12% body fat – Jimmy and Alicia** [18:59] — Jimmy (12.1% DEXA) – fully defined six‑pack, some striations. Most men need calorie tracking to maintain. Out of 9,000 US men, only 1 was under 12%. Alicia (12.2% DEXA, pro bodybuilder) – extreme hunger and constant food cravings. For women, 12% is almost exclusively a bodybuilding stage level (often with PEDs).
- **9–10% body fat – Nicholas, Ali, Jeff, AJ, Gia** [21:33] — 9% DEXA (Jeff, Ali) – all muscle heads defined, striations everywhere. Energy and performance can be good if genetically predisposed, but most men find it unsustainable without severe dietary restriction. AJ (9.9% DEXA) – hair loss, no period, feels terrible. Gia (9.1% DEXA) – significant energy dip, constant food cravings. Not recommended outside short‑term competition.
- **8% body fat – Luke** [25:42] — Luke (8.4% DEXA, pro natural physique competitor 2 weeks out) – deep striations everywhere except glutes. Side effects: testosterone drops, brain fog, irritability, constant food fixation. Rebound weight gain is common post‑diet. The creator does not recommend single‑digit body fat without a good reason and a solid post‑diet plan.
- **5.5% body fat – Lachlan** [27:57] — Lachlan (5.5% DEXA, 3 weeks out from classic physique comp) – extreme, borderline dangerous. Nearly impossible for most men without anabolic assistance. Side effects: muscle catabolism, cognitive fog, constant hunger. Post‑filming, Lachlan had an aggressive altercation with Ali (9% subject), illustrating mood/behaviour changes at extreme leanness. Both later apologised, noting it was out of character.
- **Ideal body fat ranges** [31:37] — For most women: 20–30% (ACSM: 20–32%). For most men: 10–20% (ACSM: 10–22%). Lean aesthetics: lower end (10–15% men); max strength: upper end (15–20% men). The real goal is a sustainable range where you feel strong, healthy, and confident—not a specific number.

### Conclusion

Body fat percentage is not a measure of worth; the healthiest range is one you can maintain with good nutrition, consistent training, and balanced energy levels. Extreme leanness (single‑digit for men, below 20% for women) comes with serious trade‑offs and is usually only appropriate for short‑term competitive purposes under professional guidance.

## Transcript

Do you know your body fat percentage?
Take a guess.
>> I'm going to guess 21,
>> 17,
>> 15.
>> Most people don't know their body fat
percentage. Some people think they're
way leaner than they are.
>> Oo, that was a little bit higher than I
thought.
>> Others are harder on themselves than
they should be and find out they're
closer to their goals than they realize.
>> Hell yeah.
>> And if you look up what different body
fat percentages look like online, you
won't find much help. Because if the
numbers aren't completely made up,
they're taken from less accurate
measurements like calipers or handheld
devices. And that confusion matters
because your body fat percentage not
only shapes how you look, it can also
impact your health, sleep, performance,
and how you feel about yourself. So, in
this video, I'm going to take you
through the full range from 50% body fat
all the way down to 5%. Using real life
people that I measured myself. We'll not
only see what each level looks like, but
we'll also hear about what it feels like
to live at each level. I'll also show
you where the average male and female
lands. So, as we go, try to figure out
where you fall and where you'd like to
be, depending on your own goals, whether
that's strength, health, or physique.
This is Joe. He's a 36-year-old dad. And
before I show you his exact body fat
percentage, this is what his life is
like dayto-day.
>> I had low testosterone. Like my free
testosterone was like 90, like 90. It
kind of like made sense of like my lack
of motivation, my lack of ambition.
>> On bioelect electrical impedance or BIA,
Joe came in at 50.7% body fat and on
DEXA, he was 45.3%.
>> So, your body fat percentage was 45.3.
>> No way.
>> That's lower than you thought.
>> That's actually good. I mean, it's bad,
but like
>> he said he wants to get that down to 25%
by the end of the year, and I'm going to
help keep him accountable with that.
>> So, you need to be one around 100 kilos.
So, that's about 220 lb. If you want
some accountability, we're here. We can
get you back in in a year from now and
see where you're at.
>> Okay. And this is Alexis. She's a
19-year-old university student, and she
said that dayto-day she feels pretty
good. What's your energy like in the
gym? Like, do you do you feel good?
>> Um, in the gym, honestly, yeah. I love
going to the gym.
>> Alexis measured at 47.2% on BIA and
48.2% on DEXA. And she told me that
while she feels fine and doesn't
struggle much in terms of day-to-day
activities for her long-term health, she
does want to get down to a lower but
still sustainable body fat percentage.
>> I want to go back to where I was like
comfortable and confident like every
single day leaving my house. I've spent
my first year at university and it was
not a good time. I was eating a lot. I
feel like I my body has changed so much
over the last year. Like I almost don't
recognize myself.
>> That's probably the like toughest thing.
>> Not everyone at this level had the same
goal though. This is Daniel and he had
one of the coolest motivations for
losing weight that I've ever heard.
>> I want to skydive.
>> You want to skydive?
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Okay. That's a new one.
>> I have not heard that before.
>> The weight limit for skydiving is 220 to
240 lb. So, over the next year, I'm
going to help him get there.
>> Let's give you like a year and two or 3
months. All right. You're going to come
back here, get on the DEXA scan,
>> and then you're going to book your
skydiving. All right.
I'm not doing it with you, though.
Really? I'm scared of heights. I'm
scared of heights. I will film you,
though.
>> For long-term weight loss, I think
having a purpose that speaks to you is
crucial, especially if you want to lose
a lot of weight, which can feel
overwhelming. You need to have a good
reason for why you want to do it.
>> What is What is fueling this for?
>> Like, I've got two children. Like, I've
got a 5-year-old and 8-year-old. My
boy's five.
>> And uh like his sole purpose is to like
beat me up. That's like straight up. He
wants to be stronger than me. He wants
to beat me up.
>> You just need to let him do that.
>> Exactly. For as long as possible, you
know.
>> Okay. That's like that. Just beat up
your son.
>> Yeah.
>> And because weight loss often takes
longer than people realize, a lot of
people do struggle with staying
motivated. A lot of people want to find
motivation. And the thing is like
>> it comes and goes, right? And the key to
be able to run on that is to get the
habit set up. So it's just like brushing
your teeth, right? Like it becomes
something you do. When you build that
trust in yourself over time that you're
going to actually execute on those
habits.
>> While speaking with people at this
level, I realized that even simple
day-to-day activities can be a struggle.
>> I'm always tired. Like I'm not like I
want to sleep all day, but like I'm
always fatigued.
>> This is the heaviest I've ever been. It
always feels like a battle. Like I I'd
lose weight and then I would like gain
it back and then some. To put on your
shoes is like it's just uncomfortable. I
never really care so much about my
appearance,
>> just about the things I can do if I was
um not as big.
>> And what I found most interesting was
that they assumed that if they could
just get down to the leanest level, like
single-digit body fat, their exhaustion,
energy crashes, and trouble sleeping
would all go away.
>> I'm pretty sure I would feel a lot
better like this, right? But
interestingly, as we'll see, if you go
too far in the other direction, these
exact same issues come back around
again. In fact, if you get super lean,
it can get really bad.
>> I know my body is hard and I just can't
get to sleep. And when you're that lean,
it's like the wind blows and you're
awake and you're not getting back to
sleep.
>> And a little later, I'll show you just
how bad things can get at the very
leanest level. because unfortunately an
incident occurred between two subjects
after filming that might have had
something to do with mood changes that
can come with extreme levels of
leanness.
>> Okay. Well, we going to have a problem
then.
>> First, before we see what 40% looks
like, I want you to take a guess at what
body fat percentage the average man is
and what body fat percentage the average
woman is in the United States. No
cheating by skipping ahead. I'll show
you that a little later. So, lock your
guesses in. What body fat percentage the
average man and the average woman in the
US? Okay, this is Hmonish and he
measured in at 40.7% body fat on BIA and
37.2% on DEXA. And keep in mind, these
numbers are very accurate. DEXA is often
considered the reference standard for
body composition in exercise science
research and in clinical practice. It's
very precise and a 2020 review suggested
that DEXA and MRI are actually
comparably accurate for measuring body
fat. And when combined with BIA, what
I'm going to show you has tighter
control and higher precision than most
published exercise science studies. And
it's going to be way more reliable than
the online body fat charts that are out
there, which use way less accurate tools
and sometimes pure eyeballing, which can
be way off, especially if there are
differences in lighting. In this video,
I'm going to show you exactly what each
level looks like under the exact same
lighting. Okay, so compared to 50%, you
can see that at 40%, the waistline is
down. The overall physique is leaner,
but overall body fat distribution is
still similar. And this is Katie. She's
a nurse who just became a personal
trainer herself, and she measured in at
37.6% on DEXA and 40.3% on BIA. 40% body
fat on women can look very different
from person to person depending on how
much muscle they have and their
individual body shape. And if we compare
a male at 40% to a female at 40%, you
can see that the female looks relatively
leaner. That's because women store about
10 to 12% more essential fat than men.
So 40% on a woman is visually more like
28 to 30% on a man. Men also tend to
store more body fat around their
stomach, lower back, and neck, while
women tend to store more body fat around
their hips and thighs. This is in part
because estrogen promotes fat storage in
the lower body, while testosterone
promotes more visceral fat storage
around the organs and midsection. That's
a trend that'll continue at every body
fat level. At 40%, how you feel
day-to-day varies a lot from person to
person, too. Katie said that overall she
feels pretty good, has high energy, and
her strength is solid. While Matthew,
who came in at 43.8%, said that he does
struggle with sleeping, and even some
simple tasks like putting on his shoes
can be difficult.
>> I definitely feel it with like with
sleep and stuff like that. I haven't
been diagnosed with it, but like I know
I have sleep apnea. If I fall asleep on
my back, I'm going to wake myself up.
being conscious of what shoes I wear. If
I'm going somewhere where I might have
to take my shoes off, sometimes it's
difficult to just like pop my shoes off,
you know, cuz I'm heavier.
>> At 40% body fat, men typically have a
higher risk of cardiovascular disease
and metabolic issues. But for women, the
risk isn't as elevated. In both cases,
though, exercising and eating a healthy
diet can do a lot more than you'd think.
Even if weight loss isn't occurring
right away, research shows that exercise
can still significantly improve your
health, strength, and mental well-being.
And if earlier you guessed that the
average body fat percentage for an
American woman is around 40%, you'd be
pretty much right. Based on 2017 to 2018
NHANES data, the average American woman
is about 39% body fat. Okay, now we're
down to 30% body fat. And this is where
things really start to change. This is
Septari and he was 30.1% on BIA and
33.3% on DEXA. Your total body fat
percentage is 33%.
>> Okay.
>> All right.
>> But keep in mind 30% can look quite
different depending on your structure
and how much muscle you have. Septari
measured in at 33.3% and Greg measured
in at 32.5% on the DEXA. So almost
exactly the same. But Septari had 97
pounds of lean mass and Greg had 150 lbs
of lean mass. At this level, how much
muscle you carry can have a big impact
on how you look.
>> You guys are the same body 5%. You had
very different reactions. Feel like you
were really disappointed and you were
not.
>> 30% is what some people would call the
dad bod look. Assuming you lift weights,
you should see some visible muscle
outline in your arms and legs, but
you're not quite lean enough to see a
whole lot of detail or separation. But
assuming you sleep well, eat healthy,
and exercise, your energy levels should
be pretty solid, and your performance in
the gym should be good, too.
>> I almost like the way I look a little
bit with the fat on.
>> Yeah. Hey,
>> it gives me the size. I
>> I actually like that look, too.
>> But if you don't have those healthy
lifestyle habits, 30% can definitely
feel uncomfortable. And for men, 30% is
still above what most health
organizations would consider optimal for
long-term health. And if earlier you
guessed that the average American male
was 30% body fat, you'd be pretty close.
Based on 2017 to 2018 data, the average
American male is about 27% body fat. So
if you're a man with 30% body fat, you'd
land right here. About 40% of men have a
body fat percentage higher than you, and
about 60% of men have a body fat
percentage at or below you. So if you're
at this level and you'd like a smart
nutrition app that can coach you to a
leaner physique, try out MacroFactor.
I'm a part owner. We've got over 400,000
users and I'll put a link to a twoeek
free trial in the description box below.
Okay, so this is what 30% body fat looks
like on a male and this is what 30% body
fat looks like on a female. This is
Breen and she measured at 28.4% body fat
on DEXA and 28.2% body fat on BIA. So
just a little under 30%. According to
the American College of Sports Medicine,
this is a healthy and sustainable body
composition for a lot of women. Your
body fat percentage 28.0.
>> Okay. Nice.
>> Yeah. So, you're you're obviously
squarely within the healthy range.
>> Once you account for female essential
fat, 30% on a woman is about the same as
20% on a man. Here, energy levels and
performance in the gym tend to be great.
>> I feel like I wake up with a lot of
energy, especially compared to my
partner who I live with.
>> And 30% on a woman is leaner than most
people realize.
>> I just feel like we hear 15, 10, like we
hear such low numbers all the time. I
think someone would look at you and be
like, "Oh, you look amazing." But they
wouldn't think like 28%. The pictures on
Google, too. They're so different. I'm
like, "It shows 30%." And I'm like,
"That is not everything that I
>> Exactly." That That's why I want to do
this to give people like an updated
standard.
>> In the USA, if you're 30% body fat as a
female, suddenly only about 10% of women
are leaner than you and about 90% of
women have a higher body fat. All right,
we're just past the halfway point on our
journey from 50% all the way down to 5%
body fat. And here at 20%, we're really
starting to lean out. Based on my time
on the internet, most people seem to
think that a male at 20% body fat looks
something like this. But it actually
looks like this. This is Jay, and he
came in at 20.8% body fat on DEXA and
18.6% on BIA. So yeah, really close to
20%. And you'll notice once again that
even at the same body fat percentage,
your look can vary quite a bit depending
on your bone structure and muscle mass.
Nicholas came in at 19% on Dexa, but
because he's shorter and he carries more
muscle, his 20% looks quite a bit
different from Jay's 20%. And I'm
shorter than both of them. And 20% on me
looked like this. Last year, I bulked up
to 20.6% body fat. And this was my
physique. You see, just because you're
20%, doesn't mean you're going to look
or feel like someone else at 20%. We all
have different genetic set ranges where
our bodies are most comfortable. 20%
body fat for me actually feels too high.
I felt sluggish and bloated. For me, my
body is a lot more comfortable and
performs better in the 10 to 15 zone,
but that comfortable set range is highly
genetic, and it's a little different for
everyone. For some men, it's a bit
higher. Let's say 20 to 25%. If they try
to get below 20%, they start to feel
hungry, depleted, and low energy. In
that case, I think maintaining a
slightly higher level at around 20% is
actually smart. So, you avoid constant
yo-yo dieting. Assuming you lift weights
at 20% body fat, your arms and shoulders
will have some noticeable definition.
And under good lighting, you should even
see the outline of your abs when you
flex them. For men, research shows that
this can be a sustainable and healthy
body composition to maintain. For most
people, energy levels and performance in
the gym should be really solid. And if
you're 20% body fat, you're probably
leaner than you think. Only about 12% of
men are leaner than this in the US. So,
if you get to 20% body fat, you're
actually in a very small group. And for
women, this is what 20% body fat looks
like. This is Christina, who's been
training consistently for over 10 years,
and she measured at 21.4% on DEXA, 17.5%
on BIA. Here you can definitely see
visible muscle shape and more definition
through the midsection. For some, this
level of body fat will be lower than
where your body is comfortable. For
others, this can be healthy and
sustainable.
>> You are
>> Uh-huh.
>> 18.3%
body fat.
>> Stop it.
>> But given that 20% is where a lot of
pro- female athletes sit, I was a little
surprised to see that some women still
thought 20% was a bit too high.
>> No. Like I I want to look cut. Like I
want to look like Oh my god. Like she's
jacked. Yes, you do. You You actually
do. I don't know if you know that or
not.
>> Remember, 20% on a female is closer to
10% on a male. And here's the thing. If
you're a woman, you have 20% body fat in
the US. Less than 1% of the female
population is leaner than you. Actually,
only about 2% of women in the United
States have a body fat percentage under
25. So unless you're genetically very
lean or you want to maintain a certain
level of leanness for your sport, this
is about as lean as most women can
realistically sustain and hold while
still feeling healthy and performing
optimally. All right, next stop. Now
we're down to 15% body fat. And this is
where things get interesting. This is my
friend Shamar, who's lost 25 lbs since
the last time I saw him, and he came in
at 15.3% on DEXA, 15.4% on BIA. At this
level, you can see clear muscle
separation, even some vascularity,
especially in the biceps and forearms.
Your abs will be clearly visible, even
under average lighting. But I still
wouldn't call this extreme leanness. I
actually think most men should be able
to maintain this level of leanness year
round as long as you train hard and you
pay attention to your diet. It'll take
some discipline, but it's realistic.
That said, if you have a genetically
higher body fat set range, you may
notice hunger creeping in at around this
level. So, if you're trying to maintain
15% body fat, you will need to pay
attention to your food environment. If
there are a lot of processed, delicious
foods around the house, you'll probably
quickly snack your way up to 20%. Your
gym performance and strength should be
really good at this level, and most
people shouldn't have to suffer too much
to get there. But, you might be
surprised. If you're coming from a
higher level of body fat, hitting 15%
might take some serious dedication.
>> 15.6.
>> 15.6, man. Okay.
>> I'm going right now.
>> Yeah. Bedexa is the ego killer.
>> Yeah, I'm doing more than the average
bear to uh to be low body fat. So,
>> but let me ask you, are you are you
happy with your physique?
>> Yes, overall I'm happy with that. Made a
little progress
>> and your performance.
>> Yep. Yeah. No, I feel fine.
>> Well, then just enough.
>> Yeah.
>> Still, if you have more muscle mass and
you're genetically leaner, you might be
able to cruise down to 15% without much
struggle at all.
>> I feel way better cuz that I'm 25 lbs
down.
>> Yeah, I'm too MySp are better. clarity
is better.
>> Here's what I think. I think it's
because you've taken your time. You have
a crash diet. You're still training
super hard
>> and you have a lot of muscle, you know?
So, when you get rid of the fat
surrounding you, you actually look
bigger.
>> I look bigger.
>> You do look bigger. You look like I look
bigger.
>> Yeah, I know. Yeah, that happens.
Regardless, 15% is leaner than you
think. Only about 2% of American men are
below this level of body fat. And for
women, 15% looks like this. Meet
Vanessa. She's currently training for a
High Rocks competition, which is a
hybrid event that combines running and
various exercise stations. And she came
in at 15.7% body fat on DEXA, 14.8% on
BIA. And like I said, since women need
about 10 to 12% body fat just for basic
survival needs, this level of leanness
is typically only seen in serious
athletes preparing for a specific event.
For a lot of women, this is where things
can start to take a negative turn,
especially if you're sustaining this
level of leanness for a long period of
time. Your hunger hormones can increase,
energy can drop off, and you may lose
your menstrual cycle. Staying this lean
for years can also cause bone mineral
loss and gut issues.
>> How's your hormonal?
>> It's sensitive. They don't want to put
extra stress on my system. Okay?
>> Otherwise, my period will get kind of
wonky or like my sleep will get kind of
messed up. That said, there definitely
is a fraction of women who seem to do
fine at this level without any major
issues. Still, for most women, 15% will
be low, and sitting closer to 20% is
going to feel healthier and more
sustainable for long-term health. And I
don't know, I think this is cool. Two of
these people are the exact same body fat
percentage, which goes to show that just
because you have the same number as
someone else doesn't necessarily mean
you're going to look like them. I saw a
YouTube personality that the weight that
she was aiming for or said that was
sustainable for her was way too light
compared to me. But because we were the
same height and like had similar goals,
I like pointed to her and was like,
"That's what I should do." But it wasn't
sustainable or safe for me to do that.
>> Even if you're the same height, weight,
and body fat percentage, you can still
have drastically different metabolisms
from someone else. So, it's like
everyone truly is their own unique
person, and you have to figure out what
goal makes most sense for you.
>> Yeah. And what's most sustainable.
>> Exactly. Okay. At this point, we've gone
from 50% body fat all the way down to
12%. This is Jimmy, and he came in at
12.1% on DEXA, 13.8% on BIA. And as you
can see, this is a very, very fit look.
At this level, most men will have a
fully defined six-pack with just a
little fat covering the lower abdominals
and a little fat left on the lower back.
But at 12%, you should be lean enough to
see some visible striations, especially
when you flex under good lighting.
>> I want people to appreciate like this is
a true 12% physique. For most men, your
performance will still be solid in the
gym, but to be honest, most men won't be
able to maintain this level of leanness
without some serious discipline. You'll
most likely need to track your calories
or follow a meal plan. Most men won't
just sit here without some active
dietary restriction. Some men will be
able to maintain 12% no problem. But for
most men, this is about as low as you
can go without feeling like you're
constantly dieting. 12% body fat is
lean. Much leaner than people realize.
In fact, a recent data report of over
9,000 American men revealed just how
many people are actually below 12% body
fat. How many out of the 9,000 do you
think were under 12% body fat?
>> 200.
>> Maybe 500.
>> 500.
>> 500.
>> 9,000 people. 400 people.
>> One person.
>> What?
>> One.
>> One person.
>> Oh my god.
>> Isn't that crazy? So, it goes to show
like how lean that really is when you
compare to the general population,
right? For women, 12% is virtually
unheard of outside of bodybuilding
stages. At this level, you're just about
down to only having essential body fat
left. Performance-enhancing drugs are
often needed to get this lean, and even
then, strength and energy in the gym
will almost always take a hit. Chances
are, you'll be constantly thinking about
food. Just ask Alicia here.
>> I I crave a lot of chocolate. A lot of
chocolate. Like I thought I was buying
like a small bag of like chocolate
chips, but then I ordered like a really
large bag and I like craving them and I
was just like handful and like ate them
and I'm like, I don't even know why I
You are like me. That has literally been
me the last week with literally with
chocolate chips on oatmeal.
>> She's a pro bodybuilder hoping to get
back on stage soon. And she came in at
12.2% body fat on Dexa, 14.7 on BIA.
>> So, I'm just kind of like go go go all
day. But then when I get home and I'm
finally like,
>> then I'm like, "Oh my god, I'm hungry. I
could eat the world. Like, I want to eat
everything."
>> Okay. On our journey from 50%, we've got
a couple levels of leanness left to go.
And it gets pretty intense. For men at
around 10% body fat, I've got three
different examples. Nicholas came in at
10.5%, Ali at 9.0, and my latest Dexa
also came back at 9.0% body fat. At this
level, your abs will be clearly defined,
and you should have visible separation
in all the heads of any given muscle. In
all three of us, you can see a clear
outline of the different heads of the
triceps and noticeable striations
through our chest and shoulders. At 9 or
10%, your midsection will be pretty
ripped, and there shouldn't be any
noticeable pouches of fat anywhere on
your back or legs. Here I am at 9% and
you can see clear separation between all
the heads of my quads and feathering in
my back and hamstrings. 9% is very lean.
I was even surprised that Olly clocked
in at 9% because his arms look so
shredded in vascular. I honestly
expected him to be closer to 7 or 8%.
But that's the thing, 9 to 10% is leaner
than people think. The fitness community
has said for years that
>> 10 to 12 10
>> is the healthy, not too lean sweet spot
that men should aim for.
>> You can get all the definition that you
want and still have performance
capabilities without sacrificing quality
of your life.
>> But I'm not sure that's true. Getting
down to or just below 10% body fat
usually requires a lot more sacrifice
than many people are willing to make.
And for the vast majority of men, 10%
probably simply won't be sustainable
without some serious dietary
restriction. and highly disciplined
training. I do this as a career. I think
I'm genetically leaner than most people
and getting to 10% was harder than I
expected, but genetics are huge and some
people can maintain 10% body fat without
any major issues for sure. How do you
feel dayto-day?
>> H great honestly like this is this would
probably be my like like my default
>> really the fact that you are performing
well, you're feeling good, your energy
is good at that percentage. Okay, this
good healthy percentage for you, right?
This is the power of genetics. But
that's the thing. I think most guys who
actually do get to or just below 10% are
usually genetically leaner and so they
can hold it a lot more easily. Then
those guys make the suggestion that
that's the sustainable sweet spot, not
realizing that most people will have to
struggle to get there. And for them, it
may not be worth it. So unless you have
really good genetics, you most likely
won't just end up at 10% body fat. It's
certainly an achievable goal, but for
most people, it will be a challenge and
it will require some serious dietary
structure. Oh, and for women, most
research cites 10% body fat as the
leanest level biologically possible. So,
I do not recommend getting to this level
unless you're doing it for a short-term
competitive purpose. Ideally, under the
supervision of a coach or a medical
professional, but I did manage to find a
couple examples. AJ is a professional
bikini competitor, and her DEXA scan
came back at WA.
>> I have never seen this in my life. Look
at this.
9.9.
>> But this level of body fat doesn't come
without serious side effects.
>> It feels terrible. It feels so bad. If I
brush my hair, a lot of hair comes out.
I haven't had a period in quite a long
time. My last period might have been
May. I know it's going to take a while
to get it back.
>> Gia is also a national level competitor
and she came back even leaner. 9.1% body
fat. Absolutely mind-blowing. But again,
this is a very short-term thing that I
wouldn't recommend outside of very
serious competitive contexts.
>> 3 weeks ago, I started to notice like a
significant dip in my energy levels to
the point where I would stand up and
I'll be like, "Wo!"
>> And just like walking up the stairs or
just walking
>> become like it felt like such a chore.
>> Yeah.
>> And food cravings at this level are
usually absolutely out of control.
>> I went out for sushi. I think I had like
four or five rolls of sushi and five
guys plus fries plus eat that entire
day. Your body is metabolizing it so
quickly. But the more you eat, the more
your body wants food. So
>> given the extreme health risks of going
any lower, this is the leanest level
I'll be showing for women, but there's
still two levels left for men. And the
last level gets pretty wild. Okay, 8%
body fat is what I would consider
shredded. This is Luke. He's a
professional natural physique competitor
two weeks out from his competition. And
his body fat came back at 8.4% on DEXA,
9.5% on BIA. At this level of leanness,
you'll have clear deep striations in
almost all your muscle groups. Usually,
the only muscle not fully striated at 8%
body fat is your glutes. And that may
sound awesome and you do look super
ripped, but if you are willing to make
the sacrifices necessary to get here,
you're still going to have to deal with
some side effects. Your testosterone
usually starts to drop off simply
because your body is sending every
signal to just go find some food. No
time for reproduction, you need to eat.
No time for sleep, you need to eat. You
might be thinking about food all day and
night.
>> If you could have one cheat meal right
now, what would it be?
>> Sushi. I didn't even have to think.
Now, while there may be a few extreme
genetic outliers who can get here
without any serious discomfort, the vast
majority of men will only be able to
sustain this level of leanness for a
short period of time. A B CDE E F G. Can
you start reciting that backwards for
me? Starting at G. I couldn't do that
even if I wanted.
>> But do you do you find that you have
like brain fog? Like you can't always
get the words you want and that kind of
thing.
>> Yeah.
>> I'm running in like slow motion at all
times. The littlest of things can annoy
me and agitate me so much.
>> If you want to get to 8% body fat for a
photo shoot or a competition, I do think
there is a relatively healthier way to
do it as a male. Eat high protein, don't
diet too quickly, prioritize
nutrient-dense whole foods, and try to
keep your cool. But it can get tricky
after the diet is over. That's because
your body is constantly screaming at you
to eat more. And so, a lot of men will
quickly rebound in weight, often times
shooting over where they were before
they even started. That's why I don't
usually recommend getting to
single-digit body fat unless you have a
really good reason for it and a solid
plan for after the diet is over. But
there's still one level left to go.
>> People don't realize to get to 5% that's
like a next level kind of dieting.
>> I personally think it's impossible for
most men without enhancement. It's very
hard because it drives the muscle up and
so you get the percentage down. Okay, so
we started at 50% and now we're all the
way down to 5% body fat. This is Lachlan
and he's 3 weeks out from a classic
physique competition and he came in at
5.5% on DEXA and 3.1% on BIA.
>> 5.5.
>> Oo,
>> shredded man. I told you that's awesome.
>> This is an extreme, borderline dangerous
level of leanness and it generally only
makes sense in the context of
bodybuilding contest prep. At this
level, you'll have dense, grainy muscle
separation. And honestly, it's very,
very difficult to achieve without
anabolic assistance simply because as
you naturally cut down below 6, 7, or
8%, your body starts to eat away at your
muscle. No matter what you do, the side
effects to get this lean are going to be
rough. Your body's going to be sending
you every possible signal to please go
eat all hours of day and night. And it's
interesting because the fitness industry
praises leanness so much. A lot of
people think the leaner you get, the
healthier you get. But that isn't true.
>> The body fat that I'm at right now is
not attainable long term. The little
tasks in life become the most
challenging. Getting out of your car to
walk into work.
>> It's like you got to sit there and
think, "Oh, I got to go do this." You
know what the the irony is? We both go
through the same problems, but we both
have different goals and journeys in
life. And this is where it gets crazy
because I do think this level of
leanness, especially combined with
certain special supplements, can cause
people to act in ways they no longer
recognize. After filming this video,
Lachlan ran into Ali, our 9% subject, at
the gym and acted completely out of
line.
>> My studio is for posing and for other
stuff, not to be on a phone call. Why
can't you go down there? You don't need
the lighting.
>> I go somewhere else. This is the posing
room.
>> This is Dude, the posing is downstairs.
I'm not trying to be a skinny ass before
I snap.
>> Okay. So, what
>> can I Can you talk to me like a brother?
>> You're not brother, dude.
>> Why are you being so
>> This isn't a live streaming spot, dude.
If you want to go do that, you can do
that outside. You can do that over
there. I need the lighting to post.
>> The incident ended up going viral on
social media. And to be honest, my
initial reaction was to think it was
staged. What are the chances that two
subjects from this video just happen to
run into each other and get in an
altercation the very next week? So after
the incident, I wanted to give them both
a call to make sure everything was all
right and to get their thoughts on why
this happened.
>> Um, what would I say to him? Well, I
would, you know, I would apologize and
tell him that I'm like, I apologize for
the way I handled things. Cuz I I do
take responsibility. That was not who I
am. I reacted out of emotion and not
logic. And that happens to people
sometimes. It happened to me. I feel
bad. I'll learn from it. I'll grow from
it. That's how that's how I roll. Okay.
>> First of all, I didn't expect the video
to do the way it did. I don't feel so
good about it because he's getting a lot
of hate. M Ali had a good attitude about
the situation too, reiterating that it's
never okay to body shame someone and we
want the gym to be a place where
everyone feels safe and welcome no
matter their shape or their size.
>> Yeah.
>> You know what's funny, Jeff, is like
I've never had any sort of experience
with feeling any different while using
that sort of supplementation. But it's
almost like this video made me think
like, oh man, maybe I did roid rage. You
know what I mean? Like
>> I don't know if roid rage is like a real
thing or not. Like I I haven't seen much
in the way of like actual science about
it, but anecdotally like you do tend to
see that like the higher dosage guys
like they do tend to let their temper
get the best of them more often, but it
seems to be very individual. I mean I I
agree with you like it's it's not an
excuse and it should like that type of
behavior is not acceptable for sure
obviously. Um but I think like it's a
contributing factor you know like it is
a contributing factor.
>> Okay. So, with all this in mind, if you
want the best combination of health,
performance, and aesthetics, what's the
ideal body fat percentage for you? Well,
I know I detailed a lot of different
body fat percentages in this video, but
honestly, the precise number doesn't
matter as much as you think. That said,
for most women, 20 to 30% is usually the
sweet spot. But genetic differences are
huge. So, if you fall outside that
range, it doesn't necessarily mean
you're automatically unhealthy. Not at
all. In fact, the American College of
Sports Medicine recommends 20 to 32% as
the optimal healthy range for women.
Going a bit higher or a bit lower isn't
game over. For men, the ACSM cites 10 to
22% as the healthy range. I think 10 to
20% is the sweet spot, though. If your
main goal is lean aesthetics, aim for
the lower end of that range, so 10 to
15%. If your main goal is maximum
strength performance, the upper end of
that range might be a bit better, so 15
to 20%. And since the body fat charts
currently online really aren't the best,
here's one that I put together using the
real life subjects in this video if you
want a screenshot. But honestly, if
you're trying to get healthier, I think
rather than fixating on a specific body
fat percentage, you should focus on how
you're moving, how you're training, how
you're eating, and how you're feeling.
What matters isn't the perfect
percentage. It's finding a range where
you can live a healthy and balanced
life. Body fat percentage is just one
piece of the puzzle. It doesn't define
your worth and it doesn't tell the whole
story of your health. The real goal is
to find a balance that makes you feel
strong, healthy, and confident. And like
I mentioned earlier, so much of finding
that healthy, sustainable body fat level
comes down to your nutrition. So if
you're looking to get your diet in
check, I recommend using my nutrition
approactor. It isn't just a calorie
tracker. It actually coaches you to your
goal using science-based algorithms and
weekly check-ins. And unlike most diet
apps, it's actually very approachable.
We don't punish you if you miss a day
here or there, and we won't send you
stressful alerts or guilt trip you about
eating so-called bad foods. We even have
a dynamic maintenance mode, which you
can switch to as soon as you hit your
goal weight to make sure that you
maintain your weight once the cut is
over. Or you can switch to a lean bulk
if you'd rather start gaining. Either
way, just use code Jeff when you
download on the App Store or Google Play
and that'll get you 2 weeks for free.
All right, that's it for this one, guys.
Shout out to everyone who participated
in this video. Dexa scans are really
timeconuming. Everybody has to come in
fasted. It's a whole lot of work. And I
really appreciate all you guys for
coming out to the lab and helping with
this video. It really means a lot. Don't
forget to leave me a thumbs up if you
enjoyed the video. Subscribe if you
haven't already. And I'll see you all
here in the next