Body Fat Percentage: 16 – 19%
The 15% – 18% body fat range doesn’t look ‘unhealthy’, but there will be less definition in the abdominal muscles. At this range, depending on the guy you may start to see some love handles. There is some muscle definition in some areas, but it’s far less present than in the lower ranges. No vascularity will be noticeable.
Body Fat Percentage: 20 – 24%
At 20% body fat, muscle definition starts to disappear and you can start seeing some hanging belly fat. Vascularity and striation are not present, but the overall look doesn’t give the impression that the person is that badly out of shape. The average guy probably falls somewhere in the 20 – 24% body fat range.
Body Fat Percentage: 25 – 30%
25% is the marker for obesity in men. Beyond this point, muscle definition is probably not present, and the higher we go the more ‘round’ the person looks. Keep in mind that some guys can actually be quite muscular and ‘huge’ at 25%, but it isn’t accompanied by much definition.
Body Fat Percentage: 35 – 40%
This range is considered ‘morbidly obese’ and little to no muscle definition will be visible. As I eluded to above, it’s important to keep in mind that body fat percentages can look different on different guys – depending on height, age or the way fat is genetically distributed in each individual body. But I can tell you that body fat percentage is a much more accurate way to gauge progress than the scale.
Most guys don’t know exactly how much weight they want to lose (or gain). But they can more easily identify what level of muscle and leanness they’d like to get to. That’s why setting your sights on a body fat percentage you’d like to reach is the best way to set and attain that goal.
