I would say around 10-12% ish is ideal for aesthetics. I would agree that shooting for sub 10% is pointless unless you're a pro athlete or competitive bber. My op was in reference to all those who bloat up to 18+% so they can look big big in a t shirt, not worth it mane imo.

Realistically anything under 15% with a decent amount of mass will look better than 99% of the population. (Ded fkn Srs)

I've bloated up to 20% at times, simply because I love to fukking eat during the holidays. I get fat a fukk very fast if I'm not disciplined. I can kill 5-6k calories in 20 minutes. It's also ridiculously hard for me to go from 15% to 10%. Genetics plays a major factor with bodyfat on an aesthetics side of things for most people. Some people hardly have to try to get shredded.(Super Ded fkn Srs)

Yup. Even a reasonably jacked dadbod mogs a beefcake approach.

A lot of it depends on your bone structure/size. But in general its better to be big and lean.

I've a few buddies in the 5'4-5'5 range that are 200-220lbs lean (On juice) and they look pretty good whether their shirt is off or if they are wearing a t-shirt, polo, v-neck or even fitted dress shirt. They might be manlets but at least they give off the appearance of being a man.

On the flip size I know a few other guys about that height range that are 135-140lbs lean/shredded. They look great in photos. But when they are wearing clothes they basically look like a skinny teenager. They get weight mogged by the majority of females walking around too.




I'm 5'8. Back when I was in the 160s and really lean/athletic looking I felt great and performed well at that weight. Fast forward a few cycles/years later and I'm 193 with just slightly higher body-fat. Still relatively lean and vascular though. I get way more compliments at this body weight from females. My girlfriends friends/cousins/coworkers even tell her they think I look good at this size (srs). When you are jacked and lean you get more respect from men, more all around attention/being noticed. And if women are into muscles they are easy AF/its like shooting fish in a barrel because so few dudes out there have a standout physique.




As someone who's been average physique. Really lean/light/athletic. And now jacked & lean. There is no comparison. Its easy to see the superior choice. Anyone who hasn't run a few cycles and been jacked and lean can't possibly have an accurate opinion on this topic. As you've never lived the before & after.

Being big AND lean and looking athletic is the best

That is a fair bf% range - should edit it into your OP so Miscers know what you're referencing when they come in the thread brah (srs)Agreed (super ded fkn srs)Another big factor that many people aren't as attuned to is fat distribution.

Some people are just really fukking unlucky and hold all of their fat in their lower chest, abs, and lower back. It makes looking good fukking difficult because you could achieve a nice bf% but those areas attract so much attention that the remaining fat deposits significantly detract from aesthetics. You'll see it now and then - brahs who are genuinely pretty lean but their midsection just doesn't have any real definition, and the v-taper just isn't there in spite of achieving good delt:upper arm separation and serratus visibility. Decent quad definition, even that little bit of vascularity starting to show itself, etc.... and yet that midsection is just. So. Stubborn.

Then on the flipside you get those fukkers that look cotdam yoked all the time because their traps and upper back are 'soft', tris are 'soft', and glutes and legs are 'soft' - yet everything else stays lean longer and becomes lean on a cut quicker.

Why is the cutoff at 200 lbs?

if u arent 200 or over are you even a man?

12% bodyfat is probably the best all around body-fat for males. Leaner then 99% of the population. Healthy range. And can still live life without being too extreme.

I do agree getting fat just to look bigger in a t-shirt is dumb. The good news is, there is an easy way to determine leanness. If you can flex and have visible abs, you good. If you can't see your ab out-line, too fat.

Actual body-fat percentages are irrelevant for anyone not in the fitness industry.
15% looks fine when you have muscle mass. But most guys don't have a lot of muscle mass at 15% so they look like crap.

It really just depends on the physique under that 15%

Most women dislike the body builder physique. Lean and in shape is better.

If you're natty with normal genetics, you're gonna look like a nonlifting twink when really lean. Might as well be 15% body fat so you can be a respectable size and look like you lift in a shirt