Let's take for example (given similar genetics):

Guy 1: 165lbs at 13% body fat that plays some basketball or soccer for fun every week, casually lifts weights a few times a week to maintain muscle mass/joint health and eats relatively healthy without any worry about calorie or protein intake (but does get enough for man).

Guy 2: 215lbs at 13% body fat that kills it in the gym 5 days a week for a decade, lifts heavy as possible to gain strength, worries about his maxes going up, worries about getting 200+ grams of protein a day/macros/calorie intake, worries about symmetrical muscle development, etc.

Is guy #1 any less healthy than guy #2?

I hear so many people like guy #2 saying they do it to be healthy...and they push for more strength and muscle to be even healthier.

Is guy #2 really healthier? Does he have a better chance at living a longer and healthier life if he maintains his routine for decades?

If so, how do we explain the people we see around the world that live the longest? For example little Japanese women that often live to 100 without ever weighing over 115lbs in their life? And the 5'5 Japanese men that live to 90+ without ever weighing over 150lbs a day in their life? Would these people live even longer if they stressed maximum muscle development like guy #2?

Age: 38

There’s so much that goes into what being “healthy” means

Genetic conditions, for example someone with a predisposition to sleep apnea will be technically be worse off in that aspect with more muscle because it’ll worsen it

The stresses put on your body daily with extremely intense exercise - I know some twinks who can’t train 5x-6x week intensely because their immune system goes to chit lol srs , sometimes less can be more

Really if similar genetics then whoever is eating the healthiest foods, with enough exercise, and sleep, will be healthiest. Though the person training harder aiming for more muscle will probably be more physically “resilient” which isn’t necessarily categorized under “healthy” but can be one aspect of quality of life

Idk I’m kinda ranting

Similar or same genetics for sake of argument...or let's say a study of 2,000 people similar to each guy. Lets say they both eat healthy. Guy #1 just doesn't worry much about getting enough calories to grow or enough protein to maintain 215lbs at the same body fat. They both sleep well and awake refreshed.

Can you elaborate on the person with more muscle mass being more physically resilient? Do you mean he will get sick less or better able to fight off disease?

The only muscle that’s important in 2023 is the one between your legs . If it’s not 8.5” long and has the girth of a pop can , it’s over !

In 5,000 years natural selection or whatever it's called may have them dragging the ground like an elephant's trunk.

#2 isn't healthier than #1 per your description. I'd call #2 first to help me get furniture upstairs though, maybe call him first to go out for drinks on the weekend if I were in my 20s and single. As far as longevity goes maintaining muscle into older age is the most important, so staying active and lifting weights into older age is key. For people who reach their senior years maintaining muscle is more important than losing those 20 stubborn pounds of fat. TBH stuff like growth hormone or low usage of steroids is actually medically beneficial for old people and it should be encouraged more.

A big reason the Japanese live much longer is diet. And it's cultural. If you retire without a big stack in the US you sit around doing little. In Japan and some other cultures they say fuk it and keep working or doing other activities to keep themselves busy, usually something very different than their career. Retired broke and even many with a decent retirement fund in the US fuk off all day, lose the muscle they had and rot.