Article: Body Fat Comparisons In Men & Women: Why Women Can Afford To Be Fatter Than Men

Women usually look leaner than men at higher body fat percentages. This is mainly because of the body fat women naturally hold in their breasts, ass, and hips.

This is why women at young ages can get away with drinking, eating whatever they want and barely training. At a young age, most of the excess weight they get goes to areas on their body which favours them. thighs, legs, ass, boobs.

A man who gains excess weight doesn't get such desirable results. excess weight will go to his face (making his face look more puffy), goes to his chest giving him man boobs and most commonly, it goes to his belly.

Look at this image below. Look at how much different a man at 20% Body fat is compared to a woman at 20% body fat. They are worlds apart!

That's why I always say that the Alcohol and party lifestyle benefits women more than men.

More body fat actually helps women, it can destroy men.

So now, I want to explain the different ranges of body fat and how it compares to men and women's bodies.

First, I'll start with the women.

FEMALE BODY FAT PERCENTAGE: 10% – 15%

Women have more fat in breast tissue, waist, thighs and surrounding the organs. The essential body fat for a woman is 8%, while for a man is only 2%. This is the range you will usually see bodybuilders in, and is not considered healthy long term. 

Muscles are clearly defined and separated, and vascularity is noticeable all over the body. The less vascularity, the further away from 10% body fat you deviate.

For most women 10% is generally the lowest level of body fat they would seek to aim for, unless they were competing as a competitive bodybuilder.

This level of leanness would result in an extremely athletic physique, with great muscle definition and visible abs.

Again, this level of body fat would be incredibly difficult for most people to maintain without following a very restrictive diet. 

Dieting and remaining at very low levels of body fat can result in low energy availability, which can result in the body diverting energy away from reproductive processes. So, a woman might notice changes to her monthly cycle length and the duration of her period 🩸or they may stop altogether.

 It may also make it more difficult to fall pregnant if you are trying to conceive.

Females need to carry a little more body fat, not only for a generally more pleasing appearance (subjective, obviously) but also to maintain good health. 

When it comes to under -10% body fat, for women this is very difficult to attain for most, and 8-10% is considered essential for life. 

Those who can manage it will likely have hugely compromised health, immunity and fertility, and would not want to stay anywhere near this level of body fat for long, if at all.

FEMALE BODY FAT PERCENTAGE: 15% – 20%

At this range, the hips, thighs, and ass usually have less shape because of the lack of body fat. Many bikini, fitness models, and some athletes are usually within this range. Vascularity is usually only in the arms and some in the legs, and there is still separation between muscles, with clear definition. Still considered low for women it may not be very sustainable in the long run.

For most women, this is a great level of body fat to maintain.

It is achievable and maintainable for most with good habits, such as maintaining an active lifestyle and eating a mostly unprocessed diet. But they should still have room for flexibility such as eating out in moderation.

They will be lean, feminine, yet athletic, and will often see the outline of their abs.

They will also enjoy good shape and definition across the whole body while maintaining optimal health, lower inflammation and a reduced risk of most health issues or hormonal concerns.

At a 20% Body fat, a woman may have less muscle definition but her natural curves will very much be a part of her body.

FEMALE BODY FAT PERCENTAGE: 25%

This is on the higher side of what is considered to be the ‘average’ woman, according to most medical standards.

The separation between muscles, as well as the definition in the muscles becomes less apparent in the limbs. 

At this level, a woman is neither too slim or overweight. Abs and other muscles are not as apparent at this level, and there is generally more fat around the hips and ass areas.

Health warning bells haven't gone off just yet.

A well-balanced diet and lifestyle can keep a woman healthy in this range. 

Compared to previous body fat ranges, fat in the ass and hips may be more evident.

It presents more of the curvy hourglass look that is appealing to the majority of men. 

FEMALE BODY FAT PERCENTAGE: 25% – 30%

This range in body fat percentage is more on the larger side of the hour glass image. There is more accumulation of fat in the hips and ass.

30% body fat is considered a high average for women. So this is where the alcohol , not exercising and party lifestyle starts catching up to women who fail to make an effort to look after themselves.

This range indicates she is carrying excess body fat that should be worked off. If the stomach starts accumulating excess body fat, this should be taken as a sign that something needs to be done about it, i.e., lifestyle change consisting of diet and exercise...AKA put the fork down and pick up your gym bag.

Go to the gym.

FEMALE BODY FAT PERCENTAGE: 30% – 40%

At this level of body fat, now it can be a bit detrimental for a woman. The face and neck will begin to gain some more visible fat. 

There is a dramatic increase in the waist, thighs, and hips of women in this body fat range. The belly appears flabby and may even dangle out.

The stomach may also start to gain fat and be protruding a little. Usually the waist is over +32 inches and hips over +40 in this range.

A 35% body fat or more is not considered healthy at all for men or women. This kind of body composition makes them a prime candidate for conditions like diabetes and certainly an elevated risk of heart disease further down the line.

People at this level of body fat also tend to suffer from a laundry list of ailments caused by inflammation, poor gut health, and joint issues due to the simple fact that they are carrying too much weight day to day.

This is the stage where it is important to take immediate action to start exercising and begin a calorie controlled diet to control her weight and regain her health & body shape.

At this level of body fat, many women are also likely to experience hormonal issues, such as disruptions to their cycle, and increased risk of infertility, and complications during pregnancy and birth.

Eating healthy and eating within a calorie limit is important when trying to maintain a certain body fat percentage. Also, resistance exercises and cardiovascular exercises are important in maintaining or achieving a good body fat percentage.

For women, 

Upon doing my own investigation on what are the most desired female body types, I came across this article, It's a good read...

https://bonytobombshell.com/most-attractive-female-body-survey-results/

Now for men...

MALE BODY FAT PERCENTAGE: 10% 

This body fat range is safe, sustainable, and presents a guy in the best light possible. His body is defined, there is a clear separation between the different muscles, and it is generally perceived as being the most attractive type of body to women.

Think of Daniel Craig (James Bond) in Casino Royale. That is what a 10 to 12 body fat percentage looks like. 

This level of body fat is a sustainable level for men. Abs can be seen, but aren’t as chiseled or defined as a man with 6-7% body fat. This is the body fat percentage that is the perfect "beach body" most people strive for. 

At this level there is still some defined veins in the arms and legs, but not as visible as less percentages.

It’s lean enough to look visually athletic and for most men to see visible abs, while being relatively easy to maintain. Most men shouldn’t have too much issue getting and staying here with consistent training and a responsible diet.

MALE BODY FAT PERCENTAGE: 15%

In this range, a man will have a muscular look without firm abs or vascular arms. His frame will look well-defined in a t-shirt but he may not have the tone he desires when he takes it off.

This percentage of body fat usually fits into the “lean and fit” category. Outlines of muscle can be seen, but there is not really a clear separation between them. 

Muscles and veins can slightly be seen, but are covered by a thin layer of fat. However, the overall body shape is present and can be noticed.

This is a very nice physique.

However, if you’ve been overweight your whole life and have recently lost a considerable amount of fat, your body will definitely have a brand new look. It will be noticeable to friends and family.

So, don’t give up just yet. And beware, this is often the range where many men stop following their healthy diet and exercise plan and fall back into their old habits that made them overweight in the first place.

Your health would be good under most circumstances, and you should have low levels of visceral fat, providing your diet is in check.

MALE BODY FAT PERCENTAGE: 20%

This is the most common range for young men to be in, where the separation between muscles begins to become nonexistent. There are almost no striations or vascularity in any muscle groups. Typically there will be also be a  little bit of fat on the stomach in the stomach area and a man will most likely have a puffy looking face.

Say goodbye to vascularity at this stage. Think of it as the stocky powerlifter look (if you are muscled) with a belly. 

Men that are under muscled and overweight tend to be skinny fat at this stage, which is the worst possible look.

women can get away with being skinny fat. Men can't

To break the skinny fat mould, it is best to focus on body weight and compound exercises to build strength, while at the same time eating a diet very low in refined carbohydrates.

A strict diet for a couple of months combined with an exercise routine can definitely bring down your body fat percentage to 12%, no matter your body type.

MALE BODY FAT PERCENTAGE: 25%

There is almost no separation of muscles, no noticeable veins and no muscle striations. 

The man’s waist begins to increase and he may have a little neck fat. However, this man may not look like he has 25% body fat in normal clothing BUT… over 25% body fat for a man is considered obese, and men are creeping into the over a 40 inch waist, which is considered abdominal obesity.

Your face looks puffy and you most likely have a double chin.

On the other hand, if you’ve been obese your whole life and have been making changes to your diet and lifestyle, this is the range where people will start noticing a change.

Baggy clothing may hide the fact that you’re still overweight, but if you wear a well-fitted t-shirt, it will be rather obvious.

At 25% body fat and over you are now getting a little on the ‘chubby’ side and you may need to think about making some lifestyle changes if you want to live a long and healthy life.

Aesthetics shouldn’t be your main concern here because they’re now some way off. You will have love handles, a bit of a belly and likely some unsightly ‘man boobs’. You may also not feel too great in clothes.

You are also likely to experience high levels of inflammation, with increased likelihood of  lifestyle diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

The more fat you carry, the higher your risk for illness further down the line. At this stage, it’s important to start moving more and bringing your diet under control start reducing your risk of things such as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, cardiovascular disease among others.

MALE BODY FAT PERCENTAGE: 30%

You look pregnant now.

When the body fat exceeds 30 percent, men enter the high-risk category. In most cases, the waist-to-hip ratio is greater than 1 and the gut is noticeable no matter the clothes you wear.

There is no muscle separation whatsoever, and this is usually the stage where losing fat is necessary not just for aesthetic reasons but for health reasons.

The fat starts to distribute around the body and the waist will look larger relative to the hips. The stomach will be noticeably more round and chin fat will start to form. Very probably there is no visible muscle separation.

If you are overweight and look pregnant, it’s a sign that you have high levels of visceral fat. Beer bellies are caused by this fat pushing against the stomach wall internally, making the outside feel hard and round.

MALE BODY FAT PERCENTAGE: 35%+

As men get heavier, fat tends to go right to their stomach or gut. This percentage of body fat is more of the beer gut look. 

The stomach will start to gain more and more fat around it, and waist size usually is over +40 inches.

A measure of 35% body fat or more is not considered healthy at all for men or women. This kind of body composition makes you a prime candidate for diabetes and certainly an elevated risk of heart disease further down the line.

This is the stage where it is important to take immediate action to start exercising and begin a calorie-controlled diet to control your weight and regain your health and body shape.

This is the point where basic daily activities become difficult such as getting exhausted walking up stairs or bending over to pick something up can be an issue. 

At this body fat percentage you are considered morbidly obese.

Summary

Everything stated in this article has been stated to help you, not to belittle you. We are all on a journey to improve.

I have had issues with putting on and maintaining weight for years and even though, my weight issues are improving, it's something I still struggle with sometimes.

This article is not written to promote being the lowest body fat possible, It's written to promote being in GOOD HEALTH and having a healthy amount of body fat is essential for survival however, excess body fat prevents the body from performing at its peak.

The primary role of body fat is to store and provide energy for everything from your heart beating to your legs sprinting.

What most people don’t realise is that fat is an organ and it plays an incredibly important role in regulating our body size and ensuring our survival.

Eating healthy and eating within a calorie limit is important when trying to maintain a certain body fat percentage. Also, resistance exercises and cardiovascular exercises are important in maintaining or achieving a good body fat percentage.

Train smart so you can train forever.

Till next time.