What Does Healthy Body Fat Look Like After 40
Screw the Six-Pack, Go for the Faded Four-Pack Instead
For most men over 40, the game of health and fitness changes. Metabolism slows down, recovery takes longer, and the body just doesn’t feel as vibrant or robust as it used to.
Especially when it comes to weight and body fat, it feels like those extra calories stick around longer and add unwanted pounds over the years.
And while it’s true that shedding body fat at 50 might be harder than when you were 25, I hold strong that you can fight back and get fit into your 50’s and beyond.
Not only can you get fit beyond 40 or 50, I believe most everyone reading this can achieve a healthy body fat over 40 — what I’m calling a faded four-pack…
Just like Jean Marc at 62 did here…
Or Rich at 55 years old did here…
Or Bruce at 60 years old did here…
This is a goal that I have for almost all my training clients – a faded four-pack.
The faded four-pack will get you all the health benefits of being lean – you’ll feel and look good, you’ll have tons of energy, and you won’t have to make huge sacrifices to your lifestyle.
Why High Body Fat Will Make Your Life Miserable
First, let's give a little context. High body fat isn't just a cosmetic issue; it will make your life miserable. We're talking higher disease risk, low energy, more pain, less capacity—the list goes on. I've covered the dangers of belly fat in depth before ( here and here), but today, let's talk about what it takes to get into certain ranges of body fat and why you might want to aim for a realistic target rather than the mythical six-pack.
I’ve broken down body fat into the following 5 groups.
NHF 5 Ranges Of Body Fat
Shredded Six-Pack – Sub 12%
Faded Four-Pack – 12% - 15%
Flat Belly – 15% - 20%
Average Belly – 20% - 25% (Trouble)
Super Large Belly – Over 25% (Big trouble)
Shredded Six-Pack: Sub 12% Body Fat
Here’s my take — Getting super lean, sub 12% body fat, is not worth it for most people.
The juice ain't worth the squeeze.
Sure, there's some serious achievement in achieving a six-pack, and if you can get one over 40, it shows you can work hard and grind. But the trade-offs are steep, especially if you're not genetically gifted.
To get there, you'll need to:
Limit or cut out booze entirely.
Work out a lot.
Count and restrict calories.
Deal with hunger and irritability.
Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night.
Manage stress meticulously.
Yes, you might enjoy the satisfaction of reaching a hard goal, but at what cost?
This is of course a highly individual choice – If you want to get shredded, go for it—but for most of you I would focus on this next one below.
Faded Four-Pack: 12% - 15% Body Fat
For context, this pic below is on the leaner side, maybe 12-13%..
And this one is probably closer to 15%
This is the sweet spot. Most men will see visible abs and muscle definition around the 15% mark. It's the faded four-pack that is very attainable for the vast majority of men. While getting sub 15% body fat isn't easy, it's a realistic goal with the right plan and enough effort over time.
In this range, you get all the health benefits with minimal sacrifices to your quality of life. You can still enjoy cookies once in a while, have a drink, and indulge in desserts most nights. You don't need to spend hours in the gym—just 20-30 minutes of home workouts 3-4 times a week will do the trick. Plus, you won't feel stress or anxiety around food.
Personally, this is where I choose to live my life. I have average genetics and tend to put on weight - both muscle and fat easily.
So, this is a level I can maintain without a huge amount of effort.
Flat Belly 15% - 20% Body Fat
This is a perfectly healthy range of body fat. Remember, body fat is simply one metric of health, be sure to check out this metabolic health checklist here. The upside of this range of body fat is that it will be very attainable for just about everyone with a little bit of effort.
Sure, you won’t have the defined abs, but you will most likely be healthy and able to sustain this level of leanness for a long time.
Here’s a recent example of Chris who got down below 20% for the first time in decades…
RED FLAG ZONE → Over 20%
Once you move above 20% body fat, we start seeing more cases of metabolic dysfunction—insulin resistance, higher blood pressure, and increased inflammation. It’s not that 20% is automatically unhealthy, but it does raise a red flag, especially if other lifestyle factors aren’t dialed in. The more you push past this threshold, the more your risk for chronic disease escalates.
The good news is that if you’re in this range of body fat, it will be relatively easy to drop body fat with a little bit of consistent effort. In fact, most of my clients start in this zone. Within 3 months, the vast majority of them get out of this to sub 20%.
What To Do Next – Start Your Journey to the Faded 4-Pack
If you want to drop body fat and get closer to that faded 4-pack zone, I got some good news – I’m filling spots for my next 90-day fat loss program that kicks off next week.
You give me 90 days, I help you drop 20 lbs. of body fat.
This is your shot.
All you have to do is schedule a quick free chat with me here to see if it’s a good fit.
I only have a few spots left. If you want in, book a time asap.
Nick