extended cut below 10 percent BF or switch to lean bulk for visible abs

Appreciate it. Staying at 5 mg while it keeps working. If hunger starts returning I'll move up to 6 or 7.

But what's the actual goal here? You're already pretty lean like Airborne Daddy pointed out.

No way, I'm nowhere close to 9 percent. More like 17 or 18. No abs showing and still have love handles.

Your abs are definitely starting to show through. Whatever works for you though. I'd be happy with 25 percent on myself.

Aim is 13 or 14 percent body fat or even lower, maybe down to 10 or 11, get rid of the love handles as much as possible and see some visible abs.

How did tesa go for you? Not something I've looked into with peptides but willing to hear more.

Same thing crossed my mind.

How long on reta and at what dose? Hunger control is more of a tirz thing while reta works differently and that effect usually shows up at higher doses.

Just want to note that photos like these can be misleading because they don't show water weight. Looking at the two shots of the guy with shoulder tattoos the change isn't fat it's water. He has the same body fat in both. Those were likely taken about a week apart. Don't get caught up in male body dysmorphia and end up harming yourself. Being too thin is riskier than carrying extra weight. Not criticizing you at all, just genuine worry.

Let me explain gently: those aren't before and after shots. They're just body fat reference images. Have a good one.

One, where did I say I was aiming for single digits? Two, you're critiquing a stranger's physique in bad lighting with no pump and minimal flexing. Pretty sure you're the one showing body dysmorphia signs. By the way here's what a normal average male looks like in case you forgot.

Around sixteen hundred calories most days and three full body sessions each week.

Thanks. Hunger and cravings dropped right away but it never fully stops hunger. I'm just not desperate for food even on low calories. Without it I'd be fighting hard with my current setup.

Don't think that's how it works. I already train.

First off I don't need anyone holding my hand little boy and if I did it wouldn't be yours. Second you're wrong. To look like the top photos bodybuilders dehydrate heavily and they talk about it openly. The veins popping is a giveaway. Plus those reference pics come from rippedbody.com which is selling something. Either way I don't care. If you want to push yourself too far and hurt your health chasing a look that's been misrepresented go for it.

At that calorie level are you hitting your protein target? Also what kind of workouts exactly so I can give better input.

I try to reach roughly one hundred grams of protein each day. The text below came from an automated rewrite of my sessions after translation.
On the first training day I start with dumbbell presses on an inclined bench using only a partial arc at forty five degrees. Next comes a bent forward row done with a neutral grip. Then a kickback move for the rear. Seated rope pulls to the face follow. One sided leg extensions happen from a seated spot. Standing calf work gets done on a single side. Finally a y raise with one arm starts from behind the back.
The second session has chest supported rows with dumbbells on a slanted bench. Deficit push ups use handles for extra depth. Weighted back extensions hold the load at chest height. A dumbbell pullover comes after that. Pec deck flies are next. Straight bar pushdowns target the triceps. Cable curls on the preacher bench finish it.
Day three begins with dumbbell reverse lunges. Neutral grip pull ups follow. Seated chest presses use a hammer grip. Wide grip rows happen seated on cables. Standing cable flyes cross over with focus on the upper chest area. Wide grip upright rows use a barbell.
Extra isolation work includes chest supported cable laterals to the side plus one armed middle delt raises on cables.

One you mentioned wanting ten or eleven so off by one percent my mistake. Two I'm not judging I'm seeing someone who's already visibly very lean. At five ten and one forty four that's extremely light. And you want to lose more so yes I'm convinced it's body dysmorphia. By the way I know what average looks like it's me and I'm still overweight by most standards. Congrats on the loss though.

If you could ease up on the body shaming for a minute I'd appreciate it. Not sure what your problem is.

A few more questions. How many steps daily on average? Any cardio mixed in with the strength work? Seeing gains on your lifts?

I can confirm it does work that way. Several people here are genuinely trying to help but it seems you don't want it. If visual leanness is the goal the safer approach at your current weight is training more often, harder, closer to failure, higher protein and better sleep. As muscles grow the fat will appear less even without losing more because the muscle will create more shape.

Sorry if it came across as shaming that wasn't the point. Maybe a language thing. I'm concerned your current weight is already low for health and you want to drop more. Trying to show you're underweight and aiming lower is risky. Not sure what else to add. I've learned when someone won't listen anyway. Good luck.

If you want to get bigger focus on compound leg lifts and upper body moves that give a big stretch in the concentric part. Swap straight bar tricep pushdown for skull crushers on a bench to get that long stretch lowering behind the head then push to full extension without bringing the weight forward over your head at about forty five degrees above or behind and lower slowly. Heavy for three sets of ten to twelve. Same with standing cable lateral raise get the stretch on the way up. Increase protein for recovery. A progressive overload plan would help too.

From what you've shared you need more calories especially protein around one hundred forty grams at your body weight. Slowly add about one hundred calories per meal over a few weeks and check energy levels. Use strength as the measure if lifts improve you're on track. Adjust the workout too by adding one compound move per session for five sets of eight to twelve reps keeping one or two in reserve or going to failure safely. Rest two to three minutes between sets so heart rate stays down and you're not signaling endurance instead. Add a core or secondary move for the muscles like pairing barbell bench with incline dumbbell flies or hanging leg raises for core. Time to move from cardio style to strength building for a better base.

Congrats on the results so far. I've also struggled to judge my own body fat from scales and photos so I got bioelectrical impedance analysis. Might be worth adding that or a DEXA scan to know if you're near the ten to eleven percent target.

Thanks. Bioelectrical wasn't accurate for me it read ten percent when I was visually around eighteen. Also ten percent isn't barely visible abs.

Thanks for the input but I adjust training now to manage hyperlordosis and other posture issues. There are lots of details on what's optimal versus risky with my situation.

That info would have changed how advice gets offered for your case. Core strength work should target the abs, glutes and back extensors. Add mobility drills for the hips since tightness there often drives the issue. Planks, bridges, dead bugs and 90/90 stretches work well. Once stronger, weighted side bends and hanging leg raises can come in. The main rule is to pick moves that stay pain-free and scale them back if needed.

Body-fat percentage shows up differently across individuals and builds. On some men ten percent gives faint abs while others get more cuts at the same number. No single description covers every case.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Right now I'm holding to my current approach. I'll finish three additional months focused on fat loss before moving into a longer period of maintenance with some muscle building. I've gotten serious about training my abdominal and core muscles lately which has brought clear progress. The issue boils down to not having enough leanness yet.