A sensitive topic for many men, but ‘man boobs’ are a real and unfortunate condition them some men suffer from. The medical name for this condition is gynecomastia, which is most often seen in boys during puberty, but can in rare cases continue into later life.
Some men accumulate excess fatty deposits on their chest, and these fatty deposits often start to look like small breasts, which is why they are often referred to as ‘man boobs’. It is a medical condition, which is due to genetics. Our genes determine where we accumulate fat. Men mostly accumulate visceral fat, which surrounds the internal organs.
Women mostly accumulate subcutaneous fat, which builds up under the skin on the breasts, thighs and buttocks. However, sometimes the genetic wiring gets muddled, and women develop small bot bellies, and men develop female like breasts. So, how can you lose your ‘man boobs’? Can it be done with diet and exercise?
How To Lose Man Boobs
The are several ways to tackle ‘man boobs’. Extreme methods may involve surgery to remove fatty tissue or hormonal treatments to encourage the body to relocate its fat deposits. However, exercise and diet can help too.
If the medical approach is not an option, then the only way is to drastically reduce overall body fat. Although some recent research has suggested that spot reduction of fat is possible by working adjacent muscles, the best course of action is to aim to reduce total body fat and also build muscle to increase metabolism.
How To Use Intensive Exercise To Lose Weight
Intensive bodyweight circuit training exercises are possibly the best way to start this process. A major advantage of circuit training is that it can be done in the privacy of your own home, so there is no need to feel self conscious when working out. Also, it is free, as it requires no equipment or gym memberships. For those that are not sure if bodyweight circuit training will get you fit and toned, then remember that such exercises form the basis of most military fitness training and martial arts training.
We have several circuit training workouts featured here on MotleyHealth.com that will be suitable. However, this routine will also help you to burn fat and build muscle:
- Star Jumps – yes, that classic old school exercise, also known as jumping jacks. Similar to skipping, these will get your heart rate up and blood flowing. A good way to start a workout (after a few looseners/warm-up stretches). Aim to do about 50 in the first set.
- Squats – bodyweight squats are also a very effective exercise in terms of fat burning and muscle building. As they work large muscle groups, you quickly start to tire, and this increases fat burning as exercise becomes more intensive. Aim for 50 to start, and follow squats with alternate lunges.
- Alternate Lunges – start with your hands on your hips then take a long step forward, and sink your torso but keep your back erect. Once in the lowest comfortable position, push off on the front foot to return to the start position, and repeat with the other leg. Lunges are surprisingly tiring, especially after the star jumps and squats.
- Press ups – The legs should be tired by now, and blood racing though your body. So time to hit the chest and arms with press ups. Press ups will build muscle in the chest (potentially spot reduce some fat) as well as in the shoulders and arms, which can help to offset the fat. They are also useful for helping you to maintain an upright posture, which again helps to reduce the appearance of your ‘man boobs’.
- Crunches – After the leg exercises and press ups, you deserve a good rest, so do as many crunches as possible. Although these will not help with your chest directly, they will give a better full body workout.
- Squat Thrusts – The press-ups and crunches gave your legs a rest, so do a set of squat thrusts. These can be a real killer at the end of the circuit, and really get your heart rate thumping in the maximum fat burning zone.
- Vertical Jumps / Box Jumps – Box jumps are a fantastic plyometric exercise. You need a lot of practice in basic vertical jumps first though before you can perform a box jump. Box jumps are simply jumping from a stationary position up onto a box.
Once you have completed this circuit, take a short breather, then repeat. Aim to complete 500 exercises to start with. Star jumps can make up a bulk of these. A typical session may include three circuits (i.e. the above set of exercises repeated 3 times) with 150 star jumps, 125 squats, 50 lunges, 50 press ups, 75 crunches and 50 squat thrusts.
As you progress you can add more exercises, especially press ups. With a lean diet (see our fat burning food diet) and a healthier lifestyle you may be able to manage your body fat better.
Jog twice a week (don’t need excessive – just 3kms is fine for now). Gym 3 times a week, full body workout each one (maybe bench press, seated row, military press, incline dumbbell press, wide grip lat pull-downs, shoulder lateral raises, crunches- 3 sets of 10 reps for each, need spot/fail on 9th or 10th rep). only eat bad sugars (the ones in chocolate and ice cream!) one day per week.
I have a fatty chest, is there any medicine to reduce a fat.
No, diet and exercise are the key. Eat lean and workout intensively.
I’ve always had man-boobs since I was a little kid, and I workout and I’m big.
I have been working out for like a month everyday and my stomach is getting more soft jellyer is that good or bad?
Hard to say Armando. Your stomach could be softer because the deep visceral fat (the fat that surround internal organs) has reduced. This would be a good sign. Keep working hard, combine weight training and intensive cardio workouts, and eat healthy. In time you will hopefully reduce the fat levels.
so a jiggly stomach is good?
Well, it is not good, but if it was larger before and you have been exercising, then it may be jiggly because the solid fat deposits have broken down leaving looser skin to hold it together. Stick with the exercise and diet plan and in time you should be able to firm it up.
Have you lost weight in the last month? Did you measure your waist circumference?
I dont know sometimes i look at myself and say im looking better but when I’m in the fitting room trying to find my size im like damn i am getting bigger i dont know why….is it the weight lifting or what?….or is it because i just lift and dont do cardio?
please help me out, what should i do?
If you are concerned about your progress then you must monitor your progress, both in terms of biometrics (body measurements and weight) and the exercise you are doing.
If you are getting fitter (exercising for longer at a greater intensity), getting stronger (lifting heavier weights) and also getting slimmer (less fat on arms, legs, stomach, chest etc) then you are making progress.
It is not always advisable to try to guess if you are making progress, as you may be wrong, but your guess may lead you to becoming less motivated and feeling like you are failing.
Did you change your diet? Remember that diet plays the most important role in re-shaping the body. You must ensure that not only are you exercising but you are also reducing calories, reducing sugar and high GI carbohydrate, eating less junk food etc.
Eating has always been a problem and there is nothing but carbs at home what should i do?
Sounds like that is the problem. If you cannot change what is bought then you must try to speak to your parents about it, and tell them how you feel, and ask that they can start buying healthier carbohydrates (fresh fruits, vegetables) and less bread and refined carbs.
Thanks!!!!!
can u help me?im 19 im a thin guy but i have a belly fat and a man boobs?
What are you doing at the moment Joseph? Have you started exercising and dieting?
hi i just started to get really serious about my weight in 2 days of cardio exercie i went from 237 to 230 but now i seen to not be losing anymore weight i eat furits and drink water and only intake about 1000 calories a day i try to 2 45mins work out a day i’m 16 and need help.
i’m 20 years old & i hv fatty belly and thighs….wht all exercises do u recommend to get rid of this, and wht shud be the ideal time of workout to start with??
James, that 237-230 7 pound loss was probably only water weight, You can not really lose 7 pounds form just two days of working out. Also 1000 calories is not healthy and you will gain weight from nutrition deficiency. You need to eat 1700-1900 calories a day and NO LESS. Eat fruits and vegetables, but you need meat also because you need the protein! as long as you eat 1700-1900 calories a dayand you exercise at least 3 times a week, you WILL lose weight, Remember weight can not be spot reduced, only your body can choose so don’t be discourage if you dont lose belly fat right away because as long as you are losing weight thats all that matters.
I’ve lost 50 pounds, have only eaten good carbs, lean protein, and fiber. But I still have a pot belly And man breasts. Help?
Hi Simon. Firstly, well done, losing 50 pound is excellent work!
Have you been exercising? If not, then get exercising now. Bodyweight exercises: squats and lunges, push ups and dips, crunches and leg raises, burpees and mountain climbers. All are described here (use the search box), very effective and great for toning and burning more fat.
Hi,
I’m 28 and I always been overweight. I have a big belly and man boobs and I smoke; I know; It s not a healthy lifestyle at all. but i get bored quickly once I start walking or jogging and I’ve tried once the 0-carb diet; it worked but due to my work and home made plates; It n not an easy diet! I need motivation. Any ideas or advices pls? what do I do?? thanks
Ray, have you ever thought about martial arts? I find that it provides excellent motivation as well as an excellent workout. For anyone that really finds it hard to self motivate, a good class can work wonders.
Ultimately you need to sort the diet out though, keep it very healthy. Try to follow these general healthy eating rules.
Hello . Before i started i was 105 Kg know am at 78 Kg ” am 5’6 ft tall” i play 50 min treedmail burning around 400 cals & elliptical for 30 min burning 300 csls & i do weight liftting 4days a week & cardio for 6-5 days .. & i eat around 1000-1400 cals a day .. I realy dont know what to eat more .. So how is my work-outs? Can you give me any advices? ” sorry for my bad english its not my native lang”
Thank you
Ak, losing 27kg is a great achievement and you are a healthy weight for your height. Doing some more bodyweight exercises and less treadmill/elliptical may give you a better all round fitness and help tone ans strengthen more. Although that depends on what your weight lifting routines are like. Are you getting enough calories though? You seem very active. Once you reach your ideal weight you need to start increasing again – and eating a healthy and balanced diet.
Hello,
I am a 26 year old male, I’ve always been tall and thin, twiggy even. I’m 6 ft 2 and weight around 130 pounds but, I’ve always had tiny man blobs, mostly when I was 12-13 but definitely came back full force in my twenties. I’ve never worked out much but desperately would like to work on losing the fleshy chest and twig arms. I am a vegetarian but eat pretty well, could stand to cut back on beer and bread a lot though, what would you suggest for a complete weakling to start off with? My condo has a gym but I’ve used not much other than the sauna lol.
Start with bodyweight exercises – squats, push ups, chair dips. Maybe get some dumbbells and do curls, rows and shoulder presses too. If you eat eggs, then eggs are your friend! They are an excellent source of protein. Ensure that you are getting most of your carbs from a rich variety of fruits, vegetables, pulses and seed/nuts, and not just bread and pastry. Vegetarian diets can be really unhealthy if there is a reliance on just a few foods.
Make your first goal to do 100 push ups and 100 squats each day. Work up from there.
thank you for the help ^_^
my weight lifting routines are
Sat – chest & tricep & aps & cardio “I burn in the cardio around 700 cals ”
Sun – back & biceps & aps & cardio””
Mon – legs & aps & cardio””
Tues – shoulders & forarms & aps & cardio
Wed – REST
Thur – cardio only
Fri – cardio onlu or rest
—–
can i still do my heavy cardio & build muscle & get tonned ?
PS “i have some loss skin & a small belly & some man boobs”
& i can feel that i got much muscle since i started my prog
& thanks again for helping us ^__
You can still do cardio and lifting and stay toned yes – most people do this. I would suggest that you try rearranging your workouts a little, as at the moment you are doing 4 days of weight lifting then 3 days of cardio/rest. Better to alternate cardio and weight training.
so am doing now a total of 6-5 days cardio & 4 days weight lifting .. you mean to do 5-6 weight lifting & 4 days cardio ?
Do that same amount of cardio/weight training, but split more like this:
Sat – chest & tricep & aps & cardio
Sun – cardio only
Mon – legs & aps & cardio
Tues – shoulders & forarms & aps & cardio
Wed – REST
Thur – back & biceps & aps & cardio
Fri – cardio only or rest
Also on the weight training days, do the cardio in the morning, then have a good breakfast and lunch, and weight training after lunch, if possible.
nice .. thanks for the help .. am liking the new routine lol
so in 3 months maybe can i c some results ?
Hopefully sooner that 3 months. When lifting, perform a warm up then 2 sets of 8-10 repetition for each exercise. Keep a log and aim to increase the weight slightly each week. Keep the diet clean, avoid those refined carbs, sugar, bread, white rice. Eat lots of colorful vegetables, eggs, chicken, fish, meat etc.
thank you very much .. am hoping to reply here again with my results … ^_^
Hi im 14 and im fat around my belly and i have man boobs what workouts should i be doing
Perform the circuit that is in the article above. Aim to increase reps each time, work towards exercising intensively for 20-30 minutes. You could run in addition to the workout too.
Most importantly, you have to eat a healthy diet too.
Hi, I want to loose belly fat, but it’s hard for me because I don’t really have anybody pushing me to loose weight, I don’t really have any motivation, or a routine. I want to go to a gym, but I have no way of getting to one. I don’t like being, “fat” everytime I work out, I do hi knees for 4 minutes and do six inchs, and a couple of sit ups. I feel like I should be doing more.
Hi Clay. Yeah, you should do more. Add squats, burpees, push ups, lunges, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, crunches, leg raises and you will have a good little workout. Perform 20-50 of each and then repeat, making an intensive bodyweight circuit workout.
Remember to eat a healthy diet too though as this is absolutely vital in losing weight.
Hi im 15 and im overweight. Ive been exercising for about 2 years mostly (swimming and walking) because my parents made me . Now I want to lose weight. I weight about 192, have belly fat, and “man boobs” slighty. Currently i watch my calories to be around 2000, but i feel that carbs are a HUGE probFor me because my family eats rices and bread all the time because of our nationality. I try to cut down but it is like all we eat , what can I do? I camw here because i started doing my own ab workout everyday ( a set of jumping jacks, sit ups, crunches, leg raises and i try to do push ups but cant do 1) what do you recommend for normal workout (running and swimming) because thats what i do mostly and what for ab workout. Also i would like to now what to do for a muscle workout. My goal is go fown to around 175 with mostly muscle and no man boobs. Sorry for making thid long, but need help!! Oh and will is NOT a prob. Willing to do whatever it takes.
Oh and my height is around 6’1-6’2
Hi MJ, bread and rice really are problems. Why not just cut back on the staples at home and eat the fruits and vegetables. You can still have a little rice, just make sure it is no more than a handful (cooked) rather than a whole bowl.
hi, im joe, im 15, 117 pounds and i have been working out for about a year. i have alot of muscle everywhere besides my stomach. i have a little fat on it and i want to know how to get rid of. i run a mile 5 days a week, and do crunches and sit ups, i eat very healthy, what can i do.
Hi Joe, start doing a combination of bodyweight workouts and weight training, i.e. push ups, mountain climbers, squats, lunges, jumping jacks and crunchs, then with weights deadlift, bench press, shoulder press, curls. This will raise metabolism more and help burn more fat. Also do some weighted ab exercises, hanging leg raises and generally work the core more.
Hi I’m 17 about 6’2 And I weigh about 240 pounds, and I run a lot(track/cross country) but I can’t seem to lose stomach fat. I run 3 miles or more a day. I may be overweight but I’m pretty healthy. Food in my house is like 90% fresh rest frozen. Anyways I just don’t know what to do, I really dislike curl UPS. Is there any alternatives?
Hi Alex, sounds like you need to look closer at your diet. Although fresh food is healthy, healthy food does not prevent weight gain, energy is energy. So look at portion size, look at refined carbohydrates (bread, pasta, white rice all cause weight gain). Do more than run 3 miles a day too. Start some body weight exercises, such as push ups, burpees and squats, these really help.
I have been working out close to a month my arms have gotten bigger like i wanted now i want more definition and want to lose belly fat and build my chest. I have been running a mile every day on a treadmill should i keep lifting weights or what??
hey, i currently weigh 260 and im very upset..i start my workout routines about a week ago and determined. I am also following a diet. I do elliptical 30 mins everyday. Can you please tell me how to lose this weight especially the man boobs. Thanks
Yes CW, if you want definition you need to build muscle. Push ups and chair dips are very good if you do not get to the gym, otherwise its bench press, shoulder press, rows and curls (mostly).
Hi Raj. In addition to the elliptical also start doing some weight training, focussing on shoulder press, bicep curls, squats, rows and bench press. These will increase fat burning and hopefully start to tone more too. Diet is still vital, so ensure total calories are reduced and healthy food choices increased.
should i continue to take creatine? to also define my arms? i have noticed my stomach getting slimmer from running but i also what the noticeable abs.
two years ago i weigh 140 (17) now i am at 182 i have stopped working out. I started to work out again its been more than a month and i havent seen any changes am not doing the right workouts? Is there different workouts i should do to speed it up?
Ap, to lose weight you need to reduce calories and eat a healthier diet as well as exercise. Look at our nutrition section for more information on that. For exercise, a combination of cardio exercise with varying levels of intensity, and bodyweight training with weight training is best.