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.
Best carbs are low GI carbohydrates from a variety of vegetables, fruits, pulses and nuts. There is not really an individual best carb because every plant contains different nutrients and vitamins, so variety is best. But to maintain weight, low GI works well as it helps to regulate blood sugar levels, and hunger.
For muscle you need a healthy variety of protein too. Eggs, lean meats, chicken are great sources. To build more muscle you just need to keep increasing the amount of weight you lift, both in terms of volume and intensity (number of reps and weight).
should i stay away from pasta as some say its a bad carb
Pasta is not a “bad carb”. Any carb is bad if you eat too much. Pasta, like many vegetables, also varies depending on how much it is cooked. Al dente pasta is lower GI and soft cooked pasta. As soon as you start consuming more carbs than you are burning through metabolism and exercise, you will start to increase your fat deposits again. Pasta is also very energy dense, which is why some people may simply refer to it as “bad carbs”.
Hey
im 16 and Ive had a fatty belly and man boobs since 6th grade. I eat pretty healthy and try to do p90x with my dad. But i never seem to stay motivated with the program and feel too tired the next day. I would really like to change this and lose some of this weight! Thanks!
Hi Matt, what exactly are you asking? It is understandable that you will feel tired the day following a P90X workout, but then this is how we get fit, by exercising hard and then recovering, then exercising again. If you dad is doing it, then I suggest you stick with the plan, support each other.
Hi.
I am currently 13 right now. When I was a toddler, about the age of 3, I had to undergo a surgical operation because I had a bone sticking out into my skin layers. Before the operation, my parents told me that I was as thin as a stick, but my appetite seemed to constantly increase. I have been overweight since I believe pre-school. I am currently doing a diet in which I have lost 27 pounds in the last 5 weeks, and the only exercise that I get is from my daily physical education course in school. My daily consumption of calories averaged out between 2,500-3,500. Sometimes, I even went up to 4,000. At the beginning of my diet, I weighed about 205 pounds. I currently weigh 178 pounds. I want to get rid of my man boobs, but I do not know exactly how. I read from another website that if you try to gain muscle where the fat still is, then that area of your body will just get bigger in size rather than being more muscular. I have always had good chest muscles because I genetically inherited that trait from my dad who also has good chest muscles. Do you think its safe to just work out my chest muscles or lose the man boobs first before I try to gain muscles?
Hi Chris, to avoid the risk of building some muscle tissue under your chest fat, which could make the problem appear worse, just focus on getting fit with cardio exercise for now. What exercises do you do in your daily physical education course? Maybe do something that compliments these, or repeat some in the evening. Or take up running, martial arts or a sport.
Hi. I’m 15 years old boy and I have some problems with my stomach and my boobs. I excercise every day, over a 6-7 weeks. I am 163cm, and 60kg. And I am going to football practice. I don’t know how to lose my weight. I don’t know what to do. Please help.
Hi Lell, have you lost any weight in the last 6 weeks? If not then you definitely need to change your diet. Eat more healthy fresh fruits and vegetables, less junk (ideally no junk at all), no sugar, no processed. Are you getting fitter? Or are you doing the same exercises today as you did 6 weeks ago? Always push yourself to get fitter.
Hi,what are some cardio workouts i can do to lose belly fat
Brian, just about any cardio workouts will help reduce belly fat. The more you exercise, the more energy you burn up and the more fat you use for energy. Diet is vital though, so decrease total calories and eat healthily.
Thanks
Hey I’m coty and I’m 5 7 and seem to be stuck at 217. I did wiegh 250 and I did the low carb diet and hi protein. I usually jog or walk 2 miles with a 40 pound vest on every day if not every other and gym about 4 days a week. I want to join the marines but have to wiegh 190. I have a lot of will and heart just starting to get a lil discouraged cus I been stuck here for about 8 or 9 days and that’s my dream:/ and only got 3 months left. Please help and give me some pointers.
Hi Coty. You really have to be strict with eating. Take a look at the diet plan on the 1 week belly fat loss plan. It is very lean, you have to restrict calories to lose weight. So long as you maintain enough protein and essential vitamins and minerals, which this diet does over a short term, you will be OK. Your BMI is 34, so you need to work hard to lose weight.
You have lost 33 pounds, which is a great achievement. Now you need to up your game to lose the rest. Increase the distance / time you jog walk each day too. To be in the marines you need to be comfortable marching 10 miles plus, with a pack. Work towards this.
Hey I’m Addy and I’m 5″7′ and have fat belly and man boobs. I’m 23 and my weight is 73kg. So what should i do to get rid of man boobs and belly fat in around a month or two. Plz provide a proper diet plan also.
Hi Addy. Rather than a proper diet plan you should read our article on the basics of a healthy diet.
As for exercise, full body circuit training workouts and weight training will start to get you in shape. Focus on building total muscle mass, do not become too focused on working your chest.
Hello. I am a 13 year old boy that weighs 125pounds and is roughly 5’0.
Most of my fat comes from the belly and chest though i excercise cardiovascularly by doing activities such as football 5 hours a week and go to the gym just once a week but excersise thouroughly for an hour.
Ambitious as it sounds, i aim to get 6-pack abs as soon as i can but i have heard that gaining muscle underneath the layer of fat will just make me look a little more overweight therefore i need to burn the fat off first… My eating habits are bad though, i probably consume 3000 kl’s a day on sugary or high on fat foods… Included to the obvious of withdrawing those foods from my diet, is it wise to have low carb intake with high proteim?…
Please can you tell me your take on my view and suggest a suitable diet and exercise to burn fat and build muscle for a healthy, ‘6 pack’ look…
Many thanks, Oliver :-)
Oliver, first off you need to radically change your diet. For now do not worry about calories, worry about quality. Ideally every one of those 3000 calories should be healthy, with about 60-70% coming from fresh fruits, vegetables, pulses and some staples (but nothing refined, processed etc), 20% protein and fat (mixture of fish, seafood, poultry, lean meats, eggs, cheese, milk, yogurt). General advice is that you can allow up to 10% as treats, although this is for a healthy diet where you maintain fat levels. As you are an athlete and still growing, it is important – in fact it is VITAL – to get adequate nutrition.
So, read the “basics of a healthy diet” article that I linked in my previous comment, and just keep working out as you are. Teenage years are very demanding, teenagers actually require more energy (calories) than any other age group due to the rapid growth and development. Coupled with your football training and gym work you need energy, but it has to be healthy and nutritious.
Hello, I am a 19 year old guy that is 6’1 about 235 lbs and I find that my weight is constantly going up and down, I work at a fast food restraunt, which does not help me with the whole eating healthy thing, when I start on some kind of diet I cant seem to stick with it.
I eat 2 meals a day around 8-9pm and after work before i go to sleep, not wholesome at all, burger and chicken nuggets and the only veggies they have are salads that I cannot help but drown in salad dressing when eating them.
I work typically from 6pm-2am 4 days a week and I cant seem to find time to workout as I sleep all day. I was curious what is the appropriate number of hours I need to sleep, and how can I fit a workout like this into my schedule without feeling weak at work?
My goal is to lose weight so I could join the army, but I dont want to make a fool of myself by going in there with man boobs, and flabby stomach, and my thighs are getting bigger too!! :(.. plz help lol thank you in advance!!
I think my goal is to lose 40-50 lbs.
Hi Jordan.
You really need to make some big and important changes. Firstly you need to develop more structure to your daily routine. Working nights is very hard, however, you do need to learn to manage your time better. You still only work 8 hours a day, which gives you 8 hours sleep (ideally) and 8 hours to yourself. In those 8 hours you should be able to workout at least once.
Tip 1: take your own food to work. There is nothing wrong with this.
Tip 2: use olive oil on salads, no cream.
Tip 3: Exercise everyday. Do if first thing in the morning.
I used to work nights (washing up in a restaurant, waiting on tables) and my routine was pretty much like this:
6pm-2am – work
2am. Quick, small snack, bed.
10am. Up, healthy breakfast, get out and do something. This is a good time to exercise or shop etc.
1-2pm Have some lunch.
Then rest in the afternoon, chill out, like film, television, reading. Then get ready for work.
There is no reason why you cannot have a normal day, albeit an upside down one. If you join the army then you need to learn to follow routine!
Exercising in the morning after you wake up will also mean that you refill before you start work.
Ideally you should try to sleep as soon as you get in. I know that it can be hard to wind down at that time of night. Having a shower or bath may help. Try to sleep as soon as possible so you sleep mostly at night.
alright thank you, I will do my best to get myself into this routine.
I have been an athlete my entire life. I was a professional baseball player but now have retired. I have always had a pitchers belly. I eat right, and excersise daily, but cant get rid of it. Also, I was never really able to do much chest exercises being a pitcher. Now, I am trying to gain, and I know has a lot to do with genetics. But, what are different things I can do to gain larger size.
Hi Dave. To gain more muscle you need to increase protein intake and just lift more, i.e. heavier weights, more reps, more often. Build up your strength. What is your diet and exercise like at the moment? You may simply be eating a little too much of the wrong foods.
Hi I need some help/tips on how to lose some weight. I’m 14, 5’9 and 185lbs I have a fat belly and “man boobs” I run a couple kms a week but obviously not enough got any tips on how to shape up?
Hi Chris, first of all you do indeed need to run more than 2km a week. Aim for around 4-5km 3 times a week to start with.
A healthy diet is essential. You are growing at the moment so need to ensure that the energy you consume is also providing nutrition. One reason teenagers gain weight is simply poor diet. Your body craves more energy due to the growing demands, but if that is just “empty carbs” such as bread, pasta, junk food, sugar, then your body will just keep craving more as it need vitamins, minerals, proteins, healthy fats and fiber.
So in addition to running more, start eating a healthier diet. Aim to get those 5 portions of fruits and vegetables a day. Stop all candy, soft drinks, chips etc. To reach your full physical and mental potential you have to eat a healthy diet and get plenty of exercise.
Hi, im 19, 6-4 240. I need some help getting started losing weight! Im up for anything. Can i get eventually as cut up as some of these guys if i put my mind too it?
Thanks
Hi Richie, yes you can. You just have to start off by eating healthy and exercising every day. See if there are some classes near you, these can help keep you motivated and on track. Many fitness instructors are on Facebook these days and sometimes remind you when the classes are! To get cut up you need to get used to eating a very healthy diet and doing a lot of weight training and cardio exercise.
I’m 23 and I’m desperate to lose belly fat and my small man boobs. I weight 14st but am 6ft 2″ tall and been told I am an ok weight for my age and height.
I go to the gym 3 times a week I do 20 min on a x-trainer at a running pace (I cant use treadmill because of impact injures on my knees). My training starts with 6 mins of cardio followed by weight training, 5 mins boxing and the 15 more on x-trainer.
Been doing this for 8 months now, I have lost weight but what am I doing wrong. I eat a balance diet with lots of fresh fruit and veg.
Hi James. I think that you may do well to increase your weight training. Also more cardio will help to burn off more fat. You also still need to control calories, you can eat too many fruits and vegetables. We only lose fat when sugar supplies run low, a diet with “lots of fresh fruit and veg” will maintain your glycogen levels and prevent fat burning.
Hi, I’m 25, 6ft and currently 185. I have a big chest and a spare tire remaining after recent weight loss. I have been doing heavy workouts where I do a lot of cardio maybe twice a day. I am starting to add in weights and other workouts. Is there a point/danger of working out too much? Usually I run 6 miles a day plus other cardio like elliptical and biking. I’ve started to trim it down since adding in weight lifting.
I’m 17
I would like to loose belly fat and my man boobs. I have weight training everyday in school and I been doing alot of chest excersies, like for example the bench press. My number of reps and weight has been going up. But I see my chest and man boobs getting bigger… Am I doing something wrong?
Hi Dan. There is always the potential for problems with a lot of training. For example, lots of running can lead to joint problems (knees, ankles, spine etc.) but not always. You could potentially suffer from over-training and become tired and lack energy. However, athletes, sports persons and bodybuilders all train a lot too, and many remain fit and healthy into old age.
It is certainly better to use fitness and healthy eating as a way to lose weight and become healthier. You could tone it down a little once you reach your goal weight, then just be careful that weight does not creep up again.
Hi Daniel, weight training is a great way to burn fat and boost your metabolism, but only if you are eating a healthy diet also. Otherwise you just add muscle under that fat tissue. Really you need to combine healthy diet, weight training and cardio workouts. Have you spoken to the weight training coach about a plan to help get you in shape? They may suggest more cardio too.
hi I’m 15 and 140 and 5ft10 i use to be 160 so i lost about 20pounds i had that round shape that obese people have now I’m better but the problem that I have is that i still have man boobs and a bear belly i would love to be able to see some abs and i ripped chest so i can feel comfortable taking my shirt off what should i do ??? by the way i lost the 20pounds by eating less without exercise cause they told me that at that age it affect your growth….help me please
Hi Samuel. Firstly, who told you to eat less and not to exercise? This is poor advice. A poor diet will stunt growth, exercise will make you stronger and combined with a healthy diet will aid growth. So, as you are a healthy weight now, it is time to build a healthy body. Start exercising and follow a healthy diet. Read this article on healthy eating to learn what is healthy. The only exercise you should be careful with is very heavy weight training, as your spine will still be developing. Just about everything else is good – there are thousands of youth athletes, gymnasts, footballers and martial artists that are proof of this.
hey really liked your page
i am 17 my weight is 82 and hight is 5.10. I live in India have no gym around. I have fat on my tummy and man boobs. I really feel shy to take shirt off. plz tell me a diet plan and exercise to do in home plz help me I am tired of this man boobs.
The exercise plan in this article is designed to be done at home.
thank you, but what kind of exercise should I do for chest and abs ??
See chest workouts and six pack abs workouts for some ideas.
Hi, im 21, used to play hockey, and soccer, stopped, started smoking. Have recently stopped smoking since jan.1st and have been at the gym now since Feb.1st. My routine is 30 mins elliptical. Then i go a short 3 set 10- rep low weight. i already have big arms from when i was younger and in good shape. then i go a three set ab workout and then hop back onto either an elliptical or bike for the remaining 30 mins. I eat healthy and just wanted some more advice if you have some pointers or suggestions would be awesome!
Hi Gregg, just stick to what you are comfortable with for a few weeks. In time you should start to split your weight training and cardio for better results. Keep the diet as healthy as possible, read the articles in our diet and nutrition section for more advice.
split it as in do some one day some another.? i go 5 days a week and i go pretty hard. so if you could suggest a better routine that would be very informative.
i have just stuck with the routine i know because i do not really know the right way to go about working in a new routine. I Am not specifically looking to get rid of my “moobs” but it would be a plus!
Yeah. Either do cardio and weights on different days or at opposite ends of the day. Just allows you to get the most out of both. Bodybuilders and athletes will often do their cardio work in the mornings then after lunch, snacks and a rest do their weight training. Of course, not always possible if you have work. study or family commitments.
A lot of bodybuilders suggest something like this: beginners weight training routine. Is is based on weight lifting 3 days per week. Cardio can be done on the other days. This is a high volume approach though.
There are various ways to split weight training up during the week too, e.g. Weight Training Push & Pull Split Routine or Full Body Weight Training Workout Split Over 3 Sessions
How many calories does this workout burn?
I plan on doing 150 jumping jacks, 150 squats, 135 alternate lunges, 135 press ups, 75 crunches, 135 squat thrusts, and 30 box jumps
How long does it take you? I estimate that circuit training burns around 600 calories per hour. So that takes you 15 minutes, you will burn around 150 Calories. Better to just focus on increasing the exercise you do to get fitter, and worry less about exact calorie counting.
Hey, I am 19 and 313 lbs I am 6ft 3in and I have a lot of belly fat and man boobs. I am currently starting the first phase of the South Beach Diet. I hope to lose a lot of weight sooner rather then later.
If I continue with the south beach diet and do the circuit that was described above, do you believe that dropping weight should be easy for me to do?
Hi John, combining exercise with a healthy and controlled diet is always the best way to lose weight. Make an effort to exercise twice a day, and ideally before your meal times rather than after. Really cut back on all the processed foods and high GI and stick to that diet. Workout hard. Working out twice a day could include a morning walk/jog then an evening bodyweight circuit.
Hi, my name is Randy. I’m 20 years old, 5’9″ in height and about 145 lbs in weight. I would say I’m a fairly healthy person as I eat fruits and lean meats daily. I usually try to limit the junk food I have but sometimes I get carried away and end up eating more than I planned. My question is, how can I incorporate exercise into my hectic life schedule? I don’t really enjoy going to the gym, so that’s out of the question. I’d appreciate any help. Thanks.
Hi Randy, what is your daily schedule? Hard to advise without know more about you. Although 2 simple ways: get up 30 minutes earlier than normal and do an intensive 20 minute workout, or go to bed 30 minutes later and do an intensive 20 minute workout. But sure that there are other options. Is your schedule so hectic that you never watch television, read, use the Internet? I do not mean to accuse or offend, but it is amazing how many people say that they are too busy to exercise but then spend around 30 minutes on Facebook then another 30 minutes watching the news, then another 30 minutes watching some TV series…..
Hey it’s me again my last post was like a month ago i wanted to say my weight was 84.7 then i became sick >..<" :P now i think am 86 or so because last time i checked i was 85.5 because of my leg i couldn't move i guess me eating and i'v been eating to much and not walking i think i gained more weight now XD