Man Boobs?

Breasts. Yes, men do have breasts — even milk ducts. For the vast majority of men, the breast tissue does not develop like it does in women due to high testosterone levels during puberty.

There are several medical conditions that can cause breast enlargement in men. One is gynecomastia, which can cause swollen breast tissue and even breast tenderness. This condition is usually caused by some issue with testosterone, leading to more oestrogen in the body.

However, for the majority of men, man boobs are simply a result of having excess fat on the chest. The “pseudo gynecomastia” kind of fat man boobs is the result of 12 months or more of pandemic gym closures. Translation: It’s the manifestation of lifestyle decisions. Luckily, they’re easy enough to deal with. 

Your pectoral muscles are underneath the layer of fat. So, by losing body fat and gaining muscle, you can work to get rid of your man boobs.

While “man boobs” might sound like a funny name and something to chuckle at, those with them can actually feel really self-conscious about their physical appearance. It’s always important that we take people’s feelings into consideration.

If you or someone you know has man boobs due to an increase in fat deposits, here are some tips on how you can increase muscle mass (especially in the chest), lose body fat and thus minimize their appearance of them.

4 TIPS TO LOSE BODY FAT & THE MAN BOOBS

1. GET A MEDICAL CHECKUP 

We mentioned this before, and we’ll say it again: You can never go wrong with a check- up with your doctor, and it’s always a good idea to do so before beginning any new diet or workout regimen. Let him/her know your concerns and your goals and get approval that your plan is safe for you.

Tip:

Ask your doctor to check out your hormone levels to identify the cause, too.

2. CLEAN UP YOUR DIET

It’s no secret that a balanced diet and caloric deficit play a major role in weight loss. The first step is to set your goal and start tracking your daily food intake. Most people are not aware of how much they are really eating, and food tracking can be a real eye-opener. 

Tip:

It might take a week or two to get the hang of food tracking, but don’t give up! You’ll be a pro at proper portion sizes in no time. If you have a problem with this drop us a line and we will send you a portion guideline.  And, don’t forget the importance of prebiotics and probiotics when it comes to a healthy and happy gut!

3. BODYWEIGHT TRAINING

Bodyweight training is amazing because a lot of the exercises recruit multiple muscle groups, resulting in more calories burned.  So, don’t just focus bodyweight exercise for the chest or on chest exercises, alone! Yes, push-ups are an excellent example of a bodyweight exercise for the chest!  But did you know that push-ups also work your arms, shoulders, back, core and require activation from the glutes and legs as well?

Tip:

The wider your hand placement during a push-up, the more your chest is working. And, you don’t have to go super-fast. Play with the tempo of the push-up and try doing some really slowly as well. Feel the burn?

3. STRENGTH TRAIN WITH WEIGHTS

You really want to focus on building muscle rather than doing endless cardio to burn fat. Plus, muscle is a very energy-demanding tissue, meaning the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn at rest. Whilst we can’t spot reduce you can build your workout to support your goal.  So eg if you really want to target your chest you can fit chest training twice weekly instead of once.  Exercises like bench press using dumbbells or barbell will help massively. 

Tip:

If your chest is lacking in size, look at training those muscles at least twice weekly, using different rep ranges.  If you are lacking programming or training experience we offer a variety of services, from online coaching to personal training to help you reach your goals.

If you are looking to change your body composition, contact us today for a free consultation and assessment.  Our Team of Expert coaches have worked with hundreds of clients and have achieved some astounding results. 

Check out our website for testimonials