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As much as we try to promote body positivity, there comes a time when we can’t help but feel a little self conscious over a specific body area. We all carry body fat differently, for some, it may be around the middle (good old beer belly fat), while for others, it may feel as though you’re carrying excess chest fat.
The truth of it is, as we put on (and lose weight), there’s no way to guarantee where it will store itself, or where we will lose it from first. But… That doesn’t stop those of us with excess chest fat from wanting to know how to trim body fat in this area, does it? Nope.
Thankfully, we’ve done the research so you don’t have to spend hours pouring over the chest exercises all over the Internet. But first, it’s important to take a wider look at losing fat and gaining muscle mass.
BMI and weight loss – Losing chest fat
There has long been a debate surrounding BMI (body mass index) and its accuracy in measuring body fat. A person can work out their BMI by dividing their weight in kilograms (kg) by their height in meters squared.
As a rule of thumb, this is how BMI figures differ – someone with a BMI:
- below 18.5 is underweight
- between 18.5 and 24.9 is a moderate weight
- between 25 and 29.9 has overweight
- of 30 or more has obesity
- of 40 or more has “extreme” obesity
Causes of man boobs (aka, chest fat)
Oh, the dreaded “man boobs”, the term that no man wants to hear. While the idea of ‘boobs’ is usually kept to the opposite sex, men with excess chest fat may also start to relate to this term. There are a number of factors that can result in too much body fat in the chest area, including:
Gynecomastia
Gynecomastia is a condition where men (and boys) have overdeveloped or enlarged breast tissue. It can often be uncomfortable, as well as swollen and painful at times. Although, this isn’t the most common reason for men having what appears to be excess breast tissue.
Low testosterone
We’ve all heard about the many symptoms of low testosterone, but did you know that low testosterone levels can also have a knock on effect – resulting in dreaded man boobs? As well as directly causing gynecomastia, low T levels can also lead to excess body fat, therefore forming the dreaded man boobs.
Estrogen levels
A common side effect of popular anabolic steroids used for bodybuilding, if your estrogen levels increase it can lead to excess body fat in the chest. While you may be gaining muscle, you’ll certainly want to avoid the dreaded man boobs.
Unhealthy diet
Excess breast tissue isn’t just the result of steroids, low T levels or gynecomastia – a lot of it comes down to your lifestyle. Not only can a healthy, varied diet – and regular exercise – help to lower your body fat percentage, but it can also help to reduce chest fat.
What’s the difference between gynecomastia and chest fat?
Of course, gynecomastia may contribute to the development of man boobs, it’s a more clinical diagnosis than simply having chest fat.
Man boobs are a common problem for many men. For example, steroids users face water retention and man boobs as a side effect to anabolic steroids. While those with an unhealthy diet can quickly start to lose weight and lose fat in their chest simply from improving their lifestyle.
As men, the abdomen and chest area are quite common problematic areas for fat to accumulate. While this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to have the lowest body fat percentage in order to avoid man boobs, any additional body weight can quickly build up in the chest – resulting in man boobs.
How to lose chest fat
Knowing how to lose chest fat doesn’t have to feel like an uphill struggle. In fact, knowing how to reduce chest fat is relatively easy with our tips below!
Plus, you can get working those chest muscles for the perfect chiseled chest.
A healthy diet
If you’re worried about how to get rid of man boobs, it all begins with a healthy, varied diet. The biggest problem for many men is getting into the cycle of consuming more calories than they are burning – resulting in weight gain, particularly in the form of man boobs.
Also Read: How to Get Rid of Gynecomastia – Natural Ways to Lose Man Boobs
Combined with weight training, it’s important to create a calorie deficit in order to fight back against weight gain and man boobs.
Our top tips:
Keep on top of your calorie intake, using an app or a notebook, or notes in your mobile phone. If you’re unsure how many calories are in the foods you’re eating, an app may be best suited to your goals – as many will tell you the calorie and nutritional content.
Opt for whole foods, with plenty of fruit and vegetables. It’s best to avoid highly processed foods, sugary foods and fizzy drinks. Instead, focus on balanced meals with plenty of protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats.
How to create a caloric deficit
Often, we overestimate how much food we need to eat, piling our plates high. This is often one of the biggest causes of excess body fat. If you’re eager to make new, healthy habits, start by creating a caloric deficit.
This involves reviewing your calorie intake, incorporating plenty of exercise, and reducing your intake while increasing calorie burn.
Correct poor posture
Yep, bad posture can actually affect your chest, giving the appearance of man boobs and chest fat. This is because constant hunching (which many of us do at our desks) can cause the chest muscles to sag.
Exercise
If you want to reduce chest fat, a combination of exercise and healthy habits is going to help you get rid of man boobs. If you’re already eating relatively well, with few changes to be made to your diet, the next step to reduce chest fat is through exercise.
Also Read: How to burn fat and build muscle fast
Both cardio exercises (running, cycling, and swimming for example) and working your pectoral muscles are key to successful weight loss in the chest area.
Once you burn through your glucose stores, your body will begin to rely on the energy which your body has stored as fat.
What are the best exercises to target chest fat and get rid of man boobs?
Eager to achieve a flat, toned chest? There are plenty of exercises to promote fat loss and help you lose body fat where you need it most (the dreaded man boobs in this case!).
Here are our top workouts to tone up your chest muscles and help you get rid of man boobs.
Push ups
Push ups are one of the best workouts around, whether you’re trying to target specific muscles or simply get your heart rate up to encourage weight loss.
Not only do they target the pectoral muscles, but they also give your shoulder blades and triceps a workout – alongside your back and core.
Starting position:
Start with your palms flat on the ground, shoulder width apart. Be sure to bend your elbows to lower your chest below your bent elbows, then push your weight upwards to the starting position.
Don’t forget to take a deep breath throughout and slowly lift your weight – there’s no need to rush. Slowly lower your weight, while keeping your back straight and core engaged.
Bench press
Get yourself a workout bench and a barbell, ready to execute one of the key chest exercises. Lie back on the workout bench with the barbell against your chest, with your feet flat on the floor – either together, or you can position your feet shoulder width apart for ease.
With your hands a few inches wider than your shoulder width, slowly lift the weight upwards, with your palms facing away from you. Don’t allow your elbows to lock!
Be sure to exhale when the bar is at the top of the movement, before slowly lowering it back down. While this chest exercise primarily targets the pectoralis major, you’ll be able to feel your entire upper chest working.
High-intensity interval training
One of the best ways to burn chest fat (and burn fat in general) is through HIIT workouts. A HIIT workout involves bursts of intense exercise, with a short rest in between. As one of the best ways to get rid of chest fat, you can even throw in some specific weight exercises to lose man boobs and strengthen your chest muscles.
Dumbbell pullovers
If you’re looking to enhance your upper body and reduce chest fat, you’re going to want to make dumbbell pullovers your new best friend.
Starting position:
To complete this exercise, lie down on a workout bench holding dumbbells above your chest, with a slight bend in your elbows. Move the dumbbells slowly behind your head and repeat slowly, you should feel the stretch in your chest muscles.
No dumbbells or workout bench? No problem, you can also do this workout easily at home, on the floor, or with a gym mat – all you need is something heavy, such as bottles of soda!
Incline bell dumbbell press
Include bell dumbbell press are one of the best chest exercises to really work each chest muscle and contribute towards weight loss. Why worry about enlarged breasts (aka, man boobs) when this simple exercise can help you build those pec muscles!
Yet again, you’ll need a bench, this time set at an incline of 45-degrees. You can opt for lighter weights to begin with, before moving up to mid-weight dumbbells. Sit on the bench and pull the dumbbells up slowly, then slowly lower, ideally maxing out at around 10 to 12 reps.
Decline pushups
While just a couple of push ups will really get you feeling those chest muscles, decline push ups take your chest workouts to a new level. There’s only a small difference – this time you need to elevate your feet on a chair, bench, or even on top of an exercise ball.
You can do this exercise anywhere you like, as you don’t need any equipment whatsoever!
Chest dips
Alongside high intensity cardio, the need to offset poor posture and follow a balanced diet, chest dips should become your go-to for building up your pec muscles.
Not only are they easy (ish), but you can also do them pretty much anywhere. All you need is two parallel surfaces, whether a machine at the gym, two (sturdy) chairs or even the corner of your kitchen countertop.
Other tips to reduce chest fat
When you want to reduce chest fat, or lose fat in any specific area, you want it gone yesterday, am I right? While we may not have an overnight miracle, there are some tips we can tell you to support your fat loss and work out your entire body.
Also Read: How to Exercise at Home: 15+ Workouts to Get You Started
For the best possible shot at these chest exercises, they are best paired with the following:
- A reduced calorie intake
- Reducing your alcohol consumption
- Increasing your testosterone levels
How to naturally increase your testosterone and get rid of chest fat
So far, we’ve covered pretty much every eventuality when it comes to the dreaded man boobs… But what about your testosterone levels?
We created Testogen to naturally – and safely – increase your testosterone levels. With just four capsules a day, our 100% natural formula can help you fight back against chest fat, for the ultimate fat loss.
Or why not try GCUT from Brutal Force? Designed to naturally and quickly re-balance your hormones, to beat stubborn chest fat. Not only can you look forward to a well-defined chest, but you’ll also see improved muscle growth in key areas too.
TestoGen includes ingredients like:
- Zinc, an important mineral for helping produce testosterone.
- Red ginseng, an adaptogenic herb that’s been used for thousands of years to boost energy and libido.
- Fenugreek, a herb that has been linked to elevated T levels.
These ingredients, and many more, work together to provide your body with an optimal environment for producing more testosterone and helping you lose chest fat.
