Weight can appear in any location on the body. The most common areas are the stomach, sides, hips and legs. The chest is a less conspicuous area that can make you feel self-conscious, especially when it is referred to as "man boobs." Even though there is no such thing as spot reduction, there is a such thing as toning. This can be accomplished by losing weight over your whole body, making some dietary adjustments and doing a few key chest exercises.
Step 1
Clean up your diet. To lose weight anywhere on the body, create a caloric deficiency. Subtract 500 calories from your daily total to lose 1 lb. of weight a week. In doing that, you also want to eliminate all the foods high in fat and calories from your diet. This includes fast food, fried foods, commercial baked goods, processed meats and high-fat dairy products. Have your diet consist completely of lean meats, low-fat dairy products, fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, whole grains, fish and beans.
Step 2
Replace your liquid calories. Beverages that have sugar and calories will add up and lead to weight gain. Cut out any beverage that has calories like soft drinks, sweetened teas, lattes, milk shakes and alcohol. Drink water instead as it has zero calories and it also helps keep you hydrated. The Institute of Medicine recommends that women get approximately 2.7 liters a day and men get approximately 3.7 liters a day.
Step 3
Do incline presses. Incline presses target the upper chest and they can be done with your bench set to 45 degrees. Lie on the bench with dumbbells in your hands, your arms extended straight up and your palms facing forward. Slowly lower them down by bending your elbows. Stop when your upper arms are parallel to the ground, then push them back up. Stop the weights about 1 inch apart and repeat. Do 12 to 15 reps and 3 to 4 sets.
Step 4
Do flat chest presses. Adjust your bench in the flat position. Lie on it with dumbbells in your hands and your arms extended straight up. Lower and lift the weights the same way you did with incline presses. Do 12 to 15 reps and 3 to 4 sets.
Step 5
Do decline presses. Decline presses put more emphasis on your lower chest. To do these, place your legs under the supports on the decline bench. Sit on the top of the bench and slowly lower your body down with dumbbells in your hands. Push your arms straight up in the air with your palms facing forward. Lower the dumbbells down by bending your elbows, and then push them back up. Do 12 to 15 reps and 3 to 4 sets.
Step 6
Do push-ups. They are a popular body weight exercise that works the chest. To do these, lie on your stomach with your hands right under your shoulders. Push your body straight up in the air until your arms are fully extended, then lower yourself back down until your chest is the width of your fist from the ground. Do 12 to 15 reps and 3 to 4 sets.
Step 7
Do cardio. To round out your routine, you need to burn the fat that covers your chest muscles. This can be done by engaging in cardiovascular exercise. Examples of exercises you can do include running, biking, swimming, stair stepping, elliptical training, rope jumping, rowing and kickboxing. Perform cardio three times a week for 45 to 60 minutes on alternating days.
Step 8
Put it all together. Perform your chest exercises in this order three days a week on alternating days. Do your cardio on the other three alternating days. On your seventh day, do 30 minutes of light exercise, such as walking or going for a bike ride in the park.
Things You'll Need
- Adjustable bench
- Dumbbells
- Decline bench
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