Can You Lose Weight Without Losing Your Boobs?

It's time to get in shape and drop those pounds, but can you lose weight without losing your boobs? The bad news is that your breasts are made of fat and will also lose fat as you do. The good news is there are things you can do to help keep your breasts perky as you shed the weight.

Women's breasts contain milk ducts and lobules, but they are primarily composed of fibrous tissue and adipose tissue — which is a fancy word for fat. The amount of fat in your breasts determines your cup size, so when you lose weight, you also lose fat in your boobs.

Every person loses weight on their body differently, however an August 2018 study in ​Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism​ journal proved what we suspected all along, which is women tend to carry more weight on the hips, thighs and bum, while men tend to carry their weight in their midsection. Because women hold more weight in the lower body, this is often where you will lose more weight. Once a woman hits menopause, however, more weight is stored in the midsection and you will see more weight loss in this area.

So does this mean you will just lose weight in the lower body and midsection? Unfortunately no.

In addition to the lower body, a November 2017 study in ​Ergonomics​ showed that women with higher body mass index (BMI), which measures height to weight ratios, had larger breasts than those women with lower BMI numbers. This is a technical way of saying that women gain weight in their breasts, so it makes sense you will also lose weight in your breasts.

How much fat you will lose in your boobs is not an exact science. Even though you may see a more dramatic weight loss in these areas where you have more weight to lose, you will also lose weight in your breasts. You may actually notice the weight loss in your boobs first as they are right in front. Some women may have only a small reduction in breast size, while others may lose several cup sizes.

​Read more:​ Not All Body Fat is Bad: Here's What You Need to Know

Even though you can't lose weight without losing some of your boobs, you can strengthen the muscles that support your breasts to help provide some lift. You can tone and strengthen your chest and back muscles to keep your upper body toned and tight. Muscles that keep your posture upright and your shoulders back will also keep your breasts looking firm and perky.

According to an October 2012 study by the American Council on Exercise, the best way to strengthen and tone your chest muscles is with the barbell bench press. If that exercise looks too intimidating, cable crossovers or the pec deck butterfly machine will be just as effective in toning your chest.

In addition to strengthening your chest, work your back muscles to improve your posture and keep your shoulders back to help your boobs look perky. Standing or seated rows are great exercises, while pull-ups will tone and strengthen the back muscles, which will give the appearance of a smaller waist for that hourglass figure.

Don't let the fear of losing your boobs stop you from getting healthier and losing weight, as the payoff to your health is well worth the possible cup size you may lose. You will look better and feel better overall. Strengthening and toning your chest will help keep your breasts lifted, but if the results aren't as dramatic as you were hoping for, there are other options. A padded bra does wonders and can make you look a full cup size larger. For those that want to go the surgical route, a breast lift or breast implants will give you back the volume and lift.

​Read more:​ Do Push-Ups Make Your Breasts Bigger?