Male breasts, commonly called man boobs, are caused by excess body fat in the chest or by a condition called gynecomastia. Excess fat in the chest may be caused by overall obesity, or your body may be prone to collecting fat in that area. Gynecomastia is a hormonal condition caused by excess estrogen or testosterone deficiencies. It is possible to reduce or completely remove man boobs, and how you do so depends on the cause.
Excess Body Fat
Step 1
Eat a healthy diet heavy on whole grains, fruits and vegetables, which are nutritionally dense and provide dietary fiber to make you feel full.
Step 2
Eat lean protein to feed muscle growth and speed up your resting metabolism. Lean sources of protein include fish, poultry, and lean cuts of beef and pork.
Step 3
Cut your caloric intake and watch your portion sizes. No matter how healthy your diet, if you eat too much, you won't lose weight. Keep your portion sizes within Food Guide Pyramid guidelines and multiply your ideal weight by 10 to determine the number of calories you should consume per day.
Step 4
Do at least 30 minutes a day of cardiovascular exercise, such as walking or an aerobics class. Work hard enough that you break a sweat and cannot speak more than five words in a row. If you are gasping for air, or feel dizzy, slow down.
Step 5
Lift weights at least three days per week on nonconsecutive days. Focus on exercises that work the chest muscles, such as push-ups, as well as exercises that build other large muscles, such as leg presses and back exercises.
Gynecomastia
Step 1
Talk to your doctor about medication. The Mayo Clinic advises that raloxifene and tamoxifen, both breast cancer medications, may shrink breast tissue.
Step 2
Wear compression garments to improve the appearance of your chest and prevent the breast tissue from shifting as you move. Compression garments are available from online retailers and plastic surgeons.
Step 3
Consider liposuction. Gynecomastia is caused by the growth of actual breast tissue, such as glands and milk ducts, but liposuction will remove the fat around the breast tissue and make the breasts smaller.
Step 4
Get a mastectomy to remove all the breast tissue and correct the shape of your chest.
Things You'll Need
- Compression garment
References
- Mayo Clinic: Gynecomastia (Enlarged Breasts in Men)
- "Personal Trainer Manual"; American Council on Exercise; 2003
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