1. Figure Out, 'How Did THAT Get There?'
Of all the places fat could accumulate on a guy, one of the worst has to be our chests. It's by no means unusual, and there's some evidence that the prevalence of the modern Western diet is causing male chest fat to proliferate. The clinical term for male breasts is gynecomastia, and depending on your age and other factors, it can have several causes. You could have an excess of the hormone estrogen, responsible for breast production. While teen and adolescent guys might find their male breasts uncomfortable, it's often a normal part of growing up. Food choice, exercise and genetic predisposition also play a role. The good news: You don't have to be a slave to any of the three.
2. Train with Intensity
You want to make the Battle of the Boobs an all-out effort to lower your body-fat percentage. A good target for a man is 15 percent or lower. Of course, you will want to perform chest exercises to develop your underlying pectoral muscle. But perhaps more important is developing an overall active lifestyle. Try challenging workouts. Instead of plodding along on the treadmill, get moving so that your heart rate is around 75 percent of its maximum--the so-called "fat burning zone." Speaking of which, get a heart rate monitor. It's a tiny investment that will massively keep you on track with your fitness goals. Be sure to train with weights three to five times a week. Muscle is denser than fat; it has a higher caloric requirement. The more muscle you have, the more easily you can melt fat from your body, including from off your chest.
3. Watch What You Eat
Most of the food you see on television commercials and at eye level in stores won't help you get into shape. It's sad but true. To make them so tasty, manufacturers usually cram these foods with fat or sugar. School cafeteria lunches, vending machines and fast food restaurant menus are all stacked against your efforts to get lean. That's why if you're serious about this, you'll have to prepare your own meals of fresh salads, fruits, unsweetened oatmeal, baked or grilled lean meats, nuts, eggs, protein supplements and more. There is a long list of delicious things you can eat and still lose fat. Use this site or search online for more food examples and recipes.
4. Be Persistent
Don't expect to see huge changes right away. Losing fat and gaining muscle are gradual processes that can take months to see significant change. You want to be more dogged than The Terminator in reaching your goal, no matter what. It helps to maintain a record book of what you eat, the calories consumed each day and of your exercise regimen.
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