Many men wish to know how to get rid of man boobs, preferably without the need for surgery. It is possible to reduce man breasts naturally, although the method you use will depend on what is causing them – so no one solution will work for everyone. However, losing man boobs is certainly possible, although it may take time and the commitment to make some changes in your lifestyle.
What Causes Man Boobs?
Men with man boobs have saggy or fatty areas on the chest, which may resemble female breasts. Despite this consistent appearance however, man boobs have two general causes. In some cases, they are simply the result of being overweight, overfat (high body fat percentage, which may or may not coincide with being overweight), or by sagging pectoral muscles of the chest. In other cases, a hormonal imbalance is involved (the condition of hormonally-induced man boobs is called gynecomastia). These men may have decreased testosterone levels, and higher than normal levels of the female hormone estrogen, which is responsible for growth of the glandular tissue in the chest region. Whatever the cause, many men with man boobs find the condition distressing, and fortunately they can usually be eliminated or greatly reduced.
How To Reduce Man Boobs
So, how do you get rid of man boobs? A variety of treatments are available, and it may be necessary to do a bit of experimenting to find that which works for you. One option is cosmetic surgery, which is increasingly common (male breast reduction is one of the fastest growing cosmetic surgery requests), but while this provides a quick fix, it is painful, expensive, and doesn’t really address the underlying cause. Fortunately, if you want to get rid of your man boobs more naturally, there are other options to consider. Here are some possible solutions, depending on your situation:
If you’re a teenager:
Hormonal imbalances during puberty often cause teenage boys to develop man boobs. In most cases these will go away naturally as the hormones settle down after puberty passes and the maturation process is completed. For teenagers who are also overweight (this is increasingly common among young people), losing weight and firming up the chest area with exercise can also help.
If you’re overweight/over-fat:
Excess weight and/or a high body fat percentage are responsible for man boobs in some men. In these cases treatment is relatively simple: eat a sensible, healthy diet and follow a good exercise plan to reduce body fat generally, and to tone up the chest area. There is no one diet that is ideal for everyone, but generally you should eat only when hungry, stop when you’re satisfied (not stuffed), and focus on natural, unprocessed foods, keeping the junk foods and drinks (including alcohol) to a minimum.
If you have a hormonal imbalance:
Maintaining a healthy body weight may in itself help to maintain a normal hormonal balance, but if you are of normal weight and still have man boobs, you might be suffering from gynecomastia, where your breast tissue is enlarged as a result of a testosterone/estrogen imbalance. It is recommended that you seek professional advice to confirm if this is the case, and your doctor may recommend a course of hormone treatment. However, there are some simple steps you can take at home that may help to address the problem:
Cardiovascular exercise
Cardio exercise has an important role in keeping your hormones balanced, it helps to burn fat, and those with unhealthily high body fat percentages tend to produce less testosterone. Simply burning fat will also itself reduce the size of the chest. There are many activities that give cardio benefits – make sure you choose some that you enjoy, and aim to build up to 30 minutes or more, four or more times a week (don’t over do it though – you need rest time too). Good options include jogging, fast walking, running, cycling, rowing, cardio machines etc.
Weight bearing exercise
Weight training is also helpful in getting rid of man boobs. It can help to increase testosterone levels, and also helps to tone up the chest area, improving its appearance. It is best to get some instruction from a personal trainer or a trainer at your local gym if you’re new to weight training, as the risk of injury is high if you do it incorrectly.
Diet
Diet also plays a role in maintaining a healthy hormonal balance, as does the ingestion of other, non-food substances. Alcohol and marijuana for example, can decrease the production of testosterone, and should be avoided or minimised if you’re serious about reducing man boobs. Some authorities also maintain that hormone levels can be affected by the presence of synthetic hormones in the tap water supply (from the urine of women taking the pill), and in foods such as meat and dairy (from factory farmed animals). Eating organic animal products and drinking a high quality brand of bottled water may help you to play it safe. Sugary foods can also be a culprit, by causing swings in blood sugar levels that have a knock on effect on sex hormone production – avoid these as much as possible.
Medications
Some medications have the side effect of disrupting hormone levels, so if you take any kind of regular medication, you should ask your doctor or pharmacist if they could be a contributing cause, and request an alternative if possible.
If you decide to try to reduce your man boobs naturally with these methods, you should be prepared to apply them consistently for up to a year to get results. For more detailed information about how to get rid of man boobs, check out The Chest Coach book, which many men have found to be helpful.
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