man boobs....

[spaced]

I have lost alot of weight due to a better diet and kung fu training, but I cant seem to get rid of my, not so bad but annoying, man boobs. Due to me being overweight and then losing weight these have stayed behind. What exercise would help reduce them ? Press ups etc etc??

[SevenStar]

they may be permanent. When I was playing football, there was a guy on our team who had them. No matter how much he dieted and how much he lifted, they were always there - his chest never looked 'manly'. I did some research back then and found out that there is a condition for this - I can't remember what it's called though. Perhaps you have said condition.

[dainos]

depends on how hard you exercise in cardio but thats all i can say

[YMC]

there is a condition for this

It's called gynocomastia. I doubt this is spaced's problem since the etiology of the condition (and there are many) would cause other symptoms.

Perhaps an exercise physiologist, body builder, or an specialist would know more and point out some errors in what I'm putting down, but since spot reducing fat is impossible, getting rid of the excess fatty tissue in the pectorial regions would require an even higher overall lowering of body fat content. You might just have to do that. Also, if you lost your weight very quickly and were particularly big, it is likely that the skin did not reduce along with the rest of you because of lost elasticity etc. So your "man boobs" may essentially be a combination of reamining hypertrophied adipose tissue and loose flaps of skin. Similar to the condition that leads to people wanting "tummy tucks" (i.e. abdominoplasty) after multiple pregnancies or lipo. Sometimes time and building the muscle will "tone" the affected region, but....

[Sekabin]

I watched some programme (can't remember the name of it) on a plane the other month - it may have been on the discovery channel or something. Anyway, on the programme they 'transform' people through exercise regimes and plastic surgery.

On the episode I saw there was a guy who used to be enormous but through diet and exercise only (i.e. no stomach stapling) had lost all the excess weight and was now at his target. His only problem was that, as mentioned, the skin still seemed to be too big and just 'hung' from him. He'd tried every method to tighten it up but with no result. The only thing he could do in the end was to have the surgery to basically cut off the excess.

[Mr Punch]

...On the episode I saw there was a guy who used to be enormous but through diet and exercise only (i.e. no stomach stapling) had lost all the excess weight and was now at his target. His only problem was that, as mentioned, the skin still seemed to be too big and just 'hung' from him. He'd tried every method to tighten it up but with no result. The only thing he could do in the end was to have the surgery to basically cut off the excess.

Cheer a guy up, why don't you!

[Sekabin]

Cheer a guy up, why don't you!

Hey, you know, as I learned in the boy scouts, or was it my father... or maybe just that wino on the street corner... "honesty is the best policy"!

[5Animals1Path]

I'm lookin at the same problem my man. I was up over 400lbs before I started training, and now I'm hovering at 250. Basically, if you lost it fast, and didn't lose it before puberty was over, you're basically stuck with the excess.

Other then trying out a couple of skin tightening creams from your local Avon lady, surgery's just about the only way to go.

[yenhoi]

Maybe some anti-stretch mark therapy will work? Vitamin E rubs and creams and the such? There is also tons of face creams for getting rid of wrinkles and the like (turkey neck.) Might be the same type of thing. Skin is weird stuff.

[BruceSteveRoy]

like 5 animals said if you lost the weight too fast and after puberty you might be stuck with it. if you want a routine to really sculpt the pectoral muscle i can help there that will not necessarily get rid of the man boobs. i have seen people with this problem and they have trimmed down everywhere but have all the loose skin and fat in certain areas that they cant get rid of. i know you can get it cut and tucked if it is causing you serious psychological stress but i would never reccomend that to anyone.

a really good workout for flattening the chest is to superset benchpress and pushups. you want to hit the top, mid and bottom parts of the muscle so its important to do the whole workout if you want even tone.

the first superset is incline press for 12 reps and then drop immediately into incline pushups 12 reps do this combination 3 sets with 30-60 seconds rest between sets.

rest 1-2 minutes

then do 12 reps regular bench press and immediately drop down to regular push ups 12 reps. do this combination for 3 sets. rest 30-60 seconds between sets.

rest 1-2 minutes

then do 12 reps decline press and immediately drop down for 12 reps decline pushups. do this combination for 3 sets. rest 30-60 seconds between sets.

be sure to drink plenty of water and eat protien to help the muscle heal.


hope it helps.
regards,
~steve

[TonyM.]

Massage will help.

[taijihottie]

Can you post a pic?

[yeshe]

The only real thing yuo con due for man boobs aka gynecomastia is surgery.
Spot reducing by doing chest exercising is BS,human physiolgy just don't work
that way.
Reducing body fat? You would have to get down to under 5% and the
boobs still may be there
The thing is that some men have just the right male female hormone
balance to store fat in their chest
some guys no matter how fat they get never get man boobs.
Simple lipo suction may do the trick (4-6 grand)
or if there is a lot of loose skin you will need a gynecomastectomy
(6-10 grand)

[BoulderDawg]

I too have lost a lot of weight. Most of my loose skin in in the midsection and arms and legs....even my chin. Although I hate it there isn't much I can do about it short of surgery.

That said maybe I'll have surgery one of these days...Right now I just want to get in the best shape that I can and forget what my body looks like....that's all anyone can do!

[BruceSteveRoy]

Spot reducing by doing chest exercising is BS,human physiolgy just don't work
that way.

While it is true that you can not spot burn fat you can spot build muscle which will help firm the area and offer more tone. This will, consequently, make it look better.