How to Get Rid of Man Boobs Once and For All

Man boobs. It’s a term that elicits laughter and mockery. But for the millions of men who suffer from this condition, it’s no laughing matter. 

50 to 65% of males experience some form of breast enlargement, usually due to hormonal changes, weight gain, or simply ageing. If you fall within this percentage, you’ve probably have asked yourself the following:

How can I get rid of man boobs once and for all?

Unfortunately, it’s not an easy topic to discuss, even with a GP or personal trainer. As such, most suffer in silence and will find any excuse to avoid going to the beach or taking their shirt off in public. 

I know this because I used to be one of those guys for a long time. It sucks, but this doesn’t have to be you.

This article intends to cut through the BS and provide a step-by-step guide on getting rid of your man boobs: no gimmicks, shortcuts or pseudoscience, just facts. 

Let’s get started.

1. Defining the two types of man boobs
2. What to do if you have Gynecomastia or Pseudogynecomastia?
3. Why do I store fat in my chest?
4. The principles of fat loss explained – calories in vs calories out
5. What to eat to get rid of man boobs
6. Will training my chest directly remove man boobs?
7. Why to incorporate chest exercises in your routine
8. Best exercises to build your chest
9. Do soy products cause man boobs?
10. Steps to get rid of man boobs

What are Man Boobs?

There are two types of man boobs:

Gynecomastia: Gynecomastia, as it’s called in medical circles, results from a hormonal imbalance where oestrogen levels are too high compared to testosterone levels. 

People suffering from real gynecomastia usually have harder, rubbery lumps under their nipples that are visible regardless of their body fat percentage.

While it’s not a serious condition, it can be embarrassing and cause low self-esteem. And in severe cases, it can lead to pain and discomfort.

Pseudogynecomastia: This is when excessive fat deposits develop in your chest, causing that dreaded man boobs appearance. If overweight and genetically prone to store chest fat, you will likely suffer from pseudogynecomastia.

Can I Lose Either Type of Man Boobs?

I’m not here to sugarcoat things, so I’ll say it as it is:

If you have true gynecomastia, no amount of dieting will get rid of your man boobs. You’ll need to see a doctor to cut out the excess tissue, which can be expensive. Alternatively, you can try non-surgical treatments, but they’re not guaranteed to work.

Now, if you have pseudogynecomastia, then you’ll benefit the most from this guide. It means you won’t have to go under the knife and can lose your man boobs the old-fashioned way – through diet and exercise.

Why Do We Store Fat in Our Chest?

It’s the same reason  why some people store more fat in their arms, legs or their belly. It’s just the way our bodies are designed.

You see, where you store fat in your body is primarily determined by your genes. Some people store fat predominately on their hips, known as “love handles” or midsection, often referred to as a “beer belly”. Then some store fat in their chest area, which gives the appearance of man boobs. 

The Principles of Fat Loss Explained - Calories In vs Calories Out

When I was new to training and nutrition, I never really understood the concept of calories in vs calories out and it’s importance in the grand scheme of things. If you’re in the same boat and assume that a snickers bar will automatically make you fat, then this section is definitely for you!

Ultimately, fat gain boils down to your calorie intake vs your calorie expenditure. If you consistently eat more calories than you burn daily, monthly and yearly, your body has no choice but to store that excess energy as body fat.

To effectively remove/eviscerate/shrink/eradicate man boobs, you need to burn more calories than you consume daily. Your fat loss journey could be anywhere from a few weeks to several months – It just depends on how much fat you have to lose.

So How Many Calories Should I Consume to Lose My Man Boobs?

To find out how many calories you should consume for fat loss, you need to first determine your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). Your TDEE the total amount of calories you burn when the following is accounted for:

Basal metabolic rate (BMR) – This is the number of calories you burn just by being alive and keeping all your bodily functions ticking over. Just by reading this, your BMR is at work! For the average American man, it’s around 1,800 calories daily. 

There are multiple formulas to calculate this online to immediately give you a number.

NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) – fidgeting, walking around, typing on your laptop etc. Basically, anything that isn’t considered planned exercise.

EAT (exercise activity thermogenesis) – This involves planned exercise like running on the treadmill or track, weightlifting or playing football.

TEF (thermic effect of food) – This is the number of calories burned from digesting your food. Protein burns more calories to digest than carbohydrates or fat. 

BMR + NEAT + EAT + TEF = TDEE

Let’s use Joe as an example:

Joe is a 30-year-old male who weighs 200 lbs and is 5ft 10″. His BMR is 1,800. 

He spends his day typically on the move and then goes to the gym 3-4 times a week. Since Joe is fairly active, let’s say his average TDEE is 3,000 calories. His diet consists of 2,200 calories a day.

2,200 (calories consumed) – 3,000 (calories burned) = – 800 calorie deficit.

There are 3,500 calories in one pound of body fat. So, to lose one pound of fat per week, Joe must create a 500-calorie deficit daily. 

500 x 7 = 3500 or 1lbs of fat.

Joe, on the other hand, has created an 800-calorie deficit. So, he will lose 1.6lbs of fat per week – that’s fantastic progress! Not to mention, he’s simultaneously building muscle and getting stronger in the gym. 

To recap, to lose weight, try to find your average weekly TDEE. Once you have these numbers, you’ll only need to eat less than your TDEE. 

If you’re unsure what your TDEE is, there are many online calculators that can give you a reasonable estimate. Alternatively, you can eat x amount of calories for a week and see how your weight changes. If it stays the same, then you’re at maintenance. If it goes down, then you’re in a deficit.

What Should You Eat to Lose Manboobs?

Some of you may be wondering:

“If fatloss really comes down to calories in vs calories out, why does it matter what I eat? Surely a calorie is just a calorie?”

Whilst this is technically true, the type of food you eat will have an impact on both your hormones and how satisfied you feel.

For instance, eating a donut (high sugar, high carb) will have different effects than eating a steak (high protein, high fat). The former will spike your insulin levels and make you hungry shortly after. The latter will keep you full for longer and provide your body with the amino acids it needs to build muscle.

Furthermore, foods like chocolate, sweets and other sugary snacks are high in calories relative to weight. They also lack fibre and are generally void of any other nutrients. This means you’ll eat more than you need to without feeling full.

To give an example, let’s take 100 grams of chocolate and watermelon and compare them side by side:

100 grams of milk chocolate: 535 calories with 1.4 grams of fibre

100 grams of broccoli: 34 calories with 2.6 grams of fibre

As you can see, chocolate is substantially higher in calories whilst being lower in fibre. 100 grams of chocolate is also minuscule in size compared to 100 grams of broccoli. So unless you have tremendous willpower and can nibble on a few pieces of chocolate, you’ll probably eat the entire bar.

On the other hand, good luck trying to consume a plate of broccoli! Sure, there are people out there who could devour dishes of vegetables and not get full, but they’re the exception. Most people would generally struggle to eat that much broccoli without feeling sick first.

The point is it’s a lot easier to overeat processed foods like chocolate which is why you should avoid them. If you only have a certain number of calories to eat each day, you want those calories to come from nutrient-dense foods that’ll help you build muscle and lose fat.

Stick with Whole foods

You’ve probably heard the term ‘whole foods’ or ‘real foods’ before. This refers to food in its natural state and has not been processed.

Examples of whole foods include:

• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Meat
• Fish
• Eggs
• Nuts
• Seeds

These are the types of foods that you should be aiming to eat. Not only are they more nutritious, but they’re also generally more filling.

Processed foods, on the other hand, are often high in sugar and unhealthy fats which can lead to weight gain.Examples of processed foods include:

• Cereals
• Cookies
• Cakes
• Snacks
• Sodas/Soft drinks
• Most fast food items i.e Big Macs, fried chicken etc

Ideally, you should avoid these types of foods altogether. However, it’s ok to include certain processed foods like pasta, rice and bread in moderation. By overly restricting yourself, you may binge eat and sabotage your efforts. It can also lead to eating disorders and poor relationships with food.

Try to Hit 1 Gram of Protein Per Pound of Bodyweight

Regarding protein intake, aim to consume 1 gram per pound of body weight. If you’re regularly weight training, your muscles are routinely broken down and must be repaired.

Protein is the macronutrient responsible for muscle growth, so ensure you’re eating enough if you want to see results. You don’t need to overdo it, as consuming more protein than you need won’t lead to faster muscle growth.

Good sources of protein include:

• Chicken
• Lean beef and pork
• Fish
• Eggs
• Dairy
• Beans
• Lentils
• Nuts and seeds

Recapping the Key Points in Regards to Diet

Minimise processed food: The next time you glance at a dessert or snack, ask yourself:

1. How far is it from its natural state?
2. How will you feel shortly after eating it? Will you feel satisfied, or will you be hungry again? If it’s the latter, skip it altogether.

Always include veggies – Vegetables are low-calorie and high in fibre, helping to minimise hunger as much as possible. They’re also packed with nutrients that are essential for good health.

Eat protein frequently – In addition to hitting 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, you should also be spacing your meals out evenly throughout the day. This will ensure a steady supply of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. Three to four meals spaced out every three to four hours is a good starting point.

Track your calories: This is more of a personal preference, but I highly recommend tracking your calories daily. This gives you a rough idea of how much you’re eating and helps to prevent overeating. It also helps you in the future in identifying how many calories you need to lose weight or gain muscle.

Do Chest Exercises Remove Man Boobs?

The quick answer is no, it doesn’t.

Spot reduction is a myth, regardless of your workout program. You can’t lose fat in a targeted spot by doing exercises focusing on that area.

Fat and muscle are two completely different body tissues. Fat sits on top of your muscle, much like how frosting sits on top of a cupcake. So if you want to shrink your man boobs, you need to get rid of the frosting (fat) while simultaneously building up the cake (muscle). 

When we do the bench press or any resistance-type movement, you’re not directly burning the fat in your pectorals. Instead, you’re exercising and building your chest muscles. 

The good news is all resistant type movements burn calories. So, as long as you’re in a calorie deficit and consistent with your workouts, you will slowly but surely lose chest fat. You’re also building up the muscle underneath, giving you a more defined and masculine chest once the fat is lost. 

If you want to lose your man boobs as quickly as possible, there are three things you need to focus on:

1. Diet – You need to be in a calorie deficit. This means you need to eat fewer calories than you burn at the end of the day. 
2. Strength training – Weightlifting will break down muscle tissue which will grow back stronger and fuller. Calories ingested will also help build up this new muscle tissue. 
3. Cardio – This helps further increase the calorie deficit, accelerating the fat loss process. It also enables you not to rely primarily on diet to lose weight.

By consistently implementing all three of these points into your life, you will lose your man boobs and get the chest you’ve always wanted!

Why Bother Building Muscle When It Really Comes Down to Fat Loss?

In the context of losing fat in your chest, here are the main benefits of building muscle:

Increases Your BMR

The more muscle you have, the higher your BMR will be. 

Remember Joe from earlier? His BMR was 1,800. But what if we could increase that by 10%? His new BMR would now be 1,980. By building new muscle, his BMR will inevitably go up! This is because muscle is more metabolically active than fat, requiring more calories to maintain.

You’ll Look Better Once the Fat is Stripped Off

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that you should only care about how you look. But if you’re like most people, chances are you want to look good naked. 

And the best way to achieve that is to have a low body fat combined with a considerable amount of muscle mass. This will give that sculpted appearance or ‘toned look’ most people desire. Without a muscular foundation, you’ll just look ‘skinny’ or ‘malnourished’ no matter how lean you get. 

Better yet, if you’ve built a decent amount of chest muscle,  you’ll look great in a fitted shirt or topless – something most guys want.

Best Exercises to Improve the Appearance of Man Boobs

Let’s get one thing out of the way – diet is the critical driver in removing man boobs. However, if you want a chiselled chest that resembles chest plate armour rather than a flat pancake, then you’ll need to train your chest.

Normally, we’d recommend a balanced workout program that emphasises all body parts. But for the sake of this subject, we’ll focus on the chest.

Bodyweight Chest Exercises

The standard pushup

Pushups are a fantastic introductory exercise for people just getting into fitness. They work all push muscles, such as your deltoids, pecs, and triceps. Pushups are also used as a finishing exercise by seasoned lifters to really tax the muscles.

How to do a pushup:

• Start in a high plank, including your chest, shoulders, and triceps.
• Engage your core and glutes to keep your body in a straight line.
• Lower your body until your chest is an inch from the floor and then push back up to the starting position.

If you can’t do a full push up, you can modify the exercise by doing them on your knees.

Decline pushup

Once you’ve mastered the regular pushup and can do at least 20 reps, try incorporating decline pushups for a full chest workout. This exercise focuses more on the upper chest and shoulders.

How to do a decline pushup:

• Begin in a high plank position with your feet on an elevated surface and your hands on the floor.
• Engage your core and glutes to keep your body in a straight line.
• Lower your body until your chest is an inch from the floor, and then push back up to the starting position.

Once this becomes a breeze, you can wear a weight vest to make the exercise more challenging. Try to avoid adding weight plates on your back as they could easily fall off and injure you.

The Barbell Bench Press (Dumbell or Barbell)

If there’s one exercise synonymous with chest training or even weightlifting, it’s the bench press. This can be done with a barbell, dumbbells, or resistance bands and will quickly overload your chest, shoulders and triceps.

How to do a bench press:

• Lie on your back on a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor.
• Make a slight arch in your lower back.
• Take a deep breath, unrack the weight, and lower it to your sternum (preferably on or right under the nipple area).
• Tuck your elbows to your sides to avoid flaring your elbows.
• Lift the weight of your sternum until your arms are fully extended.

Pec flyes (Dumbbell or Machine)

Pec flies isolate the chest by taking your triceps and shoulders out of the movement. You can perform this exercise with dumbbells, resistance bands, or on a pec flye machine. 

How to do a Pec fly:

• Adjust the pec flye machine so that your elbows are level with your shoulders when you sit down.
• Grab the handles and keep a slight bend in your elbows.
• Press your arms together in front of you and squeeze your chest at the top of the movement.
• Slowly return to the starting position.

Incline Bench or Dumbbell Press

The incline press is a wonderful yet highly underrated exercise that targets the upper part of your pectorals. By building your upper chest, you’ll prevent overdeveloping your lower chest which leads to the appearance of man boobs.

How to do an incline bench press:

• Set an adjustable bench to a 30 – too high, and you’ll work your shoulders too much, too low, and you’ll hit your lower chest.
• Lie back on the bench and unrack the weight.
• Lower the weight to your mid-chest and then press it back up.

Shoulder Press (Dumbell or Barbell)

Technically, the shoulder press isn’t necessary if you’ve incorporated the incline bench press into your routine. However, it’s an excellent exercise for broadening your shoulders and giving you the ‘capped’ look.

According to a Norwegian study, EMG studies indicate that the standing dumbbell shoulder press is best for hitting the medial head of your delts. Since your anterior delts are already getting plenty of work from the bench press, we recommend doing the shoulder press with dumbbells.

How to do a dumbbell shoulder press

• Pick up a dumbbell in each hand and hold them at shoulder level with an overhand grip
• Keep your feet shoulder-width apart
• Press the weights overhead until your arms are straight.
• Lower the weights back down to shoulder level and repeat.

Lateral Raise (Dumbbell or Machine)

To really have your delts resembling cannonballs, incorporate lateral raises in addition to shoulder presses. Lateral raises target your medial (middle) deltoid head.

How to do a lateral raise:

• Pick up a dumbbell in each hand and hold them at your sides with your palms facing your thighs
• Keep a slight arch in your lower back
• Without swinging, raise your arms out to the side until they’re parallel to the floor.
• Slowly lower your arms back down to your sides.

Does Soy Increase Oestrogen Levels and Cause Man Boobs

As mentioned, gynecomastia occurs due to increased oestrogen activity in the body. Soy contains “isoflavones”, a compound that can act like oestrogen and affect our hormones. According to a report from Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, the body could use isoflavones, a plant type oestrogen the same way it would use human oestrogen, potentially causing hormone imbalances.

However, it helps to delve deeper into other forms of research to get a well-rounded perspective. After all, this is our health we’re talking about.

Let’s go through three more studies to see if there’s a correlation between soy and man boobs:

Soy Study 1

The first 2005 study is from The Journal of Nutrition, which tested how soy foods impacted serum reproductive hormone levels in men. The study found that soy had ‘minor’ effects on hormone levels, so nothing substantial. 

“In conclusion, soy protein, regardless of isoflavone content, decreased DHT and DHT/testosterone with minor effects on other hormones, providing evidence for some effects of soy protein on hormones.”

Soy Study 2

According to a recently published metaanalysis and studies published after, isoflavone supplements nor isoflavone-rich soy affected free testosterone levels on tested men. 

Furthermore, clinical studies show that isoflavones did not impact sperm or semen parameters. 

This information contradicts rodent studies where testosterone and/or other reproductive parameters were impacted. 

The bottom line is that current research (at least according to this study) does not indicate that isoflavones impair human reproduction.

Soy Study 3 (Anecdotal evidence)

A case documented in an Endocrine clinic reported a 60-year-old man showing estrone and estradiol concentrations four times above the upper limit. When he was interviewed, the patient said he was drinking 3 quarts of soy milk daily and when he stopped, his oestrogen levels returned to normal and breast tissue reduced.

Now, before you use this as evidence to say soy milk causes man boobs, we need to consider a few things:

First, this is only one case and should not be used to make such a claim. Second, we do not know the patient’s dietary habits, so we cannot rule out other consumed foods that may have contributed to his oestrogen levels. And lastly, it’s anecdotal evidence and not an actual study.

So what’s the verdict on soy and man boobs?

Based on the current research, it’s unlikely that soy will impact your hormones to the point of causing man boobs. However, you probably don’t want to go overboard and have 3 quarts of soy milk daily like the patient in the case study. Moderation is key.

Including soy foods like tofu, tempeh, and edamame in moderation should be fine. However, it’s best to err on the side of caution and avoid including them in every meal. And if you’re still concerned about the effects of soy, there are plenty of other alternatives you can choose from, like almond milk, oat milk, and coconut milk.

Putting it All Together - How to Reduce & Get Rid of Man Boobs

We’ve dumped a lot of information in this article, so it’s forgivable if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed. But don’t worry! We’ve added steps to make it easy for you to get started. 

Establish Your Starting Point

1. Weigh yourself after you wake up and use the restroom. This is your official starting weight.
2. Using a tape measure, measure your chest’s circumference at its widest point. Write these numbers down in a notebook or on your phone.
3. Take pictures of yourself without a t-shirt from the front, back, and sides. These will be your starting photos.

Determine your Caloric Intake

To determine a starting point for your caloric intake, multiply your body weight in pounds by 14. So if you weigh 200lbs, your daily calorie target would be 200 x 14 = 2,800. This is a conservative estimate, so if you’re not losing weight after a week or two, you can lower it to 13.5 or 13x bodyweight.

Use an Food scale and Online Calorie Tracker

A food scale is your best bet for accurately tracking your food intake, as it’s easy to underestimate portion sizes. We know it’s a nuisance, but using a scale can be the difference between being off by 50  calories or being off by 500 calories.

You can use many online calorie trackers like Chronometer or my FItnessPal. Both have apps that make tracking your food very easy and convenient.

Begin Incorporating Whole Foods

Once you’ve determined your caloric intake, try incorporating as many whole foods as possible. This means unprocessed, single-ingredient foods. Also, ensure to hit your protein intake to preserve or even build muscle during your diet.

Create a Workout Plan

No, this doesn’t mean you’re exclusively doing chest exercises. The key is creating a well-rounded routine that hits all the major muscle groups while incorporating some cardio.

A typical workout split looks like this:

Day 1: Chest & Triceps

Day 2: 30-60 minutes of cardio

Day 3: Back & Biceps

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Legs and Abs

Day 6: Rest

Day 7: 30-60 minutes of cardio

Of course, you can always adjust this split to better suit your schedule or preferences.

Start with 3 sets of 8-12 reps for each exercise. This set and rep range is a good starting point as you’ll get a feel for the weight and movement without overdoing it.

Be Consistent

If you’ve lost 1-2lbs in the first week, great! But don’t get too ahead of yourself and start slacking off. Losing weight is a marathon, not a sprint. Always keep your eye on the target (whether it’s 5 lbs or 50 lbs) and trust the process.