Growing up clinically obese, I developed male gynecomastia (man-boobs in pop culture). I spent years trying to camouflage this particular part of my body to the point that it was a defining issue of my life.
I lived in fear of how certain kinds of clothes accentuated them, so I found myself always wearing a big shirt to cover them. I rarely went shirtless in public. I endured bullying from friends and constantly stressed that I’d end up alone if and when things became intimate in my personal relationships. This took an enormous toll on my confidence.
It was unbearable to see my reflection in the mirror and hear people making fun of my condition. I became determined to get rid of my man-boobs and through massive lifestyle changes, I eventually found myself transforming into something I – and others – could appreciate rather than barely tolerate.
As the title suggests, man-boobs or male gynecomastia is a problem that affects men of any age and race. There are multiple clinical, biomolecular reasons for this problem, some of which may require medical help like the hormonal balancing between estrogen and testosterone, medication-induced male breasts, aging, menopause-triggered gynecomastia and disease-induced gynecomastia. I’m a scientist and nutritionist; not a doctor, so let me tell you right now: these issues need deep digging into the clinical and medical history and some require medical attention.
Above and beyond the clinical reasons men can suffer from male gynecomastia are our lifestyle choices: lack of physical activity and obesity are some of the key proponents of this condition. Cheesy food, hamburgers, soda, chocolate, beers, fizzy drinks, fries, pizza and smoking will stack layers of fat not only around the tummy, but even around the chest.
Trust me when I say this, having a couple of kilos more around the belly, thighs, arms, face or bum is not as embarrassing as having those extra kilos around the chest for any guy. Obesity and lack of physical activity are gripping our generation, putting us at high risk for diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, blood pressure, anxiety and stress. But in my experience, the ultimate confidence for men are man-boobs.
So for anyone suffering from the anguish of having man-boobs and finds themselves in desperate need of a physical solution to their problems, here are some tips I adapted in my life to get completely rid of my man-boobs.
Beginner’s workout
Exercising daily is very important for anyone who wants to tone their chest area. Regular cardio, with a mix and match of strength exercises, some circuits, and chest-o-blast workouts can be helpful. This is my six-day routine that helped me not only lose overall body weight, but even tone down my man-boobs. Follow this workout for six to eight weeks before jumping to a more intense intermediate workout.
Chest–O–Blast workout for beginners
This is a circuit routine, with each compound set comprising all five exercises, and seven such compound sets need to be performed with no rest in between two exercises, and only one to three minutes rest between two compound sets. High reps and manageable weights should be used as we need to tone down pecs and not beef the pecs up.
Strength Training
Skipping or spot running: 100 reps
Regular push ups: 15 reps
Flat dumbbell press: 15 reps
Dumbbell or Kettlebell Push ups: 15 reps
Flat dumbbell fly: 15 reps
Cardio Plan
Monday
High-intensity Cardio 45 minutes & Back/Biceps
Tuesday
Cardio 30 minutes and Chest–O–Blast workout for man-boobs
Wednesday
High-intensity cardio 45 minutes and legs
Thursday
Cardio 30 minutes and Shoulders/ Triceps
Friday
Cardio 30 minutes & Chest-O-Blast workout
Saturday
Intense circuit training and high-intensity cardio 45 minutes.
Circuit training and individual body part exercises can be chosen as per the individual’s fitness level and needs.
Diet
Don’t consume soda, fizzy drinks, beer, liquor, chocolate, cakes, muffins, fries, burgers, cheese, pizzas, high calorie, high sugar or high-fats food.
Do consume lean protein supplement with fewer carbs and fats per serving, fruits, veggies, nuts, lentils, brown bread, brown rice, eggs, fish, chicken and yogurt