A certain study in Singapore calculated that 30 percent of men would experience chest fat in their lifetime. Chest fat affects newborns (from mothers estrogen), boys in puberty stage (from hormone imbalance), and older men between the ages of 50 and 80 ( from loss in muscle tissue caused by aging). It can be a bother to some men even though it is not life threatening. Chest fat in males caused by glandular proliferation or increased breast tissues is called pseudogynecomastia. When caused by increased fat deposition, it is called pseudo gynecomastia.
Causes of chest fat in men
Men with chest fat have fat deposits on the walls of their chests because of being obese. Majorly, hormone imbalance is the cause of breast fat. Too much estrogen or too little testosterone, or a combination of both can cause this. It happens in two ways.
- Due to the increase of estrogen production in obese men, the liver cannot process estrogen effectively. As a result, bad estrogen deposits itself in the chest.
- The chemical imbalance between estrogen and testosterone enhances the aromatization of testosterone. This aromatization process converts testosterone to estrogen, thereby inhibiting the development of lean muscle mass and developing reproductive organs instead. At this level, the female hormone dominates the bloodstream and the endocrine system.
When boys reach puberty, hormone imbalance comes with the stage and may normalize with time on their own. On the other hand, older men with low T may experience chest fat that may need to be treated depending on the seriousness. Mayo Clinic posits that 1 in 4 men between the ages of 50 and 80 are affected by this condition.
Some things can be done to improve the look of your chest. Remedies that can help with hormonal imbalance and weight loss can make a significant difference. They can help with toning the muscles around the chest area and making them look firmer.
Best Ways To Lose Chest Fat In Singapore:
Weight loss
Paying attention to your body mass index helps you track your weight better. Looking chubby isn’t the only indicator that you might be obese. A British study proves this point. In which case, only less than 10% or less of clinically obsessed persons knew that they are overweight.
Calculating your BMI is the best way to actually know if you are obese. The simple formula is to divide your weight (in kilogram KG) by your height (in meter squared m2). It’s easy to calculate it with a BMI calculator online. A BMI of 25 or higher indicates that you are overweight or obese. Your BMI is considered to be healthy if it falls between 18.5 to 24.9 if you are between 18-65 years old. There are two ways to go about normalizing your BMI.
Diet
Going on a diet helps you double down on eating healthy portions of food in their correct proportion. Look out to include the following in your diet plan.
Cruciferous vegetables help the liver process estrogen better so that there are no deposits of them in the chests which over time form fat. These vegetables contain indole that creates healthy enzymes to help the liver detoxify. Vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli improve the metabolism of estrogen.
Include soluble fiber are fibers that draw in water because they dissolve in it. They help move things like dirty estrogen out of the system. These Fibres regulate digestion, preventing estrogen from being reabsorbed and mitigate estrogen.
Apples, pear, oats, and mushrooms fall in this category.
Magnesium allows your body to release more testosterone and normalizes a deficiency of testosterone. A study of 399 men over the age of 65 linked higher magnesium in the body to a higher level of testosterone. The result of the study showed that increased magnesium level increases both free and total testosterone in men.
Vitamin D contains serotonin which helps as an appetite suppressant. It’s a chemical the brain produces that curtails cravings and makes you feel fuller. The result is, you reduce food in-take and lose weight. It can also help with testosterone levels that help you build your muscles.
Intermittent fasting helps you avoid food altogether at particular times of the day or avoids taking calories on some days. It takes a lot of discipline on your part to stick to the fasting plan. There is always an inclination to relapse.
Other dietary measures to take:
- Go on low fat or low carb diet
- Reducing meal portions
- Avoid sugar and processed carbs
- Set reachable weight loss goals
- Get a food plan and so meal preps.
- Avoid alcohol intake
Exercise
Engage in exercises that target that chest muscles. It’s best to do exercises in a fasted state to help the body use up stored fat. This entails that you go about exercising without eating. According to a study of 2018, this method leads to higher metabolic performance. It helps you burn fat in the areas closest to the muscles that are most active during exercise. High-intensity interval training is rigorous and does not require too much time to do. The following exercise can help your chest muscles.
Battle rope
This exercise helps utilize underused movements to challenge different muscle groups in the whole of your upper body. You would need to visit the gym to use battle ropes.
Pushups
Pushups engage your upper body and core all at once. In a plank position, your bodyweight acts as resistance as you move your body up and down. Pushups can be done at home without any equipment needed.
Chest press
Engages your pectoral muscles to give them balance and strengthens your upper body. You should have dumbbells or resistance bands to carry out this exercise.
Bench Dips
It helps to reinforce muscles in your chest, shoulders, and triceps. It’s a simple yet rigorous exercise that you can do at home. You only need a bench.
Combining a mix of the various chest workout motions will help you work all the chest muscles.
Medications
Generally, Weight loss pills can also help with fat burn. They are most effective when combined with lifestyle changes and dietary plans.
Liraglutide
It works similarly to the incretin hormone and works at controlling your appetite. It comes in an injection form, administered under the skin of the thigh, upper arm, or abdomen. Dosage is usually once daily. A survey involving 594 respondents showed that Liraglutide has an average rating of 7.7 out of 10 for treating weight loss. 69% of viewers reported a positive effect, and 13% reported a negative result. They may have stomach and abdominal side effects. Ideally, your doctor begins with a low dosage to decrease your risk of reacting to it. Some common side effects include headache, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Orlistat
Orlistat prevents the body from absorbing fat after it is taken in. In the first 6 months of taking this medication, it is expected that 5 to 10 pounds should be lost. Doctors may stop the medication if, at 3months of using it, you haven’t lost at least up to 5% of your weight. Some side effects of orlistat include fatty and smelly stools resulting from fat that is being purged out of the body, oil spots on underwear, and frequent farting. These effects can be curbed by eating a low-fat diet. Pills are usually taken three times a day before main meals.
Naltrexone
Naltrexone promotes weight loss by moderating the body’s appetite. It is deduced that Low Doses of Naltrexone sends signals to the brain to indicate to it that the body is not hungry, so the desire to overeat disappears. In a study that used 50 mg of Naltrexone on participants. The result revealed that participants ate less due to decreased appetite. Another study showed that high doses of Naltrexone reduced the insulin level in obese women. Lowered insulin can result in weight loss. In both cases, low doses of Naltrexone weren’t used, and studies were not done specifically to prove the effect of Naltrexone on weight loss. Granted, more study is needed in this area. However, physicians may prescribe Naltrexone combined with Bupropion to help patients manage weight loss. Other benefits of Naltrexone to weight loss are, improve sleep and mood. Common side effects include nausea, headaches, sweating, dry mouth, and dizziness.
Phentermine
Phentermine like Panbesy also help to control appetite. It increases the rate of neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are body messengers in chemical forms. When these chemicals work fine, they suppress your hunger level. They do a great job of signaling to the body that you are full. Phentermine is effective for short-term weight loss. Typically it is used for the duration of 12weeks. Common side effects include increased heart rate, dry mouth, sleeplessness, constipation.
Doctors usually prescribe these medications as complimentary when exercising, and dieting isn’t doing much to help your weight loss. People with a BMI of 27 or and greater are mostly considered for these medications. People treating heart disease, high blood pressure, and pregnant women are at risk of using these medications.
Bear in mind that losing weight is a continuous process. The only way to not gain weight after stopping medication is to live healthily.
About the Author
Article made possible by Amaka. Amaka is a content strategist at ofnoah.com. She has been working in social media and content marketing for five years. She specializes in the health, tech, innovation, and travel sectors. When she is not writing, you will find her teaching math, and trying new diet recipes and listening to health related audiobooks.