Breast reduction exercises are appealing to many men and women who struggle with the size of their breasts. Large breasts can be not only unwanted but also unhealthy, with back pain and even misalignment sometimes resulting. While some people resort to plastic surgery to reduce breast size, others prefer to use exercise techniques and diet changes for a non-surgical option.
Push-ups are one exercise that can tighten the muscles under the breasts.
Function
Breasts are composed of different types of tissue. Glandular tissue is the actual breast tissue, while fatty tissue covers the surface of the breast. Breast reduction exercises have two functions: reducing the fatty tissue and building the pectoral muscle underneath the breasts.
Types
Two types of exercises can be used to reduce breast size. Cardiovascular exercises can be used to burn fat all over the body, which will also contribute to burning the fatty tissue of the breasts. Muscle-building exercises--like push-ups, bench presses and arm circles--can help build the pectoral muscle, which will help tighten the breasts and reduce sagging of the tissues.
Misconceptions
Spot-reduction, the belief that exercises targeting a specific area of the body can reduce the fat in that area, is a myth. Weight loss in the entire body, however, often results in breast reduction because fatty areas (like the breast) tend to lose fat first. People who are already normal weight or underweight, however, will not be able to reduce breast size through overall weight loss because they do not have enough excess fatty tissue in the breast.
Considerations
Because muscle-building exercises alone cannot reduce breast size, adopting a healthy diet that is low in fat can also aid in breast reduction goals. Low-fat foods and a diet high in whole grains, vegetables and fruits, combined with cardiovascular exercise three times per week, will prevent adding to fat stores in the breast and speeding fat burn. As always, consult your doctor before making changes to your diet or exercise routine.
Benefits
Breast weight loss is beneficial not only to one's appearance and confidence, but also has health benefits. Because losing fatty tissue from the breast requires adopting a plan for overall weight loss, non-surgical breast reduction goals can be helpful for overweight people in general. Also, breast reduction can reduce and prevent the back pain and long-term injury that can result from large breast size in women in particular.
Tags: breast size, fatty tissue, reduce breast, reduce breast size, weight loss, back pain
