Uh-Oh! Man-boobs. Help!

January 22, 2007 5:37 PM

Uh-Oh! Man-boobs. Help!

I have recently lost quite a bit of weight and now I'm at a much more manageable 210lbs (6'2"). While I still have a bit of a belly I am not too concerned with it (I'm working on it). However, when I wear tighter sweaters/t-shirts I have visible, much-feared, psuedo-man-boobs. They're not DD's or anything (anymore) but wearing tighter tops doesn't leave much to the imagination.

Are there any kind of undershirts I could wear to, um, well, compress them or make them less apparent? I'm talking less Seinfeld (the bro) and more practical. A friend suggested Under Armor since it's so tight. But I'd like to know if there's anything else that comes to mind.

posted by anonymous to clothing, beauty, & fashion (14 comments total)

Try a spandex blend A-shirt. Your correct size may look tiny before you wear it, but it will stretch to fit without feeling tight.
posted by The Deej at 5:44 PM on January 22, 2007

Back before my boobs grew two cup sizes, I never ever wore a bra. I found a nice, snug, cotton/poly undershirt (tank top) kept things G-rated enough for me, and also helped keep me dry during sweaty Houston summers.

You don't need to strap them down. You just need something close-fitting to keep them from, er, jiggling.

Disclosure: my boobs are woman-boobs, not man-boobs.
posted by Brittanie at 6:10 PM on January 22, 2007

These might help.
posted by greatgefilte at 6:28 PM on January 22, 2007

A previous question that might be of interest: No mansierre for me ...

And no, I don't have any special interest in this topic! What could make you think such a thing.. I have this pet theory that says: the area where a person first gains weight is not the same as the area a person first losses weight. So, if you cycle your weight a couple of times - without ever getting down to a really low body fat percentage, which would be a type of reset - you will end up building unusual bulges :P
posted by Chuckles at 6:40 PM on January 22, 2007

Use a tight wifebeater to keep them in check. And make sure you're doing lots of bulk-building chest workouts--my friend had some serious man-boobage until he started weight-lifting. His body fat percentage hasn't changed, but the increased muscle has made the boob-fat flatten out.
posted by schroedinger at 7:09 PM on January 22, 2007

Wifebeater ought to do it. UnderArmor might be OK but it also might be too tight - I have one shirt I wear for weight lifting and it doesn't hide much. It sure as hell seems to compress though - I always feel thinner with it on, but it may be uncomfortably form-fitting.
posted by caution live frogs at 7:47 PM on January 22, 2007

What really works is lifting weights. Start doing bench presses and your moobs will transform into glorious schwarzeneggeresque pecs in no time.
posted by lemur at 9:55 PM on January 22, 2007

i would definitely recommend the wifebeater. just get that that fits a little snug

also do an all over chest workout so do flat, incline then some dumbbell work!
posted by moochoo at 12:33 AM on January 23, 2007

No mansierre for me ...

Hate to go all fussy on you, but it's a bro, of course!
posted by NekulturnY at 12:45 AM on January 23, 2007

I'd like to suggest that you take some of this advice, but also not wear tight shirts. They are just not attractive on men, IMHO, especially men who are not Justin Timberlake.
posted by miss tea at 3:31 AM on January 23, 2007

Wear bigger shirts?
posted by xammerboy at 6:44 AM on January 23, 2007

In case you want to do some research on man-boobs, the medical name for the condition is gynecomastia (or in your case psuedogynecomastia, as it seems to be associated with obesity rather than abnormal glandular tissue.) In any case, if it is bothering you enough, most plastic surgeons can fix it.
posted by TedW at 8:12 AM on January 23, 2007

Unfortunately, spot reduction is a
myth: you can't lose fat from a particular part of your body by exercising that part.

Bear in mind that if you're losing weight you might have a somewhat distorted self-image. You might be being over self-conscious about this. Or, you might be over-enthusiastically cramming yourself into clothes you're not quite ready for yet. If it's at all possible, ask someone in real life whether the clothes suit you.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 11:53 AM on January 23, 2007

I had the same problem when I was a teenager, and exercise worked wonders. Dear lord, don't get surgery for this. Do push-ups regularly. Like every day. There's no need to go to the gym and lift weights, you have 210 pounds and gravity to help you. All you need is a horizontal surface. Pectoral muscles develop rapidly with exercise and, like someone previously mentioned, soon enough you'll have manly pecs.
posted by mullingitover at 5:12 PM on January 23, 2007