How to Lose Chest Fat? Actionable Tips and 5 Exercises to Try

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Finding ways to eliminate chest fat can be frustrating. 

People have an ideal body in mind when losing weight. Seeing the excess skin on their chest could put a damper on their weight loss journey. But fear not, because reducing this type of fat is definitely possible.

Of course, you can’t spot reduce, so there are other ways of defeating this obstacle. From doing more intense exercise to trying fat loss apps, you’re bound to find something that suits your personal goals.

If you want to say goodbye to chest fat, just keep on reading.

How to Lose Chest Fat? 4 Tips That Are Proven Work

Before we get into the tips, it’s important to note that you can’t just focus on losing fat on your chest. Spot reduction is a myth and can’t be performed during weight loss. The only way to lose fat in this area is by burning fat in your entire body, as this is how the natural process works. 

Here are 4 ways you can reduce excess chest fat: 

#1 Create caloric deficiency

Being in a calorie deficit means you’re consuming fewer calories than your body needs. 

For example, if you need 2,000 calories to maintain your weight, you’ll need to consume around 1,500 calories a day to achieve fat loss. The body will then use reserved fat stores to fuel your organs and function properly.

You should also focus on eating clean food that improves body composition. This could be green leafy vegetables, fresh fruit, whole grains, nuts, and healthy fats. Consuming 1,500 calories worth of junk food won’t do your chest area any good.

#2 Incorporate cardio workouts

Cardio-based exercise is a great way of losing stubborn weight. When your heart is working hard to pump blood, the body is burning extra calories just to keep you functioning. The more calories you burn through intense exercise, the more likely you’ll lose chest fat.

You could go for a long-distance run or try high-intensity interval training (HIIT). These forms of cardio will get the heart racing, leading to more excess body fat being used. It may be worth doing these exercises in the morning before breakfast to see more noticeable results.

#3 Reduce alcohol intake

There are many reasons why alcohol is very unhealthy. 

While this beverage is safe in moderation, it shouldn’t be consumed on someone’s weight loss journey. The high amount of calories can stop the fat-burning process and add more fat around the chest muscles.

Being intoxicated has also been proven to trigger hunger cravings. You can easily make bad food choices during this state, like eating junk food that exceeds your daily calorie intake. It’s better to avoid alcohol completely, but one glass every now and then should be fine.

#4 Try a weight loss app 

A weight loss app can help guide your goals and show you the best tips, recipes, and workout routines to get rid of chest fat.

What Causes Chest Fat?

Being overweight is the main cause of stubborn chest fat. This could be from eating too many calories or losing lean muscle mass. Some people gain the appearance of enlarged breasts depending on their genetics, diet plan, gender, age, and health condition.

Everyone has a unique body shape that affects the appearance of their chest, neck, and shoulders. For example, someone with more breast tissue might notice more protruding fat in that area. However, there are many ways you can tone the upper body to get rid of chest fat.

Sarcopenia is another cause, but that only occurs in older adults. This age-related condition refers to an involuntary loss of muscle and strength. There won’t be enough muscle definition in the breast gland tissue to hide fat or make it look more toned during strength training.

5 Best Chest Exercises to Help With Fat Loss

You can perform certain exercises to make your chest appear more defined. Just remember that these muscle movements won’t target chest fat and burn it off. The only way to lose fat is by doing cardio-based workouts that reduce your overall body fat percentage over time. 

Below, you’ll find 5 exercises to support chest fat loss:

#1 Push-ups

Push-ups are great for getting those defined chest muscles and shoulder blades. 

Simply get on all fours, placing your hands shoulder-width apart. Straighten your arms and legs, making sure the whole back is completely straight when doing the first push-up motion. Lower your body until your chest barely touches the floor, and then go back to the starting position.

Repeat the push-up technique until you feel the burn in your shoulders and chest. Traditional push-ups work your triceps, shoulders, and pectoral muscles. When performed repeatedly, you may also notice a little bit of abdominal definition as well.

#2 Chest fly

To do the chest fly, grab some weights of your choice and lie down flat on a bench. It may be worth starting with lighter weights to ease the chest into it. Once you’re in position, lift your arms above your head until they’re extended, making sure your elbows are very slightly bent.

Take a deep breath and lower the weights in an arc motion. Stop this movement when the weights are in line with your chest, and never drop them lower than the shoulders. Let your breath out and raise those weights in the same arc motion, stopping once they’re together again.

You can do this movement 10–15 times to feel a burn in your chest. Remember that weight-based workouts won’t burn fat directly, even if it feels like it during the time. Losing fat is about burning calories and toning your muscles at the same time.

#3 Dips

You’ll need to find parallel bars in the gym before doing this exercise. Some people also use a chair at home when performing the movement. Either way, you’ll still feel the same burning effect in your arm and chest muscles.

If you’re using the bars, grab them and jump, straightening your arms. For chair users, face away from the chair and put your hands back on the edge of the seat. Now, lower your body and bend the arms until your shoulders are below your elbows.

Lift yourself up again and lock your elbows at the top. Repeat this movement 10–15 times when aiming to tone the chest area. One thing to note – always keep your hands shoulder-width apart on the chair or parallel bars.

You should feel a burn in your back, triceps, chest, and shoulders.

#4 Decline press

The decline press is a complex move, but it’s great for building muscle. You’ll need a barbell and a decline bench to perform this exercise. You can also do the decline press using dumbbells, but a designated squat rack may give you more results.

Take your time adjusting the bench, as you need it high enough in order to reach the barbell above you.

Next, add the weights to the barbell, ensuring they’re appropriate for your strength level. Start light and build your way up from there. There’s no rush when it comes to getting that chiseled chest.

Slowly lie backward on the bench, paying attention to the bar on your way down. Grip the bar tightly, but make sure your hands are slightly wider than your shoulders. Lift the bar off the rack and lower it to your chest, inhaling as you perform this movement.

Once the bar barely touches your chest, lift it up until your arms are fully extended again. You’ve just done a full decline press, so repeat the exercise until the burn starts invading your pectoral muscles.

#5 Barbell bench press

A barbell bench press is pretty straightforward, as you can copy the movement from a decline press. The only difference is that you’re not on an angled tilt. You can also use dumbbells if you’re more comfortable with those, so just find something that works for your goals.

Just lie down on the flat bench, using the same grip to hold the bar above you, and lower it to your chest. Use your chest and back muscles to raise the bar again, keeping your arms straight once the bar has returned to the starting position. 

For beginners, it may be a good idea to get someone to watch your form. They can also hold the bar if it becomes too heavy or you can’t lift it back.

Is It Possible to Lose Chest Fat in 10 Days?

Yes, you can reduce some chest fat in 10 days, but the noticeable difference won’t be huge. The body needs to get rid of excess fat tissue in other places before targeting your chest. Remember, cardio-based exercise is key to reducing your overall body weight.

Many people lose around 1–2 pounds a week. This weight loss is perfectly healthy and keeps the body functioning properly throughout the day. In just 10 days, you might lose 2.5 pounds, depending on your exercise routine, diet plan, genetics, current weight, gender, and age. 

Of course, it’s possible to reduce chest fat, but you might not see it straight away. The fat may come from other places, like the legs, face, and arms. If you start losing more than 3 pounds in a week, you may damage your body in the future and experience very low energy levels.

Can Running Reduce Chest Fat?

You can definitely go on long runs to reduce chest fat. Running is believed to burn 100 calories every mile. So, choosing a longer distance means you’ll drop more pounds. It’s always good to burn around 500 calories per session when aiming to lose weight.

Running, in general, is great for your long-term health. Since you can’t spot reduce fat, going on regular runs could burn fat from all body parts, including the chest. Pairing this cardio-based exercise with consistent weight lifting will push you toward successful weight loss.

However, running isn’t the only exercise that lowers body fat levels. You can aim to walk 10,000 steps a day or even try long-distance biking to get the heart rate up. Anything that counts as high-intensity cardio is bound to burn stubborn fat and build more muscle.

Conclusion

Chest fat occurs due to too much body fat, but you can tone that area by doing upper body exercises. Just remember that you can only reduce chest fat when performing cardio-based workouts. These will burn more calories while toning the muscles in your lower body as well.