Let’s be real for a moment: you’re not always going to have a home cooked meal prepared and waiting for you.
Sometimes you need to depend on a fast food chain to keep hunger at bay, scanning the menu for a healthy option.
However, when you add in a highly restrictive diet like Keto, Paleo or low-carb, the task can seem impossible.
“Forget it. I’m screwed. Order me a burger and chocolate shake and I’ll get back on track tomorrow.”
WAIT!
You don’t have to throw in the towel quite yet.
Just because you pulled into the drive-thru doesn’t mean I’ll let you fall off that low-carb wagon. In this Guide, I’ll tell you exactly what to order so you can stick to Keto. And a couple other options in case my first suggestion isn’t jiving.
To start, let’s discuss some general tips when ordering low-carb at a fast food chain. Or you can click below to jump to any specific restaurant, in case you are reading this in line and need to make up your mind quickly.
If you’re interested in learning about the Keto Diet, make sure to read our MASSIVE guide on the subject.We have included everything but the kitchen sink in the article. And in the next update, I’m getting that sink in there.
Personally, I don’t think carbs deserve the bad rep they currently have, as I lay out in our “How to pick the perfect diet for you” article – but that’s neither here nor there.
Instead, we’re gonna tackle it as if you’re somebody that thrives under a low-carb environment but has to eat fast food for whatever reason!
Keep these rules in mind for dining out while following a low-carb diet.
Ditch the bun. Oftentimes, making a low-carb meal at a restaurant is as simple as saying “no bun please.” And really, it’s pretty much required if you’re following Keto. For example, including the bun on the McDonald’s Double Quarter Pounder adds an extra 30 grams of carbs. Some forms of Keto recommend 20 grams of net carbs (total g of carbs minus g of fiber). Lettuce wraps are your friend.
Focus on meat, veggies, and cheese.Carbs can creep into all sorts of items in fast food. Take an order of coleslaw from KFC. Sure, there are veggies in there all right. But it also has a lot of carbs, 14 grams for one serving. 10 of which, is sugar! Order simple things like meat, veggies, and cheese, which will generally have less hidden carbs.
Avoid fried or breaded food.You would think that fried would be fine with Keto, because of the fat involved. However, they’ll add flour into the mix (meaning carbs) so stay away from mozzarella sticks or fried chicken. Grilled over fried, everytime.
Salads can be problematic.If you find a salad that’s just veggies, meat, and cheese, go all in! However, you’ll run into trouble with the added croutons, dried fruit, or sugar covered nuts. Be careful and check ingredients. Also, the dressing can be loaded with sugar. Speaking of dressing…
Condiments on the side.One packet of Honey Mustard Sauce from Chick-fil-A has 10 grams of sugar. That could be a lot of your carb allowance for the day. Ask for all sauces and dressings on the side, and stick to fattier options like Caesar, ranch, and oil when you can. Chick-fil-A’s Garlic and Herb Ranch sauce only has 1 gram of carbs per packet.
It’s okay to special order.Often times the low-carb solution at a fast food joint is there, you just have to ask for it. “Can I have the chicken salad, but instead of the normal dressing it comes with, can I just have ranch?” Restaurants want to help you. It’s okay to ask for what you want. You are special.
Consider these above highlights for navigating fast food under a Keto Diet or low carb diet. Want to be told exactly what to order? We got you.
In line? Staring at the menu and can’t figure out what’s low-carb?
Order the following, just make sure you look at both calorie intake along with carb count!
It’s not gonna help much if you stick low carb but eat 5,000 calories worth of fast food! So make sure the calorie count fits into your daily allotment whenever possible.
Low-Carb Options at Boston Market
Because you choose your sides here, it’s relatively easy to get a meal at Boston Market that will comply with Keto.They also have a nutrition calculator online to help with macro ratios. However, Keto at Boston Market does mean you are going to have to pass on the dinner roll or side of cornbread. Pick the following:
Our Low-Carb Favorite:
Three-Piece Dark: Lot’s of protein, decent fat, and no carbs.
Calories: 300
Protein: 37g
Net Carbs: 1g
Fat: 16g
Green Beans: Keep it simple.
Calories: 90cals
Protein: 1g
Net Carbs: 4g
Fat: 5g
Fresh Steamed Vegetables: Following our “simple” strategy.
Calories: 60
Protein: 2g
Net Carbs: 4g
Fat: 3.5g
Other Low-Carb Recommendations:
Turkey: Lot’s of protein, but less fat than the chicken order.
Calories: 230
Protein: 43g
Net Carbs: 0g
Fat: 6g
Caesar Salad: While it has some carbs, it’s not considerable when weighed against other options.
Calories: 150
Protein: 3g
Net Carbs: 6g
Fat: 13g
Low-Carb Options at Burger King
The name of the game at Burger King is “no bun please.”Luckily, their nutrition calculator lets you customize your order, showing you exactly how many carbs you’ll save by removing the bun. For us nerds who love data, that’s awesome. Although I’ll gripe that this customization functionality doesn’t work on BK’s salads.
Our Low-Carb Favorite:
Double Cheeseburger (no bun, no ketchup): It’s simple, but simple works. You’re basically getting meat, cheese, and a pickle.
Calories: 250
Protein: 20g
Net Carbs: <1g
Fat: 19g
Garden Side Salad (no croutons): We’ll make up for the lack of veggies here.
Calories: 60
Protein: 4g
Net Carbs: 2g
Fat: 4g
Ken’s Ranch Dressing: The fattiest dressing they have.
Calories: 260
Protein: 1g
Net Carbs: 2g
Fat: 28g
Other Low-Carb Recommendations:
Grilled Chicken Sandwich (no bun, with mayo): In case you don’t feel like beef.
Calories: 270
Protein: 30g
Net Carbs: 2g
Fat: 16g
Low-Carb Options at Chipotle
Chipotle is a personal favorite of mine, as it’s one of a few chains where you are able to order a “paleo-ish” meal.That, and it’s easy to follow low-carb here. If there’s a Chipotle near you, it could be a great resource for a quick and painless Keto meal. Scope out Chipotle’s nutrition calculator here, which will cover any customization you can imagine.
Our Low-Carb Favorite:
Salad Bowl (with Carnitas): order it with Fajita Vegetables, Fresh Tomato Salsa, Sour Cream, Cheese, and YES for Guacamole.
Calories: 710
Protein: 34g
Net Carbs: 12
Fat: 51g
Other Low-Carb Recommendations:Stick to the Salad Bowl. However, go ahead and pick out any meat you’d like. Carnitas just has the highest fat content, which is why we recommend it for a Keto Diet. Steak and chicken are also fine.
Low-Carb Options at Dunkin’ Donuts
Proving that you can get a low-carb meal pretty much everywhere, we have Dunkin’ Donuts.As a nerd that grew up in New England, Dunkin Donuts will always hold a special place in my heart.
Granted, you won’t be ordering a donut (sorry). Also, for drinks, stick with black coffee or unsweetened tea. Everything else is a sugar landmine.
Our Low-Carb Favorite:
Sausage Egg and Cheese Bagel (no bagel): Sausage and egg are a breakfast staple. Plus, cheese!
Calories: 370
Protein: 16g
Net Carbs: 3g
Fat: 33g
Other Low-Carb Recommendations:
Egg, Sausage and Cheese Wake-Up Wrap: If you’re following a strict Keto protocol, stick to the sausage and egg bagel sandwich, sans bagel. If you have some leeway with your carb allowance, you might be able to get away with this wrap which will net you 14 grams of carbs. If the Carb Police arrests you for this one, I warned you.
Calorie: 290
Protein: 11g
Net Carbs: 14g
Fat: 20g
Low-Carb Options at McDonald’s
If one image is associated with fast food, it’s the arches of McDonald’s.In America, you’re never too far from one. Or really, even in most of the world. Can you be low-carb here? Yes! Plus, like Burger King, their nutrition calculator includes all the bunless customizations you can think up. I like that.
Our Low-Carb Favorite:
Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken Salad(Use the Balsamic Vinaigrette listed below for a 9g carb meal): It’s mostly greens, grilled chicken and a little bacon. No customization required. Your salad comes in under 400 calories.
Calories: 320
Protein: 42g
Net Carbs: 6g
Fat: 14g
Newman’s Own Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette: The lowest calorie dressing found at McDonald’s.
Calories: 35
Protein: 0g
Net Carbs: 3g
Fat: 2.5g
Other Low-Carb Recommendations:
Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese (no bun, no ketchup): Lot’s of fat, decent protein, and little carbs. You can order any burger on the menu this way with similar results.
Calories: 590
Protein: 45g
Net Carbs: 4g
Fat: 43g
Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich (no bun; vinaigrette carb content is negligible so go for it): Not a lot of fat with this order, but very low-carb with a decent source of protein.
Calories: 160
Protein: 29g
Net Carbs: 1g
Fat: 4g
Sausage McMuffin with Egg (no muffin): I know, it seems sacrilegious to lose the muffin. However, it’s the only way to keep the order low-carb.
Calories: 340
Protein: 16g
Net Carbs: 3g
Fat: 29g
Low-Carb Options at Starbucks
At this point in civilization, there’s a Starbucks on the corner of every Starbucks.Which is good if you follow the Keto Diet, because you can make an order from this chain work. If you get coffee or tea, keep it unsweetened. If you want some cream, ask for “heavy cream.” They’ll give you the full-fat version they have in the back. With Keto, always go full fat.
Our Low-Carb Favorite:
Sous Vide Egg Bites, Bacon & Gruyere: The lowest carb count of the egg bite options. A great protein to carb ratio. Plus fat. Always fat.
Calories: 320
Protein: 42g
Net Carbs: 6g
Fat: 14g
Other Low-Carb Recommendations:
Chicken & Greens Caesar Salad Bowl: Greens, chicken and a fatty dressing. This will work in a pinch.
Calories: 340
Protein: 19g
Net Carbs: 7g
Fat: 25g
Low-Carb Options at Subway
It’s estimated that 18.5% of all fast food restaurants are a Subway.[1]The more you know. The good news is, it’s pretty straightforward to order a low-carb meal here. Every sub they sell can also be made into a salad, forgoing the bun.
Go ahead and ask for cheese (duh) and get plenty of veggies. Get ‘em. Also, bacon and guacamole are your Keto friends. For dressings? Stick with oil and vinegar.
Our Low-Carb Favorite:
Tuna Salad: This will give you the most fat for the fewest carbs. Plus, a solid serving of protein. Nutrition info below is with lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, onion, green peppers, cucumbers, and olives, with oil and vinegar as dressing.
Calories: 500
Protein: 15g
Net Carbs: 7g
Fat: 45g
Other Low-Carb Recommendations:
Oven Roasted Chicken: If tuna isn’t your jam, go ahead and get the chicken. Follow the same idea as the tuna salad and grab it with lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, onion, green peppers, cucumbers, and olives, with oil and vinegar as dressing. Also, feel free to add bacon and guacamole to increase your calories. Your nutrition info will look like this if ordered as above:
Calories: 490
Protein: 24g
Net Carbs: 11g.
Fat: 35.5g
Low-Carb Options at Wendy’s
I’ve always been amused by Wendy’s, probably because they make square burger patties.Wendy’s, you cray. You can also get a decent low-carb meal here.
Our Low-Carb Favorite:
Southwest Avocado Chicken Salad: It is nice not to have to special order anything. Go ahead and eat this salad as is. Lots of fat and protein and low-carb(ish).
Calories: 600
Protein: 42g
Net Carbs: 11g
Fat: 41g
Other Low-Carb Recommendations:
Baconator (no bun, no ketchup): If a salad isn’t what you’re after, a meal of bacon, meat, and cheese can keep you going. I wouldn’t recommend this all the time (see the calories), but the beauty of Keto is, a pile of meat and cheese can get you by.
Calories: 760
Protein: 53g
Net Carbs: 2g.
Fat: 60g
Eating fast food doesn’t mean you have to give up on keto or low-carb
Just about anywhere you go can offer you a low-carb meal.We just covered 8 popular restaurants and provided exactly what to order to stick with the Keto Diet.
Even if you find yourself at a restaurant not covered in our guide, DON’T PANIC!
Stick to the advice at the start of this Guide, and remember, it’s okay to request a special order.The staff at restaurants want to make you happy, so good ahead and tell them what would make you happy.
The good news is, this is getting easier and easier. As the Keto and the low-carb trend continues to skyrocket in popularity, more and more chains are working to accommodate.
Go ahead and let the store know about your low-carb requirement.They’ll listen. And the next time you stop by, there might be something on the menu specifically designed to meet your needs. That’s how you end up with The Low Carb Thickburger at Carl’s Jr/Hardee’s. Capitalism at work!
Another note: If you’re following a low-carb or Keto Diet, my GUESS would be that you’re doing so for weight loss goals.
What can I say, I’m a mind reader.
Also, you look nice today.
No matter what nutritional strategy you pick for weight loss, navigating your food choices will be critical. As we say in our Guide on Healthy Eating, 80-90% of your success will depend on how you eat. Low-carb or non-low-carb, real food should be at the center of your fitness plan.
If this stresses you out, we can help!
If you find yourself on the road frequently, and constantly finding your health and fitness goals sabotaged by travel, a hectic life, or just being too damn busy, I hear ya.
This is why we launched our own private online coaching program that works with you to meet your goals! We help busy people like you to structure a complete life overhaul: handcrafted workout routines, accountability, mindset changes, and nutritional strategies.
We can help you be successful with Keto, or any other kind of diet. We can build routines and strategies for the weeks you’re traveling, and the weeks you’re home.
If you want guidance from a trained professional, schedule a free call with Team Nerd Fitness by clicking on the image below and see if we’re a good fit for each other!
Save this guide
Use this Guide as a resource.Something you can fall back on for a quick reference when you find yourself in a food court with no way out and your rumbling stomach is leading the way.
Bookmark this page your in phone and pull it up whenever you’re in doubt.
Don’t let a drive-thru derail your fitness goals.Often times what you order can be just as, if not more important, than where you order.
If you are following a low-carb or Keto Diet for a weight loss goal, hitting up a fast food joint doesn’t mean you have to abandon it. Stick to the orders of this Guide. If you find yourself at a restaurant not covered here, fear not! Reference the tips at the beginning of this article and you’ll do just fine.
We’d love to hear from you:
Any other restaurants you want us to cover as part of our Guide?
PS:It should go without saying, that you probably shouldn’t live off fast food. But I get it, sometimes you have to do the best you can, with what you have, where you are. Just don’t consider this Guide as a pass to live life through a drive-thru window.
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All photo citations can be found in this footnote[2].
Footnotes ( returns to text)
If you’re into weird business statistics, here’s a link to show you the most popular chains in America.
“This is super embarrassing, but I really struggle with it.What do I do to get rid of my man boobs?”
I know. awkward phrase. But that’s not gonna get us to shy away from the topic here on Nerd Fitness.
A form of this question comes in daily: “How do I get rid ‘X’ fat on ‘Y’ area.”
Things like: “What can I do about this belly fat?” or “Is it possible to ditch these love handles?”
And also, “man boobs” or “moobs.”
I get it – we’re already self conscious beings to begin with. Throw in something about ourselves that make us feel less confident, probably some some (or a lot of) teasing in our past, and it’s how we end up wearing t-shirts in the pool and not taking our shirts off at the beach.
This sucks.
Today, we’re gonna dig into the truth, science, and treatment of man boobs – do you have a true medical condition (called gynecomastia), or is it just extra body fat in an inopportune spot?
Today, we’ll discuss:
What causes man boobs?
Can I target specific areas for fat loss?
What to do in general to lose body fat?
Can I fix my man boobs with diet and exercise?
When are “moobs” a medical condition?
Should I consider surgery or a medical procedure?
First up…
A note on inclusivity and body acceptance
There’s one thing I want to address before we dive in.
My goal with Nerd Fitness has always been to make it an inclusive place where people can share their challenges without fear or judgement. I understand this is already a controversial topic to begin with, and a not-great-but-definitely-used term to describe something that brings guys a lot of shame.
So a few points:
If you identify as female, this topic may not be applicable to your situation. However, some of the questions we’ll talk about today like “can I target this area for fat loss” can be universally applied. So stick around, you’ll still learn a thing or two. Or maybe considerthis post on targeting belly fat.
I know many of our male readers have probably been picked on for holding fat in the chest area, whether a medical condition or not. Perhaps in grade school by a bully four decades ago, or by a friend yesterday at the beach. Either way, that’s terrible. If this is you, I am very sorry. People suck. All of us at Team NF want to promote positive body images. We strive to be healthy, but we know healthy will look different to everybody. While we don’t want to justify obesity, we also don’t want to promote fat shaming. We’ll try to walk that line with this post.
There’s nothing wrong with both accepting who you are AND wanting to improve your physique. It doesn’t make you vain or shallow. It makes you human. I started training because I wanted to build muscle and get stronger and feel better with my shirt off. And that led me to eventually start Nerd Fitness.
Even calling the male chest “man boobs” or “moobs” is controversial. But it’s the language that’s used in inquiries to us. So I’m putting all these terms in quotes. And we’re just gonna roll with it.
If you’re still offended, no worries – I’m trying to come at this from the right place and above all else trying to help people.
Ok! Here’s a GIF of a puppy to help ease the tension:
Back to our regularly scheduled article.
What are “Man Boobs”?
Let’s chat about some medical definitions, because it’ll help us put “man boobs” in some proper context.
Gynecomastia is defined as the benign growth of the male breast glandular tissue. The National Institute of Health states it’s usually caused by “increased estrogen activity, decreased testosterone activity, or the use of numerous medications.[1]”
Pseudogynecomastiais when male breasts are enlarged by fat deposits, due to an increase in body fat which distributes itself on one’s body according to genetics.
Most men who struggle with “man boobs” or “moobs” are in this second category, and the “pseudo” means they don’t really have the condition “gynecomastia.”
There is no hormonal imbalance.
Instead, the body is just storing extra fat in the chest area.
I’ll mostly be talking about shedding body fat and building muscle to lose “moobs,” but I will also talk about gynecomastia and medical conditions later.
Next up!
Can you get rid of Man Boobs?
Why do some men store fat in their chest?
That’s actually a really complicated question. A lot of it has to do with genetics and body types.
Generally, “body types” can be thought of as the following:
Ectomorph:Characterized as having long, slim, and thin muscles and low fat storage. Difficult to gain any weight.
Mesomorph:Sometimes called the “lucky ones.” They have medium bones, solid torso, low fat levels, wide shoulders and a narrow waist. Can build muscle easily.
Endomorph:Endomorph are predisposed to storing fat, and thus play the game of weight loss on Legendary difficulty. Can gain fat easily.
There’s also xenomorphs, which have acid for blood.
Granted, the three non-alien body types above constitute a gross oversimplification of human beings. People areverycomplex. Additionally, the difference between the three is real, but not the end-all-be-all to your physique.
I bring this up to point out that dudes process and store calories differently.
And storing calories is a critical concept for our discussion on “man boobs.”
If you eat more calories than you burn, day after day, month after month, year after year, your body has to do something with that extra energy.
If you’re sedentary, more often than not, the body chooses to store that energy as fat.
Depending on your genetics, your body might choose to store that fat in your butt, gut, thighs, or chest. Probably a combination of all those things.
To summarize the main argument of our article on “body types,” while our genes will always affect what we can and cannot be in life, we can also train and work to overcome our “type.”
For example, I’m a “ectomorph” but have worked hard over the past decade to make Captain America proud. We are not our genetics, and we can overcome certain aspects of our biology.
Just because you are an “endomorph” (gain fat easily) doesn’t mean you are destined to be overweight and you’ll never get rid of your man boobs.
It simply means you’ll need to have a natural, two pronged approach to tackling the “moobs” problem: exercise and nutrition.
Speaking of exercise…
Can exercises target chest fat?
No exercise can specifically target an area of your body for fat loss.
Fat and muscle are two different ‘systems’ in your body.
Fat sits on top of muscle, like oil on water. When you target a specific area for weight loss, like with a Thighmaster, all you arereallydoing is exercising the muscle underneath the fat on your thighs.
And don’t get me wrong – this is GREAT (the muscle, not the Thighmaster).
More muscle is a good thing. And yup, any exercise will result in calories burned – which is crucial when it comes to fat loss.
However, we need to think of the other system as well: the fat resting on top.
So, the path to get rid of “man boobs” centers on three points:
Eating a caloric deficit (consuming fewer calories than you burn) so that your body has to break down your fat stores (including the fat stored in your chest) for energy.
Strength train so your calories are diverted to rebuilding muscle rather than getting stored as fat.
Strength train to build up the muscle under the fat. Muscular pecs with a low body fat percentage look dramatically different than man boobs.
Here’s why:strength training preserves the muscles you have (and can help build pectoral muscles).
Your body also has to rebuild the muscle that breaks down while you exercise, so it uses any extra calories you have to do that rather than store it as fat!
Think of it kind of like the Sorting Hat from Harry Potter (come on, this is Nerd Fitness after all). When you strength train, essentially your body will act like the Sorting Hat and divert calories coming in to sit at the cool kids table (“Rebuild muscle!”) and not the “Store as fat” table.
With our strategy, you are decreasing the body fat on top of your muscle, while also building up that same muscle underneath.
This results in tighter skin, with less padding (fat), stretched over firmer muscles. And boom – confidence boosting pecs that would make King Leonidas proud!
Said another way, we’ll be coming at “man boobs” from the outside and inside.
Strength training for the win
If you are currently sedentary, the best form of exercise to help build a confidence-boosting physique would be strength training.
We can build up our pectoral muscles: your chest muscles under your “man boobs.” Same with broadening your shoulders. We can also improve our posture to make sure we stand tall and proud, pulling our shoulder blades back.
In order to accomplish each of these goals, we’re gonna focus on building up strength in our PUSH muscles. And our first stop will be push-ups, a basic but important exercise to start developing upper body strength.
We can show you the correct way do one right here:
I don’t care if you need to do them from your knees or doing an elevated push-up (as we point out in the video). We all start somewhere, and the name of the game is progressive overload – getting stronger with each workout!
Let’s consider the following Advanced Chest Exercises:
Bench press (barbell or dumbbell). If one piece of equipment is visually associated with a fitness gym, it would be a bench press. If you’ve never done a bench press before, check out our guide on using one safely right here. Afraid you don’t have a spotter? Check out this video:
Incline bench press.You can also work on an incline bench press to develop a more rounded-pectoral muscle that targets your upper chest. Or use an exercise band like so:
Overhead presses. Not only can your pectoral muscles help push forward, they also get worked out when you do an overhead press. Varying chest exercises is a good way to help with definition. Here’s a dumbbell variation if you can’t train with a barbell yet:
Dips. Don’t overlook the importance of also pushing down, with dips! Again, this will help promote chest definition. Scope out a step-by-step here:
Gymnastic rings. It’s no secret I’m a fan of gymnastic rings. It’s hard to keep secrets when you write about them in a blog. I personally know of no better way to build upper body strength and muscle than with a pair of gymnastic rings.
Again, start with push ups. Start doing them today. If you can’t do a regular push-up, a knee push-up is totally fine. Just do them.
After you get cozy with push-ups, move onto the above Advanced moves. I asked the male members of our Nerd Fitness Academy about man boobs, and many have reported improving their appearance with these pectoral exercises. They can help.
Plus, strength training will make every other aspect of your life better. Carrying groceries, playing with children, and defending yourself against ninjas will all be much easier after strength training.
Now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t include some other exercises that can change your life:
Squats and deadlifts. These two basic barbell movements are the most ‘efficient’ exercises at building strength and burning fat. They recruit your central nervous system and every muscle, joint, tendon, and bone in your body to get stronger.
In fact, if you could only do 4 exercises for the rest of your life, I would say:
Squats
Deadlifts
Push-ups
Pull-ups
Show me somebody who is super strong at those four movements, and I’ll show you somebody who has a great physique.
Why pull-ups? In addition to recruiting a lot of muscle, they also will help you dramatically with your posture: pulling your shoulder blades back and standing tall can help stretch your skin on your front side, improving your profile when addressing the challenges with man boobs.
Too long didn’t read: get strong, and your life will get better. Build muscle in the right places, and it can help you reduce “man boob” problems.
Now, if you’re all “Steve this sounds awesome. I want to strength train, but damn man. I’m already self-conscious enough about my man boobs…how the hell do I get enough confidence to go into a gym when I don’t know what I’m doing!”
Great question.
If you want expert guidance, form checks, and a custom build workout (and nutritional guidance) to help you transform your physique, we have a private,1-on-1 coaching programthat spurs nerds into action.
If you want guidance from a trained professional, schedule a free call with our team by clicking on the image below and see if we’re a good fit for each other!
Okay, we talked about exercise.
And I mentioned “nutrition” as a MAJOR component when it comes to weight and fat loss.
So I’m gonna dive deep into this.
Why the focus?
80-90% of “how to get rid of man boobs” will rest on how you answer the question: “what do you normally eat?”
The science of fat loss
Why is diet so important for weight loss?
Consider what you have to do to lose body fat: you need to expend more calories than your body consumes, consistently.
To gain weight, do the opposite, and eat more than you expend, consistently.
Let’s put some numbers to this:3,500 calories equals roughly one pound of fat. There’s seven days in a week. If you want to lose one pound of body fat in a week (a worthy, sustainable goal), you need to create a caloric deficit of 500 calories a day: either through consuming 500 less calories, burning 500 more calories, or a combination of the two.
Remember this: a 500 calorie deficit daily to lose a pound a week.
What do 500 calories look like?
The number of calories found in a Big Gulp of Mountain Dew.
An estimate of the calories required to run five miles.
Hopefully those two dots above made your head explode.
“Steve, you’re saying that in order for me to counteract just sipping on a Mountain Dew while owning noobs in Fortnite, I’d need to run 5 miles? I haven’t run a mile since gym class. And that was 15 years ago.”
Yup.
Nutrition is 90% of the equation when it comes to weight loss.
NINETY. PERCENT.
Okay I don’t actually know the exact percentage, but 90% is dramatic enough I hope to get you to realize that changing your nutrition is the most important thing you can do to reduce “man boobs.”
Sure, exercise is important. However, when it comes to creating a caloric deficit, it’s much easier to decrease calories consumed vs. increase “calories burned.”
Put a different way: would you rather pour out that Mountain Dew, or run five miles?
Let’s tie together our discussion on “man boobs” with our philosophy on fitness:you’re eating too much, and your body is choosing to store these calories wherever it sees fit.
Unfortunately in your situation, it’s choosing to store them in your chest area.
You can’t change the past. But you can change your future.
Which is why we’re gonna reverse the trend: eat a caloric deficit, consistently and permanently. Over time, your body will respond by burning fat from certain areas, in a certain order (again, this is out of your control). As your body fat percentage drops far enough, it should start to remove the body fat from your pectoral area.
While exercise is important, for consistently creating a caloric deficit, we need to scrutinize total calories coming in.
One way to do this is to count every single calorie consumed. Every meal and morsel is recorded, no matter what. While this is indeed effective (track the problem to crack the problem), it’s also tedious, and unlikely to be consistently followed in the long run.
I know this is easier said than done. But it’s time to take a proactive approach to your nutrition. You’re reading this article because man boobs are a real problem for you – educate yourself on what you’re eating and work on cutting back on the calories!
I recommend everyone try tracking their food for at least a week: it can be a food journal, a calorie counting app like MyFitnessPal, etc. It’ll teach you a lot about the food you eat, and yourself.
TOUGH LOVE ALERT:I can almost guarantee that your man boobs are not a result of a slow metabolism. It’s due to the fact that you have been consistently overeating, day in, and day out, for years.
Once you’re done being mad at me and defensive about this, you’ll realize this is great news!
Why? Because it’s fixable. You are not broken. You simply need to start changing how you deal with food.
To do that, we’re going to focus on sustainable changes. After all, temporary changes create temporary results. And we want to get rid of man boobs permanently.
So instead of eating less of the current food that got you here, let’s explore switching up the food you eat all together.
What should I be eating to lose “moobs”
The Nerd Fitness philosophy on diet can be written in three words: Eat REAL food.
Food that grew in the ground, on a tree, ran on the land, swam in the sea or flew through the air. Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts are all great examples of REAL food.
This is what you should be eating. If you stick to REAL food, you’ll likely create a caloric deficit naturally.
Why?
The fine folks at WiseGEEK did an awesome post where they took pictures of what 200 calories of a certain food looks like.
200 calories of broccoli gets you enough broccoli to fill up an entire plate:
Or half a snickers bar:
Yeah…
If you want to create caloric deficit consistently, REAL food is the answer. Before you get all huffy, I know a Snickers bar is way more delicious than broccoli – it was designed in a lab by scientists to be AMAZING!
And I’m not gonna tell you to never eat a Snickers ever again either. Instead, you need to start being proactive about your food choices. If you’re gonna eat a Snickers, you better damn well be planning for that by reducing your calorie intake elsewhere.
And if the scale isn’t budging, and your man boobs aren’t getting smaller – you’re still eating too much!
Should you do the Mediterranean diet? Keto? Vegan? Paleo? Maybe. They all follow the same premise: by changing the foods you eat, you’re more likely than not to eat a caloric deficit without struggle. Certain people respond better to certain diets than others.
Stay clear of processed food – they’re designed for you to overeat them. Take a look again at that Snickers bar. Do youreallythink you’d only eat half of one to stick to 200 calories? Of course not. This argument is more or less the rationale for following a paleo diet.
Eat veggies.Vegetables are nutrient dense and light on calories. Because of all the fiber, they are also tough to overeat. Imagine eating all that broccoli. Are you going for seconds? Probably not. So eat your veggies to help keep you full. Hate vegetables? I once was like you.Read how I turned it around here.
Avoid liquid calories. Cut back dramatically on soda, juices, smoothies, and any beverage with calories. Even most coffee orders (with sugar, cream, etc.) have a ton of hidden calories. All these drinks are sugar bombs, since there is no fiber to balance out all the carbs you are consuming. Stick to water, and unsweetened tea or coffee. Here are our thoughts on diet soda.
Prioritize protein.When your body heals itself, like after exercise, your body uses protein as the building block of muscle rebuilding. Outside of repairing your body, protein will also work to keep you full and satiated: 400 calories of chicken will leave you wayyy more full than 400 calories worth of Gatorade[2]. If you prioritize protein on your plate, you’ll be doing a lot of the heavy lifting on proper nutrition. Some great sources of protein include chicken, eggs, beef, pork, fish, nuts, legumes, quinoa, and most dairy products.
These four points will help you on your journey to create a caloric deficit.
Disclaimer: this is all easier said than done.After all, 70% of the country is overweight. Don’t worry though, because most of them don’t read Nerd Fitness. You do. This is like a strategy guide for life.
If you’re struggling with portion control and challenges, jump fully into the NF community. We cover human behavior and psychology to help you improve your environment, fix your habit building, and how to surround yourself with people that make you better (including our free message board community)
We’ve helped thousands of people like you here at NF, and we really focus on nutrition.
Like we said, it’s 90% of the battle!
It’s why we created our 10-level nutritional system. Each level gets a bit more challenging and healthier, but you can progress at your own speed to make your changes stick!
The name of the game here at Nerd Fitness is “consistency.” That’s how you target your whole body for fat loss, chest included.
You can download our 10-Level Nutrition Guide when you sign up in the box right here:
Download our free weight loss guide
THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life
Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace
What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating
3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target
Does soy cause man boobs?
You don’t have to search far on the internet for the advice “avoid soy because it causes man boobs.”It’s repeated so much, it’s assumed to be fact.
Is it?
The definition of gynecomastia (medical condition of man boobs) mentions “increased estrogen activity” as a major cause. So when people say stay clear of soy, they’re worried of its impact on hormones like testosterone and estrogen.
Why the concern?
It comes down to a compound found in soy called “isoflavones.”Isoflavones are a type of phytoestrogen, which act a little like estrogen, the central female hormone.
“Phyto” is derived from Greek and means “plant.” “Estrogen” is estrogen. So phytoestrogen more or less means plant derived estrogen.
The fear of isoflavone rests with our bodies using this plant like estrogen as actual estrogen.A report from Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology found that this is potentially possible[3].
I should now note, we are about to wade into a controversial subject.
We’ll be careful, and rely on good old fashioned science and studies for guidance.However, sometimes science can point us in a couple different and contradictory directions. When this happens, it’s important to acknowledge the uncertainty.
Compounds in soy may act like estrogen in the body. Does this apply to men though? And do they cause “man boobs?”
A 2005 study out of the The Journal of Nutrition did find a relationship between soy intake and hormone levels in men[4]. However, they concluded these to be “minor.”
In 2010, Fertility and Sterility tackled the question on whether soy had “feminizing effects on men.” They found it didn’t[5]. Their report stated that “neither isoflavone supplements nor isoflavone-rich soy affect total or free testosterone levels.” The journal concluded that “there is essentially no evidence from the nine identified clinical studies that isoflavone exposure affects circulating estrogen levels in men.”
Case closed?
Probably, but I’d be remiss not to mention the following:
There is one documented case published in Endocrine Practice, where a man may have given himself gynecomastia by drinking three quarts of soy milk a day[6]. His gynecomastia went away when he stopped. Granted, this is anecdotal evidence, which is far from proof. However, it is interesting and worth noting to round out this discussion. And as mentioned earlier, the ability for phytoestrogen to act as actual estrogen does seem possible…
“Steve, Just tell me: Should I ditch soy to ditch my man boobs?”
Well, as with anything, quantity and context matters.Virginia Miller, an estrogen researcher at the Mayo Clinic, told a Vice journalist “the amount of phytoestrogens in various soy products varies by process method[7].” Dr. Miller didn’t think it was too problematic to eat soy, specifically mentioning that “eating tofu is probably OK.” Interestingly, Miller suggested that BPA found in plastic is more harmful to our endocrine (hormone) system than eating or drinking soy[8].
Confusing stuff.
In general, the consensus seems to be that as long as you don’t binge soy products (three cartons of milk), the amount of phytoestrogens found in a normal diet is fine.
If you have the actual condition of gynecomastia, soy is unlikely to be the root cause.
As more and more research is being done on this subject, this answer could change. My opinion: this is a tiny piece of the puzzle, not the whole picture.
If you are overeating terrible food every day, worrying about the soy you consume is missing the forest for the trees. That’d be like…putting on a long sleeve shirt instead of a t-shirt for added protection, before driving 50 miles an hour into a brick wall. Instead, maybe focus on wearing a seat belt, or better yet – not driving into the wall in the first place!
I swear that analogy made sense in my head before I typed it out.
Anyways – back to real specifics. Here is the Nerd Fitness philosophy on soy:focus on total calories consumed and get that dialed in for consistently caloric deficit.
Only THEN, as your body fat starts to decrease, and you’re analyzing how your body responds to any and ALL types of food, see how your body responds to removing soy from your diet.
Do I actually have gynecomastia?
The only way to really know if you have gynecomastia is to go to a doctor.
They’ll be able to tell you (often with an ultrasound) if it’s a glandular breast enlargement or just fatty tissue.
They might also do some blood tests to check testosterone levels and female sex hormones like estrogen.
If you have an imbalance, gynecomastiacouldbe a side effect. They’ll know for sure and can prescribe a treatment.
It should be noted: obesity itself is tied to increasing the development of real gynecomastia.
Excessive fat stimulates the body’s production of estrogen, spurring the growth of actual breast tissue[9].
Said another way,pseudogynecomastia can turn into actual gynecomastia.
If you are diagnosed with gynecomastia, it’ll be between you and your doctor as to next steps. I’ve seen men take one of three paths, as I’ve read anecdotes from our private men’s support community for our NF Academy:
Men who had elective surgery (liposuction in some instances and skin tucks) to remove the fat due to gynecomastia. They are thankful for no longer being self-conscious about their chest areas. This is not an option for everybody for various reasons.
Others have worked hard to reduce their man boob size through exercise and nutrition.
Some have elected to not treat gynecomastia, or are working to reduce the fat around their pecs through diet and exercise before deciding what to do next.
If you’re concerned with “man boobs,” weight management is the path of action we’d recommend, whether you’re facing either gynecomastia or pseudogynecomastia.
Reducing your body fat percentage can help keep your hormones in balance.
In addition, we’d recommend treating the root cause (poor nutrition and overconsumption of calories) instead of only treating the symptom (get rid of man boobs through liposuction).
Your unique situation is just that: unique. I know many men who have treated pseudogynecomastia with diet and exercise, and I know others who are VERY thankful they had surgery to treat the symptom and are much happier as a result.
No judgment here. You do you, brother.
At this point, I bet you have an additional question:“Can hormone balance be affected in the opposite direction? By increasing testosterone?”
Is there a way to boost my testosterone naturally?
If you do suspect you have a hormonal imbalance, speak with your doctor.They can run tests and tell you exactly what is going on, why, and how to treat it.
I will not be digging into medically supervised testosterone therapy (which is above my pay grade, and between you and your doctor), here’s our guidance on naturally boosting your testosterone levels:
Strength training. I know. A few sections ago I devoted an entire area to strength training. However, if you are looking for a natural way to boost testosterone, strength training would be a good way to go about it. One 2017 study found, that although temporary, testosterone levels were shown to “acutely rise immediately following an acute resistance exercise bout[10].” Because of the short term increase, consistency is key with resistance training and testosterone levels. Which is likely why “regular exercise” has been linked with increased testosterone overall[11].
Stress.Cortisol is a hormone that is promoted by stress and reduces free testosterone levels (in addition to signaling for your body to store fat)[12]. The more stressed out you are, the lower your testosterone will be. What’s a cure? Being mindful. Meditation practices have been shown to help control cortisol levels[13]. Want to start a mindfulness practice? Scope out our Nerd’s Guide to Mindfulness to get going.
Overtraining.There can be too much of a good thing. Studies have found that both professional basketball and soccer players drop their testosterone levels by the end of a season[14]. Which makes sense. Tons of activity in a short amount of time, gives no time to repair and heal. The same phenomenon has been found in ultra-marathoners[15]. Make sure you get plenty of sleep and schedule rest days.
Eat red meat.Red meat is a great source of the amino acid carnitine, which has been linked to improved fertility[16]. Plus, it’s a good source of zinc, which has also been shown to help regulate testosterone[17].
Your results may vary. My friend Brett over at Art of Manliness did a 90-day experiment in which he doubled his testosterone levels through diet and strength training.
To be honest with you, even if you don’t have low testosterone levels, you should strength train, be mindful, and prioritize rest.
And maybe even eat a little red meat.
And yes, I read that study that says red meat will kill you. I don’t agree with the fear mongering[18].
Getting started
So you have pseudogynecomastia.
And you’re interested in trying to do this the old fashioned way before going down the route of surgery. This would be my recommended path to everybody, though remember I’m not a doctor and I would recommend working with your doctor to put a plan in place together.
OUR NON-DOCTOR ADVICE FOR A DUDE TRYING TO GET RID OF MAN BOOBS NATURALLY:
Take front and side photos without a shirt on today.This will help give you a frame of reference as you move forward with your changes. I’m not a fan of ONLY using scales, because all sorts of things influence total weight (hydration, muscle vs. fat, etc.). Pictures will round out your story.
Consider a tape measure and take weekly chest measurements too. Just be consistent with how you take the measurements and look for overall trends!
Follow the above nutritional guidance and workout routine for the next month.Remember, I gave you four tips for healthy eating. If you requested our 10-Level Nutrition Guide, it’ll help make those suggestions permanent. Plus, I want you to start doing push-ups (on your knees is a great start). Do it immediately. It’ll help prep you for those Advanced Chest Exercises I talked to you about.
If the scale is dropping, and your photos are showing “moob” improvement, keep it up!As I said earlier, consistency is the name of the game here at Nerd Fitness. Slow and steady beats fast and quitting every time.
If you want to talk to a doctor to see if anything can or should be done about it, go for it!Medical advice is generally good advice. Bonus points if you find a doctor that strength trains and seeks to treat through nutrition and exercise first!
I do want to stress, that many members of our Academy have reported improving their “man boobs” through the strategies listed in this article. We also have a super supportive private men’s community where embarrassing questions or challenges are discussed and supported.
I’d love for you to join us in the Academy if you’re seeking a positive group of guys to help you on your journey.
We are dealt a certain hand from the genetic lottery: whether we gain muscle quickly or slowly, whether we lose our hair or not, and whether we store fat in our legs or in our chest.
We can get mad about it, or we can play the hand we are dealt.
Until somebody develops robot legs, I’m not growing any taller.
However, let’s not justify our internal excuses, or throw ourselves too big of a pity party.
What we do with our genetic fate, is completely up to us. And we have hundreds of thousands of people in the Nerd Fitness Rebellion who have overcome shitty genetics to transform themselves dramatically.
We come in all shapes and sizes: you do you.
The goal of this post is educational.To teach you how your body stores fat, and what can orcannot be done about it.
It’s more than okay to love yourself and also want to improve your physique.
Body positivity and wanting to look better are not mutually exclusive.
We’re all works in progress, and that’s great.
If you want to use this post to spur you to change, like cleaning up your diet or lifting some weights, awesome!
I’m glad Nerd Fitness can help lead you into action:
Reduce your body fat percentage through nutritional changes (which includes eating a caloric deficit).
Strength train to increase the amount of muscle you have, increase the “calories burned” portion of the weight loss equation, and increase your testosterone.
Work with your doctor if you are reducing your body fat but not seeing any changes in your chest area – you might actually have a medical condition gynecomastia.
I know it’s easier said than done to say “f*** the haters,” but seriously, f*** the haters. Take your shirt off at the beach: you deserve to enjoy the sun and sea like everybody else.
We’re all a work in progress, and I hope this post helps you continue to work on yours!
-Steve
PS:If you are motivated into action, but terrified to get started (or you just want somebody to tell you exactly what to do), we can help! Schedule a free call with our team to learn more about our 1-on-1 Coaching Program will work with you to set up triggers and accountability so you can meet your fitness goal.
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All photo sources can be found in this footnote right here [19]
Footnotes ( returns to text)
Check out Mayo Clinic’s report on gynecomastia right here.
Study on protein as most satiating macro-nutrient right here.
